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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: WASTE (10/11/18)
“Mom, which of these do you like for a short article? I can’t decide.”



“The first one is the way the Lord created the enemy in order to seek and destroy evil in His children’s lives the way a military heat-seeking missile follows and hits its target. It’s like none of our pain is wasted because pain is often a ‘seek and destroy’ mission for the eternal good of God’s kids. He says in Isaiah 54:16 “Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire… and I have created the waster to destroy.”



"But honey, in verse 17 of that chapter it says “No weapon formed against you will prosper...” (Isaiah 54:17)



“Yeah, I know, but sometimes it takes a hit from verse 16 to cause someone to seek and find verse 17! That’s how you and I both came to Christ, remember? Was all that pain wasted?”



“No. The pain was what led us to Life."



“Yep. I used to be mad at Him for creating the destroyer and then plopping all of us down here in the midst of the evil. I told Him I wouldn’t do that to my kids! He reminded me of Isaiah 55:8-9. And He showed me that spirits attract to like spirits and that He must draw evil out of us so it becomes visible so we’ll deal with it. We don’t even know what’s in our hearts until He shows us.”



Mom agreed. “Ok. What’s the second idea?”



“The second idea is the way Jesus is planning such an indescribably exquisite home and eternal future for each of us whether we are just or unjust so we can all spend forever with Him in unspeakable pleasure because He longs for each of us to be with Him. Even if some choose not to receive what He is preparing. Hoping, He still prepares it for them.”

Mom shuddered. “The thought of someone rejecting Him, and missing out on all of it. What a waste that would be. ”



“No Mom…I don’t think what He prepares will be wasted. If someone never repents from sin and chooses Him, I believe those blessings He’s prepared might be given to someone else to enjoy. (Matthew 25:28) And doesn’t Jesus promise to wipe away all the tears? (Rev. 21:4) I also don’t believe any memories that would cause grief will remain.”



“Maybe sweetheart. I’ve never thought about things that way."



“Back to the first idea Mom, so the enemy was created for our good. The trials and troubles are calculated to bring our impurities to the surface so the filth can be skimmed. We’ve got to be prepared to live in the purity of what He’s been for eons preparing for us. In this life, we are like gold placed in a fire, and this life is so short it doesn’t even register on the timeline of eternity."



“It sounds like your two ideas are connected. Why don’t you combine them into one story?”



“Hmm. I might. Hey Mom - here’s another idea. What about a story about a Mother who during her lifetime taught many to trust in God, but just before she dies, she's so angry at God for "never answering her prayer" to save her child that in grief she renounces Christ. And at that very moment, her military child is in another country surrendering his life to the Lord. I could use heart-seeking missiles to convict her son about sin in his life.”



“Oh goodness – you and your analogies.”



“And Mom, what if the mother renounces Christ and misses heaven at the exact same moment that her child enters heaven? Jesus then would have to wipe away the tears of her child so he’d have no eternal grief. And what if Jesus had prepared an inexpressibly joyful reunion for them, but she’s not there and another one receives her blessings! What a waste! Hmm. This terrible circumstance could be applied to any prayer of any character."



“Sweetheart, that’s too tragic a story to write. Why don’t you combine all three ideas into a novel, but find a way to give it a happy ending. I’d like to read it.”



“And I’d like to write it. Thanks, Mom.”
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This article has been read 393 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Jenny Fulton 
10/18/18
Good job using dialogue to present your ideas.

I wanted to know more about the characters. Who was the child? How old? What was the article for? You could include this information by interspersing the dialogue with descriptions of what the characters were doing before, during, and at the end.
Larry Whittington
10/19/18
I appears to be well written but I am not able to put my mind around convoluted ideas.
Car Hickman
10/19/18
the use of dialog was good. the scriptures used were not 'wasted'; however it was hard to follow what was the "point" of the story.

It did hold my interest. at the end I was left hanging.
Noel Mitaxa 
10/19/18
I like your approach to depicting the scattered internal dialogue that we experience as we sort out what goes into our writing. To prsonify the dialogue is a very creative touch. Well done.
Annette Griffin 
10/20/18
Love the title. And I love the dialogue between the mother and daughter. I love that the daughter is seeking and searching the scriptures for truth. And I love that the mom is listening, gently guiding, and not freaking out because her daughter is presenting some "different" interpretations of scripture. Like that mom, I know and trust, that all who diligently seek Truth … will be found. This is well written and thought-provoking. Well done!

PS> If this dialogue truly represents an idea for a novel, I would have to agree with the mom that it should have a more uplifting ending. :-) There's nothing worse than investing hours of your life engrossed in a novel that leaves you depressed in the end. :-)
Linda Lawrence
10/21/18
You may be a beginner writer, but you have been thinking for a long time. I get this! My brain works the same way. Don't give up on your novel way of thinking. God's ways are so novel to our way of thinking!
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
11/29/18
I really enjoyed this. The Holy Spirit is amazing. As I am reading this, I'm in a great deal of physical pain. Your words spoke to my heart. I also went to a funeral of a really godly man today and thought about heaven. I can't imagine how I'd be able to reconcile if I got to Heaven and a loved one wasn't there. No answer I can think of comforts me (not remembering a loved one makes me feel horrible and knowing someone was separated from God in Hell is more than agonizing too. But the cool thing is we don't need the answers. God has them. You did a great job on this. Hugs.