(Back Then)
"RHYS ELIAS YATES"
"What in the world are you wearing?" Rose gasped as her cousin met her outside their shared apartment.
"This is my cutest dress." Ruthanne lifted her hands as if saying, what more do you want?
"I have just the dress for you."
"No way. I don't have the boobs to pull off one of your dresses, and I DO NOT, under any circumstances, wish to wear any of your clothes." The brunette stepped away from her cousin as in anticipation of getting her typical smack on the arm.
"What's wrong with my clothes?"
"You show way more skin than I'm comfortable showing. So the answer is NO."
The two young ladies headed out still chattering on about their likes and dislikes.
In no time at all, they finally made it to the party.
Where large groups of college students had gathered, Ruthanne immediately found a wall to lean against where she could take in the entire room. Her father taught her to never enter a room full of people and place her back to the door. Because her uncles worked in law enforcement, it wasn't uncommon to hear them discussing the importance of being aware of one's environment.
Scanning the room, Ruthanne saw people laughing as they engaged themselves in many different conversations. Rose found her latest crush and immediately transformed into the dainty southern belle instead of the raging diva most people knew her to be.
Ruthanne's eyes continued to roam across the room until they landed on a man who stuck out like a gigantic sore thumb. Since he was leaning up against a wall, much like herself, it wasn't out of place to call the giant a wallflower.
She observed his demeanor for some time as he nursed the bottle of Evian he held onto as if it was his life. The tension in his posture and the way his hands clasped the water bottle assured her that he was completely out of his comfort zone.
At five feet seven, Ruthanne considered that most of the men in the Neeley family were on average six feet tall. The party amateur was certainly taller than any of them by a good three, maybe five inches.
After attending parties with raging frat boys, it was nice to see someone she might have something in common with. After all, he had the appearance of a person who was dragged to a party by a cousin much like herself.
A brief back-n-forward tussle led her to a distance of within ten feet of him. She looked around to see that her cousin was surrounded by some of the most attractive men on campus. She knew it would be best to make a move before Rose caught on. For Ruthanne, it was now or never.
"Hello," She greeted him.
"Hello," he parroted.
"Are you an S.A.U. student?"
"Yes," he replied.
She wasn't sure if he was just brutally shy or not interested in talking. Ruthanne had no desire to look like she was desperate for attention, so she considered retreating.
"I... I'm Rhys."
Ruthanne was never a shy person when holding conversations in a group or with family and friends. But with a stranger, she suffered from indecisiveness. Not quite sure what to say next, she was shocked out of her thoughts the moment he spoke his name.
"I'm Ruthanne. Nice to meet you."
♡♡♡
(Back Then)
"RHYS & RUTHANNE"
It wasn't until Ruthanne Neeley and Rhys Yates sparked up a conversation at the party that she began to hope for a life that hadn't previously come to mind.
During that conversation, it was revealed that they had shared many of their Psychology classes together. Neither of them had previously sought out the attention of others and were therefore unaware of one another's presence. They mainly focused on completing the necessary courses to obtain their degrees.
As they lost themselves comparing their courses, along with some of the issues they'd encountered from class to class, Ruthanne took note of the mannerisms of the beautifully awkward man in her presence.
When she first caught sight of him leaning against a wall, he looked like a lost child who was merely content that he was allowed to watch the grown folks at the party.
Everyone else was engaged in conversations and other party affairs. They walked around casually dressed enjoying the cool breeze of late spring as the mountain of a man looked on like a frightened little church boy.
His clothes were starched to perfection. Wearing a longsleeved powder blue gingham shirt, a navy buttoned-up sweater, khaki slacks, and dark blue loafers, Ruthanne was amazed that such a handsome young man would be caught outside dressed like her grandfather.
Dark golden brown curly locks, he'd allowed to grow just a little bit too long on top, had a tendency to flop down in his line of vision. Whenever his sea-green eyes met with Ruthanne's crystal clear ones--which was a frequent occurrence--Rhys was forced to constantly tuck his hair back behind his ears.
♡♡♡
"RHYS"
Rhys was effortless in his attractive awkwardness. His quirkiness made him seem a little unsure of himself but in a good way. Often, he would hesitate as if a few extra seconds were required to properly assess what he'd say before he spoke a word. Always considerate of others rarely taking any action solely for his benefit, Rhys' careful attention to those around him drew Ruthanne to Rhys like a moth to a flame.
During their conversation, it was no surprise that Ruthanne found herself mesmerized by the resounding tone and depth of his voice. Rhys was also fully aware of just how adorably cute she was.
Never before had he met a woman who was as genuine and charismatic as Ruthanne. She became highly regarded in his opinion the moment he spoke about the church and she didn't recoil from the conversation. It wasn't merely a place to meet and discuss the Word of God for him. In his vision, it was a place to share the greatest gift with people who were lost in the suffering of the world.
As he shared his revelations, Ruthanne listened to him describe the closeness that comes from a relationship with the Lord. A radiant glow surrounded him as he ministered to her about the goodness of God.
♡♡♡
"RUTHANNE"
In all the masses she had attended throughout her twenty-four years, Ruthanne never once felt as enlightened as she did when she listened to Rhys share his relationship with the Father. No man ever spoke with so much fire and conviction. Listening to his words conveyed his affinity for his faith and it also inspired hers.
Because he was a man after God's own heart, Ruthanne believed he must be an angel. Unlike any other man, she had ever met, Ruthanne feared she would turn to find he was just an illusion.
The fear that one day he might not be by her side made each meeting with him of great importance.
Soon, his vision of serving the people literally became her purpose. Her connection to his beliefs was inexplicable, but Ruthanne was sure they must be part of the same team if she were to become a part of his life.
She pledged in her heart to help him make his faith-based dreams come true.
♡♡♡
"RHYS"
Rhys Elias Yates was the junior pastor at the Stateline Pentecostal Church located in Texarkana, Texas. He drove the short distance every day from his home in Genoa, Arkansas, to Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia.
The young man was a graduate of Dallas Baptist University located in Dallas, Texas. Just like his father, Elisha Lorcan Yates, he attended the Dallas Baptist Seminary to obtain his master's degree in Theology.
Attending the university at the ripe old age of sixteen, he had already acquired a double major in theology and business by the time he was twenty-two years old. At the end of his college journey, Rhys returned to Texarkana to serve as a layperson in his father's church.
There was no such thing as showing favoritism when it came to God's Work. Rhys was required to prove himself before he would be entrusted with the enormous responsibility of leading the flock.
He started out as a Sunday school teacher for young adults with his father's insistence that he must learn about each position in the church. The elder Pastor Yates believed it was essential to understand how important every member was to the proper functioning of the church.
When Rhys accepted the title of Junior Pastor, he also understood his father had placed a great amount of responsibility in his hands.
"Remember, you are shepherding Almighty God's flock. You are responsible for the spiritual education of His children. Recommit daily to make sure you are up to the task. Many focus on the glamour and money associated with running a church, but they often forget there are souls in need of guidance." Senior Pastor Yates always cautioned him to remember his spiritual duty.
♡♡♡
"RHYS & RUTHANNE"
The union of Rhys and Ruthanne created a quiet yet powerful presence.
Rhys displayed a special understanding of God's Word. He cared not for the accolades spoken of him, even though they confirmed his ability to win the hearts as well as the minds of anyone fortunate enough to make his acquaintance.
Because she lived and breathed her faith, Ruthanne was specially equipped to move the masses with her sparkling demeanor and close attention to the needs of others.
The couple truly cared about all and never behaved as if they saw themselves on a higher level than anyone they met. In her position, by his side, Ruthanne's faith grew exponentially.
With so much spiritual growth guiding her, Ruthanne encouraged all to invest in a closer relationship with the Father. She held monthly meetings with the women in her church to help them become the best Christian representatives they could be. Often, she would remind others to love their neighbors regardless of who they were. Junior Pastor Rhys's wife was known for never requesting anything of anyone that she wasn't prepared to model within herself.
As much as the congregation believed they knew about Ruthanne, there were a few things of which they were unaware.
The average member of their congregation had no idea their first lady was in fact the driving force behind much of the day-to-day operations of the church. She was seen as the quiet helpmate who supported her husband from the sidelines, but her double major in psychology and business management lent itself to their exponential growth.
Unlike her husband, who was classically trained from the cradle to the pulpit, Ruthanne wasn't a 'fire and brimstone' scholar of the Word. The first lady was a modern-day spiritually led individual. She believed in the Trinity and trusted in the accuracy of the Bible, but she didn't necessarily believe she would be held to such a high level of accountability when it came to spiritual matters.
Becoming a spiritual leader wasn't something she ever considered to be a part of her future before she met Rhys. But his vision was so full of hope, she was drawn to the man and the message.
There was nothing so significant about anything he had accomplished in his mind. Rhys was the third son out of the four "Yates Boys". He never believed there was anything special about himself because he came from a family full of Holy Ghost-filled spiritually led workers for Christ.
His mother was the daughter of a highly respected bishop and his father was the son of a world-renowned evangelist.
Rhys rebuked the need for fancy titles because he considered himself to simply be a teacher and a servant. Even after he founded his own church, he chose the title of minister despite the urging of other church leaders.
Most of the elders in the Christian Community advised him of his position as a shepherd. They insisted that since he was leading 'God's Flock' he must assume the title that came with that leadership position. Quite a few of his followers questioned his reluctance and he simply stated...
"Whether I am a minister or a janitor, if God gives me a Word to share and I am negligent of my duty, I will be held accountable for not sharing the Word. My title means nothing to the Father, Son, or the Holy Spirit. The work I do to further the kingdom means more than what I call myself. It is only how I represent my Heavenly Father that means something in the end."
His simplicity touched the stoniest hearts in his quest to aid people who desired a closer relationship with the Lord.
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