Project: Raising Faith

By Melody Carlson

When the girls set out to raise the money to go on a 3-day ski trip with the church youth group, Morgan is confident that God will provide the funds. But while everyone else finds a way to afford the trip, Morgan’s plans are derailed by her grandmother’s illness, school, Christmas activities, even jealousy … and when Grandma suffers a heart attack, Morgan’s faith is severely tested. Will God provide what’s really important? The girls of 622 Harbor View may not have much, but they’ve got dreams, a desire to make the world a better place, and friendship.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Aug 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9780310855804

Melody Carlson

Melody Carlson has written more than 200 books for teens, women, and children. Before publishing, Melody traveled around the world, volunteered in teen ministry, taught preschool, raised two sons, and worked briefly in interior design and later in international adoption. "I think real-life experiences inspire the best fiction," she says. Her wide variety of books seems to prove this theory.

Book preview

Other books in the growing Faithgirlz!™ series

The Faithgirlz!™ Bible

NIV Faithgirlz!™ Backpack Bible

My Faithgirlz!™ Journal

Introducing a new Faithgirlz!™ series from Melody Carlson:

Girls of 622 Harbor View

Project: Girl Power (Book One)

Project: Mystery Bus (Book Two)

Project: Rescue Chelsea (Book Three)

Project: Take Charge (Book Four)

Project: Run Away (Book Six)

Other books by Melody Carlson:

Diary of a Teenage Girl Series

TrueColors Series

Degrees Series

Piercing Proverbs

ByDesign Series Nonfiction

Check out www.faithgirlz.com

ZONDERVAN

Project: Raising Faith

Copyright © 2008 by Melody Carlson

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of Zondervan.

ePub Edition June 2009 ISBN: 978-0-310-85580-4

Requests for information should be addressed to:

Zonderkidz, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Applied for

ISBN 978-0-310-71349-4

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Zonderkidz is a trademark of Zondervan

Editor: Barbara Sco

Art direction and design: Merit Alderink

Interior composition: Carlos Eluterio Estrada

Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

About the Publisher

Share Your Thoughts

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen.

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

—2 Corinthians 4:18                     

chapter one

A ski trip! Morgan controlled herself from jumping up and down in the church parking lot. This is gonna be totally awesome, Emily.

Emily frowned. Yeah, for some kids.

What do you mean?

I mean I can’t afford to go.

But Cory said there would be ways to earn money.

Emily just shook her head. I don’t think he meant the cost for the whole trip, Morgan. Besides we’re supposed to put down a fifty dollar deposit. There’s no way I can do that.

Where’s your faith, Emily?

Not in my pocketbook, that’s for sure.

You know what I mean. Why can’t you just trust God to provide? asked Morgan.

I try to trust him to provide for most things … but a ski trip? Well, that might be pushing it.

You think it’s too big for God? Morgan twisted a beaded braid between her fingers as she studied her best friend’s expression.

Well, maybe not too big for God … maybe it’s just too big for me, said Emily.

Come on, urged Morgan, don’t give up just like that. You can at least ask God whether or not he wants you to go, Emily.

Emily nodded. Yeah, I guess you’re right.

If it makes you feel any better, I don’t have enough money to go either.

Enough money for what? asked Mom as she and Grandma joined the girls by the car.

The youth group is taking a ski trip, including snow-boarding and skiing, said Morgan.

When is that? asked Grandma.

It’s more than a month away, explained Morgan. Not until after Christmas.

How much? asked Mom as she unlocked the car.

Two hundred dollars! exclaimed Emily. Goodness, said Grandma. That’s a lot.

But it includes everything, said Morgan. Transportation, equipment rental, lift tickets, food, and everything for three whole days! Janna said it would cost more if we weren’t going as a group.

That’s probably true, said Mom as they piled into the car. Lift tickets alone are pretty expensive.

And the church is offering ways for kids to earn money to go, continued Morgan.

Like what? asked Mom.

We can make stuff to sell at the bazaar.

That’s less than two weeks from now, said Grandma.

And Cory and Janna are going to cut down Christmas trees to sell. We can help with that too, said Morgan.

And wreath making, added Emily in a slightly flat voice.

Sounds like you girls are going to be busy, said Grandma.

Does that mean I can go? asked Morgan.

I guess so, said Mom, if you’re sure you can earn the money. You know that things are kind of tight right now.

I know, Morgan assured her. And I plan on trusting God to provide.

How about you, Emily? asked Grandma.

You mean, am I trusting God too? Emily sighed.

Grandma laughed. Oh, I know you’re trusting God, sweetheart. But how about the ski trip—are you planning on going too?

I don’t know … that’s a lot of money.

But our God is a big God, Morgan reminded her. We can expect big things from him.

How many kids are going? asked Mom.

I don’t know, admitted Morgan. But Cory said we could invite friends from outside of church. We’re going to invite Carlie, Amy, and Chelsea.

We are? Emily’s brow creased. Since when?

Since now, said Morgan. Or when we get home. We have a meeting today at two.

And you’re inviting them to go on the ski trip? asked Emily.

Of course, said Morgan. How much fun would it be without them?

Well, I hope you have fun without me.

Oh, Emily, don’t be so negative.

And don’t be so bossy, Morgan, warned Mom. Emily needs to talk to her mom about this before she commits to anything.

I know … Morgan told herself to calm down. It’s just that I’m so excited about it. It’s going to be so cool.

You barely know how to ski, Mom reminded her.

Janna said she’d give ski lessons. And Cory said he’d teach kids to snowboard. We can pick whichever one we want, but we have to tell them when we sign up.

When do you sign up? asked Mom. As soon as possible, said Morgan.

As soon as God provides some of us with fifty dollars, added Emily.

Fifty dollars? echoed Grandma.

Yeah, that’s the deposit, explained Morgan. I have fifteen now, Mom. If you loan me the rest, I can pay you back as soon as I earn it. And I already have some bead necklaces to sell at the bazaar.

We’ll talk about it at home, Morgan.

Morgan turned to Emily. "You are going on this ski trip, Em. I can just feel it. God wants to show you that he is a lot bigger than you think."

God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, said Grandma. And a whole lot more, Emily. Morgan is right. If God wants you to go, he will provide.

What’s your family doing for Thanksgiving this week, Emily? asked Mom as she turned into Harbor View Mobile-Home Court.

Nothing that I know of, said Emily as she reached for her bag.

Why don’t you come to our house for dinner? said Grandma.

Yeah, agreed Morgan. Grandma makes the best pies, and her cornbread stuffing is awesome.

That’s a great idea, said Mom as she pulled in front of Emily’s house. We’d love to have you join us.

I’ll check with my mom, said Emily as she opened the door. Then she thanked them for the ride and got out.

Morgan felt a small wave of guilt as she watched Emily slowly walking toward her house. She could tell that Emily was discouraged, and Morgan hoped that she hadn’t come on too strong about the ski trip. Two hundred dollars really was a lot of money; and it probably did seem overwhelming to Emily. Especially this time of year when things slowed down at the resort where Emily’s mom worked. Finances might