George took his tea from the counter. He had just come from Peter's new offices and wanted to spend some time running through tomorrows sermon before heading back to the church offices for a debriefing. The teens had gone out on a mission street evangelizing and wouldn't be back until later at night. He had to ensure that everyone got back safely.
It was days like this that he really appreciated his youth leadership. They had organized the whole thing and even found themselves chaperones so that he could spend his evening preparing for Saturday's youth service.
He looked around trying to identify a table, he finally spotted one in the corner and began walking towards it when he saw her. She was staring intently at an empty coffee mug with bloodshot red eyes and a look of despair. He had never seen her look this vulnerable, she seemed so fragile.
"Dear God, what happened?" He prayed for discernment as he didn't know whether to approach her or leave her be. He began walking slowly in her direction trying to make himself visible. She'd call out to him if she required him. At a snail pace he drew near her table, silence ensued.
He went on to pass her and move towards his originally identified table
"George?"
He froze and turned towards her.
"You may sit"
He did so swiftly.
They sat in silence for about five minutes. George slowly sipped his tea.
"I don't understand it George"
C finally spoke out
"What don't you understand?"
"You, Trish, Carol."
Not wanting to jump to conclusions he continued “What about us?”
“Why on earth do you care about me? You don’t know me!”
“Come on C, it’s been quite a few months, we surely do know you a little bit.”
“You don’t even know my real first name.”
George couldn’t argue with that, he’d often wondered if it was a longer spelled name that was pronounced ‘C’ but upon seeing her just write it as just the letter in the alphabet his curiosity peeked.
“Yet, you still became my chauffeur when I got into an accident, dropped me at the hospital and visited me daily when I was sick. Trish repeatedly took me for coffee though I shunned her severely and never asked for anything in return, Carol too and she told me to call her if I needed anything which I believe she meant. And you… you heard of my achievement at work and went out of your way to celebrate me. Not even my own father celebrated me. Then you strangers come in and invade my life caring and loving me for what? What’s the catch here? I don’t understand it!”
“Does there have to be a catch?”
“Nothing costs nothing George.”
“Well, that’s true”
“Wow, so is it finally time for payback? Where do you want it- my place or yours?” C said with a sarcastic tone.
“Wait what, C calm down. I’m a Pastor and I fear God for one and I would never disrespect you nor myself like that. What I simply meant is that it’s not because we are super humans or something. It’s simply because we have love.”
“Love for a stranger that you met by coincidence? How?”
“The love of God worked in us so that it may be transmitted through us to every person we meet. It’s a chain reaction that started at salvation.”
“Salvation, what is all this nonsense and rhetoric? It doesn’t make any sense.”
“Hmm, I’m beginning to understand why we’re so strange to you.”
At that C gave him a glare that indicated that he should choose his next words very carefully.
“It’s because we’ve been speaking about something that you’ve never encountered nor been taught about.”
“You have not helped me one bit by that statement.”
“Eish, I’m sorry. But I do believe that you’ve heard enough ‘explanations’ of God and love till date. It’s time to for us to shut it and for Him to speak to you.”
“Is there a letter that’s going to be dropped from heaven to my postal address or something?”
“Oh it already was, the Bible.”
“Come of it and be real George.” C was annoyed.
“Yes, exactly like that.”
“Like that what?”
“Go and speak to God like that. Come on now, you’re a brave girl- ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He is God after all?” George went on unbothered by her temper.
“Is this some sort of Pastor game?”
“Do you really think that we are that twisted?” George had to ask after all her responses to him till date. “You want answers and we’ve tried to explain but that’s all we can do- explain and demonstrate but only He can encounter you. C the answers to your problems is not in the comfort of darkness but in the glare of light.”
C couldn’t help but be bothered by that statement. It felt as if George had been in her dreams and had also had a conversation with H. C had welcomed the light, H had been scared by it. Both had no idea where it was from, though C did have her suspicions.
Not wanting to let George know that he was getting to her C rolled her eyes melodramatically and let out a word that she knew would bother the ears of a Pastor. She only swore strategically and this was an opportune moment.
George didn’t even blink. He’d been in youth ministry for five years and frankly such behaviour rarely surprised him. He was actually encouraged now because he knew that what he was saying was provoking her enough to try a harsher response.
“Okay let’s stop the cycles C, this conversation needs an end point.”
C looked back at him daring him to pray for her or quote scripture. She wanted to fight him away and justify her frustration.
“You go and ask God to reveal himself to you and if he doesn’t we’ll leave you alone just as you wanted. However, if he does you have to come to service tomorrow and tell me.”
C was even more pissed, he hadn’t said one thing she could argue with, “You seem really confident.”
“Because I am, so how about it C? I mean, what’s there to lose?”
Reluctantly C nodded and agreed to the ridiculous bet. She was done with the conversation and the night as a whole. She wanted to take her frustrations back home to deal with them. Something, from the stockpile of things yet to be dealt with, H knew was probably not going to happen.
George left first heading back to the Church offices. C got in her car and went home, when she was about 50 meters from her home she parked her car in a place she knew was safe and started walking.
The sidewalk always bothered her since she moved here, it was unpaved and untamed with wild grass growing around it. She’d tried to get the parts in her area landscaped but the rest of the neighbours paid absolutely no attention to it. She was glad that there were several guards in the area, so she knew she was safe. Something she treasured about her neighbourhood after initially moving there and not owning a car, some late nights when she didn’t have cab fare she’d have to take a bus and walk all the way.
Now walking in the middle of the street with her bag in her hands she was done. This night had been too much for her to take in. She looked at the empty street and then looked up to the night sky, she stood still and then began.
“They call you the God of Love who is love. They say you are the one who heals and holds. They talk about sacrifice and salvation. All of that’s nonsense to me. I don’t care who you are. Did you here me?” C paused looking up waiting for a response a reaction, only crickets filled the silence.
“Huh, I thought so, you don’t care about me. It’s all just a propaganda stunt. You’ve never cared about me. Because if you did you wouldn’t wait until now to show that to me. Why wait all these years of pain and torture to finally show me who you are?”
More silence followed.
“If you are real you should have come earlier before anything happened!” She now began to shout. It felt like it wasn’t just her but H was also speaking. They were both here searching for God.
“Why did you send them? Why now?!” tears streaming down her face C and H persisted
“Why the charade, what’s your end game God? Speak to me!!!”
Everyone had told her to ask God to reveal Himself to her. C had been hesitant at first but now she was completely fed up and didn’t care.
“Stop playing with me! I’m tired of hide and seek. If you are real, if all they say is real SHOW YOURSELF.”
C stood shouting in the dark.
“You’re God right? Go ahead! I’m waiting.”
The street and surroundings were quiet with only a stray dog in sight. C sighed disappointed and depleted. She continued walking on the street making her way back to her place when suddenly the dog started charging towards her tipping the huge garbage bin to its side as it ran. As she was about to run a car completely out of control turned the corner, hitting the same bin as the dog it continued at top speed. It was 1 AM in the morning so the driver was most probably drunk and couldn’t see her.
In the middle of the street C tried to get out of it’s way but it looked like she had no time at the speed it was going.
Was this it? A thought crossed C’s mind. H was silent already accepting that this was the end. This was now God angry at her for questioning him, it was her time. All she had previously been warned about through movies not to mess with God or He’ll smite you with lightening or in her case send a drunk car to run you over.
Awaiting her end she stood. Everything that happened next was so fast she couldn’t quite keep up.
While the car sped on towards her, she hadn’t realized the dog was closer as it approached her from an angle it jumped and with it’s paws at her chest and momentum from it’s speed it pushed her and sent her flying off the road to the grass she hated. C stretched out her hand to break her fall crashing down on the unpaved sidewalk with her hand landing first sending a sharp pain up to her shoulder as the rest of her met the ground.
Panting C opened her eyes just in time to see the car disappearing in the distance. She shifted her hand to re-stabilize her position and she felt some sort of paper underneath it. It was a piece of newspaper that had probably flown out of the bin as it fell. She picked it up and a chill went down her spine as the headline caught her eye.
“YOU’RE STILL ALIVE!”
C looked around for the dog who had saved her life, but it was long gone. It was just her on the side of the pavement with a sore left shoulder on grass she had previously hated holding a torn piece of newspaper with a headline that shook her.
If this wasn’t God speaking to her she didn’t know what was
..........................................................................................….
Trish had been working at maximum energy levels since six in the morning when she’d arrived at the church where the wedding was being held to ensure that the decorators were doing what they were supposed to. Just because one of her team members had slacked in their duties didn’t mean that her company was going to go down in their performance. As usual they were going to give it their best ensuring their standard of excellence.
It was now the reception time and she was giving the DJ a look that meant change the song to something more appropriate. He’d played a track that was so full of sexual content that the elders in the room were shifting in their seats. The DJ was ignoring her stare, so she got up and began to walk towards him. She was not going to have the day go down due to his stubbornness, Trish was a sweet person but a stern business woman- she didn’t tolerate poor attitudes on the job.
After a conversation and a renewed playlist Trish stood at the edges of the wedding watching the MC skillfully draw back the guest’s attention. As she surveyed the area her eyes rested on the cake that the baker whom they’d secured two days prior had really delivered on. It was a floral design with purple and orange flowers, a bold mix done so elegantly. It had a water colour painted portrait on the top tier that had ‘forever’ written out on the border that only a trained eye would see.
Trish thanked God that things had come together well. Turning her gaze to begin her way back to her seat Trish stopped dead and peered closer. In the opposite corner there was a young lady doing the same thing she was with the silhouette of Njeri. So as not to alarm her in case it was Trish walked on the outside border towards her. The closer she got the more her theory was confirmed.
“Glad you could stop by.”
Njeri froze, she turned to Trish with a face that clearly hadn’t slept for days.
“Are you alright dear?”
Njeri started to walk away not having any response for her.
“I do care about the work, but I care about the person more dear.”
“Sorry Trish” a strained voice finally spoke up from Njeri.
“When you’re ready to talk call me.”
And with that she disappeared. It was no longer a hunch but now Trish’s worries were cemented- something was sincerely wrong with Njeri.
While trying to figure out what her phone rang, it was Priscilla.
“Girl I hope you’re on your way.”
“No, I’m at work. Why?”
“There’s an emergency here, we need you step in.”
“What emergency? Priscilla what is going on?”
“Well the long and short of it is a kid is on the roof threatening to jump, Caroline and Sandy are up there trying to calm him down. But now there is no one to lead service. Because of the mission last night most of the others couldn’t make it today- we need you to lead the service.”
“Girl, service starts in an hour.” Trish pointed out after glancing at her watch.
“Yes, what are we supposed to do?”
Trish breathed in and out trying to calm herself down. While holding her phone she surveyed the crowd for Dayo, once she saw him she waved him down.
“There’s really no one else, what about Chipo?”
“She’s out of town visiting her relatives. She’s been on leave this week.”
Oh yeah, Trish remembered that was why this was the optimum time for Dayo to buy the ring. Trish hadn’t planned to attend the youth service today because of the wedding but it was looking like she had no choice.
Ever since the ‘Alive Again’ conference there was a surge of growth in the amount of youth congregants, so they had been moved to the main sanctuary to accommodate them all comfortably for the Saturday service. With new growth however meant new responsibility that had not been fully addressed yet. A more structured service was necessary and with the amount of people currently on the team new leaders were yet to be identified. On top of that there were missions and other ministries in which people served that took some of their manpower away. The labourers were spread thin.
Being on the core youth leadership team Trish was obligated to step in in cases of emergency, and previously being on the worship team this particular one was catered to her.
“I’m coming, text me the list previously prepared so I can listen to it on my way” with that Trish hung up the phone. This weekend’s stress was piling up, looking up at Dayo who’d just reached her side she handed over the walkie-talkie in her hand “I have to go now, I’ve just been called in to lead service worship today. There is just the cake cutting and three more speeches including the vote of thanks left on the program. I’ll leave you to it, call me if anything comes up and do me a favour please keep a watch on the DJ so that he doesn’t try anything funny. I’ll try to return in time for set down depending on how the service goes.”
“That’s okay, I’ve got this. You may go.” Dayo dismissed her reassuringly.
Without further ado Trish walked off to her car. While driving to the service she listened to the playlist, but something was off- she wasn’t at peace.
“God if you don’t want me to lead kindly stop me now. Either that or please align me. There are a million things on my mind and I don’t know how to tune them out to listen to what you are truly saying.” Trish switched of the music as it was distracting her further. This list was not working.
It was now thirty minutes before the service was to begin and Trish was still seated in her car in the church parking lot. She’d set her phone to a five-minute timer and purposed to spend the time with the Holy Spirit in prayer, listening to what He was saying.
Don’t try to hide away your distractions, the things on your mind and heart, bring them to me. Lay your burdens at my feet.
Trish smiled up at heaven and thanked God. She got out of her car and walked to the main sanctuary to meet whoever would be joining her to lead the service. She didn’t know exactly what she was going to do or what they were going to sing but she was certain that God was with her and had something in store for today. Something that the devil wanted her to miss but God thought too important to allow it.
..........................................................................................….
George was interceding in his office with Peter and David. It was twenty minutes before the service was about to start and usually they’d all be out there interacting with everybody but too much was going on that they had had to come together and pray.
From last night so many things started spiralling out of control. The teens had all come in good condition from the street evangelizing mission, the debrief had gone well and George had ensured that they were all picked up by their parents before he went home himself. Though after arriving home he received a call at one in the morning from a parent of a teen who had not attended the mission saying that their kid was missing and they were looking for anyone with any information. George immediately got up and mobilized his young teen leaders and got them calling up people and searching all over. He woke up Sandy and David as well to help, they were part of the teens counselling and mentorship team.
As the teens and David went together to search for him he and Sandy went back to the church office to get the contact list of the teens friends and join in making calls.
While there they noticed that someone had broken a window and entered the building. They searched around hopeful to find the kid lurking in the corners but after searching high and low he wasn’t in sight. Just as they were about to give up and call the cops Sandy heard a cry coming from above the top floor. She went to the roof to examine what was happening and saw him sitting and crying at the edge of the building. Before even giving him a moment to react to her presence she had firmly tied her scarf in a girl scout style knot securing their two arms together and said, “Unless you want me to go down with you, you better sit and listen.”
She’d called George informing him that she’d found him after which he’d tried to call David and the team to stop searching. That was when the rain came down abruptly. George ran to get shade for the two sitting at the edge of the building but by the time he got back they were drenched and when he’d finally gotten through to David the team was too, including the two girls who were supposed to be on the worship team serving today. He sat on the roof with Sandy and the teen named Greg after also informing his parents that they’d found him.
Sam came in to substitute him at four in the morning when he went back home to try and sleep in preparation for the day ahead. Every time he was going to settle down and get his sermon together something came up. Just as his head was about to hit the pillow a flash of C’s face that He’d met in the café came across his brain. He got up to pray for her and everything else going on after which at six in the morning he finally got two hours of sleep.
It was 8AM when he got a call saying that there was no one to lead service. The girls had both caught a cold and lost their voices while on the search last night and Sandy was still tied to Greg on the roof with Mrs. Oloo who was now sitting with her as Sam had to go work at seven.
It was 9AM when he received the news that due to the broken window water from the rain had gotten into the building and had ruined some of the equipment. Mainly the cable and plugs for the projector that would not be working for today’s service.
So, at 11AM with two hours of sleep, a teen on the roof ready to jump, no worship team, no projectors and a sermon he was yet to go through George was in his office trying to put his head together when David and Priscilla walked in. They divided and conquered immediately. Priscilla went about trying to track down people to cover the worship team. She knew how hectic things had been with Trish at work and she also knew about the wedding today, so she was only going to call her as a last resort. David got some technicians to come and take a look at the electrical damage caused and had the cleaning team take care of any water that was left. George stayed in his office preparing for the service.
Peter joined him later about one hour to the service to see if he could be of help. The second he stepped in he could sense that something wasn’t right so Peter did what he could do best and began to pray, David joined them soon enough. And now here they were, the three of them praying and interceding for the service ahead just as they used to back in college.
George paused at that thought remembering a time so similar to this one. It was at an outreach in a nearby high school and things were going even more wrong than today. There was problem upon problem and they were just about to give up having the session all together when they started interceding. After that service over a hundred teenagers gave their lives to the Lord. A number even they hadn’t foreseen, especially at an all-boys high school.
When God wanted to do something big the devil always wanted to disrupt it at any cost so he’d try his best to get them distracted. At that revelation George fired up the prayer even more declaring that God’s will will be done today.
While in the midst of it he also mentioned C remembering the conversation and challenge he’d given her last night. “God if it’s your will, bring
her too.”
..........................................................................................….
C was in her PJ’s in her room and in a dilemma. The meeting she’d been counting on as an excuse to not go to the service today had been postponed to next week as the client had been called away on other business. And now here she was with nothing to do but to listen to herself or H.
Last night was still on her mind and her left arm was still aching from the ordeal. She was just glad that it had not been fractured or dislocated which probably would have been the outcome if the sidewalk had been paved as she’d wanted for all these years.
Everything had been orchestrated too well she had sat up in bed staring at the ceiling not wanting to sleep but the fatigue from the day eventually caught up with her and her eyes grew heavy.
Her dream was the usual, darkness and light. However, this time the darkness was almost completely penetrated by the Light, though it was still present.
A voice emerged from the light again “I am here! I am real!”
C stood from her usual cowering position in the shadows that tormented her, but she took refuge in. “Then why am I still in darkness?” she challenged it.
“Because you haven’t yet chosen light!”
And with that she woke up and sat on her bed. What Trish and George had predicted had happened. She’d called out to God and he’d responded. Interesting was that his response was to throw the ball back into her court. Like it was her move that would determine everything that happened next.
She wished the dream and interaction was longer so that she could ask all the questions she had.
She wanted to stay home and pout all day but she felt that she needed to go to the service today. Not just because George had won the bet but because she had the ball in her court and whether it was to throw it back in His face or some other place that hurt she didn’t know- she was just sure that she needed to settle this once and for all.
C took a black floor length skirt that she’d last worn at a funeral two years back and a black long-sleeved top. She didn’t know if it was over kill but she didn’t want any attention at all when she arrived. She didn’t know the specifics of their church dress code but once stung twice as shy, she didn’t want anyone to think she’d gone to pick up men in church.
She wore minimal make up and kept her hair away from her face. C looked in the mirror and almost burst out laughing. Without trying she had successfully dressed as if she was going to an Amish funeral minus the puffy sleeves and covered hair.
Not knowing why, she placed a pair of sunglasses in her bag and also the bible that Priscilla had given her. She took a scarf to wrap around her head and then got in her car to go to church.
After entering the sanctuary her head wrapped loosely by the scarf with sunglasses on she sat at the back row not interacting with anyone not wanting to be recognized. Especially not by George or Trish.
Trish squinted slightly from the altar to see what was going on at the back of the sanctuary as she saw C enter, pause at the door to wear shades and flick a scarf over her shoulder then walk to the back row ignoring the greetings of everyone around her.
Trish had to switch of her mic turn around and laugh. The sight was undoubtedly hilarious. She looked like some kind of celebrity trying to keep a ‘low profile’ but instead drawing more attention.
Settling herself down Trish put her mic back on and nodded towards the band who started playing. She turned around and began to pray.
“God we’ve each come here with our lives in different places. Looking back on the week that was Lord only you know what has chased us through and is battling for the front spot of our minds this afternoon. So, Lord knowing that you are aware of every burden represented in this room I submit them all to you. I refuse my distractions to let me miss what you’re planning to do today so I’ll bring them to your feet. Holy Spirit come, we welcome you here.”
And with that she began to sing
“There is a sweet anointing in this sanctuary, there is a stillness in the atmosphere. Oh, come lay down the burdens you have carried for in this sanctuary God is here”
The song continued with the lyrics displayed on only one screen as the other was not able to be fixed before the service started. C moved her head bending to see it but with everyone standing she couldn’t. She just kept seated down and listened as Trish’s voice rang out calling people to lay down their burdens. She didn’t know where they were to lay them down though or how.
The songs continued each one calling out to those burdened inviting someone called the Holy Spirit in to the place and asking Him to take control.
George then got a microphone and prayed. After which everyone sat down then he began to speak.
“Welcome everyone to today’s youth service. We are so glad that you could make it today. For some of you coming here this afternoon was easy, a no brainer. You woke up this morning knowing that this was where you were going to be at this time and at this moment.
“Others though, are like me. You see my day has been mess after mess after mess and until about an hour ago I wasn’t sure if we were really going to meet today. So many distractions came up and issues came up and as I pulled up into the parking lot today I pulled up with a heavy weight.
“I know the same goes for everyone in my team as you look around you’d probably notice just how many are gone. You see Trish wasn’t even supposed to lead worship today but amidst all she had to do she’s here. Sandy and Mrs. Oloo are currently handling a difficult situation and a lot of other things have gone wrong.
“The temptation is so real to throw in the towel and say, we’re done and we’ll take this hit just so that we may sit down and rest. But then as I was seated in my office an hour ago it was filled with people who did a Jonathan and came to encourage me in the Lord. When confusion was all that was surrounding they came and we prayed and prayed for the past hour that’s all we’ve been doing.
“And in that place of prayer God spoke to me not about me, but about you. Yup you seated there.”
A nervous laugh ensued.
“He told me exactly who was coming to the sanctuary today. Yes, Njoki and Edwin and Rachel and Langat would be coming. But he told me the names of those who I wasn’t initially aware off.
“He said to me: George pray, because Failure is coming to the sanctuary today. You won’t see him and greet him, but he is coming in on the backs of my people. They are holding onto the burden of past failures and are refusing to drop them at my feet. They are looking at their lives and seeing all the foolish decisions they ever made and they believe that I condemn them for it. They are blaming themselves for that drink of alcohol they took, that relationship they stayed in, that job they lost, that baby that died in their womb.”
C’s ears peeked. What was going on? Had God just told George her entire life story because right here he was revealing her deepest, darkest secrets.
“Another visitor we have today is Sorrow and Pain, the pain inflicted on us by other human beings- people we trusted who rejected us. Parents who were never there who never loved us and that invited the next congregant in our midst called Fear. Fear is a feisty one as he takes chains and fastens you in place entrapping you in darkness so much so that even if you want to drop him of you can’t because you are too scared to let go, too scared to move on. What if they hurt me again? So you isolate yourself from the world too afraid to even be loved.
“The next visitor we have seated here today has got many friends she brings along. She is called Self-hatred. You see after you’ve failed a few times and hurt a few more and you are alone and isolated by fear you look in the mirror and start to believe the voices that call you ugly, that call you worthless. That convince you that you have no purpose on earth, that you are dumb and a mistake that no one loves you and would ever love you.
“The friends of self-condemnation and hate are depression and anger and stress and you try to overcompensate for who you think you aren’t and end up pretending to the world to try and cover up what’s really going on building walls around yourself so that we can't see the realities of the situation. That you act like it’s all okay but really you cried yourself to sleep. That you can handle the stress at your job but really the pressure is weighing you down. That you successfully hacked life and are perfect but in all honesty everything around you is falling apart!
“Hey you, visitors. Here’s a notice to all- though my naked eyes as a Pastor may not be able to God sees you. He sees the failure and shame, the guilt, the depression, anger, fear, self-hate; He see’s it all already and He took us all through a whirl wind of a morning just to speak some words to you this afternoon: it’s eviction time!
“1 John 4:8 says that God is love and that is exactly how he feels about each and every one of you. He loves you so much that in fact in John 3:16 one of the most quoted bible verses he says that he gave his ONLY son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. It goes on to say in verse 17 that he didn’t come to condemn the world but to save it. You over there, yeah, he doesn’t condemn you so stop condemning yourself.
“The bible also says that he loves us with an everlasting love not as man loves us. If you’ve been hurt by humans from the depths of my heart I am so sorry. But one thing I am certain of is that God is not human. His love is patient, kind, not rude, not self-seeking. You’ve heard all this before but it hasn’t resonated within you yet simply because you’ve kept holding God to a human standard which can’t match because He is love. And the same bible tells me in 1st John 4:18 that perfect love casts out fear. So, every fear that you’ve kept on the shelves of your heart can only be evicted by Him!
“The word tells me that love covers a multitude of sins in 1st Peter 4:8. And also love is what caused creation to come into existence. Self-hater let me give you a hint, don’t judge another person’s work- especially the creator of the universe. When he created the world he said it was good but when he created human kind he said it was very good, In Psalms 139 he talks about how he knits us together in our mothers womb, so that means he didn’t need their permission to create you he just did! You’re not a mistake. And after the fact he says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
“When He looked at you He called you beautiful!”
C broke down, tears fell as huge drops from her eyes. Letting go of her hand which she had been holding tight she sat and wept. Love didn't exist in her mind. In all the places where people said it was supposed to be she never saw it. In her family, in her relationships. All the people who were supposedly to give it to her had failed her and hurt her. Everything that George said resonated so deeply within her. Fear tried to muffle her but the tears that poured down her face forced her to take of the mask. She removed the shades and the scarf she was hiding beneath and let herself cry.
“You’ve been lied to your whole life. That you have to handle it, that you have to hide it and that you aren’t worthy of love. Today is eviction day! So as I call Trish and the team to come up I want to extend this invitation to every one here. If you came in with the burdens that I mentioned and have been running away from God because of them it’s time for them to be homeless. The prayer team will be up at the alter for anyone who’d like to be prayed for. Feel free to come. Call out to Jesus in his moment and let him know all that you’ve been carrying and then lay it at His feet.
Trish closed her eyes grabbed the mic and began to sing “Whisper His name, Jesus. Whisper His name, Jesus. Whisper His name, Jesus. And He will come to you”
C looked around to see people kneeling others getting up and going to the front where there were people standing there to pray with them. She heard the lyrics of the song and tried with an almost inaudible voice she whispered “Jesus”
“Now call out His name, Jesus. Call out His name, Jesus. Call out His name, Jesus. And He will answer you.”
The room got louder as the song got louder. C began to shake and with a bolder voice she said “Jesus”
“Now Shout out His name, Jesus. Shout out His name, Jesus. Shout out His name, Jesus. And He will run to you!”
George got the mic and continued. “Now the call I’m about to make is very special. It’s for those who’ve been on the run, On the run from God on the run from love. The time has come to stop running. You’ve been looking in yourself long enough to know by now that the solution is not there. It’s time to stop running from and start running too Him. He’s here waiting for you with His arms wide open.
“If there is anyone here who would like to come to Christ I’d ask you to leave your seat and come to the front please. Anybody who would like to come to Christ for the first time please come.”
C wrestled in her seat as Trish continued to sing. She knew she wanted to go but she was not sure if that would be the end of everything. She slid off her chair slowly until she reached the edge of it with a million things racing in her mind.
“As you are, come as you are. As you are, the Lord is waiting for you.” Trish sang out.
“We’ll be patient, just come.” George spoke.
With three deep breaths C finally let go of her seat and stood up. Slowly with the encouragement of Trish and George’s voice at her own pace she made her way.
As she walked scenes flashed before her mind of her as a crying five-year old in pain, her as an angry teenager and finally her as a bitter and depressed adult. H spoke up “Are you really doing this?”
“I am silencing any voice of doubt that dares to keep you from your salvation in Jesus name. Come on, just as you are.” George spoke out authoritatively.
And with that H shut up and C finally made it to the front of the sanctuary with her face completely wet and her knees weak. She looked forward only to see the smiling face of George staring right at her.
“Welcome, we’ve been waiting for you.” He said. “God loves each and every one of you standing here and because of that love he paid the ultimate sacrifice that granted us the ultimate gift of salvation. It is a free gift that really only requires you to do one thing- reach out and grab it. Now how do we do that? Well the bible says in Romans 10:9 that “If you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved.
“That simple, so before I lead you in this prayer I want to ask you if you believe?”
They all mumbled yes.
“Okay, now pray and repeat after me: Dear Jesus, I come to you this day to surrender my life back over to you. I believe that you are Lord, so I invite you to be Lord of my life. I confess all of my sins, I repent from evil and ask you to forgive me. I believe that Jesus died in my place so that I could know you and that He was raised from the dead and is now seated with you in heaven. I hand over my hurt, fears, pain and condemnation to you. Come and live in my heart Jesus. I commit myself to you this day. In Jesus name, Amen.”
The church erupted with applause and Jubilation. George’s smile spread wide and C didn’t know why but she felt joy swell up inside her and laughter escape her mouth.
“That’s right, there is a party going on right now in heaven because God’s lost children have returned home.
George and Trish exchanged a shot glance that lead them back to C. Her heart had finally been captured by God!