A Heart to Believe: An Inspirational Romance

A Heart To Believe

An Inspirational Romance

Donna Bryant Sikes

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This book is fiction. All events and characters are fictitious or used in a fictitious way.

© 2012 by Donna Bryant Sikes. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 04/26/2012

ISBN: 978-1-4685-9546-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4685-9547-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012907212

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Contents

Dedication

About the Author

About the Book

PART ONE

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

PART TWO

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Epilogue

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my strong, nurturing family that has always touched my life in such a positive way.

I would like to thank my niece, Jena, and my husband, Allen, for their insight with this project, and also my editor, Teri Gibson, for such a great job at such a reasonable rate. Www.editingfairy.com

Lee, your funny childhood memories found their way onto these pages. Christin and Justin, thanks for loving me with a humorous, fun-loving heart.About the Author

Donna Bryant Sikes grew up on the Silvertown Village in Thomaston, Georgia. As a small child she often went to church with her mother and grandparents where there was always dinner on the grounds. Some of her fondest childhood memories are traveling with her parents to family farms in Bleckley County, Georgia. She now lives on the Hogansville/LaGrange line in Georgia with her husband, Allen. Donna has written stories and poetry most of her life. She and Allen have four children; Lee, Christin, Justin and their angel, Meagan. They have six grandchildren; Hannah, Carson, Maddox, Kolin, Jersie and TJ. Their closeness to God and family sees them through the good and the bad of this journey we call life.

About the Author

Donna Bryant Sikes grew up on the Silvertown Village in Thomaston, Georgia. As a small child she often went to church with her mother and grandparents where there was always dinner on the grounds. Some of her fondest childhood memories are traveling with her parents to family farms in Bleckley County, Georgia. She now lives on the Hogansville/LaGrange line in Georgia with her husband, Allen. Donna has written stories and poetry most of her life. She and Allen have four children; Lee, Christin, Justin and their angel, Meagan. They have six grandchildren; Hannah, Carson, Maddox, Kolin, Jersie and TJ. Their closeness to God and family sees them through the good and the bad of this journey we call life.

About the Book

Izzy is a young girl growing up in South Georgia with the love of God in her heart. Follow her as she lives a simple, country life with role models that usher her path, and a young boy from North Georgia that captures her heart. As any country girl, Izzy experiences heartache, hard work, but fun times along the way. She teaches us that a better life is allowing God to guide our path and never judge another person’s heart. Things are not always what they seem, especially when the help we receive may sometimes come from an angel.

PART ONE

Chapter 1

I always loved sitting by the creek in the spring of the year, the last bite of frost gone. Looking at the water over the rocks next to me and cascading into the creek just felt like it was washing all my troubles away. That’s the way it was after the winter of 1938, a season of troubles and heavy burdens. There was so much influenza and so many deaths. My daddy didn’t make it, but my mama never got sick. She tended most of the families for miles in this southern part of Georgia. I guess she was just immune from being around so much sickness.

I could hear my grandma calling me from a distance, Izzy, breakfast is ready! Everybody called her MamaDee, and she cooked up some good ham and biscuits with red-eye gravy. I reluctantly left my peaceful spot and walked through the woods and pasture to the house. Sitting at the table, listening to the wood crackling in the fireplace always gave me a sense of home. Izzy, wash up. You’re almost sixteen years old and to this day can’t remember to get clean before you come to a table!

As I scrubbed my hands, the back door creaked open. My grandpa came to my side to wash up, giving me a kiss on the cheek. He rolled up his sleeves, washed his hands and the back of his neck; then he reached over to snatch the towel out of my hands in a playful way. Where’s your mama? he asked.

I answered as we sat down to the table, She’s gone to check on Mrs. Blackston’s baby.

That baby sure has had a lot of stomachache since it came into this world, MamaDee said as she sat down at the table. Izzy, we didn’t say grace yet. I put my biscuit down and bowed my head, holding a bite in my mouth as Grandpa said grace. As far as I knew, it was the only time he ever talked to, or about, the Lord out loud. MamaDee was in church when the doors opened, but Grandpa said he didn’t have to get dressed up and go somewhere to talk to God.

Every Sunday morning, MamaDee and I headed down the dusty dirt road to church in the old, blue pickup with a dinner basket in the back. I could tolerate anything, knowing there was a fried chicken leg in my near future. This particular morning was no different. After we cleaned up the kitchen, Grandpa put the picnic basket in the back of the truck and gave each of us a peck on the cheek. Drive careful, he waved, that motor ain’t running too smooth.

MamaDee hit the gas on the old truck, throwing my head against the seat, then the clutch and a grinding sound threw me toward the dashboard. The rusted-out tailpipe let out a sound like a shotgun, sending all the nearby dogs running for cover. Mama went with us to church sometimes, but mostly, she tended the sick and cooked to take food to families in need. Her grandma was an old country doctor that taught Mama how to use herbs to treat people. Mama had always done that since she was in her teens, but after Daddy died, she just seemed to have a void she couldn’t fill. She stayed busy until she fell into bed at night, and after a few tears, sleep claimed her weary body and broken heart.

MamaDee slowed down to pull into the church yard when my eyes caught sight of the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. He was standing by the preacher, shaking hands, as everybody went in. He was as tall as the preacher, but skinny as a rail. As we got out of the truck and walked up closer to the church, I could tell he had sandy brown hair and the bluest eyes this side of heaven. I tripped up the first step, keeping my eyes on his. It embarrassed me something awful because I just couldn’t look away. MamaDee, watching, grabbed my arm, Remember your manners, Izzy. I looked down, feeling a flush on my