The Glow

Tongues of fire have surrounded the Strongs.as if they have fallen into a vat of undiscernable anticipation of a future existence that is calling them home. Their eagerness to take hold of this newfound existence is becoming paramount to any circumstance in their lives today. Of course, there is always the pull of circumstances glaring and pulling at them like an obnoxious fume of painful anticipation of the unknown. The fire is growing, the fire is burning, the glow is undeniable. The stranger smiles.

The Fire Has Ignited

The stranger begins to talk. I’m am here for a purpose, I have been sent as a messenger. I was sent to you without the knowledge of who you are, or where I was going, I was just obedient to the one who sent me. Your prayers have been heard, now is the time to listen to the messenger. All of your mistakes have been forgiven. The time has come for a complete restoration and fulfillment of your relationship with your heavenly Father. The fire has ignited.

Kaleidascope

A whiff of freshly drunk wine spills from Susan’s breath as she speaks. The stranger and Ben smell it but say nothing. Her speech rattles on like a freight train out of control. She cries I have to stop, but can’t. The stranger says if I may ask, stop what? She says the lies , the drinking, the excuses the pain. Ben looks on like a child looking into a kaleidoscope for the first time. Where did that come from he thinks, and how did we get there, I can help exclaims the stranger. They wait.

Trail Of Tears

Susan walks into the room with tears flowing down her face. Ben stands up and asks, what’s going on? Susan can hardly speak, I was eavesdropping, and overheard your conversation. My heart was overwhelmed by the fact that I have not been available for my family or God due to my self-absorbed state of  self- pity. I have been covering up my feelings with alcohol and worry. Ben, I am so sorry, God, I am so sorry, please forgive me. The tears flow and lead a trail all the way to the pond, and the stranger pales.

Here There And Everywhere

There’s a muffled sound in the next room, both men turn their heads to the noise. They ignore it, and go on with their conversation. The plain fact is trust is experienced in a relationship with your Father. How do I have a relationship with someone who’s not even here? Oh, he’s here, and he’s always been there even when you thought he wasn’t. How do you know that Ben asks? I know him personally, and so do you, just not very well yet. Here, and there, and , everywhere says the stranger.

Silence Screams

You have been praying, and God has been listening. Now is the time for you to gather up your mess, put it in a bundle, package it up, and hand it off to God. How do you do that? It’s simple, you ask him to take it. That’s it, that’s all I have to do, that doesn’t make sense. It will never make sense as long as you try to make sense out of it. Sense won't get you to faith, but trust will. How do I get trust, Ben asks. The silence screams!

Slip And Fall

Slip and fall, lay there or get up? The stranger asks Ben this peculiar question with the laser guided focus of a surgeon doing open heart surgery. For a brief moment he winces, I guess you get up he answers. But what if your leg is broken, follies the stranger? Wrong replies the stranger, you call for help. You have a broken leg, and your call for help was heard, and I have come to pick you up. Ben ponders the scenario and is speechless. A smile comes from the stranger's .face as long as the equator. What call Ben Thinks??

Away In A Manger

Away in a manger no crib or a bed, the little Lord Jesus lays sleep in his bed. The bed has been made and the stage is set, and the actors are ready to stand on their mark. The stranger begins to tell the story, not missing a detail. Ben is in shock, how do you know all of this he asks the stranger? Who are you, and where did you come from. The stranger goes on, as he shares the story of Ben’s daughter, Ben begins to weep. I have come to be your helper the stranger says, for now just listen, and you will understand later. Now is the time to listen. The pond gets quite.

A Crack In The Door

It’s Sunday morning, there’s a knock at the door, as Ben peers through the half-opened door, he realises he doesn't know this person. May I help you, the stranger replies, are you Ben Strong? Yes, I have been asked to speak with you concerning your legal situation. Ben hesitates, come on in and directs him to his office. He is very curious what this stranger may want, as well as who he is. Have a seat, the stranger sits and peers at Ben with a stair-like he has never seen before. The stranger speaks and Ben listens as if there is no one else in the world. What is this magnetic lure, and who sent him?

Touchdown

Scrambled eggs for breakfast, scrambled thoughts for lunch. Ben is beginning to feel like a quarterback scrambling to recover a fumble. The difference is, this is not a game and the players are for keeps. So now he must make a call should he punt or pass. The clock is running down and he has to choose. Ben decides to keep the ball and run. As he begins to run he realizes he’s not alone. He has a blocker clearing the way, all the way to the pond. Will he score a touchdown, the stranger knows. The sediment settles.

I'm full please empty

The bullies are out in force, the bill collectors are  knocking but nobody's home. Susan, we need to talk, I have been going over our bank account, it’s practically exhausted. With all of the attorney fees as well as the current expenditures at Strong we are in desperate need of a money infusion or we will be underwater soon.  I see, let’s pray. Now thru the cold wind of finance, a warm breath of fresh air begins to circulate. Fiery thoughts command a cooling of fear to extinguish the doubt that God can help. The fire burns!

Prayer Fire

When the wind blows you never see it, but it can change the tide of the wave of influence in its way. Ben and Susan sits down at the table and begins to talk. There’s something going on says Ben, and I’m not quite sure what it is. Susan replies, I know I’m feeling it too. It seems like it all started when I began to pray. Ben says that’s odd I was thinking the same thing. Maybe there is something to this God thing after all. Susan agrees, smiles and says can we pray together? Ben says sure, they hold hands and begin to pray. The fire at the pond begins to ignite as if someone had poured gasoline on it.

The Power

Lurking over the pond is a presence like never before. Where did it come from, has it been there all along? From the Strong's point of view it seems to be brand new, however from Melanie's outlook it’s been there the entire time. This presence is beginning to take hold of  the grip the sediment has had on the strongs for sometime. As it grabs the pieces and pulls them away a new power is at work and alive in their lives. As the stranger speaks to the power he gets his marching orders and the battle begins.

Who Is The stranger

The judge enters the courtroom, the bailiff says would everyone please rise for the honorable Judge Cunningham. He takes his seat looks down at some papers in front of him, looks up through his glasses and says Mr. Strong how do you plea? To everyone’s surprise including Ben, the attorney speaks up in a commanding voice and says, in light of some new developments the defense would like to ask for a continuance to pursue new evidence at the court's convenience. This better be good Mr. Raby, I will allow it. The next date will be set for March 3 at 930 am.. Three more months Ben thinks, that will be torture. The stranger from the dinner sits on the back row with a big smile on his face.

The World Stopped Spinning

It looks like the world has stopped spinning and the pond is the drop zone. The call is now clear both Susan and Ben are ready to answer. The firmness of their circumstances is softening and the grip of the world is losing its grasp. peace freedom, and change is finally in their clutch. The marvels of the call is about to be unleashed in a miraculous way. Situation and time has  been transformed  into an unrecognizable sedimentary reduction of past realities.He has the whole world in his hands!