欧宝娱乐

“I feel sorry for anyone who is in a place where he feels strange and stupid.”
― Lois Lowry, The Giver

“I don't want to let go, because tonight I'm not looking for anything more than being part of him. Because being part of him isn't just anything. It's kind of everything.”
― Melina Marchetta, On the Jellicoe Road

“Jonah and Catcher shared one of those manly, 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to meet you, but I鈥檓 going to barely acknowledge your existence with a small nod because that鈥檚 the manly thing to do鈥� gestures.”
― Chloe Neill, Drink Deep

“If I had to wish for something, just one thing, it would be that Hannah would never see Tate the way I did. Never see Tate's beautiful, lush hair turn brittle, her skin sallow, her teeth ruined by anything she could get her hands on that would make her forget. That Hannah would never count how many men there were, or how vile humans can be to one another. That she would never see the moments in my life that were full of neglect, and fear, and revulsion, moments I can never go back to because I know they will slow me down for the rest of my life if I let myself remember them for one moment. Tate, who had kept Hannah alive that night, reading her the story of Jem Finch and Mrs. Dubose. And suddenly I know I have to go. But this time without being chased by the Brigadier, without experiencing the kindness of a postman from Yass, and without taking along a Cadet who will change the way I breath for the rest of my life.”
― Melina Marchetta, On the Jellicoe Road

“And suddenly I know I have to go. But this time without being chased by the Brigadier, without experiencing the kindness of a postman from Yass, and without taking along a Cadet who will change the way I breath for the rest of my life.”
― Melina Marchetta, On the Jellicoe Road

“My world had been fading to gray until she burst in like a bombshell of color and light...”
― Emma Scott, Full Tilt

“I have spoken of Jonah, and of the story of him and the whale. 鈥� A fit story for ridicule, if it was written to be believed; or of laughter, if it was intended to try what credulity could swallow; for, if it could swallow Jonah and the whale it could swallow anything.”
― Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason

“Thank you Jonah."
He lowers his head at the break in my voice. I ignore the moisture in his eyes and pretend that mine don't sting.
"For what?" he whispers.
" For showing me that people can change. Even if it is one person out of a million.”
― Katie McGarry, Red at Night

“God let [Jonah] go his own way, as he does with us when we insist on running our own show; but because God is merciful, he will make sure that any way we take away from him doesn鈥檛 work out so well.”
― Lydia Brownback, Trust: A Godly Woman's Adornment

“There are many people who have no idea what they should be living for, or the meaning of their lives, nor have they any guide to tell right from wrong. God looks down at people in that kind of spiritual fog, that spiritual stupidity, and he doesn鈥檛 say, 鈥淵ou idiots.鈥� When we look at people who have brought trouble into their lives by their own foolishness, we say things like 鈥淪erves them right鈥� or we mock them on social media: 鈥淲hat kind of imbecile says something like this?鈥� When we see people of the other political party defeated, we just gloat. This is all a way of detaching ourselves from them. We distance ourselves from them partly out of pride and partly because we don鈥檛 want their unhappiness to be ours. God doesn鈥檛 do that. Real compassion, the voluntary attachment of our heart to others, means the sadness of their condition makes us sad; it affects us. That is deeply uncomfortable, but it is the character of compassion. (121)”
― Timothy Keller

“Now Jonah鈥檚 Captain, shipmates, was one whose discernment detects crime in any, but whose cupidity exposes it only in the penniless. In this world, shipmates, sin that pays its way can travel freely, and without a passport; whereas Virtue, if a pauper, is stopped at all frontiers.”
― Herman Melville, Moby Dick; Or, The Whale (Classic Books)

“He鈥檚 looking at her with so much compassion. Like he knows what she鈥檚 going through. Like he cares about her. This is what she wanted to see after everything happened with Luke. Instead, she saw Jonah鈥檚 back, every time he turned and walked away from her.
She blurts, 鈥淲hy are you being nice to me?"
She regrets it immediately. It鈥檚 the vulnerability talking. The fear. The adrenaline. For a second, she forgot the aloof, thick-skinned Hallelujah she needs to be.
Jonah relaxes his grip. He looks away, out into the wet woods. He waits a long time before speaking. 鈥淟uke told me.鈥�
Hallelujah is instantly tense. 鈥淟uke told you what?鈥�
Another long pause. 鈥淭hat he lied. About what happened that night.鈥�
鈥淲hat happened?鈥� Rachel cuts in. 鈥淲hat鈥檇 Luke lie about?鈥�
Hallelujah ignores her. She stays focused on Jonah, even though he won鈥檛 look at her. 鈥淲hat鈥檇 he tell you originally?鈥�
Jonah flinches. 鈥淗e made it . . . worse. Than what he told the adults. He said that that wasn鈥檛 the first time. And he said that you鈥斺€�
鈥淣ever mind,鈥� Hallelujah cuts in. 鈥淚 can guess.鈥� She鈥檚 heard the rumors. The persistent ones and the surprising, weird, creative ones. She bets there are a lot that she hasn鈥檛 heard, too. 鈥淣one of that happened,鈥� she says softly but firmly, certain without even knowing exactly what Luke said. What Jonah heard. 鈥淣one of it.鈥�
鈥淭hat鈥檚 what he told me yesterday. I wanted to know why he was still鈥斺€� He swallows, his Adam鈥檚 apple moving up and down. 鈥淚鈥檇 heard him and Brad laughing about what they were gonna do to you this week, and I was like, enough is enough. Time to let it go. So I asked him what was up. Why he was still messing with you.鈥�
鈥淎nd?鈥� Hallelujah asks.
鈥淎nd he told me the truth: that he鈥檇 made most of it up. He said he had to keep you quiet. Plus, um. He said messing with you was fun.鈥�
Hallelujah lets that sink in. 鈥淵ou really didn鈥檛 know it was a lie? You believed him this whole time?鈥�
Jonah suddenly looks right at her. His eyes plead. 鈥淚 saw you, Hallie. And Luke was the only one of the two of you with a story to explain it.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Hallelujah can barely breathe through the pain of each step. Rachel is panting from the effort of holding Hallelujah up. Still, when they get closer to the clearing, Rachel manages to call out: 鈥淛onah! Help!鈥�
There鈥檚 a rustling noise up ahead. Twigs snapping. And then Jonah appears. His face is in shadow, but his voice is worried: 鈥淲hat happened?鈥�
鈥淚 turned my ankle,鈥� Hallelujah says. 鈥淚鈥檓 okay.鈥�
鈥淪he鈥檚 not okay,鈥� Rachel gasps. 鈥淪he can鈥檛 put weight on it. Can you carry her?鈥�
Jonah doesn鈥檛 hesitate. He wraps one arm around Hallelujah鈥檚 waist, and then he scoops up her legs with the other. In a single, fluid motion, she鈥檚 off the ground. She holds on to his shoulders. For a second, she thinks about how strange this is鈥攖o be held like this, to be held by Jonah.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Jonah is something. Jonah鈥檚 opinion matters. And she doesn鈥檛 want him to hurt because of her.
She and Jonah will never be what they were. Too much has happened. But maybe they could become something else.
She decides to take the first step. 鈥淛onah,鈥� she says.
He looks over at her. 鈥淚鈥檓 sorry,鈥� he says, voice low.
鈥淒on鈥檛 be. I forgive you,鈥� she tells him. It sounds so formal. I forgive you. But it helps to say it out loud.
鈥淭hanks. I don鈥檛 know if I deserve that. But thanks.鈥�
鈥淵ou do. Of course you do.鈥� Hallelujah says it firmly. 鈥淎nd鈥擨 want to.鈥� I鈥檝e missed you, she adds silently. She鈥檚 not ready to say that part. Not yet.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Open the bag, open the bag, open the bag!鈥� he says, bounding through the thigh-deep water. She does. He dumps the second fish inside, and she zips it closed.
鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know you could do that!鈥� Hallelujah calls out as Jonah splashes away from her again.
鈥淣either did I!鈥� He lunges sideways with a loud whoop, misses his footing, and sits down in the water. He鈥檚 up again in a second, shaking himself off like a dog. 鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not going to stop until the fish get smart enough to figure out what I鈥檓 doing and鈥斺€� Lunge. Splash. Up. Shake. 鈥溾€攔un away!鈥�
鈥凌耻苍?鈥�
鈥淲丑补迟别惫别谤!&谤诲辩耻辞;
― Kathryn Holmes

“Jonah鈥檚 hair sprays water each time he flips around, in search of another fish. Droplets shimmer on his skin. He鈥檚 really cute. And Hallelujah can鈥檛 help but think about last night. About him liking her. He flashes her a smile, and something inside her swoons.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Jonah peels off his wet shirt and spreads it out on the ground in the sun. For a second, all Hallelujah can see is his bare skin. She blushes and looks away, not turning back until she hears the zip of his jacket closing. Now he鈥檚 looking at her. She doesn鈥檛 know if he caught her staring.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Rachel鈥檚 the first one to speak. 鈥淪o鈥攈e told you.鈥�
鈥淭old me what?鈥�
鈥淐ome on, Hal. What鈥檚 changed since yesterday?鈥� Rachel sneaks one arm out of her jacket cocoon to give Hallelujah a soft punch in the shoulder. 鈥淚 may not be at my best right now, but I鈥檓 not blind.鈥� She pauses. 鈥淥r deaf.鈥�
Hallelujah feels her face get hot. 鈥淥h. What did you hear?鈥�
鈥淏its and pieces. I was really out of it last night, after . . . whatever that was. After almost freezing to death.鈥� Rachel shudders. 鈥淚 have to say, it was totally obvious from the get-go that Jonah liked you.鈥�
鈥淚t was?鈥� Hallelujah is still surprised. She still doesn鈥檛 quite believe it.
鈥淯m, yeah. Or did you think he鈥檚 out here for me?鈥� Rachel says slowly, as if to a child, 鈥淵ou followed me. He followed you.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“So how did you think about him?鈥� Rachel asks.
Hallelujah shrugs. 鈥淲e were friends. Good friends. He knew鈥攌nows鈥攁 lot about me. I guess I know a lot about him. Stuff he likes and doesn鈥檛 like.鈥�
Rachel looks skeptical. 鈥淎nd yet you never knew he liked you.鈥�
鈥淣o! I mean鈥攚hen Jonah and I were friends, I liked Luke. So maybe I missed some signs.鈥�
鈥淪o you just . . . hung out? Platonically?鈥�
鈥淵eah. I guess.鈥� Hallelujah thinks about how to explain it. How to distill a friendship down to its most basic components. 鈥淲e had choir together last year. We talked. For kind of the first time, even though we鈥檇 been in church and school together since fourth grade.鈥�
鈥淎nd, what, you found out you had so much in common?鈥�
鈥淎ctually, no. But we started comparing music we liked, and a month into ninth grade, Jonah made me this mix of songs. Based on what we鈥檇 talked about. So then I made him a mix. And it grew from there. We鈥檇 go to each other鈥檚 houses, watch movies, listen to music, that kind of thing. Hanging out.鈥�
鈥淪o tell me about Jonah. Something only you know.鈥�
鈥淯m. He鈥檇 probably deny it, but he got really into the Harry Potter books. Like, really into them. I loaned him my box set last spring. He got so mad at me for not warning him how Book Six ends.鈥�
Rachel laughs. 鈥淗e didn鈥檛 see the movies?鈥�
鈥淣o. But I told him we couldn鈥檛 watch them until he鈥檇 finished the books.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Rachel inches over until they鈥檙e huddling together. 鈥淒o you like him back? Now?鈥�
The answer鈥檚 just as automatic as the apology. Still, it comes out as a whisper: 鈥淵eah.鈥� She takes a deep breath, gives voice to some of the noise in her head. 鈥淏ut what if I鈥檓 just feeling this because we鈥檙e out here and it鈥檚 scary and he feels safe? Or what if I鈥檓 just relieved to have my friend back, but I don鈥檛 like him like him? I don鈥檛 even know why he鈥檇 choose me. Then or now.鈥�
Rachel drops her head down onto Hallelujah鈥檚 shoulder. She nuzzles into Hallelujah鈥檚 neck, like a cat. 鈥淗al, despite the giant prickly wall you鈥檝e put up around yourself with the neon Off Limits sign flashing at the gate鈥斺€�
Hallelujah lets out a small laugh at this picture of herself.
鈥溾€攜ou鈥檙e nice. Like I said when I told you about my parents, you listen. And you care. Which is more than I can say for about three-quarters of the high school population. And you鈥檙e pretty. And while I鈥檝e never heard you sing, obviously Jonah likes that about you.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Jonah shifts to lean back a little farther, moaning as he does. 鈥淗oly heck, my leg hurts,鈥� he says, still with that strained, forced lightness.
Again, Hallelujah mimics his tone. 鈥溾€楬oly heck鈥�? That鈥檚 cutting it close.鈥�
鈥淚 have a gash in my leg the size of the Mississippi. I can say whatever I want.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“ She remembers the last perfect evening before everything happened, perfect even though she didn鈥檛 know everything was about to change. Karaoke night. A bunch of kids from choir cheering each other on. When it was her turn, Hallelujah belted out 鈥淭otal Eclipse of the Heart.鈥� She went for every melodramatic note, closing her eyes and beating her chest. She got the whole group to sing along.
She remembers Jonah taking the stage next. When he sang the opening lines to Garth Brooks鈥檚 鈥淔riends in Low Places,鈥� the room went nuts. He put on a cowboy drawl and sent the low notes reverberating through the wooden floorboards. She remembers him tipping an imaginary Stetson at her when he was done.
In a week, Hallelujah would get caught making out with Luke Willis. He would humiliate her and start spreading lies about her. She would become someone quiet and sad and resentful. But right then, performance-flushed and surrounded by friends, she couldn鈥檛 stop smiling. ”
― Kathryn Holmes

“She stands there for a second, watching the bear go. The morning light has truly arrived, and she can see the bear clearly, smaller and smaller and then hidden by trees.
She starts to tremble. She staggers. Falls off the log, hitting the ground hard. The panic-breath is back. Her eyes well up, and for a second she can鈥檛 see anything, just her own tears. And she can鈥檛 breathe. And she鈥檚 shaking all over, jerky and painful, like Rachel was when she got too cold.
鈥淗allie!鈥� She hears her own name as if from a distance, through the roar of blood in her head. 鈥淗allie, come here. Hallie!鈥�
It鈥檚 Jonah鈥檚 voice.
There鈥檚 something else: a low, keening, gasping sound.
鈥淗allie! I can鈥檛 get over to you. You have to come to me.鈥�
It takes her a second to realize what he鈥檚 saying. And to realize that the keening, the gasping, is her. She blinks enough to see Jonah reaching out for her.
She pulls herself in that direction. Her arms feel like newborn faun legs, spindly and weak. She has no strength left. The bear took it.
Jonah鈥檚 arms go around her. He pulls her to his chest.
鈥淗ey,鈥� he says. 鈥淗ey, it鈥檚 okay. You did it. It鈥檚 gone. It鈥檚 okay.鈥�
He rocks her like a baby, holds her like she held him last night. There鈥檚 no self-consciousness left. Just arms holding and voice soothing and hearts beating, and the hysteria passes and she drops off to sleep.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“Do you want to, um, sit? Up here?鈥�
The open bit of mattress next to him. Jonah smiling, now looking a little shy. His shyness makes her shy. 鈥淥kay,鈥� she says.
Jonah scoots over, wincing as he moves his right leg. When he鈥檚 settled, resting back against his pillows, Hallelujah takes hold of the bedrail and climbs up to sit next to him. Her legs are surprisingly shaky, and she鈥檚 happy to stretch them out next to Jonah鈥檚.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“And you and me, we鈥檙e . . . ?鈥� He doesn鈥檛 finish the question. He doesn鈥檛 have to.
鈥淵eah,鈥� Hallelujah repeats. 鈥淵ou and me.鈥�
Jonah tilts his head so it meets hers on the pillow. They lie there, side by side, with him under the sheets and her on top of them, holding hands and touching foreheads. Jonah鈥檚 eyes are closed. Just when she thinks he must have fallen asleep, he murmurs, 鈥淪tay.鈥�
鈥淥办补测.鈥�
Outside the window, clouds are rolling in over the mountains. A storm. But beyond the band of rain clouds, the sky is blue again. Bright, shining blue. The storm won鈥檛 last long. And, Hallelujah realizes, sometimes you need the storm to really appreciate the sun and the blue sky.
Jonah is breathing evenly. She can feel each exhale on the side of her neck.
She smiles, and she stays.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“In the silence, Hallelujah realizes that Jonah hasn鈥檛 said a word since confirming that Luke kicked him and Brad out of their hotel room. He has his eyes closed, but he鈥檚 definitely not sleeping. His mouth is tight. He鈥檚 breathing deeply too, but it鈥檚 on purpose. And when he opens his eyes to see Hallelujah looking at him, he gets up abruptly. He adds more wood to their fire. He paces a circle around their camp.
Then he says, in that low, dangerous voice Hallelujah heard for the first time at the party three nights ago, 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna kill him.鈥� He circles the campfire again.
A part of Hallelujah feels a little thrill at Jonah鈥檚 anger. That he鈥檚 this worked up on her behalf. The other part of her鈥攁 bigger part鈥攄oesn鈥檛 like seeing him like this. She says, not because she believes it but because she wants to calm him down, 鈥淚t鈥檚 okay.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 not okay,鈥� Jonah says, but he stops pacing. He looks at her, and then at his fists. 鈥淩ight. I won鈥檛 kill him. But it would feel really good to punch him in the face.鈥� And then it鈥檚 like the anger drains out of him. He shakes his head. He pops his knuckles, slowly, one by one.”
― Kathryn Holmes

“I have to tell you something." Jonah spreads his jacket over the three of them. Hallelujah tucks the sleeve under her body. It鈥檚 like they鈥檙e being held together. Embraced.
鈥淚鈥斺€� He takes a deep breath. 鈥淚 really liked you. The whole time you liked Luke, I . . . I liked you. I was even going to ask you to ride on the ski lift with me in the fall, but Luke told me you鈥檇 already asked him.鈥�
Hallelujah is genuinely surprised. 鈥淗e asked me.鈥�
鈥淚 know that now. I didn鈥檛 know it then. And you didn鈥檛 exactly look like you minded riding with him. Kissing him. And then when we walked in on you two鈥攗h鈥攎aking out鈥斺€�
鈥淲e were not making out,鈥� Hallelujah cuts in. 鈥淚 mean, not any more . . .鈥�
鈥淩ight. But like I said, I didn鈥檛 know that. You were practically on top of him, and you looked like鈥攁nd Luke said it was all your idea, and you didn鈥檛 say anything, not then and not after鈥斺€� He breaks off. Picks up again. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 like thinking about you doing something like that. I was mad. I wanted it to be me. That鈥檚 why I didn鈥檛 stand up for you. I liked you,鈥� Jonah repeats”
― Kathryn Holmes

“We can know all the scriptures, do all the stuff, obey all the rules, but if we aren鈥檛 willing to be offended by His reconciling love, if we aren鈥檛 willing to repent, to change our thoughts, to step away from us and them thinking, then we are missing the whole point.
This Jonah story is on every page of the Bible and in every cell of our bodies. Over and again, God is revealing Himself perfectly through Christ as gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, forgiving, redeeming, restoring, abounding in love, and desiring to save us from calamity.”
― Jason Clark

“When the Captain finds the sleeping prophet he
says, "Arise, call...!" ( Hebrew qum lek, verse 6), the
same words God used when calling Jonah to arise, go,
and call Nineveh to repentance. But as Jonah rubs his
eyes there is a Gentile mariner with God's very words
in his mouth. What is this? God sent his prophet to
point the pagans toward himself. Yet now it is the
pagans pointing the prophet toward God.”
― Timothy J. Keller, The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy

“When the Captain finds the sleeping prophet he says, "Arise, call...!" ( Hebrew qum lek, verse 6), the same words God used when calling Jonah to arise, go, and call Nineveh to repentance. But as Jonah rubs his eyes there is a Gentile mariner with God's very words in his mouth. What is this? God sent his prophet to point the pagans toward himself. Yet now it is the pagans pointing the prophet toward God.”
― Timothy J. Keller, The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy