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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Escape (01/02/06)
Pulling from her anger, but remaining calm Claire began...
“I want to talk to you about us...we have tried everything, at least I know I have. I am weary. I am at the end of my rope. I don’t know where else to go. I’ve gone to God. I have pleaded and everything remains the same.” Claire paused.
“And...” Jack as usual wanted her to get to the point.
“And... I need a break.” she just said it.
In his anger and shock Jack spoke unguarded, “Well, be ready to loose our family. And they can just check me into prison because we are in so much debt, I am sure to loose my job. And your parents will not raise our kids!”
“Woe!” Claire tried to reel him in but he was beside himself.
“I’ll do anything. Just stay.”
“I’ve heard that before but to ask you to treat me respectfully must be beyond your capability.”
“Give me another chance.” Jack pleaded.
Claire sighed... “I guess”

She had it set. The date would mark the decision she would make about the rest of her life.
She knew a time frame had to be made for her to get her plans in place. Claire was sensible but her heart was anxious.

She wanted to live for her for a while. Let everyone else suffer. They will make it. Look to God. He will provide. Let it all become their problem. She heard herself say these selfish thoughts but couldn’t for the life of her, figure out how to deny the place they originated from. Her heart was confused.

“God is known for escapes.” Claire’s friend Beth encouraged her. “ He provided a great escape for Moses then the Israelites led by Him and who can forget all the times God helped Paul escape. He provides.”
“I know Beth, but does He provide an emotional escape. An escape from a sad and joyless marriage?” Claire’s faith was being tested beyond any test she’d ever been given.
“Look to scripture Claire, God will not leave you without answers.” God was using Beth.

Claire sat on those words for days. She knew God well enough to know He is the joy giver. He provides escapes. However, in her confused state of mind, she had determined His answer to be her only choice in survival, escape. Leave and start over. Find herself and live making her own decisions and being who she wanted to be for the first time in 17 years.

Then God showed up, unannounced. Claire was checking her voicemail and decided to look up a verse that had been staying in her mind. Picking up the “Message” she searched.
“Lamentations something...” she absentminded spoke.
He took her straight to none other than Lamentations 3, beginning at verse 28 she felt God take her by the hand and boldly say to her:

“When life is heavy and hard to take,
go off by yourself. Enter the silence.
Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions:
Wait for hope to appear.
Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face.
The "worst" is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won't ever
walk out and fail to return.
If He works severely, He also works tenderly
His stockpiles of loyal love are immense
He takes no pleasure in making life hard,
in throwing roadblocks in the way:”

Immediately, Claire could no longer think about her plans to leave. She could no longer entertain the thoughts of divorce. She heard Him. So plainly. So intently. Claire saw her future. Now, not so bleakly but with a glimmer of hope. She tried the advice of the scripture. She entered, bowed and waited. She tried so hard not to ask questions. But she had only one for God.
“Why do you love me so much, how is it that you never leave my side?” Claire felt his invisible arms holding onto her in a way she never had before. She felt forgiven and had been blessed with hope all at once.

“Beth, I heard Him.” Claire wanted to give Him glory.
“What did He say?”
“Wait for hope, and it came, immediately.” Claire wasn’t finished.
“My “worst” isn’t the worst... and don’t run. Face it all.”
“I knew you would find Him without any doubts” Beth was crying. Her friend was back with her hope restored.

Praise God for being our escape. Our choice of survival.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Jan Ackerson
01/09/06
The passage from "The Message" was very powerful; it's one of my favorites, and I'd never read it quite that way before. Thanks for sharing this hopeful story.

Be careful of spelling and word choice errors: Loose / lose, woe / whoa, absentminded / absentmindedly.

I'm so glad that your protagonist listend to God's voice.
Karen Heslink
01/11/06
Lovely intertwining of the story and the verse from Lamentations. I am not sure you needed the very last line you wrote. I might have left that out. It is the kind of story that I think many of us can identify with from some point in our lives. Well doe.
Andria Cook
01/15/06
Continue working to improve your dialogue to make it more realistic. Strive to make the reader feel like they are there in the conversation, to the point they can hear it in their head. Try reading the dialogue out loud after you write it to see about the flow.


Thanks for sharing this piece.