Ryan's Dilemma

Chapter Thirty-three

On Thursday afternoon Ryan drove home after working the breakfast and lunch shift at the Blue Haven of the Poconos. 

         Passing Goldie’s house, he sighed. He hadn’t seen Goldie since yesterday at the Gallery Connection when Carl Trennen got busted. She must have found the phone picture he left under one of the plates, as well as his message. Knowing Goldie, Ryan figured she’d call him as soon as she saw it, or maybe stop by his house.

         But… nothing. Not a word. Now he didn’t know what to think. Did Goldie still want to date him?

         Or maybe she never found the phone picture. Maybe some clerk at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City would find it under that same plate, and either throw it away or show it to everyone else in the store.

         How embarrassing!

         He pulled the Sunfire into his driveway and parked. Leaning his head against the headrest, he prayed.

         “What should I do, Lord? Should I call her? Go over to her house this evening?”

         Yesterday at the Gallery, Ryan had kept an eye on Trennen and barely looked at Goldie. Then he left—when he should have stayed and congratulated her on her commission. But he wanted her to find the phone picture by herself. He wanted to surprise her. But what if she didn’t see it? What if it got shipped to New York?

         He moaned.

         His cell phone vibrated in his pocket. Taking it out, he glanced at the number but didn’t recognize it.

         “Ryan Collins.”
         “Hello! This is Dean McCracken from Boyer, McCracken, and Straus. You interviewed with our branch firm last week in Stroudsburg.”

         Ryan sat up. “Yes, sir.”

         “I’m calling to congratulate you, Ryan. We’d like to hire you as an architect in our company.”

         Praise God! “That’s wonderful, sir!”

         Mr. McCracken talked for several minutes about the job, and what the firm expected from him.

         Was this really happening?

         “So when can you start?” Mr. McCracken paused. “I suppose you’ll need to give your present job a two-week notice.”

         “Um, yes.” He’d hate to stop working at the Blue Haven, but wasn’t this what he dreamed of?

         “That’s fine, Ryan. It’ll give us time on our end. We need to scout out an apartment for you in Hartford. Later, if you want to find your own place—”

         “Wait a minute.” Hartford? “Won’t I be working at the branch in Stroudsburg?”

         “Not at first. All new employees start at our home office here in Connecticut.”

         “Connecticut?” Ryan slumped down in the seat.

         “If you want to move back to Stroudsburg in a few years, we could transfer you.”

         A few years? “Uh, could you give me some time to consider this job offer?”

         “Oh sure! Let’s see…” Some papers rattled on the other end. “I’ll give you a call on Monday morning. Would that be enough time?”

         “That would be great. Thanks.”

Ryan concluded the call and turned off his cell phone. He finally got an architectural job with a good firm, and it was in another state!

         He rubbed a hand down his face. If he took this job, he’d have to sell his house—which he just bought—and move away from Knotty Pine. Away from Goldie. Away from the church where he was making friends—good Christian friends.

         If he moved to Connecticut, he’d have his dream job but he’d have to start over. Again. New church, new friends, and a lonely life with no Goldie.

         Ryan sighed. A scrap of Scripture pierced his mind. “Neither know we what to do, but our eyes are upon Thee.”

         He remembered the story—King Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles chapter 20. The king was faced with an invading army coming against his paltry army, and he had no idea what to do. But he turned to God, Who fought for him.

         “Lord, I don’t know what to do either, but my eyes are on You. Please help me make the right decision.”

         Design the church.

         Ryan raised his eyebrows. That thought came out of nowhere, but was that his answer? Should he turn down the job with Boyer, McCracken, and Straus? Should he stay in his house, keep working at the Blue Haven? Design the building for the church?

         To be honest, he liked those thoughts better than the thought of uprooting his life and moving to Connecticut.

         He spread out his hands. “I surrender, Lord. If You want me to stay here and design the church, please let me know. I want to follow Your will for my life.”

         Ryan spent a few minutes in prayer until peace filled his heart.

         He would wait for Mr. McCracken’s phone call on Monday, but he already knew what his answer would be.

         Ryan got out of the car and stretched. He breathed in the warm summer air. It was good to be alive. It was even better to be in God’s will.

         He gazed up at the blue sky. “One more thing, Lord.” He took a deep breath. “About Goldie… Could we get married someday?”

* * *

Until tomorrow, may the Lord bless.