The Gift of Empathy (The Gifts Book 3)

by Jen Gentry

  After delivering the message concerning Jewel, Liam, Staniel and the others faded away. Emily sat down at the table with Gemma and explained how she felt helpless to protect Jewel from such a huge thing. “I’d much rather Jewel didn’t have this specific gift. It must cause her such pain.” Emily sat her cup of coffee on the table. Aunt Gemma sat silent staring straight at Emily.

  Finally Emily gave in to the silence and signed. “What? What did I say now?”

  “Oh, child, I remember thinking the same thing about you. I wanted a normal life for you, you know. But the Lord in his infinite wisdom saw fit to give you the gift of light as he did me. I prayed the Lord wouldn’t make it so, but I was wrong—so very wrong. You use the gift to help others in ways I can’t. Jewel is the Lord’s child before she is your sister. He has blessed you by sending her into your life. Do not make the mistake of second guessing his plan for Jewel and for you. He is her protector, just as he is yours and mine. You must respect the Lord’s plan for both of you. Jewel is strong. She has survived way more than many children her age. She will make it through and we will help her.”

  Emily knew Gemma was right and repented to the Lord. “Father, you are so good. I lay down my pride and foolish thinking. I give all to you. Let me follow your lead in this situation with Jewel as in all things.” Emily bowed her head. She accepted the Lord’s will for her and Jewel.

  ****

  Ethan had been staying mostly out of the way while Jewel got used to her new surroundings. He was doing some research for an old friend who was working on a thesis. He was so involved in his current read on the internet he didn’t hear Emily knock and let herself into his study room.

  Emily snuck up behind Ethan and wrapped her arms around him then kissed him on top of his head. “Hi love, you’ve been pretty busy up here all day.”

  Ethan hugged Emily back. “Well, I did have some things to research. How is Jewel? I hope she’s feeling better.”

  “Well, that’s what I came to talk to you about. Jewel needs my help.”

  “Um… I thought that’s what you were doing. I thought all of us were helping Jewel.” Ethan was little confused.

  “I don’t really know how to say this, but Jewel has a gift.”

  “So, she’s like you. She can see angels and demons?”

  “No, she has a gift that is not like mine or Aunt Gemma’s. She’s an empath.”

  “I’ve never heard if an empath. What’s that?”

  “I’m not a hundred percent sure what an empath is, but from what I do understand an empath can feel the pain and sorrow of others. With the knowledge of another’s pain an empath can help to pinpoint the exact cause of the pain and work with the other person by praying for them and encouraging them. An empath can aid in the healing process and can pinpoint demonic attacks in the lives of God’s children and help rid the person of demonic influence.”

  “Whoa!” Ethan took off his glasses and placed them on his desk. “Seriously, that is one tall order. And that little girl is packing that kind of punch. Poor thing, she’s had to deal with all that all by herself. Does she know what her gift is or how to deal with it?”

  “I don’t think so. This is why I came to talk to you. Ethan, I need to postpone our wedding so I can help Jewel. She’s in awful pain and I’m sure she feels lost and confused by all this. Do you think we could put off the wedding a little longer?” Emily waited for his answer with baited breath.

  Ethan was a little surprised, but he loved Emily very much. “Emily, you know I love you very much and you ‘DO’ want to be married to me, right?”

  “Oh, darling, you know I do.” Emily threw her arms around Ethan’s neck and sobbed.

  “Well, if you need to help your sister out I understand. Just don’t make me wait forever. I want to be married to you more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life.”

  “Ethan, I love you more than anything on this earth and I make this promise to you now; we will be married just as soon as Jewel gets settled. OK?”

  “OK.” Ethan held Emily tight and prayed the Lord would watch over them both. Surely helping Jewel with a weighty thing such as this would be no easy undertaking.

  The Gift of Empathy

  Chapter Eight

  1 Corinthians 12:7-11

  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

  Emily prayed through the night for Jewel. Not knowing exactly how to help Jewel understand her calling, Emily relied on the Lord for guidance. The first thing that came to Emily was that Jewel needed to decide if she could return to school. It must be a nightmare for Jewel to be surrounded by so many people. Maybe if they took it one day at a time Jewel could learn to cope with the overload of other’s emotions with the Lord’s help.

  Gemma would be a good sounding board, and Emily looked for Gemma in the kitchen. Gemma had moved back into her little cottage on the estate. Her Aunt had always preferred the coziness of the cottage to the big main house anyway. With Ethan in the guest wing and Emily with Jewel now in the main upstairs part of the mansion, Perry House was getting full. Emily smiled with the thought. Perry House was always meant to house a large family. Hopefully, she and Ethan would fill it with their own children one day. It was her great hope that Jewel would come to think of Perry House as her own home as well.

  In the kitchen Emily found Gemma already busy making breakfast for everyone. To her surprise Jewel was there helping and was already dressed for school. Emily didn’t know what to say so she just got a cup of coffee and took a seat at the small breakfast table set within a windowed alcove of the kitchen. The trees outside were already barren. It seemed winter would come early this year and Thanksgiving was just a couple of weeks away. Time was moving fast.

  “How are you feeling, Jewel?” Emily asked.

  “I’m much better today.” Jewel seemed a little quiet so Emily pressed on.

  “I wanted to remind you that you’ve other options than attending public schools, you know. I know how much you love school, but what if you decided to do online schooling. Just until your feeling more settled in and all.”

  Jewel thought about that. It would save her the pain of being surrounded by so many people at the public schools and that would allow her the chance to really concentrate on her education. “How hard would it be to get set up for online schooling?”

  “Not hard at all. We just need to get you a good laptop and I’d like to get your room finished so you could have a quiet place to study. We already have Wi-Fi in place. Let’s see if Ethan wants to go with us to get you a new laptop this morning. We’ll have to stop by the high school and see about what online programs are available and what we’d need to get you enrolled.”

  By late that afternoon Jewel and Emily had everything they needed to get Jewel set up for online high school. Jewel was a little disappointed to not be attending public schools, but it was a good thing that she would not have to worry about being around so many people at once. She didn’t understand why she’d never had that problem attending the homeless school. It perplexed her, but not enough that she was ready to talk to Emily about it.

  The decorator was coming in the morning to get started on renovating her new room and that was something she was looking forward to. She’d decided she wanted something soft and bright. Her days of gloomy darkness were over as far as she was concerned and she was prepared to move forward. She would take this ride for as long and as far as she could. But she knew in her heart that surely this would not last forever.

 
In the morning the decorator came with color swatches and patterns for Jewel to look over. Jewel had always dreamed of doing a room of her own, but being able to pick whatever she wanted was more than she’d ever hoped for. Jewel and Emily sat with the samples and catalogues of furniture on the floor in the great room in front of the fireplace.

  After much debate Jewel decided that she really liked the Queen Anne style and chose a large sleigh bed made of deep cherry wood to match the rich cherry furnishings including a desk with matching hutch and a swivel chair. For fabrics and bed covers, she went with deep jeweled tones of ruby and gold. Emily felt the colors suited Jewel perfectly.

  The decorator promised to have the room done within a week. In the meantime, Jewel would stay in a guest room next to Emily’s rooms.

  Emily decided they would make up for lost memories by having a week long sleep over complete with pillow fights, movies and tons of chocolate and popcorn.

  Jewel was ecstatic. It would be a kind of fun she’d never had, carefree fun. Jewel knew she was bonding with Emily. The bond between them grew stronger every day. But in the back of Jewel’s mind she knew one day Emily would no longer be in her life. It was just how things were; besides Emily was getting married to Ethan soon. Wasn’t she? Stay in the here and now Jewel. Don’t think about the future. Jewel admonished herself even as she held a part of herself back. The part she knew would be hurt when she and Emily had to part ways. Until that day Jewel would work hard on getting a good education and in getting into an excellent college.

  Through the next week, Jewel and Emily spent day and night together getting to know each other. One evening, after they’d gorged themselves on pizza, they laid side by side on Emily’s huge bed watching TheLast of the Mohicans on the massive flat screened TV hanging on a wall.

  “Emily, I need to tell you something and I’m not sure how to say it, but there’s something wrong with me.”

  Emily was prepared for this conversation. Liam had told her it would come and she said a silent prayer that the Lord would give her the right words to guide Jewel in the right direction.

  “What do you mean something is wrong with you?”

  “Well it’s hard to explain, and I’m afraid you won’t believe me.”

  Emily took her sister’s hand in hers as they both still lay side by side on the bed.

  “Jewel, I have something to tell you too. You see I’m different from other people. I can see things that other people don’t see. I can see angels and demons. There are special angels that talk to me. Jesus gave me the dream I needed to help me find you and the angels have helped to guide me to you.” Emily leaned up on one elbow and faced her sister.

  “Jewel, the angels told me about you. I know you have a gift like I do. Not the same gift, but a powerful gift all the same. You’re an empath, Jewel. You can feel other people’s pain and sorrow and that is why you have so much difficulty being in areas where there are a lot of people close together.

  It is also why I suggested you go to an online school. I want to help you, Jewel. So I hope that you will believe me when I tell you these things, because the Lord knows I’ll believe every word you tell me about what you’ve been through.”

  Complete silenced filled the room as Jewel took everything Emily had just shared with her in. Could it be true? Would the Lord have actually sent Emily to her just when she needed Emily to help her with this “gift?”

  Tears flowed gently down Jewel’s face, as she gripped Emily’s hand tight. “I believe you Emily. How could I not after everything I’ve been through.”

  It was enough for the both of them to sit side by side and hold each other’s hand so they could just be still and silent as they each gave thanks to God for the other.

  “Emily, I think I need to find Jesus for real. I don’t think I can live another day without knowing him like you do.”

  Emily expected no less from her sister and her God. “Yes, Jewel, I can help lead you to Jesus. Emily pulled her well warn bible from her bedside table and began to read from the book of John. Whosoever believes in me though he were dead yet shall he live….

  Jewel accepted Christ into her heart right then. She’d never known such love and peace. “Emily, I think I need to be baptized. I’ve never been to a real church, but I think it’s time.”

  “Yes, it’s time, Jewel, and I know just the place.”

  The next morning Emily made arrangements for a baptismal service in the small church she’d been baptized in. Ethan, Emily and Aunt Gemma attended. The Reverend Chorley and his wife performed the ceremony just as they had for Emily years ago.

  Reverend Chorley spoke with Jewel alone in his study attached to the little chapel just off the grounds of Perry House. “Jewel, do you understand the meaning of baptism by water and have you prepared to give yourself to Jesus Christ?”

  “Yes sir, I mean, Reverend. I want to accept Jesus into my heart. I believe that he died for my sins on the cross and that he did so that I might not die for my own sins but that I may have life eternal.”

  “Jewel, I am so pleased to be one of the Christians who get to welcome you to Christ’s bosom. On this day you will die unto yourself and your own selfish ways as you become one with our savior, Jesus Christ. This will be the single most important thing you ever do in your life as you make a lifelong commitment. And you show your commitment by washing yourself in the holy water that washes you white as snow and you will stand before our Lord sinless.”

  “I’m ready, Reverend.”

  Jewel had never known such love and such peace as she did right at this moment. She donned a white gown and stepped into the water with the reverend right behind her.

  “Jewel Elizabeth Bell, I baptize you in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit.” With gentle hands, the reverend placed his right hand over Jewel’s mouth and nose as he lowered her into the water.

  A hush fell over the church then a joyful noise started low and filled the air as Aunt Gemma and Emily saw the rush of angels into the church. The angels lit up the church and filled the entire room up to the rafters.

  They surrounded Jewel and the reverend as they sang the most joyful praise unto the Lord for the salvation of Jewel Bell. The rapture of the angels was palpable even Ethan could feel and hear it as the beautiful singing and music filled the air.

  When Jewel came up from the water she sang with the angels, her hands raised in praise. Everyone in the room stood and praised the Lord for having witnessed such an event. Later, Jewel recalled the intense warmth of the Holy Spirit coming into her body and filling her with a love that was incomprehensible to her. For the first time in Jewel’s short life she knew without a doubt she was truly loved and she would never again need to fear for her wellbeing. It was well with her soul and it was safe for her in this world. Everything was finally going to be just fine. Jewel had come home at last.

  That evening Emily, Ethan and Aunt Gemma took Jewel out for a special dinner at the Country Club to celebrate. They had witnessed the moving of the Lord in a great way and each one of them had been forever changed by the event.

  Jewel saw the world with new eyes. No more would everyone be an untrustworthy opponent out to hurt her or use her. She would trust the Lord to care for her no matter what any person said or did. Her life was now in the Lord’s hands, the best place she had ever been. She had so much to be thankful for with her new life and her new sister. No not just a sister, a new family. Praise God.

  Emily was beside herself with happiness. The Lord blessed her with a sister and now both of them had been blessed in the salvation of her sister’s soul. What a glorious day this day was.

  ****

  Just as promised, the decorator finished Jewel’s room in one week. It had been a constant effort with a whole army of workers and assistants. Emily and Jewel had not been allowed to sneak even one peek as the renovation progressed.

  Jewel was led to the room and as Emily held her hands over Jewel’s eyes, the decorator opened the door
wide. Emily gasped and Jewel shouted “What? Let me see, Emily, let me see.”

  Emily slowly lifted her hands from Jewel’s eyes. A soft ‘O’ shape formed on Jewel’s lips, and for a few minutes she just stayed like that. Her silent expression spoke more than a thousand words ever could. It was like being in Heaven. Ruby and Gold tapestries adorned the high windows on the outside walls. French doors led to a balcony that Jewel hadn’t noticed before as they’d been hidden behind heavy drapes. On the balcony was a Victorian styled outdoor table and chairs.

  The inside of the room was plush in the ruby and gold with cherry wood furnishings. Her desk was set up with everything she needed to study with her new laptop arranged and ready for Jewel to begin her studies. The sleigh bed was the most beautiful thing Jewel had ever seen. She ran her hands lightly over the ruby coverlet as if it would fade away from her site if she dared believe it were real.

  “I’ve never had anything as fine as this, is it really true? I can’t believe it, my very own bed.” The decorator, her workers, and Emily all had tears in their eyes as Jewel jumped up and down.

  “I feel like a fairy princess with my very own princess bed.” With that Jewel spun around and threw herself into the middle of her new bed.

  Emily squealed like a little girl herself and joined her sister on the bed, giving thanks to the Lord for the renewing of her spirit.

  The Gift of Empathy

  Chapter Nine