After years of struggle and frustration, Mike uncovered a life-changing secret hidden in the Bible his late grandmother had left him. What began as a painful reminder of their last argument became a lifeline that would alter his life forever.
Mike sat slumped behind the grocery store counter, his uniform wrinkled, and exhaustion written across his face. The constant beeping of scanners and murmurs of customers faded into the background as he forced a smile at the next customer.
“Thank you. Have a good day,” he said, his voice flat. For Mike, good days felt few and far between.
As the next customer approached, Mike’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Another medical bill notification. His mother, Kaila, had been battling worsening health, and the bills were piling up faster than he could manage. He worked six grueling shifts a week, but it felt like they were sinking further into debt with no way out.
By the time his shift ended, Mike was spent. Stepping into the frigid night air, he made his way home to the small apartment he shared with his mom.
Inside, Kaila was bundled under a blanket on the couch. She smiled faintly when she saw him.
“How was work, sweetheart?” she asked softly.
“It was fine,” he lied, the weight of the day crushing him.
Kaila frowned. “Don’t work so hard, Mike. I hate seeing you carry this all alone.”
“I’ve got it under control, Mom,” he said, forcing a smile, though they both knew he didn’t.
Later, as Mike sat alone in his room, staring at the stack of unopened bills, he let out a deep sigh. How had life become so expensive just to survive? His eyes wandered to a dusty box in the corner—his grandmother’s Bible, left to him after her funeral. He hadn’t touched it since their last argument six years ago.
“You really had to be petty, didn’t you, Grandma?” he muttered, recalling their final fight.
Back then, a defiant 18-year-old Mike had refused to go to church with her, and their argument had ended with Grace saying she wouldn’t come around anymore. Two months later, she passed away unexpectedly. Mike never had the chance to make amends.
At her funeral, Mike’s grief turned to anger when he learned that Grace had left her entire estate to the church, while for him, she had left only the Bible with a cryptic note: “Open it when it’s hard.”
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