THE PORCHPYTERIANS

When cicadas are the only thing louder than the sweltering Missouri heat, the front porch becomes the only place to wait it out.

When Erica calls crying, Andi goes. It's what she's always done for the young woman she's loved like a daughter for nearly twenty years. But this time, Erica's grandfather has suffered a devastating stroke, and the family is gathering at Rocky Lake Cabins to wait for what comes next.

Waiting, it turns out, is not something this family does quietly.

Old resentments simmer. Tempers flare. Secrets surface. And somewhere between making sure the beans get picked, the arguing, the laughter, the endless cups of ice water, and the occasional uncomfortable truth, everyone seems to need something from Andi.

There's just one problem. Andi isn't qualified for most of it.

She's not a counselor, a minister, or an expert on dysfunctional families. She's a woman with a stubborn faith, a dry sense of humor, and a habit of showing up when she'd probably be more comfortable staying home.

She can't mend every broken relationship, quiet every argument, or make anyone believe what she believes. But she can ask the question: "Do you know Jesus?"

She can listen, pray, tell the truth, and love the people sitting in front of her.

And it seems that's exactly what God is asking of her.

As the days unfold, the porch becomes a gathering place for an unlikely collection of people discovering that grief and laughter, faith and doubt, and love and forgiveness don't always arrive in the order you'd expect.

And somewhere along the way, a rather unconventional congregation begins to take shape.

Who would have guessed that out on the porch, old dusty boards could become holy ground?

What happens if you willingly — keep showing up?

Andi is about to find out.

See you on the porch!

Completed Manuscript