The Battles We Face

We All Fall Down

Everything had seemed to change so quickly. All at once really. One day I was coming home from a missions trip, the next I was being driven from my home with a mad fury of raging fire. It'd been two months nearly since that day. I had been deep in sleep, completely exhausted from being in another country and nonstop for several months.

I still don't completely understand what had happened but it was as if a voice had told me to "Rise and Flee." And it wasn't some loud booming voice or even a voice that could have come from within the room seeing as I was completely alone. No, it was still and gentle and seemed to come from some deep, sacred place within my heart.

With a sense of urgency, I followed orders and rose from my slumber with just enough time to clothe myself, grab a pack with only a few essentials and be out of my house and into the wooded area before two military vehicles surrounded my house.

I watched silently and heard crashes of destruction as they unceremoniously raided my home looking for me. But why? I still hadn't figured that part out.

At that moment I only registered fear as I witnessed my home being burnt to the ground. At that point, i had given them little to no reason to pursue me, but what I did next spurred them into hunting me.

After running for my life, I stopped at the house of a close friend of mine. My mentors house. She had always tried to teach me and show me what  it meant to live humbly and walk faithfully. She was the only one l thought to go to and now i wish I never had.

I pounded on the door. "Mama Sharee! Mama Sharee!" I glanced back at the skyline and knew by the glow in the midnight sky that my home wasn't the only one that had been visited.

Before me, the door swung open and the thin, dark skinned woman stood before me. The older woman could see the fear written on my face and ushered me in. "Calum, what tis et childt? What tis all of de fuss about?" Her accent was thick but I had grown accustomed to easily understanding her.

"The solders they came and burned and I was woken up and I didn't know where else to go since mom and dad are gone and -"

"Woah, hold it now, slow et on down. Now tell Mama Sharee slowly so her old ears can hear." She cut me off gently and smoothed my hair from my sweaty face.

I took a deep breath and told her all of it. Of being awoken strangely by what i couldn't claim for it to be, To witnessing my home and all of it's possessions being destroyed. to feeling as if i were being pursued and ending up at her home. "You says your dreams woked you up?"

"Yes, yes. It was small and quiet and I can't really explain it. I somehow knew it was a warning and that I should fear but i couldn't because all I felt was that I needed to rise and flee like it told me to do."Once I finished I was alarmed that she began to laugh and do a small jig, dancing around in front of me.  "Mama Sharee! this is not the time for one of your games. We need to be going!"

She stopped and grabbed my arms to look me in the eyes. "Don't ya see childt? Et was God awakenin' you! He was preserving you for what es to come as he did Joseph to flee with the baby Savior and Mary!"

My simple mind didn't want to comprehend what she was saying, but my heart was confirming it to me. "But, but why me Mama sharee?"

Suddenly I felt a thumb on the head as the old woman gave me a gentle whack. Her face grew stern, "Don't be questionin tee Lordt, childt. You obeyed tee call and tats all dat mattas now dat you continue to!" We heard engines roar in the night and a chill went down my spine. They were here. Mama Sharee's hands tightened around me as she pulled me through the house and to the back door. "Go on now before dey come on. I'll keep dem busy long enough for you to escape."