by Mary May
Sabrina clapped her hands in her excitement. “Oh, thank you! That is great news.”
Catherine looked at Sabrina with concern in her eyes. “Darling, is this something you still want to go into? I wasn’t sure if you still had the heart for it since Sherrilyn passed on.”
Sabrina looked at her mother with serious intent in her eyes. “Mother, I want it even more since she has passed. I have prayed and prayed about this and I feel very strongly that was the reason Sherrilyn left the estate to me, to carry out her dream. I have been looking online to find out how to hire a reputable doctor for both the physical and the emotional problems we may be faced with.”
Catherine leaned forward. “I know how happy this would make Sherrilyn, sweetheart. I’m so happy you are still planning on going through with this.”
Evan then cleared his throat and spoke. “Sabrina, I have two degrees in psychology and psychiatry, and I would love to offer my services.”
Sabrina’s mouth fell open. “I had no idea you had degrees in that field. This is perfect! I can’t think of anyone who could be more perfect!”
Evan smiled. “Well, I thought perhaps I could kill two birds with one man, being that I also have my seminary degrees.”
Sabrina looked at her mother in astonishment. Catherine smiled and patted Evan’s arm. “I know, I told you he was quite the catch!”
“Well, all the degrees in the world won’t matter if we can’t get the permits, so I suggest we all just keep this on our prayer list and hope that we hear from Eric soon.”
Evan looked around the room. “Before we leap into something that may be bigger than we ever anticipated, I think it would be a good idea to maybe visit another rehabilitation center similar to what we want to do here. Let’s talk to the doctors and to the therapists and find out exactly what to expect. We can probably save ourselves a lot of mistakes by listening to others that have gone down this road before us.” Again he looked at everyone in the room. “I honestly feel like everyone in this room would have something important to offer to the project, but I would ask that we all pray and ask the Lord what role if any he would have each of us play. And Sabrina, just because this was Sherrilyn’s dream does not mean that it has to become your dream. I don’t want you to feel obligated to fulfill this out of respect for her. Taking on a commitment this size should be very carefully thought out and prayed over.”
Sabrina nodded her head thoughtfully. “I agree, Evan, and it’s true this started out being her dream, but somewhere along the way I fell in love with the idea as well. I decided to become a teacher because I wanted to help kids reach their full potential, and I have put my resumé in at every school within a fifty mile radius and not a one of them would hire me. That makes me wonder if the Lord isn’t keeping me free to pursue something else. Add to that the fact that the rehab is never far from my thoughts. I really do feel this is what I am supposed to do. At least I want to see it become a reality, if I don’t do anything but fund it. I agree, however, that we really don’t have a clue what a full rehabilitation center would require. So I think it would be a good idea to start going out and paying a few visits to ones that are already in full swing. Maybe get some ideas on what we want and don’t want for ours.” When Sabrina finished her speech, Evan was smiling at her; when she looked around, she saw everyone smiling at her.
“What? Did I say something crazy?” she asked with a puzzled look on her face.
Catherine got up and walked over to where Sabrina was sitting on the floor. She knelt down beside her daughter. “Darling, you didn’t say anything crazy. What you just proved was this is very much your dream as much as it was Sherrilyn’s. We were all concerned that you may have felt obligated to see this through because Sherrilyn left you the estate and all her wealth, but hearing the passion in your voice just now made us realize that wasn’t the case at all. Sweetie, we are all behind you one hundred percent!”
Sabrina blushed and looked down at the floor and nervously hooked her hair behind her ears. “I thought you guys knew how much I wanted this, yes, partly for Sherrilyn, no doubt, but also for myself. I want to contribute something to this world. The Lord has blessed me with all of this!” She looked up and waved her arms around the room. “I know I am meant to use it for His glory in some way, and I honestly feel deep down in my heart that Lost Haven is that way.”
Keelie reached out and touched Sabrina’s shoulder. “We agree, Sabrina. Listening to you just now cleared away any doubts or reservations we may have had. Carl and I want to help, too, in some way, and we have one suggestion.”
Keelie looked at Carl, who nodded his head. “We hear you calling it a rehab, but is that what it really is? I know that’s part of it, but what you have in mind is so much more than just rehabilitation.”
Sabrina looked at both Keelie and Carl and laughed. “Well, I guess that’s what I’ve been calling it for lack of a better word; do you have something in mind?”
“Yes, what about a rejuvenation center? What you want to do affects the whole body, heart, soul and mind. You are creating an oasis, a spiritual oasis where lost and battered souls can be revived and renewed.”
Sabrina squealed and leaned forward to hug Keelie tightly. “Yes! That’s exactly what I want! You really nailed it, Keelie. Sherry Lane’s Lost Haven, an oasis of spiritual rejuvenation. I can already see it on the business cards.”
For the next few hours they discussed various other ideas and plans for the center until Catherine yawned right in the middle of her sentence. Evan stood up and reached for her hand. “I believe we are going to call it a night, folks. We covered a lot of ground, and I hope this hasn’t been wasted when I hear from Eric.”
Catherine swatted him on the arm. “Hush! I refuse to listen to such negative talk! We walk by faith! Calling things that are not as though they were! So I speak with faith when I say they will issue the permits and we will open the center up like we planned.” That earned Catherine several amens and whoop whoops.
Gideon had listened with great interest to the talk about the center. He knew that Sherrilyn felt very strongly about it and he truly hoped that it came to be. This family would be perfect for helping others. They had already done wonders for his weary heart and they didn’t even know it. He thought back to how he used to be, before he got reassigned. He lived for battle and warfare. He called himself swinging his sword in righteous zeal, but, truth be known, it was all about self-glory and gratification. He liked being known as Gideon the Mighty; he liked being revered and honored in the heavens. He slowly sat down on the couch as it really hit him just how vain he had become. His mind went back to the last big battle he had fought before being reassigned…
Chapter 9
“Gideon! We are being dispatched to relieve the group in the eastern territories!” Gideon’s smile matched the one on Korean’s face. They were all anxious to help their fellow warriors that had been at war for months. The armies of darkness had their claws in deep in the government infrastructure of Tabuk, a major city about two hundred miles from Jerusalem, and it was wreaking havoc in the spiritual realms. What so few realized was that the faith of the saints and the power of their prayers actually aided the warriors greatly in their fight against the powers of darkness. When the high-ranking government was forbidding prayer, they were hindered and weakened.
Gideon and his group were fresh and filled with the faith of the saints, so they would be taking over the battle. He couldn’t stop the spring in his step when he approached his group of warriors to announce the news they had all been waiting for. They all looked up with expectation written on their faces, as he walked up the hillside to the front and faced the four hundred plus men that watched his every move. Gideon looked up and watched the golden ribbons swirl and dance across the brilliant turquoise sky. The ribbons were unique to heaven. He had never seen them anywhere else, but they swirled all over the place here. It was a beautiful day, as it usually was. It was the perfect temperature of exactly eighty-five po
int two degrees, warm enough to go swimming in the Crystal Sea but not overly warm. Of course, on the other side of heaven you had your frozen lakes and snow-capped mountains for those that preferred the cooler climate.
To each his own, he supposed, but his troops enjoyed the sand and surf of the beach, so that’s where the warrior camp was set up. He could see the men were anxious to hear his news, but he waited… His face was solemn and he looked each of the ones standing near the front in the eye. He could hear the stamping of feet and the impatient swishing of strong wings. With metallic clanking of swords and armor, the men shuffled and murmured among themselves. The breeze lifted the hair off their faces and gently ruffled the glossy black feathers of their wings. He waited… Until all was silent, he waited… until all he could hear were waves rolling and crashing on the shores of the Crystal Sea.
Then thrusting his sword high in the air he gave his mighty battle cry: “We fight!” The men all lifted their swords. Each gave his own battle cry and stomped his feet until the very foundations of heaven vibrated from the force. “Today, my brothers, we will give strength to the weak, power to the powerless, hope to the hopeless! Today we march forth with our hearts full of faith and our sword arms strong with the might of our King!” Then with powerful downstrokes they all lifted themselves into the air and departed the heavens.
Entering into the city of Tabuk unnoticed was no easy feat. The warriors had to trickle in a few at a time so that the minions of darkness wouldn’t notice the sudden increase of angelic presence. Gideon waited until all his men were in place before entering into the city. The first thing he did was check with the leader of the resident army of warriors. Kierin was who he had selected to lead this group of warriors; the angel had combat skills that very nearly matched his own and a keen mind for warfare. He could see lines of stress and fatigue on his face, but when he saw Gideon approaching, his whole stance changed. He stood a little taller and he smiled. Bringing his arm across his chest, he greeted Gideon.
“Commander, it is good to see you. The men will be relieved to have the reinforcements.”
Gideon bowed his head and brought his arm across his own chest to return the greeting. “You have done well, Kierin; tell me, what is happening in the northwest quadrant?”
The warrior sighed and ran his fingers through his already tousled blond locks. “What is happening is we are getting our butts handed to us. The saints are forbidden to pray, and the few that are praying are scared, which weakens the power of their prayers. Belial is bringing in more and more dark minions, and the government is making deals with the devil, literally!”
At the mention of Belial, Gideon’s brows raised. “I was not aware that Belial was part of the operations in this area. How long has he been involved?”
Kierin considered Gideon’s question. “Well, he didn’t exactly announce his presence, but we became aware of him about three months ago, but I would be willing to bet anything he was actually here a lot longer than that.”
Gideon nodded while he paced the length of the chapel that served as command central for the good guys. “I’m sure you are correct. He most likely slunk in and kept his head down until he knew what he was facing.” The reason Gideon thought this was that was exactly what he was doing. Checking out the situation before letting the other side know he was around.
“Belial has corrupted the entire government. If there is even one member that isn’t being controlled, then I’ll pluck every feather I’ve got!” Kierin exclaimed.
“That’s the first task when you want to take over a city; you take over the controlling parties. It’s very seldom, though, that every member of the council would be completely under the influence. Are you certain that is, in fact, the case here?”
Kierin nodded his head. “Gideon, we have all searched to find someone who would even entertain the thought that they may be doing wrong. Everyone that we approached was corrupted.”
Gideon growled low in his throat. “The minions have been very busy, but this isn’t anything I haven’t dealt with before. Gather everyone and tell them we will be meeting here at sunset to go over new plans.”
Kierin bowed his head then quickly went to gather the men.
Gideon took the time to observe the priests and the clergy who were living in the chapel. They didn’t appear fearful. He watched one man in particular who was going to each member and touching their shoulders and whispering something in their ears too low for Gideon to catch. Suspicious, Gideon followed the robed monk and watched while he spoke to every man he came across in the same manner, touching the shoulders and whispering. He continued to follow him until he went into his chambers and closed the heavy door. Not caring about proper protocol, Gideon went right through the door and walked right into a nest… of minions!
The demons all hissed and screeched, turning in shock to see Gideon in their midst. Gideon was outnumbered by…a lot. He immediately prepared to be attacked from all sides. The robed monk turned and slowly allowed the hood to fall away from his head, revealing eyes that were black from possession. He lifted his arm in the customary greeting for warrior angels, mocking the one standing before him, with righteous fury blazing from his green eyes.
“Gideon the Mighty, how… honored… I am to have your company this evening.” The words came from the human’s mouth, but they were being spoken straight from the black and withered heart of Belial. He was living right under the warrior’s noses and they were none the wiser.
Gideon worked hard to keep his composure; he wasn’t about to let on that he was outnumbered…and he knew it! He never engaged the minions in conversation. What was the point when the vile words out of their mouths were lies straight from the depths of hell, so he just stood staring down the creature in front of him. The dozens of demons were all flitting and scuttling along the floors, walls and ceiling, hissing and grinning while spitting out curses. Gideon watched them carefully, keeping his sword at perfect striking height in his hand. Belial strode forward with the smaller minions swirling around his feet like a black mist. He approached Gideon and stopped less than three feet from the towering warrior.
“Now we know we have His attention. He has sent His very best to destroy us!” The roomful of demons all hissed louder and edged even closer to God’s warrior.
Belial held out his arm and they all stopped. “But now is not the time of our destruction, for we have control of the city! We have control of the government! We have control of the…CHAPEL!!” The roar in the room grew louder as they all worked themselves into a frenzy. “Your heavenly warriors have been living amongst us, Gideon…and they never even knew! Now, I have to wonder how does that make you… FEEL?” The sound turned into insidious laughter, and Gideon had to wonder what Belial’s game plan was. The demon leader then turned his back on Gideon, a sure sign he wasn’t concerned for his safety, walking back and actually sitting down in a ladder-backed chair and folded his hands across his stomach, looking at Gideon with speculation. He then steepled his fingers together and tapped them against his chin. “Ah, what to do?… What to do?”
Gideon knew if Belial kept him here much longer his warriors would come looking for him. But would they seek him in the chapel? Gideon’s anger knew no bounds at the thought that HIS men, the warriors he had trained himself, could be fooled merely by a robe with a hood! He knew there was more to it than that. Something was niggling at the back of his mind, but right at this moment he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.
Suddenly a new demon came sliding into the room very nearly running smack into Gideon’s chest before he stopped himself. Rearing back in shock, he scrambled to put distance between himself and Gideon, his tiny clawed feet seeking purchase on the smooth wooden floors. Then looking around and seeing just how outnumbered Gideon was, he relaxed… marginally.
Belial looked at the new addition to the group. “What do you want? Is there news?”
The tiny demon kept his shiny black eyes on Gideon as he spoke, still not entir
ely convinced he wasn’t a threat. “Smart demon,” Gideon thought.
“Master, I was sent to tell you that a new contingent of warriors has been spotted in the city.”
Belial swung out his arm and connected with the demon’s chest, sending him flying across the room. “Fool! Do you not see that I have the leader of this new troupe standing before me?”
The smaller demon crawled back across the floor, keeping his head down and dragging his stomach to show humility. “Yes, master, but there is yet another group even bigger than the last that was spotted!”
That seemed to get Belial’s attention. He looked at Gideon and bowed at the waist. “Until we meet again, O Great One!” With a flourish that bordered on dramatic, the leader of the dark minions disappeared and took his followers with him.
Gideon was left alone in the monk’s room. The scent of sulfur and hell filled the air and he wondered again how his warriors could have been unaware of its stench. Wasting no time, he flew through the chapel until he found his men. They were just now gathering in the inner sanctuary per his instructions. They all smiled at him when they spotted him standing there, none the wiser of what had taken place in the same building.
Kierin approached him and frowned when he got near enough to smell him. “You smell of hell! Have you been battling already?”
Gideon drew in a deep breath, trying to reign in his temper. “No, I have not been in battle.”
Asiah leaned closer and sniffed. “Gideon, you smell of demons. If you were not fighting, then why else do you smell like this?”
Gideon pulled himself up and looked every inch the commander that he was and looked down at the warrior in front of him. “I think the better question would be WHY I found Belial LIVING in this chapel and WHY not one of MY warriors could sense him.”
