CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Darlene used the microwave oven to warm the baby’s food. She was not especially hungry at the moment because of her late lunch. She figured Keith could have the leftover meat loaf along with fruit salad when he got home. He seemed to be consistently late for the past few weeks. But that was alright, because she had a strange sense of peace. Ever since she began making her confessions, things went from bad to worse. Yet she seemed in control. A month ago, she might have reacted with a loss of appetite, but this time she was steadier in her home and on the job. She also seemed to delight more in Janie. Every day that she picked her up from her mom’s, she could hardly wait to get her home and play with her. She wished she could spend most of her time with her, but that was not feasible right now.

The buzzer went off on the microwave just as the telephone rang. “Hello,” she answered in sort of a hurry as she reached into the microwave to pull out Janie’s food.

“May I speak with Mrs. Darlene Smith?” a voice asked, above light static in the background.

“This is she.”

“Mrs. Smith, my name is Lieutenant Bob Richardson of the County Police Department. Is your husband’s name Keith Smith?”

“Yes it is,” Darlene answered nervously.

“Mrs. Smith, I regret to inform you that your husband has been involved in a traffic accident. Can you come to the County Hospital as soon as possible?”

“What? My, Oh my God!” she stammered. “Is he ok?” she said, fighting back the tears.

“Ma’am, I really don’t have the details on his condition,” the officer said as comforting as he could. “If you can’t drive, we can send a car for you shortly.”

“No, I’ll drive,” Darlene said in almost a whisper. It’ll just take me a few minutes to get myself together.”

“Just come to the emergency room of the County Hospital. Do you know how to get here?” he asked.

“Yes, I do,” she said, leaning on the refrigerator. “I’ll be right there, goodbye.”

Darlene called her mother as soon as she hung up, and told her the situation. Her mother offered to go with Darlene, but Darlene insisted on going alone. She would take Janie to her mother’s and still be only 10 minutes away.

She prayed all the way to the hospital, that he would still be alive. Rushing into the hospital, she pushed through two large swinging doors that seemed to squeak with an unnerving sound. Darlene followed a long red arrow that was painted on the wall that read “Emergency Room.”

A young lady sat at a computer with doctors & nurses moving busily around her. “Excuse me, my name is Darlene Smith, is my husband here?” she asked, nearly out of breath.

What’s your husband’s name ma’am?” the receptionist asked.

“Um it’s Keith, Keith Smith, he was in a car accident.”

“Oh,” the receptionist said, with a strange look on her face. “Just a moment, I’ll get Dr. Jones, he’s the attending physician.”

“Is he OK?” Darlene asked.

“Dr. Jones will answer all of your questions Mrs. Smith.” The receptionist dialed two numbers and paged Dr. Jones over the telephone. In about two minutes a short and slightly overweight man with a stethoscope about his neck entered the room. His wandering eyes found Darlene.

“Are you Mrs. Smith?” he asked.

“Yes, yes I am,” she said.

“I’m Dr. Jones the attending physician,” he announced.

“Where’s my husband? How bad is he hurt?” she asked with her eyes filling with tears.

“Calm down Mrs. Smith,” the doctor said, trying to avoid an overly emotional situation. “Your husband sustained a head injury when he was thrown from the car. Unfortunately, he was not wearing a seat belt.” Darlene hid her face in her hands and let the tears flow.

“Will he be alright?” she said, sobbing.

“It’s really too early to give the prognosis, but we’re watching him very closely,” he said. “Unfortunately, the driver received head lacerations and broken ribs due to the steering wheel,” he said. Darlene slowly raised her head and wiped her eyes as she listened to the doctor explain that Keith was not alone.

“Who was driving, doctor?” she asked with great expectancy.

“A Miss Nichols was behind the wheel. Is she a friend of the family?” he inquired.

“No, she’s a friend of my husband,” she explained.

“How is she doing?” Darlene asked out of curiosity.

“She’s stable,” the doctor said. “Her sister is with her now.”

“How bad is my husband’s head injury?”

“He’s in what we believe to be a temporary coma,” he said.

“Were there other cars involved?” Darlene asked him, as she pulled tissue from her purse.

“No, it appeared they hit a light pole trying to avoid another car,” according to the report I heard from the officer.

“Can I see him now?” she asked.

“Yes, you may, but remember he can’t respond,” he cautioned. Sometimes it helps when you talk to them in this condition, as long as you are reassuring.”

She stood up to follow the doctor to a room where a sign read Intensive Care Unit. She could hear the sounds of machines beeping, while working to perform the functions of a body that was unaware of its surroundings.

Dr. Jones pulled a chair up for her to be seated. There were so many things that came to her, as she observed the bandaged head of her husband. It was only five years ago that they were dating. Keith had not been a Christian very long when they met. He was just getting over a nasty divorce from a marriage that hadn’t lasted a year. When he met Darlene he had given his life to Christ and prayed for a Christian wife. They had only dated twice before he confessed his love for her and asked her to be his wife. He said he knew that God had put them together.

She tried to remember when things started going wrong. She couldn’t. They had been so thrilled to have their first child. He adored Janie from birth. But somehow when she wasn’t looking, he started to wander. Since her last session with David Edwards, she had continued to make positive confessions. She would pray specifically for her husband and not against him. Now this.

“Lord, how much more can I take?” she whispered. She reached over to grab Keith’s hand and prayed for his recovery. She included her confession in her prayer. “God wants my marriage to succeed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”

The counseling center was buzzing with people keeping their bi-monthly appointments. David hadn’t had a break all morning. He had one more client before taking his lunch break. He planned to take a walk to help rejuvenate his strength, during his break.

The receptionist knocked at the office door. “You have a cancellation Mr. Edwards,” she said. “Darlene Smith just called. She said something about her husband was in an accident and she needs to cancel her appointment.”

“Is that right?” David said rhetorically. “How is he?” he asked.

“I’m not sure, but it didn’t sound too good,” she said.

“Thank you for the information. I need you to hold my calls until my two o’clock client shows,” he said.

He locked his office door and got down on his knees. His life was about to increase to three specific times set aside for prayer. He prayed for exactly one hour both in tongues and for the particular needs that he was now made aware. He refused to feel defeated. He was going to fight the enemy with his faith. He didn’t care how bad things were looking for Keith Smith, God was still in charge of this situation. He prayed for his father. He knew that God would give him the answer to the dream. He prayed for all the others that he had been given a burden for, as well. After his hour of prayer, he thought he would rest at his table.

He pulled his Bible out of the bottom left drawer and read from the 55th Psalm.” Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

Afterward, he put his head down to rest and soon fell asleep. He would have continued to sleep but he was awakened by the ringing of a telephone.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Your two o’clock appointment is here, Mr. Edwards.”

“Thank you,” he said smiling. “Give me about 3 minutes before you send them in,” he requested. He grabbed his pen and pad and wrote down everything he could remember about his dream. He then unlocked the door and greeted his next client.

David went to the County Hospital after work. He found Darlene in the family waiting room with her head back in a meditative position.

“Hello Darlene,” he said.

She opened her eyes and smiled warmly. Her gratitude of his visit was evident in her eyes.

“I just wanted to let you know that everything’s going to be alright. I’ve been praying for your husband. I want you to try not to worry, and to keep exercising your faith,” he said.

“Thank you for coming,” she said, as she got up to hug David. “I believe everything will work out alright. I want you to know that I’m continuing my confession.”

“Good,” said David, “because the enemy wants you to give up on your husband.”

“I refuse to do it,” she said.

“Is there anything I can do for you, specifically?” he asked.

“Would you pray with me now?” she asked.

David reached for her hands and held them both, as he bowed his head and gave a prayer of thanksgiving for the life of her husband and their bright future as a family together. He then promised to call and check on her later. He hurried home because he had an important phone call to make.

When he got home, he opened a can of vegetable soup, and made a double decker ham sandwich. He ate a little slower than he thought he would, as he recalled the different things that had happened during the day. He was so thrilled to have an answer to his father’s dream. He was a little apprehensive regarding whether his father would accept the answer. Yet he was sure that he had heard from God. After checking to be sure that no one had left a message on his machine, he called his father’s apartment. A female voice answered the phone.

“Hello is my dad there?” David asked. He was a bit disturbed that a woman answered.

“Sure,” the woman said. “He just stepped into the hall to check his mail.”

“Oh,” David said. “Would you have him call me later when he’s free?”

“If you hold on I’m sure he’ll talk to you now,” she said.

“Thanks, but I’d prefer he called when he’s not busy. Just tell him his son will be available this evening. Thanks.”

“Goodbye,” she said.”

“Bye,” David said. He shook his head quickly, as if that would erase her high pitched voice from his mind.

David looked up the phone number for Aunt Tillie. He needed to talk with her and report on all the things that had happened. He called her number and the telephone seemed to ring an excessively long time. He was sure it was because he was so anxious to share all the news.

“Hello,” a voice answered that sounded as if it was just awakened.

Aunt Tillie?” David asked.

“Oh, hello love,” she said.

“Aunt Tillie, I’m sorry to wake you, I had no idea you’d be asleep by seven o’clock.

“That’s alright dear,” she said. “Lately I’ve been catching a healing again.”

“Aunt Tillie, I’ve got so much to share with you,” he said.

“Can you come over tonight?” she asked. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Oh, I’m sorry I can’t come tonight, but I’ll come tomorrow,” he promised. “See Aunt Tillie, Dad’s going to call me back. He called me the other day and asked me to pray for him. He told me not to tell anyone about his dream that he keeps having, so I couldn’t tell you, but Aunt Tillie, I fasted and prayed and God has given me an answer to his dream.”

“That’s wonderful, baby,” she said. “You’re growing in the Lord. He’s got great things for you child, just keep seeking his face.”

“Aunt Tillie, I’ve got another dream that I will share with you tomorrow concerning my sister. But I’ll let you go and get your rest because you sound tired,” he explained.

“I love you baby,” she said.

“I love you too Aunt Tillie, Goodbye.” “Goodbye, love.” He smiled as he hung up the telephone. He didn’t know a sweeter saint. David began to put his dishes in the sink when the telephone rang. “Hello,” he answered cheerfully.

“Hi Dave, it’s Dad.”

“Hi Dad,” he said. “Are you alone?”

“Oh yes, Melanie is gone, she just dropped by to bring me a fruitcake. She’s a very good cook,” he said, hoping to lighten the conversation.

“That’s nice,” David said. “I just want you to know that I prayed about your dream.”

“I knew you would son. Did you get an answer?” he asked his son rather slowly.

“Yes, I did. Dad remember how you were trying to give Melanie money in your dream?” David asked.

“Yes,” his father answered.

“Well,” David continued, “the reason she couldn’t accept the money you were giving her is because it was counterfeit.”

“What do you mean by that?” his father asked.

“Well Dad, in your dream you’re certainly sincere about giving her the money to buy things, but you don‘t realize that the money is counterfeit. She wants to take it because it looks good, but even she knows that she can’t spend counterfeit money. And the money represents your love for her. You’re basing love on feelings. You feel it’s sincere, but God has examined what you feel and has determined that it’s only a feeling. Real love is not based on feelings alone. Feelings will change, but love is so much deeper than fleshly feelings. God is love and that’s the kind of commitment he wants us to make - the kind based on his steadfast love toward us. I didn’t really understand this until I had a dream myself this afternoon. I dreamed that I threw away my watch. As soon as I threw it away I was sorry. I said to myself why did I throw away my watch? It didn’t work anymore, but I knew that it only needed a battery. The watch represented time and time is an investment. Dad you invested many years in your marriage. I’m not saying this because I’m your son, I’m saying it because this is the answer God gave to me. You can throw your marriage away, but one day you will regretfully discover that it only needed a battery. So you have a choice, get a battery for your marriage or present your new wife with counterfeit love. I don’t have a battery for you, but I know where you can get one,” he said. There was a brief moment of silence that seemed to last for an eternity.

“Thanks son,” his father said. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Dad.”

David could feel in his spirit that the enemy would do all he could to keep his father from accepting the dreams meaning. He wasted no time. Instead of waiting until bedtime, he immediately went into the prayer room. Warriors have to be prepared to fight at all times. He didn’t just walk into the prayer room. He was driven. His very appetite called for prayer. Yet each time he entered the room to pray was a new experience with God. He felt God calling him to a level that seemed way beyond his comprehension. After all, who was he? He was not the son of a minister. He was not even certain what his gift was in the body of Christ. Yet, somehow in this very room he was being shaped and developed to become a faithful and proven prayer warrior.

His sleep that night was troubled. He sensed something in his spirit, but did not understand how to pray. Intermingled in his dream was Stephanie’s song. The bits and pieces that he heard made him feel both happy and sad. Finally the alarm went off. It was time to again seek the face of God.