Fearlessly Madison

Fearlessly Madison Fearlessly Madison

Penny Reeve & Jemima Trappel Penny Reeve & Jemima Trappel

For Mum and Dad again, with fond memories of tropical storms and dogs that liked company under beds. PR For Sampson and Scarlett. JT

Published August 2014 Growing Faith An imprint of Youthworks Media, PO Box A287, Sydney South NSW 1235 Ph: 612 8268 3344 Fax: 612 8268 3357 www.cepstore.com.au Copyright Growing Faith © Penny Reeve 2014 This book is copyright. Apart from fair dealing for the purposes of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without the written permission of the publisher.

All Scripture quotations in this publication are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995

by American Bible Society, used by permission.

National Library of Australia ISBN 978-1-925041-21-7 Author—Penny Reeve Illustrator—Jemima Trappel Managing editor—Julie Firmstone Theological editor—Marshall Ballantine-Jones

It was a windy afternoon when Mum dropped Madison and Molly off for a play at Grandma’s house.

It was so windy that Madison didn’t even notice the dog.

‘This is Ferdinand’, Grandma explained.

Madison eyed Ferdinand from the bottom of the stairs.

Ferdinand eyed Madison back.

Madison’s belly trembled like raspberry jelly.

‘I’m not staying’, Madison announced, and she hid her jelly belly behind Mum’s legs.

But Grandpa scooped Madison into his arms for a cuddle and shooed Mum into the car.

‘Don’t be afraid, Madison’, Grandpa said. ‘God’s still here. God’s still good —and Ferdinand’s just a sook of a puppy who needs a new home.’

They went inside, out of the wind, and Grandpa set Madison down in the kitchen.

‘Would you like to make honey crackles with me?’

Grandma asked.

Madison shook her head. She didn’t feel like cooking— not with Ferdinand watching.

Instead, she helped Grandpa build towers, and played peekaboos, until Molly was due for her nap.

Then she and Grandpa went outside to find some paint.

Grandpa’s shed stood at the base of the garden.

It was dark and shaky and the tools rattled on their hooks.

‘Come on’, said Grandpa, holding the door open.

Madison didn’t move. Her knees felt like melted cheese.

She wished she’d stayed inside with Grandma and the patty pans.