Chapter Three, High School—The Ghost of Loneliness Summary and Analysis

Mel White met Lyla Lee Loehr in middle school and started dating her in 1958. In 1962 they were married. White was eager to please his family and focused on winning souls rather than dating. In middle school, Lyla was totally uninterested in the Bible study group that White led. But they were both on the student council in high school, with Lyla the gorgeous blond director of social affairs. By that time, White had dated many Christian girls and was an overachiever. Inside, he thought God abandoned him. When he started to get to know Lyla as a friend, he sometimes wondered whether the comfort she helped him feel was God's gift to him. When senior prom rolled around, White was not inclined to go as...