Jenn and I left class five minutes early and met Jo in the sanctuary to practice our song once before the service. We got through it without flaw, thankfully enough, since we didn’t have time to practice it again. While we sat and waited for the rest of the classes to let out, Jenn and I told Jo about my Taylor encounter, which she had a hard time believing since she didn’t think he could talk.
We sat in silence for a minute before I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and looked up at the eldest Hanson, and smiled. “Hey, Isaac!”
He smiled back. “Our dad didn’t tell you - if you feel compelled, you can call me ‘Ike’, Taylor ‘Tay’, and Zachary ‘Zac’.”
“Well, Jo kinda dubbed him ‘Zac’ on her own!” I laughed.
“I believe it,” he responded. “So, how are you feeling?” He placed a protective hand on my shoulder.
I shrugged. “I’m alright. I have spells, remembering that, um... episode... that I just lose it. I really didn’t mean to dump something that heavy on ya’ll the first day I met you.” I looked between him and Taylor (who had appeared at his side). “It’s not anyone’s problem but mine, really.”
Taylor’s eyebrows shot up.
“Indi,” Isaac spoke gently, “that’s not something you should be handling on your own. You need people to be there for you, and if we can be two of those people you can call in the middle of the night just to talk about it, then we should.”
I felt my eyes tear up. “Thanks guys, you are too sweet.” I stood up and wrapped them both in a hug. “Thank you so much.”
When I let go of them, Jo pointed an accusing finger at Taylor. “I still don’t believe he can talk,” she declared. “I haven’t heard him say a word. He’s a mute, I tell you.”
“No he’s not, retard,” Jenn asserted. “I heard him... Sort of.”
I giggled. “Well, I heard him quite clearly, so either I have mental telepathy, or he can talk.” I looked at him. “Okay, so talk to me, and we can figure out which it is.”
He blushed the deepest red I had seen so far. “I can talk perfectly fine,” he answered in a low voice.
“Oh my gosh!” Jo cried. “He speaks!” She paused momentarily. “I’m impressed.”
He blushed again.
I reached up and placed a hand on either pink cheek. “Taylor, you are so shy!” I cooed. He smiled, bit his lip, and ducked his head in embarrassment. “Awwww!” I squealed, hugging him tightly. I was surprised when he hugged me back. Kind of reminded me of his handshake.
Isaac just stood there and laughed. “And we thought we wouldn’t like hicks!” he exclaimed.
The rest of us started to laugh as well.
“Is that what you’ve been thinking the past few months??” Jenn cried out. “All those Ohio country hicks! They sleep in barns and have cows as pets!”
Zac joined us as she said that, and burst into laughter. “Hey, if I had thought of that, I would’ve used that excuse on Mom and Dad!”
Pastor Walker approached the microphone, and I offered, “You guys wanna sit with us?”
“Yeah, thanks,” Ike accepted. The order we sat in was Jo, Jenn, me, Zac, Ike, Taylor. How little I knew. Zac and I could be a deadly combination.
We got up to sing our song after the offering, and Zac wished me luck as I exited the row.
I turned and winked at him. “This one’s for you, buddy!”
He giggled.
I nervously picked up one of the microphones and introduced the song. “The song we’re going to sing this morning is a Point of Grace song that has really meant a lot to me in the past few weeks.” I paused and cleared my throat. “As some of you know, I’ve been going through major struggles lately. I’ve had a lot of doubts about who I am and what I am. Lately I’ve really needed the reminder that when everyone else lets you down, ‘Jesus will still be there’.”
The beginning notes of the song floated out through the church. Jenn sang the first verse and Jo sang the second, then they just sang background vocals for me on the chorus part.
“Things change, plans fail. You look for love on a grander scale.
Storms rise, hopes fade, and you place your bets on another day.
When the going gets tough, when the rides too rough,
when you’re just not sure enough,
Jesus will still be there. His love will never change.
Sure as a steady rain, Jesus will still be there.
When no one else is true, He’ll still be loving you.
When it looks like you’ve lost it all, and you haven’t got a
prayer,
Jesus will still be there.
Time flies, hearts turn, a little bit wiser from lessons learned.
But sometimes weakness wins, and you lose your foothold once again.
When the going gets tough, when the ride’s too rough,
when you’re just not sure enough,
Jesus will still be there. His love will never change.
Sure as a steady rain, Jesus will still be there.
When no one else is true, He’ll still be loving you.
When it looks like you’ve lost it all, and you haven’t got a
prayer,
Jesus will still be there.
Jesus will still be there. His love will never change.
Sure as a steady rain, Jesus will still be there.
When no one else is true, He’ll still be loving you.
When it looks like you’ve lost it all, and you haven’t got a
prayer,
Jesus will still be there.
When it looks like you’ve lost it all, and you haven’t got a
prayer,
Jesus will still be there.”