XXIX

I knew Sevenia Sallie was different the first time we met in her father’s hospital room. She simply wasn’t like most teenage girls. Not only in appearance, but in her character, personality, and maturity. I knew she was special the second time we met several weeks later.

In between our first and second encounters, we both lost someone dear to our hearts to death. She lost her mother while I lost my beloved wife of six decades. The second time I saw her I was delivering my first sermon since my wife’s passing. I was hurting and filled with what I thought was righteous indignation. My congregation was probably expecting a tearful, sentimental address so close on the heals  of my wife dying. But they were wrong. I was prepared to deliver a scathing rebuke over the spiritual lethargy that was creeping into the flock.

I was beyond tired of people thinking I didn’t notice them sneaking peeks at their phones and concealing fatigue through the guise of prayer. Then I spotted Sevenia looking earnestly at me from the second row. Her father Seven was on her left, Destiny Knight-Storm was on her right, and an open Bible was on her lap. She wore a light blue dress that brought out the lovely color of her large, emerald eyes. Her young fresh face exuded peace, light and love. She glowed despite having recently lost her mother and her fifteen year old best friend two months prior.

Because of her presence, my attitude instantly changed directions. Before I opened with vocal prayer, I prayed silently and fervently that God would forgive me for feeling hostile. I told Him I was tired and to please speak through me. I disregarded my notes, and ‘let go and let God’ if you will.

 I couldn’t stop my gaze from continually turning to Sevenia. Her interested eyes and frequently saying amen inspired me beyond the words I was speaking. By that I mean that the presence of God was being experienced and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit energized us all. I was humbled and privileged that God was using me as His instrument.

Sevenia was probably unaware that she was the positive outlet I had plugged into that energized the words spewing forth from this old and tired mouth.  There was a potluck lunch after the service. When we were finished eating, Sevenia asked if she might have a word with me for a few minutes. So began an activity she and I would partake of a couple times a week going forward, walking and talking. I’ll never forget the way it began. It makes me chuckle now. But to be honest, in the moment, her honesty kind of hurt my feelings.

“Until today, I suspected you might be a kook,” she told me light heartedly.

“Is that right?”

“Yeah,” she said, shrugging her slight shoulders. “With my dad saying you’ve communicated with an angel, and your church’s, um, different beliefs. I thought you might be some type of a cult.”

“I see.”

“But I’ve been doing some Bible studies with Dad, Dee and Brock,” she told me. “I can’t believe  in all the years I’ve been studying the Bible, I’ve never seen the truths they shared. Like about the sabbath, hellfire, and the state of the dead.”

“Good for you,” I said, hiding a chuckle over her sentiment about all of the years she’s studied. I was a senior citizen when she was born. But I understood her perspective. “I’m going to venture a guess and say it was far from your first Bible study then. I mean with Dee, Brock and your dad.”

“Correct,” she replied happily. “I’ve been a seeker and believer for a long time.”

I once again held back a chuckle at what was a long time to her. I was in my mid-sixties and she must have been about fifteen. However, she did seem to be wise beyond her years, and I was careful to show her respect. I nodded. What she said next blew me away.

“So, I wanted to tell you something, Pastor,” she said with a serious expression. “When my dad and I sat down with Destiny and Brock this morning, I had a major déjà vu. Do you know what I mean by that?”

“Do you mean it seemed familiar, even though you’ve never experienced it before?”

“Precisely!” She exclaimed with enthusiasm, her big green-grey eyes twinkling in that young fresh face. The sun glistened off of her dark red hair, giving her a holy appearance. It was the first time, but not the last, that I thought this was an angelic young lady. Metaphorically speaking, of course. “Then about a half dozen times during your sermon, I knew what you were gonna say a split second before you did, and that you were gonna look at me.”

“Sorry I kept looking at you,” I said with a chuckle as I stroked my beard uneasily. “It’s just, you were the most focused person in the whole congregation.”

“No, no, Pastor. It didn’t make me uncomfortable at all. I relished how it felt like you were talking directly to me. You see, your sermon was an answer to prayer. The last two years I’ve been so torn between my two previous churches.”

“How do you mean?”

“Well, it’s subtle, I guess,” she said as a pained expression dimmed the light that  had just been on her countenance. “But, simply speaking, the church I grew up in abused grace. Do you know what I mean by that?”

“Do you mean they emphasized that we are saved by grace, therefore obedience is conveniently disregarded?”

“Yes,” she said as a smile lit up her face once again. “So then the church I’ve gone to the last couple of years with my friend Anna, was, well, legalistic. A side effect of legalistic seemed to be judgmental. Plus, they were, um, well, they preached fire and brimstone. You know, eternal torment.”

“Yet the Bible teaches that only the righteous inherit eternal life. So how could the lost be living in eternal torment?”

“Right,” she said happily. “That doctrine never set right with me. When I read my Bible, I see the love of God throughout. Especially the gospels and the life of Jesus and the plan of redemption. Yet to be honest, I liked how my last church seemed to emphasize discipline. Whereas my original church had this subtle, we are saved by grace, so now we’re free to do as we please mentality. Do you know what I mean?”

“I believe I do.”

“I’ve learned so much this week! Like more than all the previous years of seeking put together. And the grand finale was the best sermon I have ever heard.”

“Thank you,” I said as I meekly bowed my head. Was the satisfaction I felt an insidious form of pride? “Praise be to God.”

“It’s like you knew what I needed to hear. Like you knew what I have been spiritually struggling with. You explained righteousness by faith so simply and beautifully. How our obedience needs to come from love. How as we train our minds on Jesus, and contemplate the plan of redemption, and ask for the Holy Spirit, it becomes natural to do what Jesus instructed. If you love me, keep my commandments. (John 14:15) and this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous.” See (1 John 5:1-3).

“Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” I asked. (Romans 6:1)

“God forbid,” Sevenia replied. (Romans 6:2)

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law, but under grace?”

“God forbid,” she finished. (Romans 6:15)

We both laughed. I knew I had found a kindred spirit in the young lass. Even though I was only old enough to be her grandfather, as well as great grandfather, this was the start of one the best friendships of my life. Our few minute conversation ended up being almost an hour. We only stopped because her father was concerned where she had disappeared to and came looking for her. Not only did we form an odd friendship that day, she became the youngest person I had ever called upon to minister. I initially petitioned her about a  girl a week after that first conversation.

Lydia, a young gal, only a couple of years older than Sevenia had come to my office distraught. She was overweight and had bad acne. She stoically told me she was considering suicide because she was bullied, harassed, and had no friends. She felt that there was no hope. She said that when I was out doing yard work, I always smiled and waved at her when she drove by. It was one of the few kindnesses she seemed to experience lately.

I typically would have had my wife handle a situation like this. Given the girl’s age, she probably would have somebody like Destiny come in to assist her. They would offer prayer, fellowship, and friendship. They would also offer the guidance of a couple of professional counselors we worked with.

As I listened and sympathized with Lydia, I began to look up Destiny in my phone’s contacts. That’s when I spotted the newest number in the digital file. Sevenia Sallie. She said she would be right over. Fifteen minutes later, she sat down with the troubled girl. I left them alone, but stayed close enough that I could watch.

I marveled as I witnessed pure love exuding from Sevenia’s eyes as she held the young lady’s hand. The girl broke down and sobbed. Sevenia cried with her. They hugged. Sevenia shared scriptures with her. They prayed. They stood and hugged again.

Over the course of a few weeks, Sevenia led Lydia to Christ and she was baptized. It would be the first of many. Like her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Sevenia Sallie lives to bless others. Those that know her are blessed. I thank God I am one of them.