A Chance at Love Read Online Free PDF

Really?”
    “Yeah. Churches are considered to be God’s house.”
    She nodded.
    “Well, if He is the Creator and Savior of the world, and I’m sitting in His house . . . well, that’s a big deal.”
    She nodded slowly as she grinned. “More people should take that perspective. Powerful way to look at it.”
    “They don’t revere it as God’s house?”
    “When you go every week, it—”
    Suddenly interrupting our conversation, a man on stage with a microphone greeted everybody and requested people to take their seats, silence their phones, and quiet down.
    Looking at the pamphlet between my hands as the show was underway, I scanned the list of people involved in the production and wondered which one was the girl I couldn’t get out of my mind. Ten minutes went by, and my hope began to dwindle rapidly. Then a half hour, and then an hour.
    Toward the end of the evening, I had only a sliver of hope left as there was only one more song.
    Looking through the darkness of the sanctuary and up at the stage, a man stood in the spotlight that shone down to the left at a lone microphone. He said, “With our final performance of the night, please join me in welcoming Emily Hayden to the stage. She’ll be singing Holy Night.”
    Oh, I love that song , I thought to myself. The spotlight faded, and a dark blue spotlight slowly brightened at the center of the stage.
    There she was.
    Barely able to see her through the dark hint of blue that illuminated around her, the crowd was as quiet as a snowy winter night. She began to sing.
    “O Holy Night! The stars are brightly shining,
    It is the night of the dear Savior's birth.
    Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
    Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
    A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
    For yonder breaks a new glorious morn.
    Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!”
     
    Chills ran up my spine as she continued to sing and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. There were hints of sparkle in her hair that caught bits of light and reflected it back into the audience. My eyes drank in her beauty while my heart began pounding harder.
     
    “O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
    O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
    O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
     
    Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
    With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
    O’er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
    Now dome the wise men from out of the Orient land.
    The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
    In all our trials born to be our friends.
    He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
    Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
    Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
     
    Truly He taught us to love one another,
    His law is love and His gospel is peace.
    Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
    And in his name all oppression shall cease.
    Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
    With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
    Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
    His power and glory ever more proclaim!
    His power and glory ever more proclaim!
     
    A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
    For yonder breaks a new glorious morn.
    Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
    O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
    O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!
    O night, O Holy Night, O night divine!”
     
    The crowd erupted in cheering and clapping as the light faded away from the stage. Then the spotlight over to the left of the stage came back on and illuminated the gentleman from earlier. He began the closing remarks. My grandmother leaned into my ear.
    “Go find her.”
    Turning to her, I said, “She’s probably busy back there. I can’t do that.”
    “Go find her, Kyle!” she insisted, shaking my arm. “You might not get another chance!”
    I smiled and jumped up from my seat. Slipping out of the pew, I headed down the aisle to the back of the sanctuary. Pushing open the swinging door, I looked around the