New Beginnings (My first attempt at a book, still being written)

[PegasusOnFire]

Mathias's story Part: 1
Mathias grew up in a small town in Iowa called Pella. It is a small Dutch community. She was born the fourth child of Henry and Liza Van Wyk. Henry had been praying that this child would be a boy, so he told Liza that they would only pick one name for this baby and that it would be called Mathias. Boy was Henry surprised when the doctor told him that he was the new father of a bouncy baby girl. Liza pleaded with him to change his mind about the baby's name, but he would have none of it. So they named their fourth daughter Mathias Rose Van Wyk. As Mathias grew up her father pushed her into sports, such as baseball and football, everything that you would expect a son to play. This didn't bother her one bit. She rather enjoyed playing catch with her father instead of being inside learning how to cook, clean, sew, and keep house like her sisters had to do. She was the apple of her father's eye, which caused much contention between her and her three sisters.

Even though her family was very religious, as most families in Pella were, Mathias would have none of it. Oh she knew all the bible stories and could quote scripture at the drop of a hat, but she did not want to have any part of being a Christian. When she was in high school, at Pella Christian, she played on the baseball team. This is were she met her future husband, Xavier Lee Showers. He was a very handsome young man and loved to play baseball. His family had just moved into town over the summer. Mathias, even though she was a tomboy, was Miss Popular, because of her sweet personality and her general good behavior. When Mathias and Xavier were seniors they were voted Homecoming Queen and King. This was the first time in the school's history that the star pitcher of the baseball team was voted Queen. (Of course they had also never had any girls on the baseball team either.) Over that summer Xavier had committed his life to Christ and wanted that for Mathias. He knew that the bible taught that a Christian should not marry a non-Christian, but he loved Mathias very much and proposed to her after the prom. She had accepted but on one condition, that she be allowed to go to college first.

Through the years of Mathias being in college, Xavier kept trying to get Mathias to accept Christ. But every time that he would bring up the subject of religion she would brush him off or change the subject altogether. So he finally gave up. A few months after Mathias graduated they were married. She was set up as a full time employee of a very good Vet Clinic in town and he was working at home for a software corporation. They had only been married for a month when Mathias came home to a pile of Xavier's clothes laying by his desk. She rushed over to her parent’s house to see if they were there. No one was there, just more piles of clothes. Mathias was so mad at herself for not listening to her family and her husband. She knew exactly what had happened to them. She rushed home and packed her bags. She was getting out of this country as fast as she could. She couldn't stand to look at anything that reminded her of her past. She was starting over; God had given her a second chance to get it right. On her way to the airport she prayed to receive Christ. She thought, "Well if I am starting over I had better start right."

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Jerrald's Story Part: 2

Jerrald was born in Springfield, Missouri, to Gavin and Rachel Lamberts. Jerrald was the younger of two children. He has a sister named Kailey, who is 5 years older than him. About two years after Jerrald was born his parents contracted some weird disease that caused them to go insane. They left their two children to fend for themselves. At the time Kailey was seven years old and could cook, by means of the microwave. She took care of Jerrald until a neighbor reported them to the authorities. Kailey was put into foster care almost immediately and Jerrald was put into an orphanage.

When Jerrald was about six years old a nice couple came and took him to live with them in Rocky Comfort, Missouri. Jerrald tried hard to do everything that he was told, he tried hard to be a good boy. But he just couldn't. The couple that he was with made him do everything, he was their slave. By the time that Jerrald was fifteen he knew how to keep house, cook, sew, garden, and he knew that he was never going to be loved.

When Jerrald turned eighteen he got out of that house. He was finally free of that family. He enrolled in a local community college and worked full time to pay for school. He knew one thing; he was going to do something important. While he was in school he found out that he was really good at science. He was awarded a scholarship to attend the University of Illinois. While there he studied microbiology and got a job at the Illinois Center for Disease Control. He loved his job there and decided to pursue a doctorate in microbiology. While he was there the rapture happened.

Jerrald was in his advanced microbiology class when the teacher suddenly vanished. Jerrald had no idea what was going on. The kid that sat next to him was also gone, and all that was left was a pile of clothes. Jerrald was terrified. He went back to his apartment and started to pack. He knew that he did not want to stay around here, if people were just going to up and disappear. There was a message left on his machine that told him to get to the CDC as fast as he could. So he did. When he got there his boss told him that he needed Jerrald to take him to the airport in a couple of days and in the mean time they were going to see if the disappearances where caused by a bacterial infection or not.

A couple of days later his boss had him start to pack stuff up so that he could take it with him to Israel. His boss had just been offered a job with Mr. Cedric Boring. When they got everything together they left for the airport. Jerrald dropped of his boss and decided that he would walk around the airport for a bit.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Mathias meets Jerrald Part: 3

The rapture had just happened a few days before and Mathias was sitting patiently, waiting for her boarding call. She was headed to the Middle East to get away from things that reminded her of Xavier, her husband. She was on a journey of self-discovery and starting fresh. As she was sitting there, she decided to meditate in God’s word. She had just become a Christian couple of days ago and she thirsted for God’s word. As she was reading, a young man walked up to her and sat beside her. The young man started to read over her shoulder, so she moved the bible over so that he could have a better look at it.

“What are you reading miss?” he asked.

“I am reading the bible. I have just become a Christian and want to learn all about God and his son Jesus.” Mathias said with lots of passion.

“Can you tell me about this God that you now serve? Does this have anything to do with the masses of people disappearing?”

“I would love to tell you about God and Jesus. But first can I ask your name?”

“Yes my name is Jerrald, but you can call me Jerry. That is what most people call me.”

“Ok Jerry. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. He made the heavens and the earth. He made man and woman in his own image. Well soon after he made man and woman they sinned against him and ate from a tree that was forbidden to eat from. This is when evil came into the world. So after many years of this going on God decided that it would be a god time for him to come down to earth, to straighten things out a little bit. He came down in the form of a baby born to a virgin named Mary. He was given the name Jesus at birth. Jesus grew and became a man, some said that he was a prophet, others a great teacher. But Mary knew the truth, Jesus was God and he was going to make things right. Jesus walked on earth for many years teaching others about God and of the heavenly kingdom that awaited them if they followed him. Some people grew angry with this man, Jesus, because he said that he was the Son of God. They did not think that was right, so they set forth a plan to turn people against Jesus and ultimately have him killed. Jesus was then crucified and had told his deciples that he would return in three days. Well he did! He arose from his gave three days after he was killed. Many knew now that this truly must be the Son of God. You see Jerry Jesus was sent into the world to save the world from sin. If you believe in him you can have never-ending life. When you repent, ask for forgiveness, of your sins and ask Jesus to dwell with you in your heart then you can become adopted by God and given an inheritance. That inheritance is life in heaven. The people who disappeared already knew this truth and accepted God’s gift before the disappearances. But now is our time. This is our second chance to accept that gift. Does anything that I have said make any sense?” Mathias turned to Jerry as she said this.

“Yes, yes it does. How can I to become adopted by God? I have searched my whole life for a family, I want to be in this one.” Jerry said as he started to tear up.

“All you have to do is pray to God for forgiveness and he will. I can help you pray, if you want.”

“Yes that would be great.”

They both bowed their heads as Mathias began to pray.

“Father God, Thank you for this day and this opportunity that you have given me. Thank you for bringing Jerry here so that he, to, can be adopted by you and accept the free gift of salvation that can only come from you through your one and only Son Jesus.”

Mathias paused and said, “ok. Now Jerry I want you to repeat after me.”

Mathias continued. “Lord Jesus I come to you today,” Jerry repeated her.

“to ask your forgiveness of the sins that I have committed.” Jerry repeated her.

“Please come into my life and set me free,” Jerry repeated her.

“from this sin that has held me captive for so long.” Jerry repeated her.

“Come into my heart and dwell with me the rest of my days. Thank you Lord. AMEN.” Jerry repeated her.

Tears of joy flowed out of Mathias’ eyes as she hugged her new brother in Christ. Jerry to
showed much peace about him as he sat there.

“Welcome to the family of Christ.” Just then last call for boarding came over the intercom. “I am so sorry, but I have to go now. My plane is getting ready to leave.”

“Where are you going so that I might be able to get a hold of you in the future?” Jerry asked as Mathias got up to go.

“I am going to the Middle East. I do not know were I am heading after I get there but you will be in my prayers.” Mathias gave Jerry one final hug before she boarded the plane. “Go in peace my new brother, go in peace.”

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Jerrald’s meeting with the AntiChrist Part: 4

After Jerrald saw Mathias board the plane he slowly walked out of the airport. He was trying hard to understand all that transpired while they were talking. He was now filled with a hope and sense of belonging that he never thought he would ever know. And Mathias, wow. She was the most beautiful woman that he had ever seen! He really wanted to get to know her, but as she was going to Israel, he didn't think that would be possible.

Jerrald went back to the CDC to work on the project that his boss and him had started after the disappearances. He had taken skin samples from the clothes that several of the employees had brought in from their loved one who had also vanished. HE was getting them prepared to go on slides when his phone rang.

"Hello," Jerrald said.

"Hello this is Hector Von Sniffelpuff. I work for Mr. Boring. He would like to meet with you in three days."

"Three days, well, let me see if I can do that." Jerrald looks at his calendar. "Yes I can meet with him in three days."

"Good. He will be at you office at promptly 8:30 am." Click.

Jerrald was speechless. Why would Boring want to meet with me? His boss must have put in a good word for him. "But that can't be," Jerrald though to himself, out loud. "I just left him an hour ago at the airport."

Jerrald resumed working on his project. As he looked at the slides that he had made he could not find any bacteria, other than what is normal to find on the human body. This stumped him. Then he remembered something that Mathias had said. She had told him that the disappearances were caused by God calling his followers home. He wrote his findings down in the lab notebook that he carried with him.

Later on that night Jerrald was at a restaurant, eating dinner, as he hated cooking, when a very richly dressed man came up to him.

"Hello sir," Jerrald said, being polite.

"What is your name?" The man asked, roughly.

"Well, umm, why should I tell you my name?"

"What is your name?" This time the man yelled his request into Jerrald's face.

"My name is none of your concern." Jerrald retorted.

"I will have to arrest you if you do not tell me your name, NOW!"
Jerrald gave a nervous laugh and quietly said, "Jerrald Lamberts."

"Thank you. Now was that so hard?"

Jerrald just sat there.

"I am Hector Von Sniffelpuff, I spoke with you earlier. I am here to make sure that you do not go anywhere." The man then turned and left.

Jerrald, having just lost his appetite, got up and walked to his apartment.

He was terrified of going anywhere after the man had accosted him in the restaurant, so he locked himself in his apartment for three days.

On the third day Jerrald heard a knock on the door. "Jerrald open this door immediately or I will break it down!" Hector is back. Jerrald rolled his eyes, "this man is annoying." He thought to himself as he opened the door.

"What do you want?" Jerrald leered at him.

"You are to meet with Mr. Boring today."

Jerrald was forced into a black sedan. Hector sat right beside him, not taking his eyes off of Jerrald. When they got to the CDC, Hector made Jerrald show him everything he had in his pockets and on his person. Jerrald had nothing except his ID's. They then made their way up to Jerrald's office, where Cedric was waiting for them.

"Hello Jerrald. I have come here today to see your findings. Give me your notebook, now." He said the last word slowly.

Jerrald produced his notebook. He handed it to Boring. "Here."

Boring flipped through it and then said, "These findings will not do. You must tell the people that the disappearances were caused by a cellular mutation caused be years of radiological experimentation."

"That would be lying to them, sir," Jerrald said.

"I don't care if you think that that is lying to them. You are going to say that to the people because that is what Mr. Boring told you to do!" This outburst came from Hector. Jerrald jumped back a little.

"Hector, you must control yourself." Boring said gently. They then headed for the door. "I will see you tomorrow morning, right here in this office, you will tell the people just what I have told you to say. Good bye."

Jerrald was relived that they were now out of his office. "Ok I will make the speech and then I am out of here." Jerrald said to himself.

The next day came and brought with it Hector and Boring. "Boy am I getting sick of that face," Jerrald thought to himself, about Hector. "Well hello Mr. Boring, it is so nice to see you again." Jerrald said with a fake smile.

"Are you ready for your announcement?" Boring said to Jerrald.

"As ready as I am going to be." Jerrald replied.

"Good." Boring then turned to the camera that he brought with him. "Good morning my friends. I am here in Illinois with my good friend Jerrald Lamberts and he is going to tell you of his findings. Jerrald."

"Yes I have concluded that the disappearances that we faced just days ago were caused by a cellular mutation caused be years of radiological experimentation." Jerrald said.

"Thank you Jerrald." Boring said. Then he had the cameraman turn off the camera and they left Jerrald's office.

"I gotta get out of this place," Jerrald said to himself. Glad to have kept a packed bag in his office he headed out of town.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Mathias’s Flight Part: 5

As Mathias boarded the plane to go to the Middle East she though of the young man, Jerry. "He was really nice," she thought to herself. She then sent up a prayer for him.

"Lord God I pray that you be with Jerry as he learns more about you and as he travels. Please be with him as he faces even more hardships in the days to come. Help him to be a strong warrior for you, Lord. Lord please be with me on this trip that you have laid out for me. Help me to find new friends and a new beginning. Please help me to be the best Christian that I can be, and to fight the evil that I know has come into this world. Thank you Lord for all the things that you have given to me, and thank you for all the things you have yet to give me. I love you Lord. AMEN"

Mathias quickly found her seat; she was by a window. She watched all the people on the ground, running around like they were little ants, trying to get things done before winter. Mathias got out her journal and began to write about the things that were on her mind that hour.

"Today has been such a flurry of decisions that I have made. I found out that my husband and my family have been raptured days before and now I am heading off into a new country to start a new life. I have become so close to God, I think because I wanted to be close to Xavier and God was his passion. I know I have selfish reasons for doing anything that I do, but I did do one selfless act today. I lead someone to the Lord. I think that is one of the best highs that you could ever get. I am amazed that God would use me in that way, after all I did fight him for the last 22 years of my life. I hope that I can find nice people to take me in when I get to Tel Vive. I have no idea why I have chosen to go there, but God impressed it upon my heart to go, so I am going. Who am I but a mere mortal, I cannot stand in the way of God. I have prayed so much these last few days that I think God might be getting sick of hearing my voice. I love the fact that he has given me a second chance to do things right. I am getting a new and fresh start at life. How many people can say that? Well the gentleman nest to me is trying to read what I am writing so I am going to put this away now. Mathias Rose Showers.

Mathias turned to the man sitting next to her. "Hello, sir how are you doing on this fine and beautiful day?"

The man looked at Mathias like she was half-baked or something. "Fine and beautiful day? Come on lady have you been living in a hole and not seen what has been going on in this world?" The man retorted.

"Yes I have seen what has happened and I have done something about it. I am continuing to live my life. I will not have it dictated by things that have gone wrong and wish to take this second chance and do it right this time." Mathias said plainly to the man.

"Oh." The man did not quite know how to respond to her.

Mathias decided to open her bible and read for a while. This time she did not care if the man looked over her shoulder. She wanted to meditate in God's word and learn more about this awesome God that she now served. Before she would read the bible with an empty and hardened heart, but now she wanted and even thirsted after the word of God. The rest of the trip was spent in this manner. She would read a little and then pray about what she read and then start the whole process over again.

Mathias's Flight and Arrival Part: 6

As Mathias sat there reading and praying she grew tired. She set her bible aside for a moment and was soon fast asleep. But this sleep was far from being peaceful, you see ever since Xavier and her family were raptured she had been plagued with terrible nightmares about them. This particular sleep brought with it another one of them.

Mathias was getting ready to inject the dog with its annual vaccination. "Ms Larson your dog is due for a heartworm check. Do you mind if I draw some blood so that we can check for heartworms?" Mathias, not hearing an answer, looked over to where Ms Larson had been and screamed, when she noticed that Ms Larson was no longer there.

Dr. Vander Plough came running into the room when he heard Mathias scream. "Mathias what......." His voice trailed off when he saw the clothes on the chair. "Oh dear God, why didn't I listen to you before?" Dr. Vander Plough said under his breath, hoping that Mathias did not hear him.

"I know, I did not listen to him either." Mathias said.

The doctor let Mathias go home to see if her husband was still there. She jumped in her car and hurried home. When she got there she saw a note on the door. "Do not come in here your husband is dead" The note read. So Mathias went into her house. Her husband was not there, but his clothes were.

She then heard a voice behind her. This voice was the most evil voice that she had ever heard. "You should have listened to him." It said. "You would not be here if you had. You could be with him right now. I now have you under my control, just as I have for many years now. You see everytime you went against God, came closer and closer to my side. You are now mine, mine, mine. I am your god now. Hey wake up lady....."

Mathias began to weep loudly. The man next to her nudged her to wake her up. "Hey lady, you ok?" He asked.

"Ok I am so sorry sir. I have just had a terrible dream. Thank you for waking me up." Mathias said.

"I had to you were scaring half the people on this plane!" He replied, rudely.

"Again, I am very sorry. Do you know how long until we land?"

"Yeah. We are landing in about 45 minutes."

Mathias opened her bible again, and thought of that dream. "Why would I dream about that?" She asked herself. She opened to a verse that said that once you are in the Father's hand, no one could snatch you out of it. She took great comfort in that.

"Please fasten your seat belts. We are preparing for landing. Thank you."

Relived that they would be landing soon, Mathias put away her journal and her bible. "Thank you Lord for bringing me safely through this flight. And I thank you for holding me tightly in your hand. AMEN." She ended her prayer just as the plane hit the runway.

When she got off the plane she had to look for a hotel to stay in. She found on about six blocks from the airport. "Ok Mathias you are now in your new home."

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Jerrald’s Trip Part: 7

"Ok I have left everything behind. Where am I going to go?" Jerrald asked himself repeatedly throughout the day. He decided that he was going to try and get lost in a crowd of people. What a better place to do that, then to go to Chicago. He hoped a Greyhound bus and headed there.

When he go to Chicago, a two-hour trip from the university, he checked into a hotel. When he got to his room he unpacked what few belongings that he had and headed down for a quick bite to eat.

While he was in the restaurant, he spotted his old friend Hector Von Sniffelpuff. "Is this guy stalking me?" He thought to himself. "I hope he doesn't see me," he thought just as Hector spotted him. "Awe Mr. Lamberts. I have been looking for you. You were a very bad boy running away like that." Hector said mockingly.

"What do you want now, Mr. Von Sniffelpuff?" Jerrald asked.

"I need your services again." Hector said in a low voice so that no one else could hear them. "Mr. Boring would like to have another chat with you."

"When?"

"Tonight at the NAVY Pier, 7:00pm."

"Ok I will be there. Do I get the pleasure of you dragging me there again?" Jerrald leered at him; he really hated this man.

"If you show no signs of coming, then yes, I will have to escort you there." Hector smiled.

"Now go away." Jerrald said, "You have brought your message now let me finish eating."

"Good day," Hector turned and left.

Jerrald tried to finish eating, but something about that man always made him lose his appetite. He glanced at his watch 6:30. "Man," he thought, "I won't have anytime to shower." He went up to his room and changed into a half way decent outfit, then headed to the NAVY pier.

He got there with about three minutes to spare. He spotted Boring with his pack of people behind him. Jerrald took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok here I go." Really dreading this meeting.

"Hello, Jerrald. It is so nice to see you again." Boring said as Jerrald approached them.

"Good evening sir," Jerrald responded. "What information do you want me to lie about tonight?" Jerrald asked, clearly unafraid of this man.

"I have never asked you to lie, my friend. I would like to offer you a position in the New World Government, though."

"Why would I want to work for you." Jerrald asked, getting bolder as the conversation went on.

"Why? You ask. Because working for me is like working for god. I can give you anything and everything you ever wanted. You will live like a king." Boring offered.

"Yeah, right." Jerrald laughed, "like you could really give me everything I have ever wanted. Do you even know what I have wanted more than anything this world can offer?"

"You want money and power. That is what everyone desires." Hector answered.

"No you are wrong there." Jerrald replied. " I have no need for money or power, why do you think I came here, to gather a following? Ha! I came here to...."

"Get away, disappear." Boring finished for him.

"Yes to disappear. But you keep finding me, don't you? You think it is fun to single a person out and make their life unbearable, always wondering where you are going to pop up next. I don't like your game and I don't like you." Jerrald said as he turned to leave.

Hector grabbed him; "You apologize right now!" He yelled into Jerrald's face.

"Or what? You going to through me into jail. HA, you threatened me with that once before, remember?!" Jerrald yelled back.

"Gentlemen, gentlemen. Calm down. We are here for a nice chat, not a fight. If you do not want to work for me then fine. But don't expect to find any other work around here." Boring said calmly.

Hector threw Jerrald to the ground. "Fine." He said, "This won't be the last you see of me." He sneered.

"Good I hope to find you to!" Jerrald taunted back. "You think I am afraid of you, well you are wrong!"

Jerrald got up and went back to his hotel. "I am glad that is over with." He said to himself.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

A fresh start Part: 8

I just thank you Lord for bringing me safely here. Thank you for letting me be a part of your family here on earth. I praise you with all that is in me and I worship you until the end of time. You are more awesome than anything my finite mind can see and you have formed me into the person that I am today. Please keep reviling all of your wonders to me. You, the creator and my sustainer, are all that I could have hoped for. You are majestic in every way and you make these days seem like mere memories, blips in my mind of a time that was stained with lies and deceptions. I thank you for the new start you have given to me and I praise you with every breath I take. Help me to see the wonder that is this world called earth and this path called life. You are my all, my everything. I will lean on you until the day that you call me home. You are incredible, awesome and majestic. I am reminded of a hymn that we used to sing. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, there's just something about that name, master, savior, Jesus, like a fragrance after the rain. You are all this and more. Help me to cope with the loss that I have endured and to look at today and the days to follow as a fresh start on the second chance that you have bestowed upon me. I praise your name above any other, AMEN

Mathias prayed after she got to her room, at the inn. She thought about all the things that were going through her mind. The dream that she had on the plane had really scared her. Why would Satan attack her so? She wondered, was it because she had spent so much time lying about who she really was or because she had spent so much time running from the eternal truth that she only found in Jesus? These thoughts plagued Mathias as she readied for bed. She brought some Unisom to help her go to sleep, when she took it she prayed that she would have a dreamless sleep. "I really needed this fresh start, I could not have gone on living in that house." She said to herself.

As Mathias was drifting off to sleep, Jerrald was in his hotel room getting mad at himself for the way he had acted.

"Why do I always have to lash out at people like that? Why do I never think about the words that I am going to say?" Jerrald questioned himself, while pacing the room. "How can I keep from doing this again?"

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, he will direct your path my son." Jerrald started at the voice. It seemed as though the voice was but a mere whisper in his ear.

"Wha? Who are you?" He asked to the air.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus. He is your strength in your weakness." There was the voice again.

"What do you mean, by turn my eyes upon Jesus?" Jerrald asked the air.

"You are weak but he is strong. Ask Jesus to curb your temper and he will do it."

Jerrald was forced down on his knees by someone/something. "Ok I can take a hint." He yelled at the air, this time.

Lord God I thank you for all the trials you have seen me through and I pray that you help me through anymore that comes my way. I know that you only give to me what you know that I can handle. But Lord I cannot handle this hate that I have towards my enemies. Help me to love them like you would love them. Help me to curb my anger towards them, help me redirect that anger into something useful, more than just empty threats and stupid words. I pray that you will see me through this time and that you can help me to find myself. I thank you for adopting me and letting me be your son. I pray that you will show me that path that you have chosen for me and that you will help me along the way. Discipline me when I go astray and reward me when I go straight. I thank you for everything Lord, AMEN

Jerrald was then washed with a peace, even stronger than the one that he had when he prayed with Mathias in the airport. He stood up on shaking legs.

"Well done my son."

Jerrald walked over to the bed in the corner of the room and collapsed.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Holy, Holy, Holy Land Part: 9

Mathias, after having another fitful sleep, decided to head to Jerusalem. She walked down to the end of the street where she found a bus waiting, she hopped on and off she went to see where her savior was killed and resurrected.

Mathias prayed as she was on the bus. She did not care that the person behind her was Muslim, and plotted to kill her when she got off the bus.

Lord God, I come to you today to keep me safe on this journey that you have laid out before me. Please guide me as I walk through your Holy City in your Holy Land. Be with the others that are on this bus and show them that you are the way, the truth, and the life. Help them to thaw out their hearts and mold them into Your's. You are so wonderful and mighty in your ways. Help me to be a strong fortress for you. Help me to speak out boldly for you, give me a ministry. I want to do your work from now until you come again. I love you Lord. Lord God, please be with my new brother, Jerry, as he searches for what you would have him to do. Please, if it be your will, reunite us I saw such courage and strength in him in our first meeting. I know that you are the one who put it there in him. Show him your love in ways that have never been reviled to him. If it also be your will bring back to him a person that he loved long ago that was taken from him. I know not who this person is but I am feeling pressed to pray about them. Protect that person so that they may see Jerry again. Again I thank you Lord for giving me this second change and a fresh start. I love you, AMEN

The man sitting behind her started to mutter about how she was an abomination because she spoke freely to her God, you shouldn't speak to Allah that way. This man disturbed Mathias. She turned to him and asked, "Why do you say such things about me? You don't even know me."

"How dare you, a woman speak to me with out first being spoken to?!" He yelled at her, causing him to loathe her even more. "This will be a wonderful death," he thought to himself.

She turned back around and became very quiet. The rest of the trip was spent with her wondering if she may have caused her life to be endanger for speaking out as she had. "I really must remember that I am in a different culture and I must adhere to their rules of conduct. But I will never be quiet about my faith." She said inwardly to herself.

As they got near the Temple Mount the bus stopped and let the people off. Unknown to Mathias the man had followed her off the bus and was stalking her from a safe distance. Mathias first went to the Wailing Wall, she had always wondered about this place and now she was getting to see it first hand. As she walked up to the wall she felt something poke her in the back. She froze.

"You come me now." Was said to her in broken english.

Lord help me! She prayed. As she followed the man's orders.

"Woman should not talk out loud unless talk to first." He muttered. Mathias knew who this was. This was the man that she met on the bus.

Lord let me be a sacrifice for you today, if it be your will. And if it is not your will please save me from this threat.

The man began toughing on her jacket, "We come in here." He said pulling her through a door. She dare not scream, in fear that that would provoke him even further. She was quiet and only let a few tears slide down her face. She did not wipe them off.

He led her through a series of mazes and then came out on a hill. "You believe in Jesus Christ as the son of your God?" He asked.

"Yes," she whimpered. "YES I do." She yelled out with the strength that she knew could only come from God.

This through the man back a little, as he was not expecting such a bold proclamation by someone that he was about to kill. He slowly moved the gun up her back and placed it on her temple. "Ok then today you are going to be with him." The man said and then pulled the trigger.

Nothing, he tried it again.

Still nothing happened. The man was becoming panicky, and Mathias was thanking God. Just then a different man came up to her captor and said, "What crime has this woman committed against you?"

He replied, "She talk to me before I talk to her. She also pray to Allah, out loud."

"Oh I see," said the new man. "And ma'am why are you here without your veil on?"

"I did not know that I was to wear a veil, I am an American and have just come to this country. I am deeply sorry that I have offended this man and will be careful in the future about following the rules and customs here."

"Yes I hope that you will. I heard what sounded like two gun shots earlier, can you tell me what those where?"

"Yes, I try and kill her. But the gun did not fire. How can you hear shots that were not there?" The captor asked.

"Oh I see, please turn the woman over to me and I will take care of seeing to it that she is properly punished for the crimes that you say she committed."

"Fine you can have her."

Then her captor walked away.

Mathias fell to the ground. It had taken all of her strength to stand up to her captor, she was dreading what this man would do to her. Lord God see me through this.

"What are you going to do to me?" She asked.

"Nothing. Come follow me, I am going to take you to my home so that you can rest and get something to eat. My wife knows that you are coming. We saw you get off the bus and we also saw that man grab you. We are followers of God and he told us that you were in danger."

 

[PegasusOnFire]

New Friends Part: 10

The man led Mathias to a small run down looking place. Inside there were at least three couples. A small older woman came up to Mathias and started to talk a mile a minute, with out taking a breath.

"You must be the one that God told us about, he is a really great God and you are such a young woman.... You can't be much older than a teen.... You are really loved by God to have him send a message to us to go up to the hill to save you.... Those gunshots really gave us a scare.... We thought that we were to late.... Hank here said that he would get you..... You must have been scared.... Were you sacred? Of course you were scared I would have been to if someone kidnapped in at gunpoint........"

"SHUT UP woman." Hank said to his wife. "Let the poor girl speak. Ok you can speak now." He said motioning to Mathias.

"Thank you, sir. I was scared up until the point when he asked me if I had faith in God. I was hesitant to answer the question but I finally did with much more force than I thought possible. Only God could give a person that much courage. I thought that I was going to die when he put the gun up to my temple, but I didn't care, I was willing to do what ever God wanted me to do. He saved me, I was relieved when you came to save me, but I was also a bit scared. I was afraid that you were going to be the one to finally do me in. But I thank God that you were sent as my angel. Thank all for your prayers and for being willing vessels for God's uses." Mathias said and then, again fell to the ground. Her strength was now completely wasted.

The older woman got up quickly and told another woman to help her put Mathias on a bed. Mathias was so tired and so at peace that she fell into a very pleasent slumber.

Mathias woke several days later to see the woman standing over her. "Oh goody she is awake. Someone get her some food she has to be starving." She barked.

Mathias tried to sit up, but couldn't. "Here dearie let me get you some pillows so that we can get you all seated up there." She said in a grandmotherly way. Just then Mathias realized just how hungry she was. They placed in front of her a great plate of fried chicken and a bowl of rice soup. She began to devour the soup and the chicken.

"Thank you so much, I am so sorry to have been such a burden on you all. I must be going after I am done. May God bless you for all that you have done for me." Mathias said between bites.

"Oh no, hasn't been one bit of trouble to us dear, you can stay here as long as you need to. We don't want to be sending you out to the lions with out your strength back to 100%, now do we?" Grandmother woman said.

"Oh thank you so very much." Mathias said, truly happy that God had brought these people to her. "You all have been most kind."

After Mathias finished the meal she felt as though she might try getting up. She was a bit wobbly but she was able to stand. She had felt great and well rested for the first time since the rapture. Hank helped her to the bathroom, a small shed out in the back of the house. He then asked if she would fancy a walk. She thought that that would be a great idea. Hank went in to tell the others that they were going to walk around a bit.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

The Walk Part: 11

As Mathias and Hank walked around the city, they talked about how they each came to Christ. After Mathias told Hank her story he shared his, his story was very moving and inspirational.

"I came to Christ after I had been living in major sin. I was constantly doped up on whatever I could get my hands on at the time. I was into some pretty wicked stuff back then. I was married and I had four children, two of them grown and out of the house and two of them in high school. I really loved my kids but they believed in something that I could never believe in. They had a faith in God that was very real. As did their mother. My wife was a beautiful thing; she was kind and wonderful. I was lucky to have her as my wife, Lord knew that I didn't deserve her. Well about five years ago my wife was diagnosed with leukemia and lived with us for six more months after the diagnosis was made. I was so mad at God for taking away the only person who loved me for me; I turned away from religion and turned to the drugs. I could feel free and safe when I was high. I stopped caring for my kids and just plain stopped caring. I got remarried to a woman that I didn't even care about, all I wanted was free drugs, you see she was my supplier and an illegal, I wanted drugs she wanted to be a citizen. That was about four years ago. We had a baby together but we didn't want to straighten out so he was taken from us, but we didn't care, we didn't want him anyway. About a month ago I decided that I would slow down on my drug usage, and I called up my daughter in Long Island. I got no answer, so I left a message. She never called me back, which I was ok with because after her mother died I pretty much wrote them all out of my life. When I got home that night my wife was crying and rocking back and forth on the floor. I ran up to her and asked her what was wrong. She told me that my two teenagers where talking to her and then they just disappeared, all that was left was their clothes. I began to sob, the only people I had left in this world to remind me of my wife were those kids, now they were gone. My new wife and I decided right then and there that we were going to straighten up right then. We went cold turkey, we were sick for days. One of our neighbors came over to tell us that she was going home to Israel and wanted to know if we wanted to go with her and her husband, we said sure and here we are. On the way here they told us about Jesus and how he had caused the disappearances and we prayed for his forgiveness right there in the plane. Now we are here, I think that God saved us so that we could in turn save you." Hank said as he wiped the tears from his face.

"Oh, Hank," Mathias said, sobbing. "That was so good of you to tell me your story."

They were almost to the temple when Hank pulled Mathias aside and handed her a veil and told her to put it on and to walk at least one step behind him. She did as she was told. When they got to the temple there were many people milling around, they all seemed excited about something. Mathias and Hank went to the Wailing Wall to see what was going on. There they saw two men dressed in what looked to be rags. Mathias whispered, "Those must be the two witnesses/prophets that the bible was talking about." They went in for a closer look.

As they stood there and listened to the men talking, someone ran up to the men with gun in hand. He suddenly burst into flames. "Wow!" Mathias exclaimed, "I would hate to have been that guy."

They looked on in awe as many people from different countries listened to the men. A woman next to them asked them if they to could speak Hebrew. Hank could so he answered for Mathias, "I can but the young woman here cannot. Why is it that you ask?" He said in Hebrew.

"Because they are speaking in Hebrew, do you need to translate for your friend?" She asked.

Hank replied, "No, because they are also speaking in English."

With that the woman turned and continued to listen to the men. Mathias wondered if this truly was what the bible was talking about, when it spoke of two witnesses coming out to speak to the people.

Soon Hank and Mathias headed back to the house. When they got back Hank's wife greeted them and told them that dinner was ready for them. They in turn told everyone there about what they had seen and heard.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Terrible Truth Part: 12

As Jerrald sat in his room, he thought of what God had told him. He kneeled down and prayed.

Father God I come to you today to thank you for all that you have done for me in these last few weeks. I cannot imagine what I would have said or done if I didn't have you with me when I had my many encounters with the antichrist. Protect me in the days to come and help me to see your will in my life. Be with Mathias as she is on a trip of self-discovery and a new start. Help her to find just what she is looking for. I pray that you are with my sister, if she is still alive, help her to know who you are, if she doesn't already know. Be with me Lord as I venture out of this place and spread your word to all people. Help me to trust others and to help them grow in your word. I pray that you give me the gift of "gab" so that I will not be afraid of speaking to those that you bring my way. I pray these things in your precious name, AMEN.

Jerrald then stood up and packed what little he had. He left the hotel and headed to the NAVY pier to see if he might find hurting and lost people there. As he neared the pier he saw a man sitting alone. He did not have on a coat, and it was a bit chilly. Nor did he have any shoes. Jerrald took pity on the man and handed him his coat. He then took the man to a shoe store and bought him a nice pair of tennis shoes. The man thanked Jerrald and asked, "Why did you do this for me?"

"I did it out of love sir. I saw that you needed a warm coat and a good pair of shoes, I also want you to have a warm soul as well. Do you know who Jesus is?" Jerrald asked the man.

"I know that many say he was a prophet and that others think that he is God. I myself think that he was a made up figure for people to believe in. I have decided to serve the new ruler who will set us all free. Cedric Boring."

Jerrald was taken aback a bit. "Why would you trust in him? He is the purest form of evil that you can find."

"I can have you arrested for saying such things." The man said, as he waved over a Military Policeman. "I trust in him because he has come to give us all peace, did your Jesus do that?"

Jerrald felt himself getting sick. "He gave peace to those who seek it. He gave it to the poor, the rich and even harlots and hypocrites. He gave me peace."

When the MP got to the man he said, "Arrest this man. He is speaking false things about Cedric Boring."

"I would rather die before I serve him." Jerrald replied as he was being arrested.
While he was being transported to the station/jail, he thought to himself, "How do I always get stuck in these situations?"

"My child I am with you always. You are never alone. You are serving out my plan for you."

"Lord why must I always get in trouble, it seems that every time I open my mouth now, I am getting into trouble."

"It is all in my plan for you. But first you must learn to trust me. This is the only way that you will listen to me. You only call on me when you are in trouble. Call on me every day, when you learn to do this I will have a new path for you to go down, until then lean on me."

"Ok Lord, I will start leaning on you more."

"I don't want more I want all. You need to learn to lean on my fully and not just part of you. You are a very strong-willed person, but you need to let that go and let me take hold."

"Yes Lord, but...."

"You asked me to come into your life and take over, did you not? Then why won't you let me?"

"Oh Lord," he began weeping, "please break me down so that I will full trust in you. Do not set me free from my captors until I have learned that you are the only one that I can put my trust fully in."

"It shall be so."

"Thank you Lord." Jerrald smiled, though he didn't know why. The MP that had custody over him said, "Wipe that smile off your face right now or you will have **** to pay."

Jerrald kept smiling until they got the jail, and even then he was still overjoyed after his conversation with the Lord.

The Jail Part: 13

"I hear that you bad mouthed one of my friends you ******* son of a *****!" The guard shouted in Jerrald's face. "I will teach you a lesson about doing that." The guards breath smelled of too much booze and tabacco. Jerrald just looked at him. He had gone through many days of beatings and hadn't said a word to them. Why should he, he had nothing to tell them.

The guard threw Jerrald up against the bars of his cell that he shared with ten other young men. He then spat in Jerrald's face. One of the young men, having grown tired of seeing Jerrald being treated that way, rushed the guard and knocked him out cold. "That'll teach 'em." The man said, as Jerrald slunk to the ground. "Hey Jerry you ok man?"

"Uhhhhhhh." Was all the sound that Jerrald made. He was too tired to even think let alone tell the Frank that he was in some serious pain. "Oh Lord please take me home now!" He begged God. "I don't want to be here anymore. I hate this world, I want to go home, please let me go home." He began to weep.

"My son, I will bring you home when it is your time. And now is not your time. You have been doing so well in leaning on me. Never forget that I am with you in all of this."

"But father how can I know this? I have given everything that I have in me to you, and yet I feel you asking me for more. Why father why?" He whispered to the air.

The other men in the cell were used to him doing this and thought nothing of it, except for the newest guy in the cell, he went over to Jerrald and asked, "who are you talking to sir?"

"I am talking to my father." Was all Jerrald said.

The new guy, we will call him Tex, because he has a bit of a twang in his speech, kept asking him questions. But Frank, having been there a day longer than Jerrald went over to Tex and said, "leave him alone. He always talks to his 'father'. We never question him, we just let him do it. In due time he will tell us what he is talking about and what his 'father' replied with."

"You know why you are going through this, we talk about it every night. This is a test, a trial that you must go through. I need you to be a strong and mighty warrior for me Jerrald. You will live through this, as will your friends. You are not alone there, look around you. Help these men Jerrald, show them that you are strong in me. Help them to become strong to. I love you my son, weep no more. I am coming soon."

"Yes father I know. I will be strong for you."

Jerrald sat up with what little strength he had left in him. The others gathered around him, knowing that this time he was going to tell them what he was told.

"My brothers, now is the time for me to tell you all that my father has told me. We need to be a strong army. We need to lean on each other as well as on the Father. I am going to depend on you all to help me through the days that lay ahead of us, as you all will be depending on me to help you all throughout these days. I know that I have gotten most of the punishment while we have been here, but that will only make us stronger as a group. The father has told me that he needs us to grow in the word and to become stronger physically and spiritually. You all know that I am not a good speaker nor am I wise in the world. All my life I spent in books and volumes of scientific studies. But now is the time that you teach me in the ways of the street and I will teach you in the ways of God."

Frank got up and stood beside Jerrald, "I will help you brother."

"Thank you Frank. "Who else will join us in this fight?"

Soon all the other men in the cell were standing, and there were people from other cells also standing. Jerrald felt the tears welling up in his eyes.

"This is my flock, tend them well my son."

 

[PegasusOnFire]

The Sermon Part: 14

A few weeks after the wailing wall incident Mathias was asked if she would like to do the bible study that night. She gladly accepted this honor. Everyone was gathered around her in the main room, there were about 40 of them in all. They seemed to grow in numbers everyday.

Mathias slowly stood up. She cleared her throat and began.

"Welcome new friends and old. Thank you for coming tonight. I have noticed that since I came here we have almost tripled in number. I find that a great joy to know that many are wanting to learn about the God that I serve. I know that these past few months have been hard for everyone in this room and also the many other brothers and sisters that we have around the world. I have just recently had a communiqué from a friend that I met right before I came to this place. He to is struggling. He has recently been released from prison, with many new brothers. They are starting to set up a black market of sorts for other believers. Friends I stand here today to tell you that it is only going to get harder from here on. As Cedric Boring becomes more powerful we also need to grow stronger. Soon we will be in hiding. Many of the men here are already starting to build underground living quarters for us, in preparation of us having to go into hiding. I ask that whom ever in here can help with either the black market or the building of the underground, to please see Hank or me after we are done with this meeting/bible study." She paused to let what she has just said sink in.

"Please, if you have a bible, turn with me to John chapter 3." She waited for the few who had bibles to find the passage. "We are going to talk about a man who was part of a group of Jewish men called the Pharisees, his name was Nicodemus. Now Nicodemus came to Jesus in the night, because he did not want the other Pharisees to find out that he had gone to see Jesus. In John 3:2-3 it says, 'the same came unto him by night, and said to him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Now we being born again know what this verse means. It does not mean that we have to physically be born again. We just need to accept Jesus as our personal Lord and savior and let the Holy Spirit wash over us. Nicodemus thought that we needed to be born again from our mother's womb. As he says in John 3:4, 'Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born?' Now if I were in that room at that time, I, most likely, would have asked that same question. And I can see from the nodding of your heads that you also would have asked that to. Now Jesus answered Nicodemus in a very good way. Here we see what it means to have a second birth. Look, if you will at John 3:5-8, 'Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born anew. The wind bloweth where it will, and thou hearest the voice thereof, but knowest not whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.' Being born of water is also what he refers to when he says, 'That which is born of flesh is flesh.' We were born of our mothers enveloped in a sac of water-like fluid. Thus being born of flesh is also water. That is the first birth, now let us look at the second birth. Being born of the spirit means that we need to be born into God's family. We need to acknowledge that Christ was sent here to die as a sacrifice for our sins, for being born of the flesh makes us sinners." She paused to recollect her thoughts, and to allow the others to let it sink in.

"'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that which we know, and bear witness of that which we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I told you earthly things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you heavenly things? And no one hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended out of heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth may in him have eternal life.' This is what Jesus told Nicodemus when he asked how this could happen. The next verses are, I think, the most quoted verses in the entire bible. John 3:16-18 tells us why Jesus was sent to earth. It says, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him. He that believeth on him is not judged: he that believeth not hath been judged already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God.' Now some of you have puzzled looks on your faces. This passage talks of how Jesus did not come into the world to judge us, but to love us. The Jews had been waiting for a messiah to come and save them from the Roman people, they were expecting a mighty warrior to come and wipe out the Roman government. They were not expecting a quite carpenter to come and love them. I ask you, what is your messiah like, is he the mighty warrior, or the carpenter?" Mathias sat down and Hank stood up.

"Thank you sister Mathias. Let us now pray.

"Father God, I thank you for sending your Son Jesus Christ, the Messiah into this world to save us from our sins. I know that we are all sinners and need you in our lives. Please touch the lives of your children around the world today. Help them to become bold for you. Father I ask that you touch the hearts of the people here in this room. Use the message that Mathias shared to touch those who are sitting on the fence, not sure which way to go. Thank you for Mathias, she truly is a servant of yours. Thank you Father God, AMEN."

Hank then turned to the group and said, "If you have any questions or you are ready to commit your life to Christ, please seek out one of us. Mathias, Rose, Thomas and I are all willing to help you."

All scripture came from the American Standard Bible.

 

[Justice4JC]

Wow. Now, since I'm going into a writing course soon, I think I should get practice in responding to people's posts. Because in the course they say I must put a positive thing that works well and a negative thing that could be worked on... and it has to be original. Oy. But, no one has responded to your book yet, so.... I'm in the clear!

Hope you don't mind this. Just constructive criticism. It's what we all need to grow to know what works and what doesn't. Let's start with the first chapter.

Mathias's story Part: 1
I actually like how you write the background in the chapter. No dialouge or interruptions by way of speech. I normally put a lot of speech, but this actually worked. I might try it sometime
I liked how the father wanted a boy so much that he didn't want to change the name of the girl. What a stubborn little man. lol
And when you had Xavier become a Christian and know that it was wrong to be with a non-Christian, I applaud even that statement. I think some people might have left it out all together. But he did become a Christian after they were together, so it would be pretty hard to just let her go.
Hmmmm, still, a ZOEgirl song comes to mind. I think it's Give Me One Reason... or maybe not. Some song on their first album about the girl becoming a Christian and walking away from the guy if he doesn't become a Christian.

Anyways, on to the negative... (don't hurt me!)

They had only been married for a month when Mathias came home to a pile of Xavier's clothes laying by his desk.

I think you should create more suspense than that. Because I knew that the rapture occured once she rushed over to her parents house and saw more piles of clothing (even though I didn't know what your book was about), but other people might be a little confused. I think you should write more in-depth into that part. You don't necessarily need to put in dialouge, but my personal opinion: it should be drawn out.

And try to break up the paragraphs some. I've read (and it's true) that long paragraphs tend to discourage the reader. Try to make more breaks when it shifts from a different thought to another.


Jerrald's Story Part: 2
Once I discovered what the story was about, and how you were going about introducing the characters (kind of like Left Behind >The Kids<.... and even like my book when Jesus comes back), it made me sad when I read this part:

By the time that Jerrald was fifteen he knew how to keep house, cook, sew, garden, and he knew that he was never going to be loved.

I was actually hoping you'd give a break on this kid and have him find Christ and accept Him as his personal Lord and Savior. But... there is a story that must be told.

Okay. What can be worked on. Actually, it's just something minor. You kept away from dialouge in the first chapter, I think you should give some relief to the reader by putting a dialouge break in this chapter (I know I was wondering whether or not the book would have dialouge). Preferably, you can put it here:

Jerrald was in his advanced microbiology class when the teacher suddenly vanished. Jerrald had no idea what was going on.

You could have him yell "What's going on?!" or talk to someone else in the room if there is anyone else.


Mathias meets Jerrald Part: 3
GOODIE! You put in the prayer! Keep that in there. So if people who aren't Christians who read this can read the prayer and become saved also!

What can be worked on:
About the long dialouge speech that Mathias had... it's too long. I understand she's telling Jerry all about Jesus, but there are a few things that could be taken away.

But there is something about the prayer that I would change. I would have the end say "In Jesus' Name, AMEN." The Bible says somewhere that you ask in Jesus' name. You talk to God, but end in Jesus' Name. Like when demons were cast out. They were cast out in Jesus' Name.

And Mathias sure did grow up a lot in the past few... days? Was it? She's speaking like she's been a Christian all her life:

“Go in peace my new brother, go in peace.”

Oh, and a typo I spotted:

This is when evil came into the world. So after many years of this going on God decided that it would be a good time for him to come down to earth.




Okay, I'll leave that for now. If you want me to continue, just say so. But I'll stop at the 3rd chapter right now.

-----added-----
Okay, found the verses I was talking about where it says you ask God but seal it in Jesus' name.


John 14:14
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
(Whole Chapter: John 14 In context: John 14:13-15)

John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
(Whole Chapter: John 14 In context: John 14:25-27)

John 15:16
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
(Whole Chapter: John 16 In context: John 16:23-25)

 

[PegasusOnFire]

your responces were great. In the past all I have gotten was, "this is good, keep it up" totally non-productive. The reason the first two chapters do not have any dialouge was so that I could let the reader know a little about the hero/heroine.

As you can see later on in the story, part three, we see that Jerrald finds out that he can,in fact,be loved. I wanted to set him up as someone who had lived a very hard life. This theme for him continues throughout the story, he is plauged with many hardships.

As for Mathias, we see in the first chapter that she had grown up in the word of God, which when she did finally become a Christian, she was already set up in her new found faith. This is why I let her become so mature so fast. I hope that made sense.

As for her witnessing to him, you mentioned that some things could be left out, but you didn't mention what they were. If you could, would you please tell me? As for reading the rest of the story, I would really encourage you to.

Also if you would like you can even critique some of my other stories that have been posted here.

 

[Justice4JC]

What I think could be left out will be in bold:

“Ok Jerry. God is the creator and sustainer of the universe. He made the heavens and the earth. He made man and woman in his own image. Well soon after he made man and woman they sinned against him and ate from a tree that was forbidden to eat from. This is when evil came into the world. So after many years of this going on God decided that it would be a god time for him to come down to earth, to straighten things out a little bit. He came down in the form of a baby born to a virgin named Mary. He was given the name Jesus at birth. Jesus grew and became a man, some said that he was a prophet, others a great teacher. But Mary knew the truth, Jesus was God and he was going to make things right. Jesus walked on earth for many years teaching others about God and of the heavenly kingdom that awaited them if they followed him. Some people grew angry with this man, Jesus, because he said that he was the Son of God. They did not think that was right, so they set forth a plan to turn people against Jesus and ultimately have him killed. Jesus was then crucified and had told his deciples that he would return in three days. Well he did! He arose from his gave three days after he was killed. Many knew now that this truly must be the Son of God. You see Jerry Jesus was sent into the world to save the world from sin. If you believe in him you can have never-ending life. When you repent, ask for forgiveness, of your sins and ask Jesus to dwell with you in your heart then you can become adopted by God and given an inheritance. That inheritance is life in heaven. The people who disappeared already knew this truth and accepted God’s gift before the disappearances. But now is our time. This is our second chance to accept that gift. Does anything that I have said make any sense?” Mathias turned to Jerry as she said this.

It's still a little long, but you have to think about it: Just introducing somebody to God and Jesus, you don't need to tell them every little detail. You should inform them with all they need to know, but not all that you want to tell. You have a whole book to say what needs to be said, but throwing it all out there isn't necessary.

I'm not saying you shouldn't tell that Jesus came and died to wash away our sins, but the little details like when you said Adam and Eve sinned against God. You don't have to put how they sinned just yet. Just say that they did sin. That's just an example.

So, you don't mind if I continue? Great! I'll get back to that.... uuuh, once I eat

As you can see later on in the story, part three, we see that Jerrald finds out that he can,in fact,be loved.

Yeah, that was a good part. That made me happy.

As for Mathias, we see in the first chapter that she had grown up in the word of God, which when she did finally become a Christian, she was already set up in her new found faith. This is why I let her become so mature so fast. I hope that made sense.

Yeah, made sense absolutely. But between that little time, the reader would forget that she was ever a tomboy... unless that was your motive.

Also if you would like you can even critique some of my other stories that have been posted here.

Okay. I'll try and finish this one first though. I should post some of my stuff up here so you all can check it out.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

Freedom Part: 15

Jerrald was so glad that he was now out of that prison. Though he was not quite sure why they let him out. He had been there for several months, and was a known follower of Christ. By all rights in this new system he should have been put to death. Maybe they just want to make sport of me, and hunt me down like an animal. I will let them have their fun, but I will never be caught again. He thought to himself. Frank was let out with him, so together they searched for a new home.
"Frank, did you ever think that we would get out of that place?" Jerrald asked him.

"No, I thought that we were going to see our last days there. I am thankful that they did let us go. I think that with this newfound freedom we need to do something good with it. We could set up some kind of underground market for the believers everywhere. You said once, while we were in prison that you had a friend that was in the middle east somewhere, do you think that you could get into contact with her and see if she can help us?" Frank asked Jerrald.

"I think that can be arranged. She gave me her e-mail address while we were in the airport. As soon as we can get a secure connection I will write to her. Didn&#8217;t you say that you had gotten busted for black market trafficking?" Jerrald asked Frank.

"Yeah, hey that is a great idea, I think I can still get a hold of some of the guys that I traded with. They may be able to get us a great deal on stuff." Frank was becoming very excited about this new venture.

"Thank you for coming with me Frank," Jerrald said to him. "I am glad that you are now my brother in Christ Jesus."

"If it hadn&#8217;t been for you Jerry, I don&#8217;t think I would be." Frank put his hand on Jerrald&#8217;s shoulder.

"Well, let&#8217;s find a place to live." Jerrald said, as they walked out of the prison and onto the city streets, they were still in Chicago, and they both knew that it was not a good idea to stay in the city. They rented a car, that they knew they would never return, and headed out of town towards Iowa.

As soon as they got to Iowa City they decided to stop and make a home there. This would be the central location for their underground market, once it got on its feet.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

I am working on the next part, though I don't know when I will post it

 

[PegasusOnFire]

The Co-op Part: 16

Soon the Co-op was running great. Jerrald and Mathias e-mailed each other almost everyday it seemed. In Iowa City, the safehouse-Co-op central seemed to grow in numbers every week. It took all that Frank and Jerrald had to keep their wits about them, directing people and trying to get them to where they need to be. They finally had pilots that were willing to fly supplies to where ever they were needed. The Co-op had only been off the ground for about three days before their fist pilot arrived. Bobbie was a little thing, couldn&#8217;t have been more than seventeen, but man could she handle a bird. Jerrald and Frank welcomed her into the safehouse with open arms. Frank had thought that it was about time that a female had come in. With three men living in the place, they needed a little estrogen.

Bobbie Francis learned to fly while she was in a boarding school. Her parents sent there after they found out that her older brother Jaq had been using her as his little toy. He would frequently hire her out to some of his friends. At the age of fourteen Bobbie had already had an abortion, upon Jaq&#8217;s request. After that she finally went to her parents and told them the things that Jaq had made her do. That is when the sent her away. It was no surprise to her when she learned that Jaq had joined forces with Cedric Boring. She knew from a young age that Jaq was pure evil, it was a shame to, seeing as their parents were missionaries in France, where she was born.

Both Jerrald and Frank felt sorry for the poor girl, so they let her into their home. When they invited her to stay, they had no idea how handy she would be to them. She single handedly arranged all of the transport planes and flight schedules. She had so many contacts throughout the world that they were even able to set up relay stations in six different countries.

Bobbie knew the bible inside and out, but still didn&#8217;t see why she needed Jesus, he wasn&#8217;t there when Jaq was doing those things to her, and he wasn&#8217;t there when Jaq made her kill her baby. Late one night she went to Frank about it. She knocked on his door, &#8220;Frank, can we talk?&#8221; She asked him.

&#8220;Yeah, I will be out in a second Bobbie, let me grab my robe.&#8221; He called back to her. It was a rule in the safe house that no one of the opposite sex was allowed in your room. When Frank came out, they headed to the kitchen, it was well lighted and people were always milling around there.

&#8220;Frank, I have some questions for you, about Jesus. My parents served him faithfully for many years, I never understood why he would let Jaq do the things that he did to me? I can&#8217;t believe that a loving God could possibly let a sixteen year old violate his fourteen year old sister. Why would God let that happen?&#8221;

&#8220;Bobbie, I know that it wasn&#8217;t God that let that happen. It was Satan, working through your brother that let that happen. God cares so much for you that it pained him to see you suffer like that. That is why he gave you the courage to tell your parents, even after Jaq threatened your life. He protected you from Jaq, by giving your parents the courage and forethought to send you away to finish schooling. Bobbie, God loves you so very much. He has given you a second chance at life. He doesn&#8217;t want to lose you this time. He wants you to come to him. Do you understand what I am saying?&#8221;

&#8220;I think so. You are telling me that it was Satan that was making me suffer at the hand of my brother. Well, at any time God could have stepped in.&#8221; Bobbie said, tears running down her face.

&#8220;Bobbie, he did step in. He got you out of that situation and into a better one. He gave you a new place to live, away from Jaq and the tortures that you were going through. He placed you in a loving environment where Jaq could not get you. And then, when your time was up there, he brought you here to the Co-op, where you could find him. Look around you, God is everywhere here.&#8221; He paused, suddenly, then asked her, &#8220;Have I ever told you my story?&#8221;

&#8220;No, you haven&#8217;t. Jerrald hasn&#8217;t even told me his. I don&#8217;t think that I know anyone&#8217;s story here.&#8221; She said to him.

&#8220;Well, I was never the sharpest tool in the shed, if you know what I mean. I was always getting into trouble everywhere I turned. I hated my family and I hated society. I was looking for a way out. I finally found it through drugs and gangs. I had found a group that I could call my family. I found my new home, though it wasn&#8217;t good, and was far from better than what I had had, it was home. For once I felt like I belonged somewhere, I was no longer and outcast, I was somebody.&#8221; He paused, looking around at the small group that had gathered, some had heard this story before, others were new.

&#8220;I robbed so many stores and raped so many women that God shouldn&#8217;t love me. But he does, Jerrald showed me that. I got busted two years ago, thrown in jail and was told that I may never get out, then the rapture happened. I was let go six months later, only to be brought back in three after that. The cell block that I was put in was for the hardened criminals, I knew I deserved being there, but there was this one guy in there, he looked so out of place, yet he didn&#8217;t mind being in that cell block one bit. He was there for a purpose.&#8221; Frank stopped when he felt a hand on his shoulder, he looked up, it was Jerrald. They smiled at each other, and Frank continued. &#8220;Well I was soon to find out that this guy had made President Boring mad. Well at least made one of Boring&#8217;s men mad. He was arrested, because he would no respect Boring. I was astonished, I was in awe of this guy, he had stood up to the most powerful man in the world, and lived. They other guys and I took bets to see how long this guy would last here, before Boring decided to have him executed.&#8221; He stopped, took a deep breath and looked around the room. There had to be at least thirty people standing around them.

&#8220;Frank was that man Jerrald?&#8221; Bobbie asked, looking up at Jerrald, standing behind Frank.

&#8220;Yes, Bobbie, that man was Jerrald. Jerrald taught us all a lesson that none of us will ever forget. Jerrald taught us of God&#8217;s unending love for us. He showed us what it meant to live for God. He showed us that if we gave ourselves fully for God and did not sway at all that God would deliver us from the very grasp of Satan. Jerrald was beaten every single day that he was in prison. We started feeling sorry for him after a while. Man it really sucks to see a good guy get beat. Many of us tried to take his place, but he wouldn&#8217;t let us. One day a couple of us got up the nerve to ask Jerrald what his deal was. What was it you told us Jerrald?&#8221; Frank asked his dear friend.

&#8220;I said that I was doing my heavenly Father&#8217;s work. I also told you guys what a very dear woman told me not so very long ago. I told you about my heavenly Father, and many of you gave your lives to him that day.&#8221; Jerrald said, looking at Frank, then over at Tex. &#8220;Bobbie, God is waiting for you today, and he will be waiting for you tomorrow. But I don&#8217;t know how many more tomorrow&#8217;s you are going to have, only God knows that answer. Are you ready to accept him today?&#8221; Jerrald asked her.

&#8220;No, I am not ready yet. I have to think about what you two have said first. I will find you in the morning, before I leave for Greece.&#8221; She said, getting up and heading through the people to her room.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

When she got to her room she locked the door and fell to the floor. She began sobbing, "Why must you love me so much, after all that I have done to get away from you? I should have known that you would lead me here, to this place, to these people. How could I have been so blind?" She looked up towards the ceiling, "Why?" She sat in the middle of the room for the longest time, just rocking back and forth, crying.

Someone knocked on her door, "Bobbie, are you ok?" She stared at the door for what seemed like a couple minutes, though it was only a couple seconds. "No, no I don&#8217;t think that I am." She said quietly, getting up off the floor. She made her way to the door, unlocked it and slowly opened it. Standing outside the door was Tex.

"I missed seeing you at dinner, thought I would bring some up to you." He said, holding a plate out to her. He looked in her eyes. "Have you been crying Bobbie?" He asked her.

"Thank you Tex." She said, taking the plate that he offered her. Her eyes not leaving his at all. As far as she could judge they were about the same age, maybe a year different. "Yeah, I have been." She said to him. "Umm, Tex. C-can we talk?" She asked him.

"Sure, let&#8217;s go to the library, it is quiet in there." He said, taking her hand and leading her there.

Once they were settled, Tex asked, "What would you like to talk about?"

"How did you know that Christ was the way?" She said.

"Well that is a hard, yet easy question to answer. You see I used to hang out with this guy, he got me into so much trouble. I found my way into a prison. That is were I met Jerrald and Frank. Jerrald would sit in the corner of the cell day after day, talking to God. I knew that something was different about him. That day I believed in God. I wanted to have what Jerrald had. I wanted to be like Jerrald." Tex said to her.

"Why, why was what Jerrald had so very important to you? Did he perform miracles?" She asked, not trying to sound rude, just very confused.

"No, no miracles. He just never seemed to be suffering, even after hours of torture. He came back tot he cell and started praying, though he was most likely praying the entire time he was being beaten. He had this peace about him. One that you can only get from God himself." Tex paused and looked towards Bobbie, a single tear rolled down her cheek. He reached out and wiped it away. "Bobbie, don&#8217;t you want that same kind of peace, one that surpasses all understanding?" He asked her.

"I do, but I don&#8217;t. I am scared, what if I did accept God, would he even take me? I mean, I have done a lot of bad things, and a lot of bad things have been done to me. How could he love and accept me with all of that in me?" She asked him.

"Bobbie, the thing is, is that he already loves you and wants you to come to him. He doesn&#8217;t care about your past. And neither does anyone else." He said to her. "We have all done bad things in our past, I mean, come on Frank and I were both in jail for crimes that we committed."

"Yeah, I guess you are right. You know, I think I am ready now." She said, and then Tex and she prayed together.

After the prayer, Tex gave her a hug. "Well I think your dinner is cold now. Let&#8217;s go to the kitchen and get you some warm food."

"Ok." She said, they walked together to the kitchen. Jerrald and Frank were still in there, it looked like they were praying. "Hey guys." Bobbie said as she stuck her plate in the microwave. They looked up at her and said hello.

When her food was warmed up she sat near Tex. "Hey, I am going to Greece tomorrow, would you like to come with me? You haven&#8217;t been out of the Co-op much lately and I thought it would be fun to have a partner."

"Sure that sounds great. I have never been out of the US, it might be fun. Why are we going, do you know?" He asked her.

"Well Mathias said that they were in need of supplies there, and the Middle Eastern Co-op didn&#8217;t have what they needed, so we are going to be taking those supplies to them. We might even have time to stop by Tel Aviv to see Mathias and the rest there. I can&#8217;t wait to see Rose again. She is such a sweet woman, she reminds me of my mother." Bobbie told him.

Jerrald came over to them. "Bobbie, it is good to see you happy. Can you please take this to Mathias?" He asked, handing her an envelope.

"Yeah, no problem." She said, taking the envelope from him. "Oh, I believe."

"You believe what Bobbie?" He asked her, not quite understanding her meaning.

"I believe that Jesus Christ came to save me." She said, her face glowing.

"Congratulations Bobbie." He said, giving her a big hug. "That is great news. Be sure to tell Mathias and Rose when you see them. They will want to celebrate with you. We have all been praying for you these past few months." He said, then turned to head back to Frank.

 

[PegasusOnFire]

The Trip: Part 17

The next morning Bobbie and Tex were off on a new adventure together. Bobbie had done the pre-flight checks and was starting the engines when Jerrald came running out to them. She shut down the engine and got out of the plane and met Jerrald half way.

“Bobbie, Mathias just called, thank goodness you were still here. She needs these things brought to her. I am not sure what they are, but she had them sent here from Pella, where she used to live.” Jerrald said to her, out of breath.

“Will do Jerrald.” Bobbie said and headed back to the plane.

Tex was holding the door open for her. “I see Jerrald forgot to load something.” He said as she got back on the plane.

“No, Mathias just called and said that she needed these things. Looks like we will be taking a trip to see her after all.” Bobbie said with a smile.

She restarted the engines and they were soon ready for take off. Bobbie was so glad when they were finally in the air. Now she just needed to get high enough to get past the radar. Once they were safetly out of the the radar, she put the plane on autopilot and went back to where Tex was.

"Hey there, you look a little green." She laughed.

"Yeah, I am not used to flying, guess I got a bit air sick." He admitted to her. "I think I might walk around a bit."

"Sure go ahead, I am going to see if I can catch a few winks." She told him, then headed back up to the cockpit. She turned the alarms on so that she would be alerted when someting came on to her radar, or if one of te systems went into alarm. Then she sat back and dozed off a little.

Meanwhile Tex was in the back, trying to locate the bathroom, once he found it he dived in and lost it. When he came back out he was feeling much better. He went up to the cockpit and sat next to Bobbie.

She looks like an angel sleeping there. Tex thought to himself. He had been a bit of a loner growing up and even in the prison, but that all changed when he was put in the cell with Jerrald and Frank. They taught him so much, and he was greatful to them both. Now he was glad to be getting to know this young woman. He knew that she had had it tough, she had been put through hell by her siblings. But she had grown so much out of that pain. He was really looking forward to this trip. Mostly because he liked Bobbie, but also because he had never been out of the United States.