Five o’clock found me already awake, drifting in and out of coherent thought. I bounced out of bed, showered and started collecting things for a day in RussVegas with Papa. It started out slowly, trying to get the shopping done and I wound up on the Tech Campus shortly after eleven. I tried to call Emily, but couldn’t get through for some odd reason, and resorted to Miss Lauryn. “Hey!” she greeted me. “Are you on campus?” I answered in the affirmative and she went on, “Do you want to get lunch now or at one?” Inside I was laughing so hard. I tailed a Summit resident through the high security doors, rode the elevator up and entered her room in a bounce. She called Emily to invite her to lunch with us, and texted Zach “Lunch with me and my sis at one?” His response: “In the Café? Sure!”
I struck out for the library where I planted myself at a table and searched, unsuccessfully for offline e-mail for the Willis clan. Before long a tall, dark-headed guy came in, located me and set up camp at a table across from me, where he had a perfect angle of my face. He accomplished very little. I truly wished for Josiah’s recommended sign: “Study Something Else”.
My phone vibrated showing Zach’s name. Why is he calling me? Answer it or not, I deliberated. He knows better than to just call me, so maybe it’s legitimate. “Why are you calling me?” I demanded. “Uh…” his response. “Is this Abigail? Why are you whispering?” My turn to stutter. “Uh…I’m the library.” Realization dawned for us both at the same time. “You’re on campus? So I don’t suppose Josiah’s anywhere handy?” Quickly I forgave him for calling me and quickly we hung up.
Lauryn was printing out a John Piper article on hearing God’s voice—through His word— in the 21st century when I emerged from the upper stories of the Library. She showed me Zach’s most recent text message: “I can’t wait to have lunch with my hero.” Obviously he mistakenly believed Lauryn meant her birth sister—amazing Emyleigh, whom he adores. As we walked out of the library, he joined us and suspiciously demanded, “Is it really you Lauryn was talking about?” His chagrin was quite apparent.
Tedd and Emily L. joined us halfway through lunch and Emily asked me, “Who was it that called me?” I shrugged. “When?” She said, “Earlier. She said, ‘Do you want to have lunch with Abigail and I at one?’” And then I started laughing. Lauryn is so funny! She called the wrong Emily and got us a double date. But poor Emily W. doesn’t even know I was present and accounted for today.
Here’s where it gets good. I met Amber at Hastings and wound up with a free drink. I rarely buy coffee because it’s so expensive and has no redeeming qualities, but when the clerk came over to me asking if I wanted an iced coconut mocha, I didn’t turn him down. We dove into John and read the first two chapters. Amber and her mom were very busy today, but she didn’t want to miss it. We're both really enjoying spending time together. We discussed how we need to fill our jars with the water of the Word so Jesus can turn them into sweet wine. Also how we should cleanse our temples so that we may be houses of prayer. We talked and prayed and stood up to leave.
As Amber paid for her drink, I noticed that the woman behind us had a shaved head, and I complimented her on her hat. She responded eagerly and took off her hat to show me her head. She was on her fourth ovarian cancer bout, but didn’t seem bothered by it. “I’ve already outlived what my gynecologist thought,” she said with pleasure. The opening was too perfect. I asked her about life after death. “I’ll go to heaven,” she responded with conviction. “Does everyone go to heaven?” I asked. “No, sadly,” she responded and began to tell me how only those who believe and trust the Lord will reach heaven. A little more conversation proved her faith was placed in the person and work of Jesus and we’d found a sister.
Papa and I arrived home safe and sound and we all enjoyed a splendid meal, seasoned by grace. After swapping stories the whole family joined hands and prayed. We prayed for Amber and her mom.
About an hour ago the phone rang and Amber’s excited voice came over the line. “I’ve been trying to call you for the last hour!” She then related how she and her mom had gone to the Laundromat, and she’d been inspired to strike up a conversation with a lady there. That target proved to be a believer, but a bystander was listening intently. Amber turned to her and asked, “What about you?” Soon she was embroiled in a discussion with a woman obviously embroiled in a cult. At a loss, she gave up. It was then that her mom stepped in, quoting verse after verse of scripture. Later she was surprised at herself and could only give all the glory to the Lord.
Amber excitedly recognized two things—that the Lord could work through anyone, and also that her mother’s diligent study of scripture as a young woman had paid off. It was still hidden in her heart. Excited again about the Word of the Lord, she and her mother were looking up scriptures together. “I wonder if my Bible’s forgotten what I look like?” Amber said over the phone. Then she giggled. “I’m so excited!”
The Lord is so powerful! Praise Him!
Lord, Thou art a God who’s near
Not far, Thou art a God who hears
And answers, Thou wilt always prove
The power of Thy matchless love.
And Lord, Thy word is such a light
A lamp, that grows forever bright
And clear, when we trust and obey
The Word Thou spoke that matchless day.
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