[Facing the Fear]
Just for the record:
Noah had marched in front of abortion clinics, preached the word of the Lord on street corners, handed out pocket-sized Bibles to the homeless and prayed with the young women and men of the night as they walked their tracks. He’d done all this and much more since he was a small boy…A current veteran witness at age 24. But all that seemed easy now compared to what he was gearing up to do by himself in the park that afternoon.
Starting his very first Forgiveness Meeting. All by his lonesome. Noah knew people were going to think he was a lunatic. But there was no turning back at this point. Noah’s mind started to race.
What if someone I know sees me?
He couldn’t think about that now, it was too late. A warm beautiful Saturday afternoon; the park’s parking area was absolutely packed! Noah was about to exit the lot in search of street parking—then, as if by fate, a young couple pulled out of the best spot in the whole place.
Another divine sign?
Perfect parking job. Engine off. The Prince crawled out from under the driver’s seat, hopping up on Noah’s lap and jumping excitedly into his face; licking his nose, waiting impatiently for his adventure. Doors open. Noah began to drag out all the random beach chairs from his beat-up ‘Jesus wagon’, leaning them haphazardly against the front hood on the sidewalk. Looking around he noticed all eyes were on him, actually they were all glued to the Bible verses that enveloped his station wagon. From the well-known. ”Jesus Loves You”….all the way to the powerful versus from Revelations discussing end of times.
Noah never felt this before:
Embarrassment.
Wishing he found street-side parking, he quickly grabbed as much as he could carry and started off toward the pond near the center of the park. Prince William pulling with all his strength in any direction his little legs could muster; beach chairs clanging and smashing into his knees and thighs… It was the longest few meters of Noah’s life, and he definitely wasn’t turning back now.
Into The Mystic, Ash 