"It didn’t change what had happened in that chapel.” One of her arms folded over the other as she embodied an embrace of another kind. “Love got a hold of me that day, and He’s held me ever since. I don’t know what or where I’d be if He hadn’t.”
In the midst of today's chaos, concerns, and fears, God will find you exactly where you are...and send you words of love... This time, it was through a truly remarkable book I just finished this morning when I woke at 5:30... "It didn’t change what had happened in that chapel.” One of her arms folded over the other as she embodied an embrace of another kind. “Love got a hold of me that day, and He’s held me ever since. I don’t know what or where I’d be if He hadn’t.”
And as soon as I had read those words, the words of the song, "God is an Awesome God" poured into my mind to sing, to stop, and, yes, to remember, that once God's love gets a hold on us--He's going to hold on from then on! Wow! Once again, as many of us may require, I was gently reminded to Take Time for God...
I met Nadine on Facebook where we discussd a book both of us had read... At one time or another, I will meet many writers and get to know a little about them...Many times, I will want to read their words...for surely a writer--a great one--will speak their truth and share words that they want us to hear... Those are the writers that I want to read, to learn of their lives, and to hear, often, how God is working in his or her life... When I saw Nadine's latest posted, I immediately went out and downloaded it.
Her family had not routinely gone to church, so it was to be a new experience for Nikkita--in more ways than one. First, she was Black and was being invited to a predominantly White church... Nikki was quick to realize that when she found she was the only brown face in the congregation. Still she was drawn to stay and even quickly found a place--a place where people were visiting, staying to pray, or sit peacefully prior to the actual service.
It was there in that room, as she listened to the song softly playing, that she realized something was happening to her...and quietly felt His presence, His Love...so warm and close that she cried in the joy of knowing, yes...knowing Him in her life... She was amazed that He came so quickly and easily, offering her what He realized she had always needed...
Soon she was trying out for and singing solos within the choir... At home, her parents quietly watched as she started reading the Bible... Still, in the evenings, she would also always have time for music--music that meant so much to her and, often, when words would come to her... She would write them quickly down and then work out an arrangement of the musical notes that would be used, to create...a new... song...
Her voice spoke to all that heard it--for after all, her entire life had been surrounded by her music--what she wrote or heard, she made it a part of her life, even naming her guitar when she was in college, to keep her life surrounded with sounds of, and words, that she needed to share with the world...
As a result of that first visit, she had also noticed a single boy among the teens gathering--their eyes had met just briefly before they each turned to talk to those who were new to the fellowship. But, one night, when Nikkita was sitting alone in the hospital, while worrying about her father who was there, she was trying to do some of her homework. She looked up and saw the boy from church she had "met" on her first night there. She remembered his name and called, "Ian?"
Have you ever just "clicked" when you met somebody new? Well, Nikkita and Ian had done that. Ian had cared enough to come to check on her at the hospital, knowing how he had felt when his own father had died recently. He knew Nikkita might just need somebody to be there with her. And he was right...
They became friends--good friends and readers will enjoy the joking tease between the two as they got to know each other... Ian loved old movies and his favorite show was "Leave It To Beaver." You guessed it, the two would spend hours talking about the show and what was happening in the world about that time.
So, of course, food and where they would eat then came up! When she never heard of some of his favorite drinks of that time period--mine was rootbeer floats--he looked around the area until he found an old fashioned shop with a counter and even oldies playing...
And then she was gone... Nikkita stopped going to church, wasn't there when Ian tried to reach her and soon it was time for both of them to enter college and distance pulled the relationship to a close... At least it seemed that way... But no matter what had happened, there was no further communication between the two friends... What had happened?
When it came out, there was disillusionment and shock. The youth pastor had been involved with that vivacious young teen who had invited Nikkita to her church. In fact, when Nikki began to be concerned about her own interaction with the minister, she had called that girl and, before, she realized it, was being told the whole story...or at least part of it...
Keels' story includes that there were sermons or discussions that occurred in that church about teen sexuality. For me, that was a surprise, because I had never attended any church where the issue was even brought up! Which course should actually occur in the church?
One of the books I had contemplated researching and writing years ago, and may still do through my open-memoir process, was to be titled The Single Woman Within the Church. In my opinion, the church should be involved in, at least, responding to the issue, in some way. Obviously, after reading this book, I would say that, if it does occur, it should be through a sensitive, highly evaluated and tested program, rather than the personal opinion method which is based purely on what words might "relate" and can be found in the Bible.
Ian undoubtedly realized that, somehow, Nikkita had learned something and decided to just leave the church. But, that never explained to his satisfaction what happened to "Us." He would sometimes send a message, "I Miss US..." only to never hear back...
Time moved forward. Nikkita had pulled together a great group of musicians and was touring most of the time. While Ian met and married a woman... Social media was what brought the two back together, as friends who were once close are able to do... And, so, as the story begins in the present, Nikki has agreed to meet Ian as she traveled to her last concert, and would pass the town where she and Ian had met...
The story itself reminded me of an old, old story/movie, Love Story... Death, a part of life, was present and discussed. But would Nikki be able to share, to reveal to Ian why she had broken away so quickly and permanently, at least at that time...? Decades had gone by. Ian was a widower and both realized there had always been a connection, a budding of, perhaps, adult love... Could Ian forgive Nikki's actions so long ago? Probably. But could she deal with providing the answers he was asuredly going to ask? She only knew that if it didn't happen now, it never would... And she, too, had missed US.
Keels has done an outstanding job in writing a both believable story, yet one that goes deep enough into the issue without revealing too many details. I told my niece that I would have liked to have known her as a friend and not just as an aunt when she was 17, so that I could share this book and talk to her, perhaps sharing my own thoughts and opening myself up to lovingly discuss in a safe environment.
That's the type of work this book is...Don't be afraid to buy it for both boys and girls... Both can be just as much in the dark about the reality of relationships as you once were... It's important to open your heart and mind to children to listen to their concerns and allow them to freely come to you when they need to talk about one of the most important part of their lives. It's not an easy discussion--or is it? With the right parental relationships already established, it shouldn't be, especially when you spend time sharing about the different types of love that people share with each other... like God's love for each of us (see above video... as an example).
Only to have it betrayed and turned into something that is not expected nor welcomed... those feelings that we wish to save, to hold dear, for someone who we one day will love and care for...and allow Eros love to blossom and grow... Today's world emphasizes sex more than we could have ever imagined...
One of the songs I found today, "Son of David," reminded me of the story that I shall never forget, especially in these days, when so much turmoil and confusion are being incited and acted upon without regard to God's Truth. You see, the son of the Biblical King David once killed his brother... The brother who was killed was also the son of David who raped his sister... When David did nothing, his son acted out of love for his sister and killed the man who had attacked her... Undoubtedly, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God...
You see, in my mind from all of the stories I have read by women who need to share through their words what happens to girls--of any age--this has never been about abortion on the part of men... After all, many of those who are running for office, including in my own state, are saying that "nothing" should prevent a woman from carrying a child, even from rape, incest, or from...pastors, bosses, or any man who wants to have power over a woman, for any reason. But, just as Nikkita could not share about her own thoughts, so I and so many others, have not been able to do or consider anything, unless there is an option of choice...
No woman wants to "murder" a baby as the Dr. Oz candidate in Pennsylvania believes...and nobody wants to hear words from Mastriano who considers it "ridiculous" that a woman wants to feel that she has control over decisions affecting her own body... Just two of the individuals running for office this November! Think through what their words actually say and what it means to you...
Neither Nikkita, nor I had been actually raped. But does that make a difference in the mind of the victim of unwanted sexual advances... For Nikkita, she had to go into counseling, trying to understand what she was taught in church, as opposed to what actually took place there... I have my own story(ies) about those with whom I attended church...
Do not speak of Pro-Life to me when it is men, men who should never touch a woman unless welcomed, nevertheless go ahead and do it! Just in the few months that Roe has been overturned, a 10 and 14-year old have been forced to go to another state...or be forced to have a child, one when she was too young, physically, and the other, because she never should have been touched in the first place!
It really is NOT about life, you know... It is about men wanting to control all parts of women's lives... Just ask any woman who has been touched, raped via incest or stranger, or her date... Nikkita was doubly burdened, as I was, because it happened in church, by supposed men of God...
All women want, in my opinion, is to have a little privacy to deal with these issues that confront all women...and men... Is that asking too much? I don't think so! And though the "me-too" movement is essentially over, there are new cries of fear and anger... Hopefully, women who are concerned will speak... Writers who know about the trauma will share their words... Lawyers, doctors, and others who want to help women's health issues, including any reproduction concerns...will, as I heard this morning...continue to file legal suits against the laws that have been broken, even as far back as when King David's son first raped his sister... Don't allow us to go backward in being able to make decisions about our own bodies... Certainly, it is God that speaks of love. where a woman should be treated as Christ treated the church--He died for her... Anything else? It is criminals who speak of hate, violence, and loss of equality not only under God's laws, but the laws of our government's constitution.
Do your research and vote for TRUTH!
God Bless
Gabbie
