The Ring

Tori watched as they ran inside excited to be home. She was looking for forward to some time alone. Afterall, they had been with her for 1 week uninterrupted. She turned to head home when Steve said, “hey do you have a min? I need to talk to you.” 

Tori hesitated for a moment. 

“Sure,” she said following Steve inside.

She sat down on her grandmothers old recliner, eager to know what he wanted to say. They had been divorced for more time than they had been together. They communicated but not like this. 

Steve sat down next her. 

“Bria and I had the most amazing encounter with God over this past week.” Steve said, with tenderness in his voice.

“Oh yeah?!?” Tori asked enthusiastically. She was definitely interested now. 

Steve went on to say that he never realized the depth of Gods love and how He will give us more than we can ask or imagine if we only just believe. 

Tori nodded in agreement 

Steve pulled out a heart shape box from drawer within the table between them. He handed it to her. 

“This belongs to you.” He said. “I found it in an old piece of luggage in the basement.” 

Tori looked at it. The box was familiar to her. 

“Thank you Steve,” Tori said quietly. She stared intently at the vibrant shade of red in awe of how much time had passed. The box was perfectly in tact. She traced the black painted vines with her fingertips remembering a time she had filed in the deep recesses of her mind. 

“Tori?” Steve asked. 

“Yes?” Tori replied.

“Will you forgive me?” He said.

“For what?” She asked but knowing all to well what he was referring to.

“For hurting you the way I did? It was never my intention for it to go as far as it did.” He said. “I genuinely thought it was in the kids best interest that they live with me when you bounced but after this week I realize the impact that choice had on all of us, especially the kids.” 

Tori stared at him searching for the truth. She had forgiven him long ago but certainly did not trust him. 

Steve went on to say he had stolen her heart box years ago in the midst of their divorce and had forgotten about it.

“I just want to give you back what is yours,” he said. “God has blessed me in so many ways and I’m truly sorry for all the pain I caused you.”

Tori smiled at him.

“It’s okay. It has always been okay. If it wasn’t for me losing what I loved most in this world, I wouldn’t have found God at all.” She said with tears in her eyes. “So while painful and difficult to bear at times, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I wouldn’t know God like i do if it wasn’t for what you did.”

He sighed a sound of relief. They continued to talk about how God works everything for good even when we do idiotic things. They talked about love and family. He told her that him and Bria had made the decision to move to Arizona. Bria’s dad was not well and they wanted to be able to care for them. 

“What about the kids?” Tori asked concerned. 

“Well,” he said. “That leads me to the next part”

Tori waited for what seemed like forever when it was only a split second.

“I was hoping the kids could live with you,” he said. “I know it’s a lot to ask but we want this to be a smooth transition for all. 

Everything within Tori was exploding with joy. She had been waiting for this moment for 8 years. 

“Absolutely!” Tori exclaimed.

“We also want to give you the house.” Steve said. “We don’t want this to be hard for the kids and it’s paid for so it will help with financial part of it as well.”

Tori simply stared at him, utterly speechless. 

They discussed some final details and she headed back to her apartment holding the heart shaped box in hand.

She walked inside and sat down. She cried and thanked God for answering a prayer she wasn’t sure would ever be answered.

As the tears subsided, she gently pulled the lid off the top of the box. Tori gasped at the sight of her old wedding ring sitting on top of some old receipts and hand written notes.

She pulled out the ring she had custom made with her grandmother’s diamond necklace. After all these years of hoping and believing God would restore all that was lost, it was finally happening. She knew in her spirit God had transformed Steve’s heart and he wasn’t the man he used to be. She wasn’t the woman she used to be either. Time had corrected the broken path and the love of God had healed both their hearts. 

She had been looking for a ring to symbolize her commitment to God but yet to find one that was the right fit. She slipped the ring on her finger and it was perfect, just like she remembered it to be. She felt in her spirit it was right. This ring represented all that was lost, and all that was made right again. Every time she would look at her hand she would remember the faithfulness of her Heavenly Father and His love for her. She would remember that while bad things happen, He can be trusted to make all things right. She would remember that He desires mercy, not sacrifice and how He has led her with kindness throughout her life. In remembering His commitment to her, she would remember her commitment to Him. To love Him with all her heart, mind and soul.

She squealed with excitement. “Can you believe it?!” She said to Him.

“I can” the Lord whispered. “I told you it would happen.”

“But why?” She asked.

“Because I love you,” He whispered.

And for the first time in her life, she believed that God was truly good.