Girl of a different Era

Hello Friends,

This is a story I wrote a few months ago, for a fun little contest among friends. We were all given the same photo and we each had to write a story using it as inspiration. I’m not sure where the photo went but, I found another good one. So sit back and enjoy another original!

It was night and she had gone to bed hours before, when her mind drifted from sleep into an unforgettable dream. Everything was vivid, intense, and full of color. It felt so real that, in all her life, she would never forget what happened.

The first realization that pulled her mind from deep sleep was the unmistakable feeling that someone was holding her hand and leading her somewhere. It wasn’t a frightening at all. Instead, it felt wonderful like the One leading her knew exactly where He was going. It was a strong warm hand and she knew, at once, she could trust it.

As they walked on, the whole dream became clearer, before she knew it, the whole scene around seemed brighter than life. The first thing that she really noticed was the One that walked beside her. He was tall with a face that glowed more radiant than the sun and one could barely look at it, his clothes, although a simple design, shone almost as bright as his face. She knew at once it was Jesus, the King of the Universe.

“Lord,” she fell to her knees.

“Yes, it is I,” he said, “Stand to your feet my child, for I have something to show you.” He gave her his hand once more and they walked a little further.

He stopped suddenly and pointed ahead. There winding before her eyes was a lovely, little country road that rolled along till it twisted out of sight. The first thing she thought was how beautiful it looked, her heart longed to go and follow to wherever it led. It seemed right and perfect as if there was a calling in her soul to follow it! Not an emotional pull brought on by unwieldy emotions, mind you, but a deep-down calling like the Holy Spirit’s voice. Just as she started to walk towards the road it all grew fuzzy and out of focus. The Lord pointed to another route running nearly parallel to the little peaceful road.

She hadn’t noticed it before and was shocked that it was possible to not to have seen or at least heard it before. It was a highway with cars whooshing by and bright, neon signs blinking dizzying messages in the night. There was noise, exhaust, and the smell of gasoline hung heavy in the air. It was a sickening feeling and yet, at the same time there was something bad, no evil, that drew her attention. As if the world was tempting her to come. It seemed to whisper in her ear and tell her that ‘she could have anything, and that she should follow her heart and to do whatever her feelings told her to do.’ For only a moment she listened then recoiling with a shiver from the thought and sight, clung harder to her Lord’s hand.

“What is the meaning of this Lord?” she asked, “I am confused.”

“These are two different paths… this noisy highway is the path of the world; it says to follow your heart and dreams and to do what feels good in the moment. That is all a lie spun by the great deceiver, that road…. only has one destination.”

“What of the lovely country road? Oh, take me back to there please, I long to see it once more.”  She begged.

“This,” he said with a warm smile, and the highway become fuzzy as the lovely road came back into clarity, “This is the path of I have chosen for you, it is where I am leading you, and if you follow this road you will find your true calling as you fulfill my plan for your life.”

She looked at it, it was so lovely but, one could only look at the beginning before it disappeared behind the bend.  Fear suddenly seized her as she realized she couldn’t see what would happen around the corner.

“You have doubts,” He knew what she was thinking, “You are concerned because you can’t see what lies beyond, it frightens you.”

“Lord, please, I am not ungrateful, it is just….” Her voice trailed off as she thought of this trail, she knew that it was the one she was meant to follow but, the thought of the unknown was frightening. Everyone knows what happens in the present time and even what may happen in the near future but…. She wondered how change would affect it all. How would that bend and the unknown beyond alter her life?

He looked at her with kind and compassionate eyes as he spoke, “I have perfect timing, although the world loves to disagree. I have purpose and timing for everything that I do; for the places I bring you, for the friends I send you. Just never let those gifts hold you back from where I am leading. Some will go and some will stay but, I will always remain, forever. He looked her in the eyes, “Knowing this, Will you continue to follow my path? “

Her eyes met His and only for a moment did she hesitate, “Yes.”, she held tightly onto her Lord’s hand and they stepped together onto that old country road.