A new story about Dimitrius Gans coming back to a close relationship with God. I'm a Christian writer, so I like to combine elements of faith with my stories. I wanted to let all of you wonderful readers know before you continue reading so that you will now what to expect! Please read, review, and enjoy! God bless!

"Today's message is on an often-confusing topic. What is the difference between God's mercy and grace? In opening, mercy is God not giving us what we deserve in punishment. Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve in blessing. Now let's open in prayer before I go into more detail," Pastor Andrew Dustin started his sermon. It was only the start, but it was all that Dimitrius Gans heard that day. That is, until they got home from church. But the sermon that Donna was preaching to him was a lot different than the one that Pastor Andrew had preached earlier.

"D, how could you?" Donna scolded when their children, eleven year old Tanya and ten year old Davy, were in their rooms changing out of their best clothes before lunch.

"What?" D asked evasively.

"You know very well what," Donna snapped. "Falling asleep in church like that. Is that the example that you want our kids to follow? Do you want them to think about church only as a boring place that is a place for people to nap? Is that what you want?"

"Of course not." D tried to placate his wife, but she was not going to be calmed. She turned to him with her eyes flashing.

"D, what exactly do you think about church anymore?" Donna demanded.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said," Donna retorted. "When I fell in love with you, you were a strong Christian. I knew that you would be the spiritual leader of our home. I appreciated that about you; I enjoyed that in our relationship. You helped me grow in my faith. We went to church every time the doors were open. Hear that, Dimitrius Gans? We went."

D tried to ignore her angry words. Angry, true words.

Donna was not finished. "Somewhere along the way it seems like you forgot your faith and commitment to God." Her shoulders slumped and she leaned dejectedly against the counter. Her dark brown eyes brimmed over with tears. "Lately I've been alone at church, D. It's me who cares that the kids go to Sunday school and Vacation Bible School and Kid's Bible Club. It's me who is involved in our church - our church. I'm the one who is in prayer groups and Bible studies and, so it appears, the only one who is awake during services." She paused and looked at D for a long minute. He hated himself for the fact that he could not meet her gaze as she finished with, "What do you really think about church now, D? I need to know."

The sound of two pairs of feet running down the hall toward the kitchen provided the perfect excuse to delay the conversation.

"I don't want to talk about it around the kids," D stated. Donna's gentle eyes, filled with tears, held a tint of reproach that hurt him deeply. He turned away. "I'm going to go change before lunch."

"All right," Donna sighed. "Just please, give me an answer soon."

What answer would that be? D asked himself. He honestly did not know.