The Parthenon was glorious on this July afternoon, as I stood preaching to a group of young people near my age. "Jesus died for all of us so our souls would be"eternal" if we believed the truth. You see he's the messiah. He's coming back for us who believe," gesturing to the crowd. "He loves us so much. Can you imagine a love worth dying for, a love that would erase the sins we create everyday. You see, it was sin that needed to be cleansed. So when you come back here remember: We are his people! He loves us that much!" Every one didn't speak. We sat in silence until a hand raised. It was a mother with her infant child. She came forward, " I know he loves us, but bad things still happen. Why doesn't he come to us now?" I inhaled and said, "Well, he's coming, maybe not today or tomorrow, but don't forget a lot of the people have yet to believe in him. God wants to save as many as he can. Everyone person counts, no matter what they've done. The more who believe just might bring Jesus's coming closer." I also lectured, "God's not responsible for bad things. Satan tempts us into doing things to hurt God and our community. We must not give in to it! I want all of you to pray and tell God all your concerns. God is always there to listen. Don't feel lie your burdening him. You aren't. He wants you to come to him when your in trouble or in doubt." Before I ended my speech I prayed on behalf of the group, blessing them; praying that they can look beyond our world and realize there's light as well as darkness. "That's what we act on!" I shouted, before repeating an Amen.
During lunch I opened my lunch box, and retrieved the lentil soup that Nikki had made for me before leaving the house that day. A man came to sit near me. I wasn't aware who he was until he spoke. "That was an interesting speech, Miss." The voice belonged to Marcus. I took a huge swig form my water bottle before I looked at him. "Miss, I would like it very much if you would speak to my boys. I want whats best for them, but they don't believe God exists. I believe you can help them." Marcus awaited my reply. I was speechless, but gave a quick nod in his direction. "Well, what's on your agenda today?" Marcus spoke with a gentleness in his voice. "I am on my way to go see friends of mine, other missionaries here in Athens." I said nervously. Marcus nodded and mentioned, " Do you want to hang out afterwards?" I thought to myself whether I was here to go off with men I hardly knew, especially if he was thinking of this on terms of a "date". Maybe he just needed a friend. "OK," I said, " But I cannot be out late. The people I'm with will worry where I am."
After my meeting with the other missionaries, I met Marcus by a local fishing dock. "Have you ever fished before, Miss?", he asked. "With my father", I replied, when I was very little." Marcus laughed, "Then let me show you a brief refresher coarse!" His laugh was very attractive. I was beginning to feel stirring for this man I had met not so long ago. I am here to preach! I recited in my head ten times. I realized my eyes were closed, so I opened them, and saw a blue sea with purple clouds on the horizon. We were already moving away from the dock when I realized a storm was possibly about to come. Instead of feeling afraid, I felt calm. Perhaps, because of the time Jesus had silenced the storm with a boat full of disciples.
As we got out farther I saw lightning in the air. I was always fascinating with storms when I was little. In my teens, I thought of them as romantic, and still felt the same. As the wind blew through my curls, I reach for Marcus's hand without realizing. He looked up, so I said, "I think there's a storms coming towards us." Marcus replied, "There are always storms brewing on Earth. We just need to find the courage to paddle through them." I agreed a hundred percent from a biblical viewpoint. As we got closer, he anchored and cast his line out. As I cast my line out, a clap of thunder roared. I counted until I saw lighting. 30 minutes. I reached in my bag for my book, and leaned back on the iron bar of the boat. Without realizing, I fell asleep.
I was floating in mid air, looking down at my body. But I wasn't scared. I felt more love than could be described at the time. I felt God cradling me in his arms. Marcus was trying to shake me awake, but I felt at peace. I heard him swear, and then he was trying to bring me back through CPR. "Don't be afraid!" I tried to shout. "It's OK". But he couldn't hear me. I felt a tug on my soul. I knew what was happening. I was coming home. Finally! Happiness surrounded me. Then I heard a voice in my ear, "It's not your time!" As I heard the voice I was descending down back towards my body, which was really an empty shell in the sea. I felt a THUMP THUMP THUMP ringing in my ears! "No, I don't want to go!" Then I felt my self breathe, and I was back in my body.
I awoke to lips brushing mine, and raindrops dripping on my skin...or tears I began to realize. Marcus was crying. I opened my eyes. "Don't cry," I said, "Don't be afraid." Marcus said, "You weren't breathing!" I said in a peaceful voice, " I felt His presence, Marco. It's the best feeling that I've felt, though it's hard to describe." Marcus looked at me, and I could tell I frightened him. He didn't say a word, but then I couldn't think of a word to say on my way back to shore. As I stepped onto the dock, he turned me around and kissed me. I said, " Thank you for a wonderful trip." We broke apart, and the tension between us was weird. I hadn't come to the realization that there was more between us yet. So I walked back, and felt him staring at me, so I whispered to him, "God loves you. You can't imagine how much, and your meant for something great. Don't forget!"
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