Abigail was cleaning up her last table for the day. She smiled as she hummed a song to herself. Raegan was staring at her, frowning.

    "How are you so happy?" she asked. "The Abigail that I remember would always be grumpy by the end of the work day."

    Abigail sighed and said, "Well, the Abigail you remember has changed."

    "Oh dear, are you going to start going on again about God and church and the bible?"

    "I really think you should attend the service tomorrow."

    "Really? I think I'll be fine staying here."

    "I have seen you looking at me. I know that you want to be as happy as me. But I didn't get like this by myself. Think, what do we live for?"

    "Uhhh, to serve our parents in their business and then get married and live to a hundred?"

    "No. Jacob explained it all to me a few days ago. God sent us here to be bearers of his image in this world. And he blesses us and we are filled with his love, spirit, and joy!"

    Raegan stared down at her fingernails. "Life is too  short to find any true joy."

    "People never find true joy because they are always 

looking in the wrong places. They try to find happiness in riches, drinking, social media, everything of the world. But those things never fill them, they only leave them more empty. But God's joy is permanent and makes life beautiful."

    "It all sounds too good to be true," Raegan said.

    "Ever since I have become a believer and been going to church, life has never been better, know that I know who I do all my work for. It pleases God to see us working happily, without complaining."

    Raegan looked up, "Fine, I will go tomorrow. But I can't promise any change. I just want to see what it is like."

    Abigail smiled and hugged her sister.

    Lily was waiting at the bus stop. Robin was sitting next to her, typing rapidly on her phone.

    Robin turned toward Lily and said, "Hey, I never got to ask you how it went with Alek. Is he still bullying you?"

    "No. Everything is fine now," Lily answered, smiling.

    "Ohhh, so you finally silenced him when you yelled at him at the taco shop? Told you that standing up for yourself is better than forgiving."

    "No, not quite. In fact, I regret ever saying anything."

    "What! Why? You know that you have to be strong girl."

    "No, Robin. God is all I need. Romans 12:19 says that vengeance is God's. It was wrong of me to try and do God's job."

    "Well, doesn't "God" care if Alek hurts your feelings?"

    "Of course. But after talking, I realized why Alek was such a bully. He had a tough childhood, plus his sister was in the hospital."

    "Who cares? He still had no reason to treat you like that!"

    Lily gave her friend a patient smile and answered, "When you know what God did for us, then it becomes obvious that we need to forgive anyone, even bullies."

    "Hmm, and what exactly did your God do for you?"

    "He sent his son, Jesus, to die for us."

    "So what?"

    "Robin, think about me going through grueling torture and dying to make sure that Alek could live."

    "That would be absolutely ridiculous!"

    "That is what Jesus did for us. He died on a cross, his hands and feet nailed, after enduring severe whipping. We didn't, and still don't deserve what he did for us, but he did it anyway, so that we could accept him as our Lord and Savior, and live with him eternally once we die."

    Robin looked suspicious, but shrugged.