by Tanya South
The crowd roared. It was like a dream watching all of these people who were giving us a standing ovation. It had been inevitable that the waterworks began; I discreetly wiped the tears from my eyes.
After we were done with our presentation, I felt a great sense of relief and accomplishment at the same time. The morning had been a successful one. It looked like we were getting the thumbs up for a new facility in Miami. The ladies and I were in the car on our way back to the hotel when I received a phone call. It was a FaceTime call.
I picked up the call and it began connecting. “Oh, it’s Joel. Hey, Honey. Say hi. We’re all in the car now.”
“Hello… Hi, Mom… Hello Ms. Watts,” he said.
All of the ladies simultaneously said hello as they waved and blew him kisses.
“I tried calling Mom first, but it went straight to voicemail.”
“Hi, Honey. I’m sorry, Love. My phone died,” Mia said.
“You look so handsome! Where are you going?” I asked him.
Joel had just turned twenty-one and recently graduated four years of college. “I have great news!”
“What is it?” I asked.
“The NYPD investigator called me! They are beginning the process to get into the police academy,” he said excitedly.
“Aww, that’s wonderful, Honey. I’m so proud of you,” I said.
“Yes, Sweetheart,” Mia chimed in. “I’m proud of you, Son.”
“I can’t wait to become a police officer, so I can make a difference, like you all are doing,” he said.
“Aww, Joel, you’re going to be a fine police officer.”
“I hope to one day in the future be able to be a part of your company,” he said with a wide smile.
“Oh, you will, Joel. Right now, the police department works very closely with us. You already have the heads up on certain protocols and procedures. I can’t wait for one day for you to be a part of this. Hey, one day, you never know, we may pass the torch to you.”
“Yes. Okay, Aunt Tasha and Mom. Oh, and you, too, Ms. Watts. I gotta run. I have to meet my investigator in two hours,” Joel said.
“God bless you, Sweetheart,” his mom said. “We love you.”
I am so proud of this young man who ironically looked and was a twin of his father. I also became his Godmother. He has a heart of gold, and ever since he was a little boy, he always wanted to help people and always wanted to learn more about God’s Word. He is indeed a gift to us all. His life reminds me that in all things, God works things out for good in the end. God turned our ashes into beauty. And, well, as for myself, I also had three beautiful children of my own with my other half, Andrew. My garden had grown and continues to flourish and bear fruit today.
THE END
A NOTE FROM THE
AUTHOR
Dear Friends,
Thank you for taking the time to read The Deflowered Garden novella. I’m sure this story was a tough one to read, because as the author, it was certainly a tough one to write. God placed it in my heart to write about this particular affliction that, unfortunately, so many have been affected by—and still are being affected today.
Ever since I was a little girl, I had a fascination with flowers and nature itself. I loved to draw them, too. I love what gardens represent. They remind me of life, beauty, color, light, and uniqueness. All of the qualities made up in humanity. In the garden, it represents the love, peace, and abundance that God created and intended for all of us. But it is also the same beautiful place where sin crept in and made a home for itself. This book speaks of the evidence of how God takes what the enemy used to harm you, and turns it around for your good. In the Bible, in Romans 8:28, it says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” It doesn’t say “in some things,” it doesn’t say “in the good things”; it says in ALL things. Even in the bad things, God works it for the good. This could be a scripture that some may have a hard time wrapping their heads around. Questions may arise, like why do bad things happen to good people, let alone to a child? There are some things that we will never understand or truly have the answers to. God’s ways are not our ways. The way He thinks is entirely different to the way we think. The truth is that evil entered the world because of sin through the garden, and fractured humanity. The good news is that God sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save the world from it.
We’ve all had bad things happen to us, whether in our relationships, to ourselves, in our families, in marriage, at work, or in school. What we decide to do with the experiences of those bad things in our lives is pivotal to where the direction of our lives go. We also need to realize that no matter what, forgiveness is always necessary for the completion of victory in our lives, as well. In The Deflowered Garden, Natasha had a terrible secret. The devil loves secrets. He uses our secrets to keep us in bondage. Those dark secrets keep us in the dark. They are not meant to be kept away in hiding. In the Bible, in John 12:46, Jesus said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” This is a truth that we must embrace and believe. The devil tries to keep us locked away in our secrets of shame and condemnation. But I believe our transgressions are meant to be shared with others who may have suffered the same. When you believe that Jesus Christ died for us because God loves us that much, Jesus’s light shines and overpowers that darkness in which we once lived. The chains of your secrets or past suddenly break free.
I want to remind you that your pains or problems are not a curse, but rather a blessing. They are gifts meant to inspire others—that because you’ve walked through the valley and made it out into the light, it’s proof that God is good not just some of the time, but is good ALL the time.
I pray and encourage that you always find hope and believe you “can do all things through Christ who strengthens you” (Philippians 4:13). Amen!
With love in Christ,
Tanya South
If you or anyone you know needs help, please call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
