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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Hear / Here (01/26/23)
“Speak louder Pam!
I cannot hear you. Move closer to the microphone!
Come, stand right here!!” he spoke forcibly.
“Call it the Here spot and this way you will be heard” he added.

Everyone knew that Pastor had hearing problems.
“Yes,” she said timidly in her quiet voice.
“Well, as I said, stand here if you're going to do the talk”

“Your voice is so quiet sometimes and I have a problem hearing you’ he added apologetically. His hearing aids were visible to all.

“Sorry Pastor Jack,” Pam said with a small smile.
“I'll do better next time”

Pam was awakened by the insistent ringing of the alarm.
Hastily she did breakfast and made her way to the train station to get to work on time.
Sitting on the train, she remembered the dream of that conversation with Pastor.
“How strange?” she thought to herself.
What a strange yet realistic dream to have!

Interestingly, she and Ron, her husband was involved with the church but not in a public pulpit vocal manner. Her one source of anxiety was public speaking so she avoided such tasks.
She was more comfortable in the back set, chatting to newcomers, doing some secretarial things, and praying with fellow Christians. Ron was the handyman who fixed everything...


What was even stranger was that on the next Sunday, Pastor announced that he would be taking medical leave for about a month. He said that he would appoint a stand-in to preach the sermons while he was gone. Pam felt cold all over. Somehow she knew that the dream was becoming reality. She began to pray silently.

At the door, Pastor asked Pam to stay back so he could talk to her.
As you can imagine, he asked her to do the sermons.

Her friend Sally’s words encouraged her. She said “You can do it! I’ll be praying”
In her younger days, Pam had been a college lecturer for four years.
So she got herself organized.
In her mind always were these words from the dream;
““Call it the Here spot and this way you will be heard”
With much prayer and study of The Word, she planned, made notes and readied herself.

So, quiet-spoken Pam preached for four weeks.
She stood in the Here spot, and in trepidation, she delivered the Word.
The microphone, lectern, and lighting were all centralized and set up for optimum communication.
A few times during the sermons, she would say “Can you hear me?”
“Oh yes!” the church members would say. Smiles beamed up at her.

Her reliance on The Holy Spirit was active and not passive.
Often she would recall the words from her dream.

When Pastor returned four weeks later, it seemed, that many positive things were said about her messages, for which she thanked God.

Her first humorous words to him were “Can you hear me now??!!
She then explained the dream that she had had, and said, ”I stood right here!” indicating the Here spot.
Thankfully, he responded humorously and thanked her for doing a good job.
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This article has been read 328 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Loni Bowden-Horn 
02/02/23
This was a very descriptive piece and I liked the,humor that was sprinkled throughout.

As one of our local preachers often says: "Are you listening?"

Just as I was listening to a well written story
Barbara Culler 
02/05/23
This was quite interesting!
Bonnie Clarkson
02/07/23
So often the presence of the Holy Spirit is implied. You put it up front and center; I liked that. I liked the contrast of speaking loud versus a quiet voice. Dialogue was good.
A couple of things concerned me. Some churches would fuss about having a woman preacher. (1 Timothy 2:12 KJV). The second was how a person who was a lecturer for four years was scared of public speaking.
Good job. Keep writing.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
02/09/23
I enjoyed this fun take on both of the hear/here topics. You grabbed my attention and kept it to the end. Many churches have female ministers, and even ones that don't have a regular female pastor, will use female guest speakers. Only the strictest, most legalistic churches push women from the pulpit these days. You can put thoughts in italics instead of quotes and using tag lines. And if you do want to put she thought in to make it clearer, you don't need to herself because who else would she be thinking to? ;)
I enjoyed your message and your subtle sense of humor.