Escape to Love

by Vanessa Miller

  “Actually, it was fun.”

  “If you had so much fun, why did you give him so much money to go away. He doesn’t deserve anything.”

  “If it wasn’t for the public offering, I wouldn’t have given him anything. But I can’t afford a scandal at this point in the game.”

  Renee was so in love with this man. He was everything she’d ever desired. She didn’t care about the money he was about to make. She would have loved him if he no matter what. Because, like God, Jay first loved her. She pulled him close, leaning into him, pressing her mouth to his as she kissed him with open abandon.

  When the managed to pull themselves apart, Jay asked, “What are you doing for the next fifty years?”

  “I don’t know, why?”

  “Because I want to marry you.”

  She shook her head. “If you can’t promise me sixty years, it’s a no go.”

  “Lady, I can promise you an eternity.” he kissed her again and then said, “Make my dreams come true, Renee. Marry me and make me.”

  She loved that his dream was no longer singularly about this IPO and becoming richer than Bill Gates. But it now included her and their love. She could work with that. “Yes Jay, I will marry you.”

  Epilogue

  With her three-carat diamond ring on her finger, Renee sat down at her desk and opened her email. It was time to deliver the message her family had patiently waited for... it was time for her praise report.

  Hey Family,

  I know some of you probably never thought you’d see the day that I’d send out an email with the subject line of ‘Praise Alert’. But I thank God that we serve a wonderful savior who is able to make the impossible, possible.

  I have been told how beautiful I am all my life, but I never felt beautiful. Not on the inside, where it counts. I think my problems with self-esteem began when I met my first bully in grade school. For a long time I pretended like I was okay and what that bully did to me hadn’t harmed me. But it had... for so many years after that, I felt like I deserved no better than what I got out of life. Like I was nothing because that’s what people kept telling me. But I thank and praise God because He didn’t let it end that way. Giving my life to the Lord, has allowed me to lift my head and realize that I am somebody... I matter. I also praise God for the family I was born into and my father merged us with through marriage. Because the love you all have for me is priceless.

  I never thought I’d be able to praise God while going through horrific situations. But I did it. And now I too can say, praise Him anyhow!

  Well, I’m off to make wedding plans...

  ***

  Two angels stood outside the pearly gates of heaven shouting, “Glory to the Most High God!” They opened the gates and welcomed Arnoth and he soldiers back home.

  It felt like dejavu all over again as Arnoth limped in with tattered wings. He called out to his captain.

  “Yes Arnoth?”

  “I have completed my mission.”

  “And well you have. I will talk to the General about your wings.”

  Bowing, Arnoth said, “Thank you, sir.”

  Captain Aaron disappeared from the heavenly hosts in the outer court. He walked through the inner court on his way to the Holy Place. There were unnumbered mansions in the inner court, room enough for everyone. Sadly enough, the beauty and splendor of heaven would only be enjoyed by the few that served God. As he passed by the room of tears, he glanced in and shook his head in wonderment. It still amazed him that humans had tears so precious that God would bottle and preserve them in a room as glorious as this.

  He opened the door of the Holy Place and stood in the back, as he heard the voice of thunder and lightening. He then heard a multitude of praises. And as the voices became thunderous, Aaron also joined them. In this place, where God sits high and is lifted up, praises are sung to Him forever. His glory lovingly fills the atmosphere and joy spreads throughout His Heavenly court.

  His omnipotence glistened through the emerald rainbow arched above the magnificent throne. The twenty-four elders surrounding Him, were also seated on thrones, and clothed in white radiant robes. They wore crowns of gold on their heads.

  Seven lamps of fire were burning and a sea of crystal lay at the Master’s feet. In the midst of the throne and around it, were four living creatures with eyes covering their entire body. The first living creature was like a lion, the second a calf, the third, a man, and the fourth, a flying eagle. Each of the creatures had six wings. They do not rest day or night, as their massive wings enabled them to soar high above the thrones. Generating cool winds throughout heaven, they bellow continuous alms to their King crying, “Holy, holy, holy. Lord, God Almighty. Who was and is and is to come!”

  The twenty-four elders fell down before Him and worshipped saying, “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” They threw their crowns before the throne in adoration.

  Thunder and lightening sparkled from the throne of Grace once more, then Michael’s glorious nine-foot form stood. His colorful wings glistened as they flapped in the air. “Yes my Lord,” he said, as he took the scrolls from the Omnipotent hand that held it.

  Michael stood in front of Aaron. His sword was longer and heavier than the other angels. Jewels were embedded throughout the handle of this massive sword, a symbol of his many victories. The belt that held his sword sparkled with the gold of heaven. “Here is your assignment.”

  Aaron took the scrolls, then said, “My General, my Prince, Arnoth has completed his mission.”

  Smiling, Michael said, “And so he has.”

  “Will he receive another jewel on his sword today, sir?”

  “Let’s get it done.” They left the holy of holies and entered the inner court. The angels got excited at the sight of their general. After all these years he still amazed them. The one angel who could stand against Lucifer time and time again, and come out the victor.

  Captain Aaron raised his right hand and the angels fell silent again. He passed out the assignments and sent several thousand angels on their way, then he said, “Arnoth, come forth.”

  As a sea of angels parted, Arnoth made his way to the front. He kept his head down, ashamed of the tattered condition of his wings. The wings that once flapped gloriously as he spread them were now torn, tattered and shredded. His beautiful white wings no longer flapped in the wind, they hung frail-like against his body.

  “The battle was fierce.” Michael said as Arnoth stood before him.

  Arnoth’s head was still bowed low as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His charge had survived the attacks of the enemy. He’d fought against legions of demons that tried to keep Renee bound. But those demons did not prevail. He told his general, “I’m just thankful that God still has some praying saints out there.”

  “Amen to that,” Captain Aaron said.

  Michael unsheathed his sword, and pronounced over Arnoth, “May the Lord strengthen you to do battle with the forces of darkness until the evil one is shackled.” Then he touched both of Arnoth’s wings with his sword, and they stretched forth as the wings on an airplane. And as his wings flapped in the air, they became glorious with no sign of the ungodly battle he endured to bring one wayward soul back to God.