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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: 24 Hours (01/27/11)
Despair to Hope!
Sally thought that life couldn’t get any worse. She had lost her job, her husband just announced that he no longer loved her and when she picked up the mail there was a letter stating that they were going to foreclose on her house in twenty days. How could this happen hadn’t Mike been paying the mortgage? And if not, then what has he been doing with the money? She thought as she sat down hard on the sofa ”WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW?” she asked out loud to no one in particular.
At that moment her doorbell rang. She got up slowly wiping away the tears from her cheek and wondering who it could be she wasn’t expecting anybody. When she answered the door she was completely surprised. Instead of saying anything she fell into her brother’s arms and began to sob uncontrollably.
“Shh. it’s going to be ok, why don’t we go inside any you can tell me about it” he soothed quietly into her hair.
She just nodded and let him lead her inside to the sofa, he grabbed her some Kleenex and let her calm down a little before he said anything.
“WH... what are you doing here” she sobbed”
“I was praying and God told me that you needed me so here I am”
“God told you that? Why would he do that?”
“Well, do you need someone who loves you?”
“Yes”
“There’s your answer. So why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me what has you so upset?”
Before she knew what she was doing it all spilled out. Her brother Sam had sat next to her quietly, the whole time she had been spilling her guts to him about all the despair she was feeling at the moment. Abruptly grabbed her hands and began to pray.
“Dear Lord my sister is hurting, confused, scared and struggling. She needs you desperately! Please help her, and if it is your will help me to know how to help her as well, Jesus name Amen”
All of a sudden Sally burned with Anger “How can you pray to God that he help me! When he could have prevented all of this!” she yelled at her brother.
Sam looked at her with total calm and said because of Jeremiah 29:11
Sally looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. So he began reciting the scripture for her
“For I know the plans I have for you, says the lord.”
Sally began where he left off
“They are plans for good and not evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
As she finished the verse she then knew how he was able to pray at a time like this. She also knew in her heart and soul that everything was going to be ok.
“Why don’t I make you some tea? You can take a nice hot bath and then try to get some sleep.” As almost an afterthought he added in a calm and soothing voice “I’ll stay here tonight in case you need me”
After the tea and bath she gave her brother a big hug, “thank you, for everything, I love you!” she told him. Then she went to her room, and dropped to her knees and began to pray to God. Who she was sure had forgotten her earlier.
“Lord, I’m sorry that I thought you had forgotten me in my time of need. Please forgive me! I may not understand all of this but I know this fits into your plan. Jesus name Amen!”
Then she climbed into bed and even though she didn’t think it was possible fell into a restful sleep. The next morning Sally woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. She got up and answered it “Hello”
“Hello, is this Sally Reed” the man on the other end asked
“Yes”
“This is William Scott calling from Chase and Chase bookstore. We’d like to offer you a management position with us, are you interested?”
“Yes, of course, how about I come down this afternoon and talk you in person?” she asked in a surprised voice.
They agreed to a time. When she hung up the phone she knew God hadn’t forgotten about her for even a moment, but that this was just part of his plan.
“Thank you God” she yelled with a huge smile on her face as well, as filling her soul.
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This article has been read 608 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Colin Swann
02/07/11
It's wonderful how God turns up in our darkest times and carries us through. It would be easier to read if you double spaced sentences and speech. I learned how to do this by looking at some of the masters' writing entries.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
02/08/11
So many people find it easy to blame God when things go wrong. How wonderful that he loves us so much, that he shoulders on anger, holds us and gives us hope.

You had some incomplete sentence and punctuation errors that can be easily fixed by a good proofread.

You did a nice job with the Characters and showing the range of emotion that the MC felt. Nice job.
diana kay
02/08/11
great story! and i liked the way it was her own brother who came to the rescue this added a lovely extra layer to the story.
i think that a little spacing would improve the "look" of the story but the content is a winner for sure at least in my opinion!!