Amazing. Simply amazing.

Brent tried to digest what had just happened.

He stood in the hallway in front of the school’s auditorium. Thirty seconds ago, someone that he still did not know had walked away from him heading, presumably, to his next class.

God, thank you for using me.

Truly amazing.

Brent had been heading to history class when he’d been approached by someone he did not recognize. Probably a freshman, he thought.

“You’re Brent … right?” asked the kid with a look of nerve-racked resolve.

“Yeah, that’s right. What’s up?”

He looked edgy, unsure of himself. “Umm … I hear you’re pretty tight with God. I … umm…” His voice trailed off.

Brent placed his left hand on the kid’s shoulder and directed him toward the doors of the auditorium where they would be out of the way of the other students walking through the halls.

“What’s going on?” Brent asked. “You okay?”

The kid took a deep breath and slowly released it before continuing. “Yeah … I, uhh … no. No, things aren’t okay. Someone told me you’re a Christian. Is that right?”

I guess my Christianity isn’t a secret to anyone anymore. The past year and a half, apparently, had been bearing fruit. “Yes, that’s right,” said Brent, acutely aware that he was about to hear a plea for some sort of help.

“I was hoping… I mean, I am hoping that you can say a prayer for me.”

“You bet. Happy to.”

“Thanks.”

And that was it. Brent had thought he’d at least learn the kid’s name, but that was apparently not to be. His “thanks” was all he’d said before turning and rapidly walking away.

Uhh… yeah. Okay.

Brent walked to his next class, whispering a prayer as he went. “Lord, I don’t know who that was, or what that was about, but you do. Something’s bad wrong in his life, Father, and I’m asking for your help.

“God, I don’t know if he’s a believer or not. But something’s got him shook up. Something’s eating at him, and I remember exactly what that’s like.

“Protect him, Father. If he’s in some sort of danger, move in and protect him with your angels. If he’s not in danger, then please, help him to find his answer in you. Take care of this situation that is tearing at his heart and win the battle for him. Let him know how big you are and how much you love him. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.”

Looking back over the past year and a half since his salvation, he’d realized that life was going to be filled with unexpected happenings; blessings that came right out of left field.

At the beginning of this, his senior year, he was just as determined to let his walk with God shine. To his surprise he saw that someone else had also become as determined.

Laura Tucker, that gangly friend of his ex-girlfriend, Michele—Strike that. Formerly gangly friend—was apparently just as determined as he to construct a new reputation in the school. When he’d seen her for the first time this new school year walking through the halls, he was immediately struck by her appearance.

She was walking between two of her friends with a bright smile on her face. Instead of looking like the timid girl he’d known the previous couple of years, she now exuded a never-before-seen confidence. Her shoulders were squared, her head was up, and she didn’t avoid looking into people’s faces.

Laura hadn’t seen Brent as she approached, not until he said, “Laura?”

All three of the girls turned to look at him. Laura stopped, raised her eyebrows, smiled her metallic smile, and said, “Yes?” She apparently knew that Brent was sizing her up, and he could see the twinkle in her eyes.

“Wait, who are you, and what did you do with Laura Tucker?” teased Brent.

She didn’t miss a beat. “Oh, I’m sorry. You must be referring to that unsure, shy little girl that you knew last year.”

“That’d be the one.”

“Well, I’m sorry, Brent, but you’ll just have to deal with the new version.”

“Happy to,” he had said through a laugh. “Umm… Wow. Okay, so what caused…”

“Jesus.”

“Now you’ve really got my attention.”

Laura stepped from between her friends and walked up to Brent. Before he could brace himself, she wrapped her arms around him, hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek. Then she whispered into his ear, “Thank you, Brent. Thank you for being an example of Christ to me.”

Brent returned the hug and said, “I’m glad you saw that in me.”

The embrace ended and she’d stepped back.

“So,” Brent continued, “this new you is all about your relationship with God?”

“Yes,” she began. “It was the relationship part that had been missing all the years that I’ve been a believer.

“Watching you in class and in the hallways made me realize that I was more ashamed of my faith than happy about it. And when I got honest about that, I had to admit to God that I had really been ashamed of him.

“I asked him to forgive me and to put in me the same resolve that I saw in you. I told the Lord that it was now going to be all or nothing and that I’d really like to do the ‘all’ option.”

“Wow,” Brent said again.

“Yeah, wow. From the day that I made that decision this summer, I started carrying my Bible everywhere that I went. When people asked if I was ‘religious’ or a Christian, I didn’t flinch. I proudly told them that I was.”

“That’s amazing.” Brent was realizing that amazing was becoming a common exclamation in his life. Who’da thought it?

“Better than that,” she had continued. “God gave me the boldness to share Christ with my two friends.” She’d stopped suddenly, realizing that Brent probably didn’t know them. “Oh! Brent, this is Denise, and this is Dori, two of my closest friends.”

“Hi. I’ve seen you two around. Good to meet…” Brent began, but was cut off by the amazing words that followed.

“… My Christian friends,” Laura concluded.

“What?” replied Brent, stunned. “The two of you are Christians?”

“Yes!” came an emphatic, shared response.

“That’s amaz—” Brent caught himself. “That’s awesome! Welcome to the family!”

The girls’ smiles were as full of life as Laura’s.

Denise said, “We’ve known Laura for years. We’ve hung out together, slept over at each other’s houses, but we didn’t know anything about her faith.”

Laura produced a look that bordered on embarrassment and shrugged.

Dori then spoke up. “Well, we didn’t know anything about her faith until this summer. One day she’s just another nerd like the two of us…” All three of the girls laughed. “…the next she’s Bible Girl!”

That last comment wasn’t lost on Brent. But unlike him, Laura wore the euphemism like a badge of honor.

“Laura, I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all of you!”

“Thank you, Brent. The three of us have begun praying for Michele. We’re hoping she’ll be the next one to join this party.”

Michele Atwell and he had not parted on the best of terms, unfortunately. He was glad that she wasn’t present at the moment. Awkward would have been too weak a term for how the encounter would have felt. It was difficult enough having to pass her periodically in the school’s hallways.

“That’d be great,” responded Brent. “I hope she will be.”

The bell sounded the beginning of the next class period. All three girls let out a surprised little yelp.

“We’re late!” exclaimed Dori. The three began to move quickly down the hallway.

Just after the girls turned the corner into an adjoining hall, Laura called back to him, “I’ll talk with you later!”

Beyond amazing.

THAT EVENING, TEN miles away, hidden on the outskirts of the Village of Pittston, a young couple began setting up their new home. To any that might have known about them, they would appear to be just another pair of giddy newlyweds. That was the illusion they hoped to convey and maintain.

But they weren’t newlyweds. Their union went far beyond the “natural” order of things, and they had a plan; a plan that would envelope their lives for many years to come. With steady patience they would bide their time and do what was required of them.

It was now their turn in the succession of generations past; their turn to accomplish what had failed each time it was attempted over the past eleven-hundred-and-thirty-nine years…

The reestablishment of a dark and powerful ancient religion.

Would they be the chosen ones? Until they knew for sure, they would simply blend in. Blend in and search.