Stolen Woman

Kimberly Rae

Stolen Woman

“So how do you decide, boss?”  She said the term with contempt.

   He looked up, not surprised to see her.  His eyes held only sadness.

   “How do you decide who to help and who to leave behind in the clutches of evil?  These women—do they not measure up because they’re ‘tainted,’ not innocent or proper enough to be worthy of your attention?”

   Mark stood.  His fists clenched and unclenched.  “Asha, there are things you do not know,” he said slowly, each word emphasized.

   “I know you would turn your back on this woman and leave her a slave!” Asha cried out passionately.

   “There are things you do not know,” he repeated, his eyes piercing her.  “You have to trust me on this.”

   She would not submit.  Her heart felt as hard and painfully heavy as a stone.

   “Tell me, then.”  She was sobbing now.  “Tell me something that gives me reason not to despise you.” 

   The darkness was screaming at her, laughing at her.  “James says you don’t want to get involved because you’re afraid it might taint the missions’ reputation.  Is that it?”   Mark strode toward her, his face cast in shadows.  “Who is James?” 

   “A knight in shining armor compared to you at the moment.”  Asha wiped her face with her shawl, but the tears kept coming.

    Mark took her by the arm and would not let her pull away.  “Sometimes, a guy’s armor being shiny only means he’s never actually been in a battle.  Your James talks big, but he has no idea what he’s talking about.”

   Asha stilled for a moment.  Her eyes begged him.  “Please, Mark.  Please let me go help her.  I must.”

   When he shook his head no, Asha tried to pull away, but he still held her arm.

   “You have no heart!” 

   She did not know if she whispered it or screamed it, but his reaction was strong.
   Grabbing her other arm, he pulled her to him until their noses almost touched.  He spoke through clenched teeth.  “You know nothing about my heart.”

   He released her, and walked away.  Snatching up the lantern, he turned one last time, the light flinging across him wildly as the lantern swung in his hand.

   “Don’t go back there, Asha.  Ever.  I told you I’d take care of it, and I will.  As far as you’re concerned, this is over.”

   He walked away then, leaving Asha alone in the darkness.

   She stood still, silently crying, while her resolve built.

   Mark was wrong.  It was not over at all.

   Not for her.

Fit For Faith

Excerpt from Fit for Faith – 

7 weeks to improved spiritual & physical health

by Kimberley Payne

WELCOME

Fit for Faith is a unique workbook program. In addition to learning about the three components of fitness – cardiovascular exercise, strength training and stretching – your relationship with God will be strengthened through daily prayer, Scripture reading and daily journal writing.

God created you as a whole person, therefore take care of your whole self, not just the individual parts. A direct relationship exists between physical, emotional and spiritual health. A healthy body gives you the energy and enthusiasm to carry out the purposes that God has for your life. Practicing healthy living glorifies God.

This workbook is an invitation for you to discover for yourself the joys of treating your body with respect, learning to love yourself and connecting with God on a deeper level. You are invited to take a fresh physical and spiritual attitude on a daily basis.

You will learn that God truly cares. He is personal and He is intimate. God does listen to your prayers and is there for you. When you rely on God totally, for everything – including such things as losing a few pounds – He will bless you. God loves you and He wants you to love yourself. He did not create you to look at your body in disgust, but rather God saw all that He had made, and it was very good. (Genesis 1:31)

Each day, follow the outline provided and start with a simple prayer. Read the question in the reflection section and write your own response. At the end of the day, answer the three questions about your activity and healthy eating habits. Test your knowledge with the myth. Finally, close each day by meditating on the scripture verse.

The Fit for Faith Review is a personal record of your week. It is a self-evaluation tool that reflects your strengths and defines areas that need improvement.

You need to be faithful about doing something each day in order to realize the full potential of God’s plan for you. You are invited to develop physical well-being and grow spiritually to deepen your relationship with God. Prayer, Bible study and journal writing are to your spirit what exercise, healthy eating and stretching are to your body. 

Blessings on your journey to health!

ACTION PLAN

PART I: EXERCISE YOUR BODY & EXERCISE YOUR SPIRIT

Cardiovascular exercise & Strength training + Prayer

Think of exercise as either cardiovascular activity or strength training. Cardiovascular activity helps you to increase energy and keep moving. It is good for your heart, lungs and circulatory system. Strength training (also known as weightlifting) helps you keep your bones and muscles strong, reduces bone loss and improves balance and posture.

Prayer helps you to enter into a spiritual communion with God.

What cardiovascular exercise and strength training do for building a strong body, prayer does to build spiritual strength. Your body requires exercise and food, and it needs these things regularly. You cannot just take care of it at the beginning of the week and forget about it. Your spiritual life is similar to your physical body in that way. You cannot pray just once and have a healthy, growing spiritual life.

In strength training, you start by lifting small weights, and as you grow stronger, you can lift heavier weights. It is the same with prayer. You start by praying a short amount of time, and then as your desire grows you can spend time in prayer every day.

Just as exercise strengthens your body, prayer strengthens your spirit. Similarities between exercise and prayer include:

To be physically and spiritually healthy requires discipline. You need to practice both daily and use this strength or you will lose it.

The effects can be both immediate and/or long term. You may see the results right away or the effects can be cumulative.

Both exercise and prayer improve balance in your life, improve your quality of life and boost your mood.

With a pure motive, both delight God.

A Sunny Tomorrow

The following is an excerpt from A Sunny Tomorrow, A collection of Christian based stories for children.

Am I Special?

A Sunny Tomorrow

My mom is beautiful.  Everyone thinks so. When we walk in a store, people stop to stare at her. 

My dad is very smart.  He knows almost everything.  If you need to know something, just ask my dad.  He can answer your question.

I’m just a regular kid.

My sister, Emily is three years old.  She can’t hear with her ears.  She has never heard a word.  That is why she is can’t talk yet. When the doctor told my parents that she has special needs, my mom couldn’t stop crying.  Dad looked really sad.  Emily has been special to us since she was born.  We love Emily even more now that we know she has special needs.

Mom and Dad took Emily to school for Special Education classes because she needs special teachers to help her learn to talk with her hands.  Mom and Dad are going to classes at night to learn to talk to Emily with their hands.  It is called Sign Language.  Right now Emily doesn’t hear what I say, but she knows I love her.

Everywhere we go; people ask what is wrong with Emily.  Mom and Dad say, “Nothing is wrong with Emily.  God made her perfect.  She can talk with her hands and hear with her eyes.  She is a very special child.”

On Monday I walked Emily to her Special Education class.  When she walked in her teacher said, “There’s our special girl.”

At lunch the principal said, “Mrs. Jones, please get Emily a special tray from the cafeteria.”

When we rode the bus home the driver said, “Why don’t we put Emily in a special seat?”

That night the lady at the store handed Emily a lollipop and said, “There you go, special girl”

On Tuesday Emily went in my room and broke my new toy.  I got really angry and yelled at her even though she can’t hear me.  Then Mom yelled at me.   “Don’t yell at her.  You know she has special needs.”

On Wednesday I was doing my homework at the table.  Emily grabbed my paper and tore it.  I started crying because I had to do the paper again.  Mom said, “Don’t be a cry baby.  Emily didn’t know any better.  She can’t help it if she has special needs.”

On Thursday Emily took my ice cream away from me.  I grabbed it back.  Mom said, “Go stand in the corner.  We don’t treat our special girl that way.”

I stood in the corner crying.  Emily came up to give me a hug and I pushed her away.  Dad said, “I am very disappointed in you.  I think you shouldn’t watch television for two days.”  I told him that I didn’t care about that stupid television.  Now I can’t watch television or ride my bike for two days. 

On Friday when we got off the bus, I didn’t wait for Emily.  I just ran in the house.  Mom said, “Where is Emily?”  I said, “She’s coming.”  Mom sent me to my room.  Then she went outside and brought Emily in the house.  When Dad got home, she told him that I left Emily outside by herself.

Dad came into my room and said, “I don’t know what is wrong with you.  You have been mean to Emily all week.  The Bible tells us to be kind to special people.  Emily will never be able to hear.  God made her special.”

On Saturday I had a baseball game, but Mom and Dad couldn’t watch me play because they had to go to the class to learn to talk with their hands.  I was the only kid at the game with no mom or dad watching.  After the game all the other kids went to get ice cream with their mom or dad.  I walked home alone.

When Mom and Dad got home, I asked if we could go get ice cream.  They said no because they had learned some new words to teach Emily.  I asked if maybe we could go on Sunday after church.  They said no because my grandparents wanted to see Emily.

I know God made Emily special, but He made me first.  Doesn’t that make me special?  If Dad is so smart why can’t he see that being made first is special too?

I went to my closet and got the suitcase that I take to Grandma’s house.  Then I started putting clothes in it.  When I was finished, I started out the door, but Dad saw me.  He said, “Where are you going?”  I said, “Well I am the only one here that is not special, so I guess God put me in the wrong house.  I am going to find a house with regular people in it.”

Mom came in from the kitchen and said, “What did you say?”  I said, “I am going to live in a house with people who are just like me, not special.”

Mom said, “Why do you think you are not special?”

I said, “Because everyone is always saying how special Emily is.  No one thinks I’m special.”

Mom and Dad said, “We do.  We think you are special.”

Mom said, “I guess we forget to tell you how special you are to us.”

Dad said, “We are sorry for paying so much attention to Emily that we forgot about you.  We need to show you how special you are to us.  This is your special night.  What would you like to do?”

Mom asked a babysitter to stay with Emily.  Then Mom and Dad took me to eat pizza and ice cream.  While we ate I told them all about my game.  They listened and talked to me.  They talked about my game and my grades.  They talked about a lot of stuff.  But they didn’t talk about Emily.

Am I special?  Yes I am, just because I am me.