The Color of Hope
ACCLAIM FOR KIM CASH TATE
The Color of Hope
“In
The Color of Hope,
Kim Cash Tate weaves a powerful story that will shake you to the core. You will laugh, your heart will break, and, ultimately, you’ll be uplifted by the many colors of hope.”
–Stephanie Perry Moore, author and co-executive editor
of Sisters in Faith
“Tackling difficult topics, the
Color of Hope
peels back the veneer of life in the South, turning over traditions and expectations between races, families, and churches. Tate’s engaging storytelling and eloquent prose journeys us through the challenge of breaking through prejudice and hurt for the sake of love and faith. Tate is definitely a voice of influence in today’s Christian fiction.”
—Rachel Hauck, award-winning, best-selling author of
The Wedding Dress
and
Once Upon a Prince
Hope Springs
“Tate expertly crafts an intriguing narrative that explores unrequited love, true faith, and the complicated politics of change in the Christian church.”
—
Publishers Weekly
“Kim Cash Tate draws us into a world where the dreams, desires, missteps, and matters of the heart we discover there mirror our own. She is a master at crafting characters who make you forget you’re reading fiction. By the end of
Hope Springs
, you’ll feel as if you’re cheering on members of your extended family.”
—Stacy Hawkins Adams, best-selling author of
Coming Home
and
The Someday List
Cherished
“Tate’s amazing ability to connect with the reader on both personal and spiritual levels elevates this novel far above the rest. Those looking for hope and encouragement will find it on the pages of this superb book.”
—
Romantic Times
TOP PICK
“As I read Kim’s book
Cherished
, the word that came back to me over and over again is grace. Kim has the gift of being able to tell a story so vividly that you forget that the characters she portrays are fictitious, and you experience deep empathy for them. You will find yourself in this story. More than that, you will discover for the first time or rediscover how deeply you are loved, valued, and cherished by God.”
—Sheila Walsh, author of
Sweet Sanctuary
Faithful
“The author skillfully ties the concept of sexual purity, whether married or single, to the idea of faithfulness on a spiritual level. . . . Readers will not be disappointed.”
—
Crosswalk.com
review
“Kim Cash Tate’s enjoyable novel is true to both the realities of life and the hope found through faith in Jesus. Romance meets real life with a godly heart. Hooray!”
—Stasi Eldredge, best-selling author of
Captivating
The
Color of Hope
ALSO BY KIM CASH TATE
Hope Springs
Cherished
Faithful
© 2013 by Kimberly Cash Tate
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of Thomas Nelson, Inc.
Thomas Nelson, Inc., books may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].
Author is represented by the literary agency of The B&B Media Group, Inc., 109 S. Main, Corsicana, Texas, 75110.
www.tbbmedia.com
.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Tate, Kimberly Cash.
The color of hope / Kim Cash Tate.
pages cm
Summary: “Hope shines brightest when all seems lost”-- Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-1-59554-998-3 (pbk.)
1. African American women--Fiction. 2. Teacher-student relationships--Fiction. I. Title.
PS3620.A885C65 2013
813’.6--dc23
2012047038
Printed in the United States of America
13 14 15 16 17 18 RRD 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Jesus, in whom lies all hope
CONTENTS
CHAPTER TWO: THURSDAY, JULY 29
CHAPTER EIGHT: SATURDAY, JULY 31
CHAPTER ELEVEN: SUNDAY, AUGUST 1
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THURSDAY, AUGUST 5
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SATURDAY, AUGUST 7
CHAPTER SIXTEEN: SUNDAY, AUGUST 8
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: MONDAY, AUGUST 9
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11
CHAPTER TWENTY: THURSDAY, AUGUST 12
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: SATURDAY, AUGUST 14
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: SUNDAY, AUGUST 15
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: TUESDAY, AUGUST 17
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 20
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: MONDAY, OCTOBER 4
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8
Sanders Family Tree
Dillon Family Tree
W
e’re making a huge mistake. I just know it.
Stephanie Sanders London stood with her husband, Lindell, in front of family and friends in the activity center at Living Word Church, heart palpitating—or constricting. Or whatever word fit the slow but sure panic that had threatened all evening to overtake her and was about to make good on the promise.
Lindell, on the other hand, had an odd glow.
“I’m still so overwhelmed by your support,” he was saying. “I never expected this.” He paused, visibly moved.
Their pastor had asked them to say a few words to the crowd who had come to say good-bye. Stephanie had spoken first, which hastened the onset of whatever this was. She couldn’t even remember what she’d said after acknowledging that they were leaving.
Lindell continued, “I became a doctor because I wanted to help people. But candidly, I was also drawn to the lifestyle it would afford. I never thought that one day the lifestyle wouldn’t matter and medicine would become ministry. But a one-month trip to
Haiti earlier this year changed my life. And now, because of you, I can alternate between practicing in the States and returning to Haiti on a regular basis. I can’t thank you enough.”
He turned to Stephanie to see if she had anything more to add. She looked out at her parents, Bruce and Claudia Sanders. Bruce had been surprised and moved that Stephanie had grown so close to his side of the family and would be planting herself in his Hope Springs roots. But he’d let her know how much he’d miss her. Looking at them now, it struck her that they might never live in the same city again. Her parents might never be a regular part of her life or her future children’s lives. She shook her head at Lindell. If she opened her mouth now, the only thing she’d add would be a retraction of all their plans.
Lindell wrapped up. “This will always be home. You might not see us every week in the first service, fourth pew from the front, left side”—he chuckled with the rest—“but you’d better believe we’ll be there in spirit. We love you, and we’ll miss you.”
Stephanie nodded her agreement as applause rang throughout the room. They walked down the steps of the riser, and Stephanie searched immediately for her older sister, Cyd.
“Stephanie! Lindell!”
They turned to see who was calling.
“You don’t know me,” a young woman said. “I’m new to Living Word, but when I saw the announcement Sunday at church, I wanted to come tonight. And I’m glad I did!” She regarded Lindell. “I’m in med school at Wash U and was so inspired by what you shared. It’s radical, really, when you think about making a total life shift . . .”
Alarm bells went off in Stephanie’s head. The only “radical” moves she’d ever made were things like wearing a dress with too much cleavage showing at her wedding rehearsal . . . which she only knew was radical by the feedback. Following-God radical was different. Harder. She needed baby steps. She needed her sister.
“Excuse me.” Stephanie was glad Lindell had taken up the response. “I need to find someone, but it was nice to meet you.”