Single Scarlet Thread, Final chapters

In a world where faith can feel divided and often confusing, it’s challenging to remember that — at the heart of Jesus’s message — that the foundation of our faith is love. Many of you can share stories when God showed up in the darkness. You recall those moments when prayers were answered. You testify to that moment when something bigger than yourself offered a glimpse of faith when yours was low, and you knew Who it was.

As we finish the second book in The Legacy Series, Single Scarlet Thread this week, I pray you feel encouraged by these two truths:

1. God hears your prayers

2. God is working, even when you may not see it

It’s a reminder I need myself often. There was a moment as I read the final chapter that tears flowed. Not because the book was over, but because I sensed God reminding me of who he was.

I pray these final chapters encourage you. I pray if you have a loved one that is running, that you sense God’s immeasurable love over that one.

If you need to catch up on past chapters of Single Scarlet Thread, you can find those here.

If you want to read the first book in the series, Generous Orchid, you can find that here.

Thank you for being such an encouragement as I run after this dream of writing fiction. Many of you have been with me for years as I’ve wrote nonfiction books and as I’ve co-hosted More Than Small Talk and hosted Prayer Starters.

Thanks for supporting me on this new journey. I am deeply grateful for you.

Lori curled her legs under her in the front seat. They were only a few minutes from Pivot Peak, and she was anxious to get there. She turned as they passed Jacob’s apartment building, noting his car was still not there.

“Stop! I see a light on in Jacob’s apartment.”

Lori pointed to the upper window. A dim light flickered through the blinds. Joseph veered, gripping the steering wheel with white knuckles and made a quick U-turn at the stop sign. He pulled into the parking lot and left the engine idling. He jumped out, took the stairs two at a time and pounded on the door. Within seconds, Ethan was framed in the doorway. The two talked for a moment, and then Joseph ran back down the stairs. “He’s not there,” he said.

Hope flared when Lori saw the light in the window. It felt like a sign. Now, that hope fizzled.

Joseph pulled his seatbelt on, filling her in. “Ethan said he and Jacob had a fight. He seems really torn up about it. Said he told Jacob some things he needed to hear, but he’s worried. . .”

“Let’s stick to the original plan then,” Lori said. “Let’s go to Pivot Peak.”

Lights flashed across the interior of the car. Another vehicle pulled beside them. Stephen exited the sports utility vehicle and ran toward the apartment.

“He’s not there,” Lori called out of the open car window.

Stephen turned, momentarily blinded by the headlights. He put an arm up to shield his eyes. Suddenly Julie was at the passenger side. “Do you know where he is?”

Lori clambered out of the car. She pointed to Joseph. “Have you met Jacob’s friend, Joseph?”

“The man who loves Grandpa Tom’s food?” Stephen said. “Yes, we’ve met.”

“Did you know that Joseph’s great-grandmother was born in China?” Lori blurted out.

“Yes, hon, we do,” Julie said. “Now, do you know where Jacob might be?”

“Do you know that she is the woman that Grandpa Tom talked about?” Lori asked. “The one named Sunsoo?”

Julie put a hand on Lori’s arm. Her face was a mask of worry.

“What are you talking about?” Stephen asked.

Joseph opened the door and looked over the top of the car. “She’s telling the truth. My great-grandmother was friends with a teacher named Joseph Rhodes,” he said.

Stephen’s breath sounded ragged. “What?”

“That’s why we are trying to find him,” Joseph said.

“Slow down, guys. I’m pretty confused here. What are you talking about?” Stephen asked again.

For the next few minutes, Joseph explained. He talked about his grandfather, Junhui. He shared details of his great-grandmother, Wang Sunsoo. As he talked, Stephen stared at him, his mouth open in wonder. He fell to the curb, his head in his hands. Julie nestled beside him.

“I’m named after the teacher, Joseph Rhodes.”

“Joseph Rhodes is my great-grandfather. He was Grandpa Tom’s dad.”

Lori jumped in. “Yeah, and he gave her a portion of the Bible that he translated and wrote by hand . . .”

Stephen nodded, his eyes wide with amazement. “The book of John?”

Joseph shook his head yes. “I have it in my possession.”

Lori jumped into the conversation. “When Joseph was telling me about his family tonight, it sounded familiar. But then I realized he was telling the same story as Grandpa Tom, but from a different side.”

“I didn’t put the pieces together when I was at your home,” Joseph said. “Jacob’s last name is Parks. And we have always believed that Joseph Rhodes died in Tientsin.”

Stephen rubbed his knee, shaking his head as if trying to take in all the information. He looked up at Joseph. “Grandpa Tom’s last name is Rhodes. My mother, his daughter, married a man named Parks. Jacob took my last name when I adopted him.” He whistled softly. “That’s why you knew about the recipe,” he whispered. “Grandpa Tom told us that Sunsoo brought the dish often to their home when he was a little boy. She shared the recipe with his mother, Annabelle.”

Silence blanketed the group as they tried to process the information. Julie swiped away a tear, her head resting on Stephen’s shoulder. He looked up to the sky in awe. “Is it possible God brought Joseph into our son’s life? This can’t be just a coincidence.”

“I knew the first time that I met Jacob that we were meant to be friends. I just didn’t realize . . ” Joseph began.

Julie walked over to the young man and touched his cheek. Her eyes were full of tears. “I thought God wasn’t listening. I had almost given up hope. As much as I love my son, I feel helpless to do anything because he is slipping away from us. I thought God was not hearing my prayers. . . and all this time, he was.” She turned to Stephen. “Can you believe this?”

“What now?” Lori asked. “What do we do?”

“Do you know where he might be? We need to find him,” Julie said.

“He goes to Pivot Peak to get away sometimes,” Lori said. “Very few will be there since it’s a weeknight. That’s where we were heading when we saw the light in the window.”

“I want to go with you guys,” a voice called. Ethan stood at the bottom of the stairs.

“You can come with us,” Stephen said.

Ethan climbed in the back seat. Lori jumped in Joseph’s car and slammed the door. Joseph pulled out into the street as Julie, Stephen, and Ethan followed.