25
Nia plopped on her bed, closing her mind to everything except the power—her power. Clutching the crystal, she visualized her power as the sun. She allowed its heat to penetrate each of her cells.
Someone knocked on the door.
She tried to ignore it, but it became louder and more insistent. Nia sighed as she opened her eyes. “Who is it?”
Another loud knock.
She got off the bed and opened the door.
Dr. Danforth stood there.
Nia put her hand with the crystal behind her back. “Dr. Danforth, what are you doing here?”
“I’m here to check on you.”
“Why?”
“Did you forget what I said at orientation? I’m not just your academic advisor, but I’m your mother and father while you’re here. And since you’ve been missing classes, I wanted to see what was going on with you.”
Now that she wasn’t seeing Bart any longer, she’d thrown all her energy into becoming the healer she knew she could be. And that meant seeing Sunny more and going to class less. “I…uh…I’ve been busy.”
“So Miss Tanya said when I asked her about you, but I’m a little confused.”
“About what?”
“What could you be so busy doing?”
“Oh, well. I’ve been volunteering and it’s taken more of my time than I realized.” That was the truth—sort of.
“Volunteer hours are not to be done during class time. That’s why you have no classes on Friday afternoons.” She smiled and walked into the room without an invitation. She sat down at Nia’s desk. “I applaud you for your efforts. However, class is just as important as volunteering. In fact, at this stage in your life—more important.”
Nia no longer felt the needed college. Sunny was helping her to become a healer. That was what she was born to do. Even Rachel had thought so. “I know, but I’m helping with this special project, and then things can get back to normal.”
Dr. Danforth nodded. “I see. So you’re saying you’ll continue to miss classes.” Her tone told Nia she wasn’t happy.
“I’ll try to do better.” Those were the same words she’d said to Sunny. It seemed as if she disappointed everyone. She sat down the bed, letting the crystal fall on the cover, hoping Dr. Danforth didn’t see it.
“This doesn’t sound much like you Nia. You’re one of my most eager students. And now you’re just missing all these classes. Without even talking to me about it. Do you have any idea how far behind you probably are?” Before Nia could answer, she continued, “Nevertheless, I trust you, so I won’t make a fuss about it. But before I go, perhaps we could read a few Bible verses together.”
If that would make her go away. “Fine.”
“Let’s go to First Timothy chapter four.”
Nia got her tablet off the night stand and brought up her Bible app.
“Why don’t you read verse one?” Dr. Danforth asked.
“Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.” Her stomach fluttered. Why had Dr. Danforth picked that verse? What did she know about what was going on?
“Do you understand what the verse is getting at?”
“Not really.”
“Just because someone says they’re a Christian doesn’t make it so. Lots of people and groups will pick and choose parts of Christianity but then add their own beliefs. That’s not Christianity. That’s deception.”
Nia looked down at her bed.
“I did a little checking on Helping Hands. I won’t say they aren’t doing good things as far as feeding the poor, but their philosophy is definitely not Christian.”
Nia started to protest.
Dr. Danforth held up a hand. “I’m not here to argue or debate. All I ask is that you pray about it. Ask God for wisdom and discernment. He will not ignore your request.”
“How do you know that?”
“Because God is faithful.” She stood up and placed a card on the desk. “Here’s my number. Feel free to call me if you need to talk more. Anytime. It doesn’t matter. You call me if you need me.”
“Thanks.”
Dr. Danforth picked up the crystal that had been in Nia’s hand only moments before. “Acts 17: 29 says, ‘Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and thought of man.’ Any group that resorts to these type of things is not from God.” She tossed it back on the bed. “All I ask, Nia, is that you ask questions. Then let the Holy Spirit judge their answers.”
“How am I supposed to know what the Holy Spirit thinks?”
“Listen for His still, small Voice. That nudge is the Holy Spirit.”
Those were the same words Rachel had written in her letter so long ago. Nia wasn’t even the same person any longer. That person had thought she would become a healer. And now Sunny was helping her make it happen. How could that be wrong? “I really feel I’m doing what God wants me to do.”
“Feelings can lie, Nia.”
“But I don’t think they are. I really think I’m doing the right thing.”
“The right thing never makes you keep secrets from people you care about. Have you talked with your aunt or have you been keeping secrets from her, too?”
“Not telling someone is not the same as keeping secrets.”
“Are you sure about that? You need to ask questions. Lots of questions, and then listen to the answers and let the Holy Spirit guide you.” Dr. Danforth left.
Nia stared at the crystal on her bed. There wasn’t anything wrong with it.
Sunny had explained that it was just a tool. A tool like prayer or the Bible.
She picked it up. Its warmth comforted her. There was nothing wrong with the crystal or with Helping Hands or Sunny. Sunny only wanted to help her access her gift.
Nia wanted that as well. But she had to admit, she was uncomfortable with the secrecy surrounding their sessions. It was part of the reason she’d withheld so much from Bart. Over the years, she’d learned it was easier not to have to explain to people about her anointing. No one seemed to understand.
Except Sunny. Sunny accepted her. She wanted to help Nia become a healer.
The sessions hadn’t helped yet, but Nia was willing to keep trying.
26
“Can I ask you a few questions before we start the session today?” Nia was sitting in the break room at Helping Hands with Sunny.
“Absolutely. What’s on your mind?” Sunny settled back in the chair and waited.
Ask questions. Dr. Danforth had told her to do that. So she’d asked a few questions. “You believe in God, right?”
“Absolutely.”
“And you believe in Jesus?”
“Absolutely. He was the greatest teacher of all time. In fact, He’s the reason we do what we do here at Helping Hands. He said do unto others as you would have them do unto you. If I was hungry, I’d want someone to give me food.” She shrugged. “So that’s what we do.”
“But you believe Jesus was more than just a teacher, right? He’s the Son of God, right?”
“Why all the questions, Nia?”
“I just want to make sure I’m doing the right thing. You know coming here instead of going to my classes.”
“Doing the right thing is important to you, isn’t it?”
Nia nodded.
“Knowing what the right thing is isn’t always easy. What may seem right on the surface may, in fact, be just the opposite. College is a wonderful thing. For some people. But for people like you with such a strong gift, you need a different type of education.”
Sunny’s answers to her questions made sense. “OK, let’s get started.” She held her hands out.
Sunny didn’t take them. “As I was saying, college is usually a good thing, but I’m not so sure it is for you. I sense some negativity surrounding you, Nia. Someone or
something is blocking your gift. Your power.”
“It’s all good. I just needed to make sure you believe in God. And Jesus. You do, so I’m good with that.”
“Of course we believe in God, but certainly there’s more than one way to enlightenment, or God. Whatever you want to call it. It would be ridiculous to think that there’s only one right way. The important thing is for you to find your way so you can own the power to help others.”
Rachel had explained it was by God’s power that people were healed. Rachel was only the cord. The means of getting the power where it needed to be. “You mean God’s power, right?”
Sunny gave her an intense look. “All things come from God so in a sense you’re right, but it’s your power. You need to own it, or you won’t be able to use it.”
Something about Sunny’s answer unsettled her.
“Anyway as I was saying, something dark is surrounding you. I can see it in your aura. I think you need to move in with us. Let us surround you with light so you can access your power. There are dark forces trying to stop you from using your gift.”
“Move in with you? I…uh…I don’t know. I can’t just quit college. I’m getting really far behind as it is.”
“Sometimes we have to make choices. Hard choices. Just because other people think you should go to college doesn’t mean you should. You need to follow your own path.”
Sunny wanted her to quit school? But she’d worked so hard to get there.
“You have a gift. Don’t you want to use that gift? To heal others. To help them?”
“More than anything.”
Sunny gave her a bright, inviting smile. “So what do you say? Would you like to move in with us? If it doesn’t work out, you can always leave.”
“Who’s us?”
“Several of us from Helping Hands live together. We save money that way.”
“I’ll think about it.”
Sunny leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees. “Nia, I don’t think you can afford to think about it. The darkness surrounding you is diminishing your gift a great deal. We can’t let that happen. I’ll call Tanya to pack up your things. I don’t think you should even step one foot back on that campus. It’s dangerous there for you.”
Her words shocked Nia so much that she simply stared at Sunny.
“Not that there’s anything evil about the place. It’s just not the place for someone as gifted as you. If you live with us, we can nurture your gift. Isn’t that what you want?”
She opened her mouth to say no. “Yes, that’s what I want.”
“Wonderful. After my shift here, I’ll take you back to our house. You’ll love it there. It’s a great house with a pool.” She smiled. “Can I use your phone to call Tanya?”
Nia handed the phone to Sunny after pressing Tanya’s icon and putting the phone on speaker.
Sunny waited for Tanya to answer.
“Hey, Nia.”
“It’s not Nia. This is Sunny from Helping Hands. I’m using Nia’s phone.”
“Oh…Hi, Sunny.”
“We’ve been missing you, Tanya. We think you’re so special and have a gift. A gift that we could really use here at Helping Hands.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. That’s why I’m calling. We want you back here with us.”
“You do?”
“And not just here at Helping Hands. We’ve invited Nia to come live with us, and we want you to do the same.”
“Live with you.”
“Absolutely. And there won’t be any of those tiresome rules like they have at college. You can come and go as you please. Do what you want. We believe people should be happy and free.”
“That’s what I’m talking about.”
“Is that a yes?”
“I think it is.”
“Great. I’ll just need you to pack up your things as well as Nia’s. Meet us at Helping Hands when you’re finished, and we’ll all go home together.”
“See you then.”
Sunny handed the phone back to her. “Great. That worked out well, don’t you think?”
Nia kept her opinion to herself. “What’s Tanya’s gift?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll think of something.”
27
Nia walked through the nearby mall feeling sort of like a zombie—almost numb. She couldn’t believe what she was doing. Quitting school and moving in with Sunny and her friends. But that wasn’t what bothered her. It was Sunny’s blatant manipulation of Tanya that was making her stomach churn.
She replayed their conversation. What is Tanya’s gift?
“I don’t know but I’ll think of something.”
Sunny didn’t believe Tanya had a gift. She’d only said that to get her to move in with them. Was Sunny manipulating Nia the same way she’d manipulated Tanya? And if she was, why?
Nia rejected the idea. On that very first day, Sunny had told Nia she had a gift of healing. There was no way she could have known that. Sunny had said she could see things other people couldn’t see. But even if she wasn’t manipulating Nia, there’d really been no reason for Sunny to manipulate Tanya. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t completely capable of going back to St. John’s to pick up her things on her own.
And Sunny had seemed so pleased. I don’t know but I’ll think of something. As if people’s giftedness wasn’t real. If Sunny really believed that, then why was she spending so much time with Nia? No, Sunny was the real deal. She had to be.
Auntie wouldn’t be happy with her. Auntie would still love her. And once Nia explained this was an opportunity from God, Auntie would be supportive. She always was. And, certainly, this was a God-given opportunity, wasn’t it?
Nia’s stomach growled. She needed something to eat. She sniffed. The scent of cookies—just what she needed. She walked past a store then turned back.
Puzzles Galore.
Since her time at Puzzle House with Rachel, she’d grown to love putting puzzles together. Something she hadn’t done since starting college. She walked inside to get a closer look. Maybe there’d be a place at her new house where she could put together a puzzle. She wandered through the store dedicated to nothing but puzzles. At the bargain table she picked up an interesting looking puzzle but her vision blurred. Nia swayed and…
“Oh, my goodness. Are you OK?” A voice asked.
Nia opened her eyes. She was on the floor. “What happened?”
“You fell. Are you OK?”
Nia sat amid a sea of puzzles. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I made a mess.”
“That doesn’t matter as long as you’re OK. Should I call 9-1-1? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
“I don’t think so.” She looked down. How had she gotten to the floor? Was she OK?
The clerk interrupted her thoughts. “I really think I should call 9-1-1. You really don’t look good.”
Nia focused on the clerk. “Not necessary. Really.” She stood up. “See. I’m fine. Let me help you clean up this mess.”
The two of them set the table upright and rearranged the puzzles.
Nia looked at the puzzle still in her hand. Her heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t possible. The puzzle showed a photo of Puzzle House—like the one she’d put together on her first visit. Not exactly the same, but close enough. How could that be? Was it a sign from God that she was doing the right thing?
Her vision dimmed, and for a moment she was surrounded by darkness. And an utter sense of being alone. The feeling was so strong, she swayed—almost losing her balance again. She touched the table for support and closed her eyes. God what’s happening to me?
When she opened her eyes, the darkness was gone. Moving in with Sunny was the absolute wrong thing to do. God did not want her there. And He was making that very clear.
I don’t understand. She’s helping me access my gift—the gift you gave me. Don’t you want me to use it?
Nothing.
She looked around.
The clerk stood by the
cash register staring at Nia with a worried look on her face.
Nia smiled to show her everything was fine. Then she walked over and paid for the puzzle of Puzzle House.
Outside the store, she sat down on an empty bench. She stared at the puzzle. Had that moment in the store been real? Was God really telling her not go live with Sunny?
She remembered the words Rachel wrote in her letter. Listen for God’s still small Voice.
The same words Dr. Danforth had said.
OK, God. I’m listening.
28
Still shaky, Nia pulled out her phone, scrolled to Tanya’s name, and then pressed the call icon.
“Hey, Nia. What’s going on? I’m packing up your stuff right now. Sunny thinks I have a gift. Can you believe that? So I’m packing my stuff. It shouldn’t take me too much longer.”
“Stop packing. I changed my mind.”
“Changed your mind? No, you can’t do that. This will be so much fun. A lot better than school.”
Nia didn’t want to get into that discussion with Tanya. “I’m not going. I’m at the mall right now, but I’ll catch a bus and come back to school. So stop packing.”
“Why? What changed your mind?”
Could Nia tell Tanya that she’d had a message from God? That God didn’t want her to quit college or to move in with Sunny. Tanya would call her a Jesus freak for the thousandth time or maybe worse. “Because it would be crazy to quit college. I don’t know what I was thinking when I agreed to it. It’s not the right thing for me. Or for you either.”
“Then why did you tell her you would?”
Good question. “I thought it was the right thing at the time but then….” She took a deep breath. “Then God told me it wasn’t.”
“Back to the Jesus thing—again. I thought you were over that.”
She closed her eyes. “I will never be over that. Jesus is my Lord and Savior. Now and forever.”
“You are no fun, Nia. Has anyone ever told you that before? You’re ruining this adventure we could have together. They might even send us to work in New York or Los Angeles. Helping Hands has other branches around the country. How cool would that be? You’re always ruining everything.”
David Years Page 11