Chapter 1

“Nine, eight”—the quarterback spins away from the linebacker. “Seven, six”—he heaves the ball down the field. “Five, four, three”—Isaac leaps, stretching his hand up as high as he possibly can. He feels the ball reach his palm as he stretches his leg as far as he can to get his toe to the turf and then somersaults out of bounds as the clock expires. “Oomph,” Isaac exclaimed as he fell to his bedroom floor. “Not again!” his older brother yells in his direction of the dark room. “Sorry, Jacob,” Isaac said sheepishly. “Come on, not that dream again,” grumbled Isaac’s younger brother Joshua. “Yes, that dream again,” replied Isaac. The three brothers shared their tiny eleven-by-eleven bedroom in their family’s small farmhouse in rural Iowa. “Please be quiet. I have to work in the morning,” Jacob said frustratingly. Isaac replied, “I said I was sorry. I don’t plan on having that dream over and over again.” Sixteen-year-old Joshua asked, “How many years have you been having that same dream?” Isaac crawled back into bed and thought and said, “Well, it started when I was eleven, and I am eighteen now, so for seven years, at least once per month, I have had that same exact dream. I just wish I knew how it ended or what it meant. Did I score? Did we win? Why me?” Jacob interjected, “Why don’t you pray silently about it so I can go back to sleep? Maybe God will finally give you an answer.” “I have prayed about it over and over again and still no answer,” Isaac replied as he settled back into the top bunk of the bed he shared with his younger brother. The thoughts of the strange dream were still rolling around in his head. He prayed to himself, God, what does this mean? Why me? Is this something that is going to happen someday? This isn’t my high school team, so what team do I play for? God, I have so many questions. I can’t imagine that this will ever happen. My career as an Ankeny Centennial Jaguar is over. College does not look like an option. There is no way my parents could ever pay for college for me. They can barely keep all of us fed and a roof over our heads. God, if You are in this, please give me some answers. If this is not about You, please take these dreams away from me. Please stop the torment. You know I dream of more for my life than working in a factory for thirty years. Please let me see what You have planned for me. Isaac stared up at the dark ceiling hoping for an answer, but it did not come. Eventually, he slipped back off to sleep.

“Isaac! Isaac! You are going to be late for school!” Isaac left his peaceful slumber after hearing his mom’s voice. Oh, crap! What time is it? Isaac thought to himself as he shook out the cobwebs. As he jumped down from his bed, he picked up a shirt off of the end of his chair in the corner and smelled it to make sure it was not too bad. That will work, he thought to himself and smiled. Now, where are my shoes?

Isaac stumbled into the kitchen of their small farmhouse on forty acres that had been built by his great grandparents and passed down through the Kramer family, and now it was their turn to call this little house their home. The small farm was too small to provide much more than extra work for them. Isaac looked around and saw his mom at the kitchen counter cleaning up after packing lunch for the four of her children that were still in school. Isaac was a senior; Hannah was a junior; Joshua a sophomore, and Priscilla was in seventh grade. His mom, Ruth, was praying to herself, God, time sure flies, doesn’t it? I remember when all of these children were in elementary school. Now they are teenagers and preparing to go out in the world. With Jacob graduating last year, it is really hitting me the impact they have had on our lives. You have truly blessed us with five wonderful children. It is much more than we could have imagined. Thank You. Please continue to protect them… Her prayer was cut short with the arrival of her tardy son. “Well, why are you running late again?” “I had that dream again and fell out of bed—again!” replied Isaac. “Mom, why does this keep happening?” His mom looked up to see the frustrated look on his face. “I don’t know why this dream keeps coming to you, but I know that God has something wonderful in store for you.” Isaac looked back at her. “I don’t know. I am graduating in two months. College is not an option, so that means I will end up at Cargill like Jacob or have to go to Des Moines to find a job in construction or something,” lamented Isaac. “Do not limit what God can do! He has provided for us through thick and thin. We are blessed beyond measure. I was just standing here thanking Him for blessing us with five wonderful kids. Please know that his plans will work out on His timing. I know you dreamed of studying engineering at Iowa State. That can still happen. God can make a way when there is no way.” “Okay, okay, I need to get to school before I am late,” Isaac said in a hurry. He knew that once his mom got on a roll, she could share encouragement for hours, and he did not have hours to spare right now. Ruth smiled and said, “I love you, Son. I just get excited at what God can do in your life. I just hope you will get excited about it someday.” Isaac glanced at the clock on the small microwave and jumped up. “Todd will be here any second to pick me up. I gotta go.” Isaac grabbed his backpack and headed out into the crisp March morning. He watched the steam from his breath float in the air as he waited for Todd to arrive. I cannot wait for warmer weather. This seems like a very long winter. I am so tired of cold, Isaac said to himself as he looked up to the cloudy, dreary sky above him.