Chapter 5
Pastor John
It’s Friday night and Nate is sitting with Maria and me, having dessert after dinner. We invited him over to catch up on life—it feels like it’s been a few weeks since we last hung out properly.
I’ve been thinking a lot about Nate lately.
I may be his pastor, but I’m also his best friend here in Recife.
I like to make sure he’s well looked after.
He’s been doing so much better recently—but I still want to do my part.
I still remember the days when he wore grief like an outfit every day.
Anyone who didn’t know him could probably tell, at least a little bit.
But I knew him. I could see how it tugged on his heartstrings.
“Maria, you’ve really outdone yourself this time. All of your baking is delicious, but this passion fruit mousse is one of the best I’ve ever had,” Nate says, patting his stomach.
I chuckle. “I told you—I’m doomed to gain weight if she keeps this up!”
Maria snaps her tea towel at my arm. “You know you love it. You’re always asking me to bake your favorite things!” She laughs, resting a hand on my shoulder.
“Guilty.” I shrug.
“Well, guys, it’s getting late. I’d better get heading.” Nate scoots his chair back and stands.
I rise from my chair with him.
“Thank you so much for dinner, it was amazing. You guys fed me so well—I’d love to treat you both sometime.
There’s this new restaurant down the road from my house called Castelinho.
It’s apparently a replica of an Italian castle inside.
” We walk down the hallway toward the door.
It really has been a great dinner. He’s laughed so much more this evening.
I remember nights when his pain overwhelmed him and we walked through the grief together.
“That sounds great. I love the idea. You’ve been to Italy too, haven’t you?”
“I have. I loved it. It was beautiful. Seeing church history come to life felt a little surreal.” He reaches for the jacket hanging nearby.
“Which part did you visit again?” I ask.
“Just Rome. The Colosseum was especially interesting. Knowing how many people were killed there for sport really put things in perspective.” He nods thoughtfully, as if lost in the memory.
“I can imagine. We’d love to go someday. On a lighter note, we’d definitely look forward to eating real Italian pizza.”
He chuckles. “I love pizza, but even I hit a point where I had to look for something else. I couldn’t handle any more pizza!”
I laugh. “I don’t know if that’s possible for me. I love pizza.”
“I love pizza too!” Maria calls from the kitchen.
Nate smiles. “Then you’ll definitely enjoy this place. When would work for you both?”
“How’s next Friday night?” I say.
“Perfect. I’ll see you at church on Sunday, and we can talk then.” He steps out the door, and I follow him to let him out.
After we say goodbye, I shut and lock the door, then head back down the hallway to the kitchen, where Maria is cleaning up.
The kitchen is almost clean already, and I even see some leftover dessert sitting there. I quickly grab a spoon and take another spoonful. The taste is the perfect balance of passion fruit and cream. The condensed milk makes it so smooth, and the passion fruit gives it the perfect tart lift.
I really am doomed at this rate if she’s always going to be feeding me like this.
I wrap my arms around her from behind, pulling her close.
“You really are the best, you know.”
“I know.” She laughs.
I squeeze her tighter. “I really wish Nate had someone,” I say, pausing as I think back to him telling me about the list he wrote out with God. “I know he’s over the divorce, and he loves his kids so much. It’s just a shame he doesn’t have anyone to share life with.”
“I know, meu amor. If we ever find someone, I think we should try to set them up.”
“Well, it can’t just be anyone. Nate’s a special guy.” I turn her around so she’s facing me, her arms sliding around my waist.
“All we need is a special girl.” She shrugs.
“Oh, just like that?” I give her a cheeky smile.
“Just like that.” She grins up at me.
She places a kiss on my lips, and then turns back to finish tidying.
I help her for a bit before heading off to shower and turn in for the night. As I climb into bed, I whisper a quick prayer for Nate.
Who knows what God can do?
Sundays are definitely one of my favorite days of the week. I love seeing the church congregation gathering together.
The bright light of the sun streams through the windows and shines on people’s faces as they laugh, lighting up the room even further.
I often think about how God created a different cacophony of sounds, and how His creation must sound like music to Him—especially laughter.
Is there any sound better in the world than the sound of laughter?
I love that I get to pastor them—that I got this calling in life. I know the prayer requests of anguish that have turned into peace. I’ve seen sorrow turn into joy. This is the place that I love.
Kids play tag, causing a trail of rainbow colors to run around the room. The young and the old mingling and hugging in different corners of the room. Conversations overlap with genuine joy.
It doesn’t just feel like people showing up for a church service on a Sunday. It feels like family here—exactly what God intended it to feel like. A whole bunch of different kinds of people coming together from all walks of life.
I see Marc over there with his family and someone I don’t know, so I head over to say hello.
“Marc! It’s so good to see you!” I lift my hand to shake his.
“Pastor. Good morning.”
I turn to greet his life and spot the new woman next to her and Gabby.
“Hello! I don’t believe we’ve met before.” I reach toward her to shake her hand.
“Hi, Pastor John, I’m Lizzie.” She smiles at me very warmly.
“Lizzie! I’ve heard a lot about you!” I say. “You’ve been in Belgium the last couple of years, haven’t you?”
“Yes, I have. I’m actually leaving to go back in three weeks now.” She looks over at Gabby.
“Oh wow, what an adventure,” I say.
“Ugh, pastor, don’t encourage her. Who else will I constantly embarrass and harass when she’s not here?” Gabby sighs.
Lizzie chuckles. “Oh I don’t know, I’m sure you’ve got a whole house full of them. Maybe Mom’s parrot.”
“Oh yes, Pimenta. What has he learned now?” I ask.
“It seems he learned what pizza is the other day.” Lizzie narrows her eyes at her mom.
“What? It was an accident!” Gleide, their mom, blushes.
“Somehow pizza ‘accidentally’ fell into his cage. It’s a good thing it was only the crust and not the other parts that could cause harm,” Gabby says.
Gleide rolls her eyes. “Pastor, don’t listen to them. It was only a little bit of bread. Pimenta was fine!”
I laugh. We talk a bit more, and as worship begins, I head toward the front and begin to pray about the message. After worship, I step onto the stage and begin the message.
At the very end, as I’m about to pray, I spot Nate at the front.
I see Lizzie at the back.
And it’s like those moments in cartoons, when a lightbulb goes off above the character’s head.
Lizzie was so warm earlier in conversation.
She was witty, attentive, and I could already sense her deep love for family in such a short time.
She’s just one of those people who radiates warmth in everything she says and does.
Her humor shone through too. I had heard a lot about her from her family before but had never met her.
To meet her in real life and now having just seen Nate?
Maybe Nate and Lizzie could hit it off.
It’s been a while since his divorce now.
I know the kids are more used to the rhythm of their new routines.
And mostly, I know Nate just doesn’t want to be alone for the rest of his life.
It’s not what he signed up for. He never even wanted a divorce.
I know he truly longs for a wife. Could Lizzie be a good candidate for him?
I wonder if I could introduce them somehow...
I’ll have to think about it. I may have only met and spoken to her for a few minutes, but sometimes you can tell a lot about a person in just a few minutes.
And she was great. Maybe, just maybe…. they could hit it off.
After the service finishes, I go straight to Nate. I just see him this morning, so it must be Iris’s weekend to have the kids.
“Hey, Nate!”
He turns around. “John, how are you?” He moves to hug me and claps my back.
“I’m good. Maria and I are looking forward to dinner on Friday night.”
“Yeah, me too. I hear their pizza is actually great there, too. Though I can guarantee you it won’t beat Sao Paulo’s pizza,” he says with a sly grin.
“I wouldn’t take it out of the race just yet, Nate!” I laugh. He will die on a hill defending S?o Paulo’s pizza—he’s convinced it’s the best in the world.
“Is it cool if Maria and I bring someone, too?” I ask nonchalantly.
“Sure, bring someone along if you want.” He shrugs.
We carry on talking for a while, but my mind won’t stop buzzing.
Now I just need to see if I can get Lizzie to come on Friday, too.
I know she’s only around for another three weeks, though.
I don’t know if Belgium will put a spanner in the works…
but that’s not my concern. I can just introduce them and see if it works out. It’s up to God, anyway.
Marc and his family are all gone, so I’ll have to pop by later to see if Lizzie would be up for it.
As I get into the car to head home with Maria, I tell her my plan.
“Did you get to meet Lizzie?” I ask her.
She nods. “I did. She’s a sweetheart. Very bubbly and funny.”
“I thought the same. I’m going to invite her to come with us for dinner with Nate on Friday.” I glance over at Maria to gauge her reaction.
Her eyes light up with mischief—that look I know means she’s about to get excited. “That’s a great idea! Oh I do love playing a little bit of matchmaking.”
“I don’t know that Nate caught on though. It was very casual for him, so maybe he’s thinking I’m just bringing a friend.”
She swats at the air, as if brushing away my thoughts. “Ah, he’ll see her and talk with her, and he won’t see her as just… ‘someone we invited to dinner,’” she air quotes.
“I’m going to stop by later at Marc’s house and invite her to come along,” I say, glancing at her again.
“Great, you should go after dinner.”
“Perfect.”
We head out for the rest of the day, enjoying Sunday, and after dinner I head over to Marc’s house.
Their house is a little bit out in the countryside, which explains all the tropical trees around it. It’s a beautiful spot for a farm—blue shutters, a front porch lined with hanging plants (a testament to Gleide’s love of greenery), and banana trees to the side.
I stroll up to the blue door and catch a waft of something that smells like chicken coming from an open window. They might just be starting dinner soon.
I knock on the door, and Lizzie opens it.
“Hi, Lizzie!” I say, probably a little too overexcited.
“Hey, Pastor. How’s it going?” she asks conversationally.
Marc appears behind her. “Hey Pastor. What a nice surprise to see you. You want to come in?”
I don’t know why, but I suddenly feel nervous—and oddly hopeful. Maybe because I just met her a few hours ago and I’m already trying to play matchmaker?
“Actually, no. I was hoping to chat with Lizzie.” I hesitate. How do I phrase this? “Maria and I were thinking of doing a sort of farewell dinner for you since you’re leaving soon. A friend from church invited us to try a restaurant on Friday—it’s set up like an Italian castle.”
That sounded clumsier than I intended.
She raises an eyebrow. “So… you want me to crash a dinner someone invited you to and turn it into my farewell party?”
“What’s going on here, Pastor?” he asks, narrowing his eyes with that teasing edge. He’s the kind of man who can throw back a big, hearty laugh one second—and the next, make you think twice about crossing him. “Are you planning to parade my daughter down a catwalk for men?”
Why am I sweating? I know Marc’s joking, probably just teasing—but still, my stomach twists into little knots, and I can’t shake the nerves rising in me.
I laugh awkwardly. “Uh… sort of?”
Lizzie jumps back in. “Well, why not?”
Marc and I both look at her.
“Yeah?” I ask, grinning.
“I’ve got nothing to lose. It’s just a nice dinner, right? I’m leaving anyway.” She shrugs.
“Exactly. Just a nice dinner with my wife and a friend from church named Nate. He’s a businessman who’s been attending church for a while, and we became good friends,” I say. I can practically feel a bead of sweat forming above my eyebrow.
“Alright,” she smiles. “Count me in.”
“Great!” I beam. “It’ll be after church on Friday night. Come along and we’ll see how it goes.”
“Sounds good.”
We chat a few more minutes at the door before Gleide calls everyone in for dinner.
“Do you want to stay, Pastor?” Marc asks.
“No, thank you. I’ve already eaten with Maria—and she’ll be wondering where I am.” I step off the porch. “I’ll see you all soon.” I wave as I head to the car.
“Ciao!” they call as Lizzie shuts the door.
I exhale as I get into the car.
I don’t know why I was so awkward back there.
I can just see them potentially… maybe… hitting it off.
The least I can do is try. And after everything Nate’s been through, I want to see him happy.
It’s up to God, anyway—not me. I’m just facilitating a space for Him to potentially move.
Sometimes, all it takes is knocking on a door of opportunity, or just testing the waters.
I never want to play God in anyone’s life.
But a simple introduction can be enough for God to step in and open a door we never even knew existed.
I may not be the world’s best matchmaker.
But I’ll give it a try and see what God wants to do.