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TRUST JESUS TODAY

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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Bold (emotionally) (08/30/07)
The guillotine is revived, and during this time of tribulation it has become the method of choice for the murder of those who refuse to denounce God.

There are many standing in this line today. None of them want to be here, and yet they, at the same time can’t think of anywhere they’d rather be.

Among those waiting for their turn to meet Jesus is Jenna Rawlson, a beautiful young mother of two children who vanished along with her husband a few years ago. While she waits, Jenna is taken back to that day when her whole life was changed.

She had seen Jack off to work that morning as usual, with a kiss and “I love you. See you tonight“.

Jenna smiles as she remembers her life with Jack. They had shared so much love and joy in their seven years together. He was a sweet man, wonderful husband and excellent father. Not long before his ‘disappearance” he came home one night and told Jenna about how he had prayed with this guy at work who had told him about Jesus.. Oh, come on, said Jenna. You’re not going to be one of those holy rollers now, are you?

After that day, Jack was not the same. If possible, he was becoming an even better husband and father. Jenna, however, remained somewhat skeptical of the connection between the improvement and Jack’s coming to know Jesus . If only she had listened…

After saying goodbye to Jack, Jenna packed the kids into the car and headed for David’s school. David was in the first grade and so proud to finally be one of the big kids. He was a good boy, sweet like his father. Jenna worried about how he would fare in a world full of bullies. She kissed him goodbye and said “I miss you already”, the same thing she told him every morning when she dropped him off at school. She loved to see how his face lit up when she said that.

Next, she dropped Ruthie off at day care. Ruthie was a beautiful and intelligent two year old, who already possessed a vocabulary well beyond her years. Jenna kissed and hugged her goodbye, saying “I love you , baby”, to which Ruthie replied. “I wuv you too, mommy”, and ran off to find her favorite toy. No separation anxiety there; a fact that provoked mixed feelings in Jenna’s heart.

Leaving Ruthie,Jenna headed to work.

The day passed uneventfully. Jack got out of work earlier so he always picked the kids up on his way home. Jenna could hardly wait to meet them all back at the house.

Suddenly, she found herself behind an accident. It was holding her up and she was becoming increasingly annoyed. She turned on the radio and heard the announcer saying something about people “just disappearing” all over the place. What? That’s crazy, she thought. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed home. No answer. Jenna was beginning to panic. Where was her family? Could it be true? Jack had mentioned something to her a few times about this “rapture” that the bible talked about. Could this be it? Were Jack and the kids gone?

As the night wore on and Jenna saw no trace of her family, she began to believe it was true. She was so distraught and couldn’t even think about sleeping. She searched the house for this bible that Jack had been carrying around, and she began to read. She eventually began to accept that her family was gone and she had been left behind. She was frightened by the things she read about the tribulation, and strangely comforted by other things she read in that bible.

As time went on, with the help of others who had also been left behind and seen their need for Christ, Jenna too accepted Jesus as her Savior. She came to know and love Him for all that He had seen her through since the devastation of losing her family and her life as she had known it.

Standing here today, she was so grateful for her second chance and even more incredibly, grateful for the opportunity to die for the One who had died for her.

As she stepped up to the guillotine, she was given one last chance to turn her back on Jesus, to which she simply replied “ Never.”. And to Jesus, Jack and the kids she whispered. “ I’m coming home.”
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Joanne Sher 
09/08/07
I love how you framed this story with Jenna's current situation, putting the details in the middle. You did a bit of tense jumping (from present to past tense), but this was definitely a compelling read!
Kristen Hester
09/10/07
Jenna is BOLD for Christ. Good job on the topic. You are a strong writer. There is a good flow to your entry. I also liked how you framed the story.

A couple of nit picky things:
I think Bible should be capitalized. Also, I would have put Jenna's words in quotes like this:
"Oh, come on," said Jenna. "You’re not going to be one of those holy rollers now, are you?"

Nice job! Keep writing.
Carolyn Baney
09/13/07
This story pulled me in emotionally... finding yourself left behind, family gone, holding onto Jesus unto the end to get back where you belong. Brought tears to my eyes. That doesn't happen often, so well done!

I also like the guillotine concept; our society thinks itself so "civilized"...to think one day we will be back to such barbaric practices. Thousands of years and we will have learned nothing.

Those left behind will be bold heroes of their time period just as those who were martyred before them. Amen!