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This is Book 2 in the series, The Making of a Preacher. Life in a preacher's home is real. |
| This is the place for me to store all of my materials for NaNoPrep 2020. |
| 1 - Aurora had been known to try dangerous things before this. She seemed to get a thrill out of watching her parents' expression when they realized what she was doing. The Law of Diminishing Returns kept her trying bigger and bigger risks, until the day she hopped into a raft and headed towards the rapids. Matt's typical approach toward these dalliances (after the initial shock) was to "pray about it. I'm sure it's just a phase." 2 & 3 - Zenith's alarm shocked Matt into action. In a moment he was forced to face something he had been "putting off," while being urged into action by "a matter of life and death." Matt's innate nature of being Blue (aka Relational) caused him to minimize things of concern in order to maintain the status quo. However, boiling pots have a tendency to boil over, no matter how tightly the top of the pressure cooker may be screwed on. "Issues ignored become issues exploded." This is a sad, but true, axiom of human interaction. 4. Matt will have to spend time learning his daughters' hearts. In this initial episode, Aurora will be found alive, but barely, having been tossed from her raft onto a large rock above some swirling rapids in a hollow of the rock, that held her fast like the strong arms of God. The EMTs arrived to take her to the hospital for observation, but she regained consciousness the next morning after Matt labored through a night of intense prayer. After some more observation, Aurora was released after 72 hours to go home. She was no worse for the wear, having no brain damage, nor lasting bodily harm. Matt was convinced it was a miracle from the Lord. Those days in the hospital gave Matt time to get to know Aurora a little better, but why she chose to live dangerously was a mystery to him. (There are two young ladies of 15 years age, among our friends, who appear to be twin girls, who are very similar to Pansy and Aurora. Though they live miles from each other, and have never met, I think I will keep them in mind, especially as I approach the transition years in the story of ages 15-20 when the girls switch roles from Good to Bad and Bad to Good, from Loving the Lord to rejecting Him and vice versa. At the initial view, Pansy = A & Aurora = M. Names withheld to protect privacy.) Matt often forgets that actions do not equal heart attitudes. Matt is busy with church work. Serving the Lord is priority #1 to him. However, this attitude forgets, that the Lord's first calling on any man's life (aka his first ministry) is the salvation and sanctification of his family members. Preachers can get out-of-balance when the vocation of ministry overshadows the lifestyle of ministry. Ministry is not primarily what we do. Ministry is who we are in relationship to God and the dearest people He has entrusted to us, first. The good actions of ministry flow out of the heart of one, who prioritizes relationships, and then actions, not actions, first, then relationships. If Matt had stopped doing the work of the ministry long enough at the beginning of his ministry to learn the hearts of his girls, then he might not have had as much heartache when his girls were grown. On the other hand, Matt could have done everything "perfectly" (humanly-speaking,) but his girls might still have left the Christian walk at different times and for different reasons. What do we do when a young girl, like Zenith, works her little heart to capacity in the church of her childhood because she wants to please her Daddy, but then she leaves the faith as a youth because "no matter how much I do, Daddy never seems to notice me"? From Matt's perspective, he thought Pansy was okay on the inside because she was doing all the right things on the outside. He was shocked when she turned her back on the Lord, marrying her girlfriend because she knew, that Matt preached the Bible's prohibitions against homosexuality. How could Matt know that a child, like Aurora, was not the "lost cause," that she seemed to be as a small child, but that she would become one of his greatest allies in the ministry during his latter years? Aurora acted out as a child because she just wanted attention, and Matt was always "doing the work of the ministry." The child's greatest heart's cry seems to be, "Daddy, do you see me?" Matt didn't until the Lord brought her to him in a dramatic way. The twins tried to get Matt's attention as children, though their methods of reaching this goal were vastly different. Matt softened over the years, seeing everyone more clearly, and especially his daughters. He thought he "had one in the bag," but he lost her for many years. He thought "the other one" really wasn't worth his time, but she turned out to be "the diamond in the rough." How does a parent salvage life after being shown so vividly, that he or she has lost someone precious, like a child? Is there any way to make amends? Is there any way to restore what has been lost? Ultimately, the Lord in His Mercy will restore Matt and his girls, even if but for a few moments in this life, because all can be restored in the Presence of the Lord for Eternity if everyone is saved in this life. Imperfect human beings often grieve about what has been lost in this life, but the Lord sees what He is making from Above. We merely see the tangled threads underneath. The Lord has us. Blessed be the Name of the Lord.   |
| This family has had as many twists and turns as a hurricane with shifting regions of High and Low pressure. Zenith started out good but became a flaming liberal and an atheist in her early twenties, marrying the eldest daughter of Diotrephes Broadway at age 21. For the next ten years, she didn't even speak to her father, regardless of multiple letters, email, texts, and phone calls. Matthew's heart was heavily wounded. His greatest devastation was the fact, that in spite of the fact, that he deeply loves both of his daughters, he was rejected by one of them. Bottom Line: Matt would have died for Pansy, even though she rejected every belief he still holds deep in his heart. Aurora played hooky from school at least a dozen times every year from Pre-K into her tenth-grade year. Any way she could devise to get the boys in trouble with girls in her classes or to get students in trouble with the teacher, she did. Aurora cared about no one, but herself. She cared not a whit for education, for truth, for honor, for God, for family, nor for anything else, that actually mattered in the world God had created for His Own Honor and Glory. Aurora was basically a "bad kid" or a "bad seed," until the Lord Jesus "knocked her off her high horse" (like He did with the Pharisee, Saul, who became the Apostle Paul.) Jesus of Nazareth orchestrated events, that saw Aurora fall off a cliff to the distance of 70 feet down. She survived, but a large pointed rock ravaged the muscles of her low-back, near her pelvis, and narrowly missing her spine. She had a visitation from Jesus Himself, during her weeks in the hospital. Pointedly her asked her as He had asked Saul millenia before, "Aren't you tired of running into all of the obstacles I have placed in your path? Are you ready to serve me? Or do I have to you than just give you the limp of the patriarch, Jacob?" The Lord had made His case, and Aurora served Him faithfully, until the day she died, walking to her last day with Jacob's Limp. Matthew lumbered through his final years with a heavy heart at the loss of his dearest love on the day she turned 70, and at the loss of his dear daughter, Zenith, who repudiated everything he stood for. However, much was still accomplished, during those waning years of Preacher Marks' life on ZoNed4 with the daily, constant aid of his dear daughter, Aurora. (From the ages of 15-20 Zenith and Aurora served in the ministry of Matthew Marks as young ladies, who were sold-out to Jesus Christ, loving and honoring their father in every aspect of life. Artista had a thriving art business in town, called Joyfully Dreaded Art. Life was GOOD for the Marks family, until it wasn't.) As we shall see in the showing and the telling of the life of Matthew Paul Marks, the Lord uses myriad ways to tenderize His chosen vessels, His faithful servants, into the tools He can use in the creation of His Story (aka HIStory) on Earth and now on ZoNed4. Frail bodies do not defeat the purposes of the Lord. "7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (II Corinthians 12:7-9, KJV) At the very end of his days when he realized, that time was short for Him, Matt realized it was time to preach one last sermon before the Lord took him Home to Heaven. Matt had been pleading for Zenith every day since he realized there was a reason to plead for her. She seemed like a lost cause, and he entrusted Zenith into the Hands of the Lord. "I've got one more sermon. There are still so many souls to be saved, including my own daughter. Dear Pansy, may the Lord still reach you, bringing you Home to be with me when your days on ZoNed4 are finished.". With this breath prayer, He walked up behind the pulpit, not knowing if he would ever walk down, again. I don't see Aurora, he thought. This is uncharacteristically late for her, but maybe there has been an urgent need, that required her ministry, and has caused her to be late. Lord, please help Aurora wherever she is, and bring her to the church to be with me, if that is Your Will. In Jesus's Name, Amen. There was a need. Zenith had called Aurora earlier that very afternoon. Her plane arrived at 5:00 PM, and there was not time enough to get to the church before the service started, but Aurora was determined to restore her family if it was the last thing she could do for her father before he died. Zenith had a visitation for the Lord Jesus, too. Zenith's heart had been changed. The sisters were twins, again, and "the circle would be unbroken." |
| The Ordinary World of ZoNed4: The typical day for Pastor Matthew Marks starts at 5:00 AM with prayer and Bible study, until 6:00 when he starts breakfast for the family. Breakfast is sharply at 7:00 with a car ride to school at 7:30. Back in his office at 8:00, Matt works on three sermons for the next week. 1st he works on the Sunday morning doctrinal sermon, which is heavy on the subject of Salvation. 2nd is the Sunday evening doctrinal sermon, which is heavy on discipleship. 3rd is the Wednesday evening doctrinal devotional, which centers around some aspect of prayer. Lunch is precisely at noon. Hospital visitation begins at 1:00 PM and lasts for approximately two hours when he goes for a walk in the park to meditate on the word he learned in Bible Study the same morning. At 5:00 PM Matt checks on visitors to the church service as well as new members, rounding out the house calls, he visits people, who don't claim to be saved, and he does his best to lead them to the Lord. Around 7:00 PM he turns toward home, supper and time with the family before tucking the girls in bed at 8:30 PM, sharp. At 9:00 Matt and Artista take time to talk, which for Artista usually lasts about 15-20 minutes, then it's off to bed for her, but he usually follows her shortly thereafter around 10:00 or 10:30 because tomorrow starts, again, at 5:00 AM Here are a few of the unique places on ZoNed4, which Matt loves to visit as he has the time. (Since the Marks were a pioneering family, they had the privilege of naming many of the settlements.) ----A. Breezy Glade is just like it sounds. It is a beautiful valley of grass, that is greener than any grass on Earth. ----B. Fort Childhood is a wonderful little community, whose oldest remaining structure is a childhood fort. ----C. Major Marks is known for the fifteen or so very deep cracks that run from the top to the bottom of Mount Blue Smoke. The fact that these fissures started on the mountain about the time that Matthew Marks arrived with his little family created an amazing amount of fodder for Mayor Diotrephes Broadway, who loved to quip, "Well, Preacher, you certain ly left some Major Marks on this planet, didn't you?" ----D. Library End is, as the reader may have guessed, a town that is almost entirely dedicated to books and reading. It shouldn't surprise anyone that Town Hall is located at the corner of Book & Nook. ----E. Joe-N-Tea is the hometown of many folks, who are thoroughly devoted to their freshly-brewed drinks. Some like coffee. Some like tea. Yet, all of these dear folks like their cups of fluid comfort to be hot. None of them are bashful about asking the barrista, "Do you mind nuking this for a minute for me? If I've still got hairs on my tongue, then it's not hot enough. Oh, and bring me back a scone when you come, too, please." ----F. Primary Rocks is a curiosity. Artists flock to this town due to the configuration of boulders in all three of the primary colors. Others come bringing their preschoolers because they think the town's name refers to the best Kindergarten on the planet. ----G. Stable Home is a town populated by equestrians, who tend to have marriages that last 50 to 60 years or longer. Most of the residents are pretty proud of their town's motto, "Horsin' around makes you love longer." The Impetus of the Call to Adventure: Pansy and Aurora played in Breezy Glade one morning before two days after their tenth birthday. Pansy rushed through the backdoor of the pastorium after running the entire two miles from the Glade. It was 7:30 AM and time to get into the car for the trip to school, but Pansy blurted, "I couldn't stop her! She got into the boat on Blue Rapids! I told her she was too small, but she wouldn't listen! I couldn't catch her! The boat went too fast! I don't know what happened to her! Is she going to be okay?" Matt stood in shock. Moments later he blurted out. "Artista call the school. Tell them about our emergency. Then, call Mack at the PD. Ask for help, then get to the Glade as fast as you can. Aurora may still be alive, and I've got to find her." The rest of the tale discusses family, and the rapids of life. Finally, we reach the eddy of eternal life with Jesus, but not before the ride takes our breath away. |
| IN-DEPTH CHARACTER PROFILE (Thanks, Rosielle, for the template.) https://www.writing.com/main/forums/action/view/message_id/3298197#3298197 BASIC INFORMATION Name: Matthew Paul Marks Sex: Male Age: 40 Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas Height: 5' 10" Weight: 180 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Brunette Ethnic Background: Caucasian Marital Status: Married PERSONAL INFORMATION Nickname: "Matt" (Some poke him with "Thomas" for his propensity to doubt himself.) Religion/Religious Background: Southern Baptist with some Bapticostal mixed in. Social Class: Lower-Middle Class Education: Bachelor of Arts in Education, Master of Divinity Children: Twin Girls Health: Runner with a slight paunch Physical Condition/Disabilities: Wears glasses, needs orthotics, has allergies Friends: Paul Letras, (mentor, 2nd father) Allies: Artista, his wife; Enemies: Both daughters upon occasion; Lazarus Whatyudid; Andy Attlepate; Diotrephes Broadway Most Significant Other(s): Community Status: Pastor of the largest Baptist church on ZoNed4, well-respected Pets: 2 dogs, 4 cats Languages Spoken: English, some Spanish, and Chinglish (mix of Chinese & English, during ESL) Intelligence: Above-Average (125 IQ) Sexual Orientation: Heterosexual, although he did explore bisexuality in his youth Type Of Friends Preferred: Good listeners, people who lead him to the truth, gently Type Of Lovers Preferred: Completely found in Artista. One is enough. Name Transmits First Impression To Reader: Matthew Paul Marks is wholly committed to the Lord Reason/Meaning Behind Name: Matthew & Mark were the first two Gospels, Paul wrote most of NT PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION Face/Eyes/Jaw/Lips/Chin: Rounded, alert, soft, tense, slight point Build/Body:. Mesomorph, athletic, but slightly overweight Distinguishing Marks: scars on his hands from working in the field as a teen Posture: Erect, head looking straight forward Appearance: Well-groomed, smartly dressed Hair: Brunette, almost always combed Predominant Feature/What Noticed First: squared shoulders Physical Aids?: glasses How They Walk: strong gait, short steps, 45 degrees (turn-out like ballet dancer) Eye Shape/Color:. European roundness, blue Sensitivity To Others Demonstrated Through The Eyes: eyebrows scrunched in concern FAMILY BACKGROUND Father: Carlos Marks Profession: pastor Living/Dead: died a number of years ago, train accident Mother: Noami Mara Marks Profession: teacher Living/Dead: died a number of years ago, train accident Parents' Marital Status: They were married for 40 years Brothers: Straitway Marks (3 years younger than Matt) Sisters: He wishes he had had a sister, but he never did. Home Life/Childhood Experience: Perfect family example in public, shaky in private Family Relations: Good over-all, but not extremely close. Family of loners, Straitway had friends outside the family Family History: A dozen preachers in the extended family, many deacons, and Christian business people, and too many teachers to number PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS/CHARACTER TRAITS Morals: Biblical by choice, imperfect in living Ambitions, Aspirations, Desires: Poetry, Photography, Exploration of places yet unseen Major Traits: Precise in everything he does, relational (Blue,) Believes the best about others Minor Traits: doesn't like being alone, but has difficulty trusting others Outstanding Qualities: He is faithful for life to anyone, who gets past his quirkiness Character Flaws/Weaknesses: Self-doubts, perfectionism, hesitant to try new things Character Strengths: Unwavering commitment to his closest friends, and chosen projects Habitual/Favorite Expressions: "The Bible says it. That settles it. I believe it. That settles me." Habitual Mannerisms: He visually scans new environments before speaking, walks cautiously Fears, Anxieties, Hangups: Making mistakes, doesn't like "winging it." Frustrations: Having to justify his every word to a close confidant. He likes to be trusted. Complexes: Having his sentences finished by someone close to him. Temperament: Generally: Melancholy, High-C, Blue. Specifically: Mel-Chlor (Melancholy-Choleric) Emotions: Even, doesn't show often. He will cry in worship when the Lord touches his heart. Attitude Toward Life: "Live every day for the Glory of God. Send treasures ahead to Heaven." Attitude Toward Death: "Be prepared by receiving the Gift of Salvation. Everlasting needs to be with Jesus." Leader/Follower/Dropout: Consistently a follower, Matt can lead when he sees what needs to be done. Most Cherished Beliefs/Values: "Jesus is my Substitute by His life, death, burial, and resurrection. I love Him with all my heart." Worst Habit: Picking his nose Highest Hope: Full assurance of Salvation for himself and for others Preoccupations, Worries: That he will let somebody down Biggest Source Of Pride: That he is a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Biggest Source Of Shame Or Defeat: That he was sexually profligate as a teenager, feels unworthy now Dialogue: He uses Roberts Rules of Order. Lengthy speeches, when someone talks over him, he gets quiet How They Talk/Speech Patterns (Diction, Tone, Speed, Pitch): Dialect-free, started school in Oklahoma Direct Statement Of Thoughts: "The Bible is God's Word. The Father is Absolute Ruler. Jesus is God's Son. The Holy Spirit is necessary for Salvation." Body Language/Posture: Stands erect, but doesn't look people in the eyes. Gestures: One or both hands emphasize words and ideas, but rarely uses an index finger Perception Of Others: "Created by God for a relationship with Him." Evaluations Of Others: Gives the benefit of the doubt, tries to see good in others Reactions To Others: "Hurtful people need to be helped. Hurting people need to be helped. Everybody needs to be loved." Involvement With Objects: As a rule, he doesn't touch things, unless those things belong to him or he has permission to use them. Attitude Toward Opposite Sex: Respects the younger women as sisters, and the elder women as mothers How They Handle Crises: "Pray. Choose wisely. Act as quickly as the situation requires." Memories, Dreams: He dreamed about Hell when he was 3 or 4. He didn't want to go to that bad place. He doesn't want others to go there, either. How They Protect Themselves: Matt goes to his big walk-in closet to write. Public Persona: Great speaking voice, receptive to others, compassionate Daily Habits: Listens to the audio Bible, while making breakfast and washing dishes How They Dance: Moves back and forth on his legs & feet. Pet Peeves: Putting glasses too close to the edge of a counter, rolling stops when riding with someone in a car Ways Of Dealing With Children Or Those In Inferior Positions: Gentle, compassionate Eating Habits (When, What, How): Grazing all day long, always aware to keep liquids away from the computer keyboard Heroes: Presidents Washington, Lincoln & Reagan, Dr. Billy Graham, John Calvin Motivational Patterns/What Gets Them Going: A cup of coffee and fast Christian music Landscape Observations--We Are A Product Of Where We Live: Matt loves to garden. The plants are many and varied, Calldiums, coleuses, hibiscuses, roses, wildflowers, Wandering Jew, Elm tree, Bradford Pear trees, Sasanqua Camellias, Lantana bushes, etc. Point Of View (Neurosis, Self-Absorbed, What Noticed First In A Room, Perspective): He tried to prevent imperfections (self-absorbed,) but he notices when someone is hurting and in need of compassion. Degree Of Intensity = Pace Of Life: Often runs flat-out, getting to bed after midnight, and is up by six or seven. Attention To Detail/Degree Of Concentration: He loves to write. He rereads his compositions at least 3-4 times, checking for errors Confidence Factor: Fluctuating. Strong when he has to be, but often doubts himself Generosity: He rarely keeps money in his pocket because his heart bleeds for those in true need. However, if a man says he's homeless but is drinking a can of beer, Matt tends to be skeptical of the need. Handicaps: He second-guesses himself, but over-all he's pretty healthy How They Treat People They Like: He often touches and hugs them, praises them. How They Treat People They Dislike: He avoids them, keeping his distance, not looking their way. How They React When Angry/Upset: He keeps calm and may leave. When he can speak to the issue, he does so with control. Self-Value/How They See Themselves: Matt realizes, that God created him with unique skills, that are valuable in God's Kingdom, however, he still feels less-than-usage too often for some reason. Personality Type: Blue - relational How They'd Describe Themselves: Loving to God and to others, but not so much to himself Do They See Themselves As Happy/Satisfied?: "Happy is not that important because it challenges being in control. Satisfied means not being in too much pain. Satisfaction is more important for others. I just want to be basically peaceful." Do They See Themselves As A Hero?: He sees himself as a workhorse. "It is my job to serve." Sense Of Humor:. Puns Most Instructive/Meaningful Experience: He won top honors as a speaker in both high school and college. He has been given multiple speaking awards throughout his years in ministry. Attitude Toward Sex/Sexual Values: "Sex is to be reserved for the safety and for the honor of covenant marriage with one woman and one man for as long as they both shall live." Attitude Toward Religion: "Religion is 'Man reaching up to God.' Salvation is God reaching down to rescue Man." Attitude Toward Politics: "Politics is the tool for protecting the public peace, maintaining the safety of a nation. Politics is wise when it agrees on Earth with the Plan of God from Heaven. Bottom Line: If a politician supports abortion in any form, that politician is unfit for office. If a politician does not support God's chosen people, the nation of Israel, then that politician is unfit for office. The protection of the life of the preborn and the nation of Israel is the litmus test for serving in public office." Attitude Toward Authority: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God." (Romans 13:1, NLT) Ethnic Considerations: "There is only one human race. All ethnicities are due my respect." Attitude Toward Money: "All of my money belongs to God. The tithe is to be given to Him at the storehouse of my church. The rest of my money should be spent in agreement with the principles of God and His calling on my life." Attitude Toward Work: "'His work is honorable and glorious,' Psalm 111:3a. If the Lord's work is honorable and glorious, then our work should be honorable and glorious (or praiseworthy,) too." Attitude Toward Play: "'Then he said, 'I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.' That's Matthew 18:3, NLT. Play teaches us to be childlike in trusting, in being present with the Lord and friends, and in being close to the original creation before we were made old and stiff by Sin." Attitude Toward Their Looks: "3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God. That's I Peter 3:3-4, NLT." Opinion As A Soldier/Fighter: "My job is to protect my family as well as my close friends, and anyone else in the world, that I can help, regarding physical needs as much as it is in my power, that I may have the privilege to leading everyone of the people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ for their everlasting protection." Feelings Toward Family: "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My family needs my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come." Feelings Toward Friends: "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My friends need my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come." Feelings Toward Enemies:. "Love is the choice the Lord requires of me, first. My enemies need my love, my protection, my compassion, my interest in everything, that is the best for that dear, precious soul. Feelings are the caboose, that follows the engine of choice. Choose to be loving, then the feelings will come." Secrets: "When I am called upon the share the burden of some issue, that someone does not wish to be made public, then I have the responsibility to keep that secret unless it violates some law. Again, I am called to do the best for that precious soul." Philosophy Of Life (In A Phrase): "This life is the womb of Eternity. Therefore, just as a young child grows with abandon in the womb of his or her mother, I must grow with abandon throughout my life of Earth, that when I see the Lord on the other side of my death, (which is actually my birth into Eternity Proper,) I will be ready for everything the Lord has for me there. The perfection of growth is not His requirement. The desire to grow is. He is responsible for making me all I am created to be throughout my eternal service to Him." |
| "Lord, You said you wanted me to win the lost and shepherd the saints, but how is that possible, now? Joe Biden won the Presidential Election by a squeaker, and now he's going to shut the country down. I won't be able to talk with anybody, but my own immediate family." Head in hands, Matt flops on the couch, weeping with abandon. An hour passes without abatement. There is no word from Heaven. There is only distress, lack of hope, lack of peace. "Lord, now we will be the enemies of Israel, your people. They will be hated by America, the very condition, that You promised to curse. The babies will be murdered en masse, through idolatry, known as abortion. That very sin caused the Tragedy of 9/11. Your servants will, no doubt, be forced to populate prisons and concentration camps, merely because we name Your Name. How could You do this to us, Lord? How could You do this?" More weeping, more accusations, more "sucking wind" through parched lips. Tear-ducts now dry, Matthew wrestled with his heavy body in the daily battle to escape the couch's grasp. The wobbly figure lumbered through the front door. Leaning on the porch banister, he listened. Mockingbird's trilled through every page in their songbooks. Crickets chirped, "The Creator still lives." The frogs croaked in harmony, "Wake-up, Man. You haven't croaked, yet." "That's really good advice, Dear One." Though disconsolate, there was no mistaking of that voice for Matthew. "Lord Jesus! I was just thinking about You!" "I know. I had to get out my umbrella." "Oh, that. I'm sorry about all of the tears, but it doesn't seem fair what You've done to our country." "Oh, that. Well, have you considered, that everything does seem a little unreal? You might want to wake up from this dream, and look at the daily news. I'll see you on the other side in the land of wakefulness." The blaring, raspy tone made Matthew fall out of bed onto the cold concrete. "WOW! That was the scariest dream I've ever had." YouTube was littered with news clips about the ultimate victory of Donald Trump for a second term as President. "After weeks of wrangling, the US Supreme Court certified Donald John Trump as the United States President for four more years." "In a 6-3 Decision, SCOTUS Proclaims Trump President." "Hillary Clinton Was Admitted to Milledgeville in Georgia After She 'Lost It' Over the SCOTUS Decision." "Major Cities are Burning." "Republicans Cheer as Democrats Rage." "President Re-elect Trump Declares the Country Fully Open." "'I survived COVID-19 with the new vaccine,' smiled Trump." "With the New Vaccine COVID-19 is No More of a Threat Than the Common Cold." "Masks Are Not Necessary Any Longer." "Florida State Has an Amazing Turn-Around. Defeats Clemson for the National Title." "What must I do now, Lord? When I thought the Democrats had won, life was over because Freedom was gone, but now, that I know President Trump has been reelected, the country is in severe turmoil. Is there any hope, even yet?" "Now, shalt thou see what I will do. Exodus 6:1 is the account of my Strong Hand, that controls the heart of the king, the Pharoah, and certainly the President. You will now see great gentleness in this man because He doesn't need to campaign for election anymore. He knows He has the power I've given him to clean up and to correct many offenses in your nation. Vandals will be jailed. Felons will be forced to clean and restore the very statues they tore down last spring. Abortion laws will be overturned. Repentance and return to righteousness will make great strides as the Leader of the Free World shows this by example." "Can these things possibly be?" "Who is God?" "What can I do?" "That, which I called you to do at the very beginning, is available to you, now. Bring souls to salvation. Heal the racial divide. Show the atheists, the former abortionists, the people of every social, political stripe of every kind, that I am here to do you good, if you will simply turn from your sins, accept my Gift of Salvation, giving me the opportunity to be better for you than you could ever have imagined." "Will they believe me?" "Did Pharoah believe Moses? Did Israel believe Moses? Did the people of the first century A.D. believe the Apostle Paul? Is there ever a case in which all humans believe what they are told to be the truth, regardless of the reliability of the speaker? Your job is to obey me. My job is to deal with the consequences. I will set things right when the time is right. Rest in me, Dear Saint." "Alright, Lord, then I will." Later in the day, Matthew saw a group of young men on the courthouse lawn. They looked rather downcase. So, he approached them cautiously. "Good afternoon, Gentlemen. I would like to tell you about Jesus, the Messiah. Have you heard, that He died and rose, again, to save you?" "Have you heard, that we think you should die, you flippin' preacher?" This, of course, was nearly the last thing, that went through his mind. |
| 1. Setting: The bulk of the story takes place on ZoNed4, the new mission field-planet for Matthew Marks and his family. However, chapter #1 could have the feel of the Chris Pratt & Jennifer Lawrence movie, Passengers, but I should take that under advisement, not choosing that route lightly because I don't want to be accused of plagiarism. Something should probably be said about the Marks' three-year journey through space, and since it is a relatively short journey the crew and the passengers, who share the trip with the Marks Family would, no doubt, enjoy the same sort of circadian rhythms as on Earth. Is the journey on the space ship important? Could it be written in a sentence or a paragraph? It might be more important to spend the bulk of the story building the new world in the mind of the reader, focusing on the characters, their lives together, and their preparation for Eternity in much the same way as people on Earth are called upon to consider everlasting life. 2. Protagonist: Matthew Marks, the preacher, who wants to serve the Lord, shepherding the immediate flock of his family, his wife, and his twin daughters to the Lord and through the Lord to the eternal Home of Christ Jesus. a. Flaws: Matthew has doubts about his relationship with the Lord as a result of his sinful past, and his present, which is overwhelmed at times by his low self-esteem. b. Goals: To win this new world to Christ, leaving one world in the universe, that is wholly given to the Lord at the time he passes away. Yet, much to his chagrin, he learns the lesson of Noah, that humans carry Sin with them. Even one human and a godly family can sire an entire world, that is eventually, completely given over to Sin. 3. Conflicts: Self-doubt continues to plague Matthew. This is compounded by the fact, that his daughters don't seem to embrace his belief in the One True God at different times in the story. The hope of successfully bringing his family and his world to the Lord Jesus always seem to be just out of reach, like the many cliff-hangers of a Stephen Spielberg movie, specifically Back to the Future. (Again, this needs to be a feeling, not a copy in order to be above reproach.) 4. Antagonists: Artista Carpenter, (Matt's wife,) and Pansy and Aurora, (his twin daughters,) can't seem to decide which side of the fence to be on with Matt. a. Artista is not completely sure she wants to be a pastor's wife, so she gives her half-hearted support as often as she can "snore up" the courage, but her caustic tongue gets her into trouble as a dragging weight upon the spirit of her dear sold-out-to-Christ husband. b. Pansy starts out for her dad as a child, but then turns hard against him as an adult. Ultimately, she is saved on her deathbed, bringing great sighs of relief from her dad. c. Aurora gives her dad many grey hairs as a child but is saved and becomes sold-out to Christ as an older teen. 5. Description: Family is the training ground for true and unwavering faith, since it is a fact, that anyone, who can stand for God at home, can stand for God anywhere. |
| Matthew Marks & Artista Carpenter Marks get married, and take flight, literally, to a new mission field. The mission field is on the Planet ZoNed4, which is three years away from Earth by an interstellar airplane/rocket ship. On the way to ZoNed4, they have a lot of time on their hands, and they become pregnant with twins. Initially, the twins appear to be beautiful reflections of each other, but the first few months, it becomes painfully obvious, that these female twins are alike only on the outside. The personalities of Pansie and Aurora Marks have "dark sides" to them. 1. What if the twins are like a parable, that Jesus told about a farmer with two sons? "28 But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. 29 He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." (Matthew 21:28-32, KJV) 2. What if Pansy, the "good sister" does everything right as a child, but shows her true colors in her late teens and early twenties becoming and atheist, breaking her father's heart? 3. What if Aurora, the "bad sister" does everything wrong as a child, like reading dark novels, slipping away to dark movies, and learning everything she can about the life of hard-rock bands, wanted to join one when she grows up? What if a visiting evangelist shakes her world, and she gets saved at age, 15, changing the entire trajectory of the desires of her life? 4. What if Pansy, who was married in a same-sex relationship at age, 21, has a terrible accident in an Off-Road Vehicle five years later, and was lingering between life and death until her dad can get there to spend the last few hours with her, finding out if she is settled in her position or rejecting Christ or if she will trust Him, finally as Lord and Savior? 5. What if Matthew Marks has to walk the last two decades of his life alone because Artista has already passed away into the strong Arms of Jesus? 6. What if Matthew Marks learns, that the road to great faith is littered boulders of doubt along the path of life? 7. What if Matthew Marks finds out ultimately that God is Somebody He never expected God to be? What is he finds out that God prefers Grace over Justice, even though His Truth is still Absolute? What if he finds out that God can save someone forever when that person turns a hopeful eye in the direction of the empty cross & the empty Garden Tomb? ------------------------------------------------ Matthew Marks is a 5' 10" 50-year-old of 175 pounds with a fairly athletic build. He has spent the first half of his years on Earth in ministry. In his middle years he takes an interstellar flight to an entirely new mission field. There he finishes his days, until an old preacher in his 90s faces his final breath when he will take the plunge into the Pool of Death, coming out on the other side renewed and forever with His Lord Jesus Christ. Artista Marks is Matt's wife of 25 years. She is 45-years-old, has been sporting dreadlocks for about four years, now. These brunette dreads compliment her job as a hair designer. She is highly in demand. About 5' 4" in height Artista is slender and athletic in build of 115 pounds, due to the fact that she walks or runs about 4-5 miles every day and uses stretching programs, extensively. One of the twins, Pansy Marks, unlike her sister, is quite supportive of their dad, Matthew Marks. She may not want to preach like her dad, but she has been saved, since she was six-years-old, and wants to help the orphan children of ZoNed 4, who have so little and virtually no one to care for them. Pansie is 12-years-old with long brunette hair and dark blue eyes like her father. At 5'2" Pansie is a slightly heavy 130 pounds of laughter and joy. Pansie is a sixth-grade student. The Mark's other twin, Aurora, says all the right things but doesn't seem to have the heart for Jesus that her sister does. Obviously, Aurora is a sixth-grade student like her sister. Since they are identical twins, she sports brunette hair, too, though hers is bobbed to make her "look different." Aurora, also, has dark blue eyes, like "dear ol' Dad." Aurora cares about her music and hopes to be in a rock band when she's older. Aurora is a great singer and even plays the guitar with ease like her uncle. |
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