Chapter 26: Not Every Battle is a Victory

A big gust of wind hits the motel and the entire building shakes dangerously. Molly and Gabriel are taking a nap on the bed. They have been here for three days now, waiting as much for God’s next command as just taking comfort in each other. Gabriel wakes up and looks over at Molly who is still asleep. He gets out of bed trying not to wake her. He opens the door that normally steps out on the beach, but this time he is definitely not in Kansas anymore.

The sky rolls by in time-lapsed fashion: purple and cream dominate the scene. Though Gabriel is no longer at the beach, there is still nothing but sand. He is in a desert. He squints his eyes and tries to see through the sand storm. Far off he sees a once beautiful city and he doesn’t know why but it just comes to him that it is the New Jerusalem. It breaks his heart and fills his mind with unfathomable possibilities.

He starts to walk towards it, but the wind and sand intensify. He puts his head down and forces his way forward. For every foot he progresses forward the storm not only intensifies, but it turns towards him. He is in stinging agony, but he feels drawn to push forward. Knowing that not every battle is a victory, he knows some things are not just worth fighting for, but are worth dying for.

He steels himself to move forward, he screams above the roar with this prayer, “My Lord, walk with me and I shall not fail.”

Molly appears and walks up to his right side and takes his hand. The wind stops immediately and the sand drops straight down. “Together then?”

Gabriel shakes his head in wonder and then refocuses his eyes on the horizon and the city. They walk for what seems to be months, but eventually they make it to the front gates that seem to be made of pearl. There have definitely been hard times here, but the few standing on the ramparts are solid in their faith.

A being of unfathomable presence looks down upon them and says, “Narrow is the way.”

Even though the gates are massive, they have to turn sideward to fit through. They push their way through and as soon as they come out on the other side they are again in their motel room. They are standing just on the inside of their door.

They look around and then at each other. “Do you remember when I was telling you the human race is stuck in a cycle that is repeating every two, three, four hundred years and that nothing has really changed?”

“Yes.”

“I guess the suffering of this cycle is not over with yet. It is building towards something that can destroy destiny. We have been shown that very few will make it to glory by the few people on the parapet and we have been shown that even then there is a struggle to enter the kingdom of God.”

“Narrow is the way.”

“Narrow is the way.”

“But, Gabriel, did you notice that those of us who have earned the right are true and strong with the grace and glory of our Lord and Savior?”

“I did.”

“Do you think I will make it to heaven?”

“You already have, babygirl ... at least in my eyes.” Molly looks at him with big eyes. “But it is not you I’m worried about. I serve my Lord and do what I can because my faith drives me to, but I was once a great sinner and I just don’t know if my heart is true enough to be around something meant for the best of the best.”

“Oh, I don’t know, these things have a way of working themselves out.”

Gabriel squints his eyes and looks at her suspiciously, but playfully. Gabriel looks down at himself and her and then says, “Thank God we had clothes on in that vision or that sand would have really hurt.”

Molly looks at him like he is a giant goofball. She yawns and stretches mightily. When Molly is at full stretch he bends down and blows on her tummy. She wiggles and giggles. Then he sits on the edge of the bed and pulls her to him. He brushes her hair out of her eyes and kisses her sweetly. Molly turns around and sits in his lap and Gabriel wraps his powerful and loving arms around her. They sit there enjoying each other’s warmth and tenderness.

Gabriel lays back and Molly goes with him. With one hand Gabriel is holding her so she doesn’t fall off, with the other he is caressing her from side to side and up and down. Then he stops in mid-caress and hugs her with great force. They linger there in love and sweetness.

At last the command comes, “Let not the sand slow your progress. The desert holds your next treasure. In death you can find life.”

They wake up, sit up, stand up, start getting dressed and finally pack their stuff. They find 101 and head south. Once on the other side of the Bay Area the traveling gets smoother. “Death Valley here we come.”

By the time they reach the point of turning left to go away from the ocean and deeper into California, another day has passed; not because some weird time-elapse thing happened, but because they are taking their time enjoying each other and this God given world. Actually the truth is as they were getting ready to turn at Gilroy and take 152 East, they saw a sign that said Monterey Bay Aquarium and went west. Gabriel had always wanted to visit places like this, but on his own the motivation just wasn’t there. Now with Molly he is living more for her than himself. Oh how that satisfies his warrior self to no end. And they dance.

They stay for several days. Gabriel so wants to fulfill this life for Molly that God has put into motion, but the sad truth is Gabriel does have a bad leg and can only do so much in a day. “Gabriel, look. Oh, Gabriel, look. Oh my God look how strange it looks.” Gabriel just lets Molly go on and on. She is just beaming. Not from the glow coming off her, but from the little girl that still lingers in her.

But they go, as they must go, onward. They take 152 to 99 to Bakersfield. Gabriel hadn’t planned on going so far south, but it turns out there is no quick off shoot and plus God wanted it that way for they help a four year old girl find her way.