Journey of a Soul

Chapter 16

It was a beautiful Wednesday afternoon as Lexi drove over to Reverend Hawthorne's.

Thanksgiving weekend was coming up in a couple of weeks and Lexi was so thankful because her new fashion design was accepted. It was going to be showcased in the next big fashion show.

She loved to envision famous and influential people wearing her design to their next extravagant event or gala. Their picture would be taken, and her exceptional creation would be on the front cover of People Magazine. Or even better yet, a fashion magazine like Vanity Fair.

She was still daydreaming as she pulled into the parking lot of the funeral home. During business hours, the funeral homes doors were unlocked and open to the public.

When Reverend Hawthorne was too busy, he had staff that could help the grieving people purchase a casket or make the necessary preparations. For either a funeral service, if the body is present, or a memorial service, if the body is not present.

Having a scheduled meeting, Lexi was escorted into Reverend Hawthorne's office. Standing, he greeted her and gestured for her to take a seat. "Alexandra, I am so happy you found the time to come in and speak with me. How is your mom doing?"

"She's doing as well as can be expected. Thank you for caring enough to call. I do wish to speak with you." Lexi didn't know where to start. Taking a deep breath, which she loved to do now, thanks to Tamara. It always seemed to calm her mind and give her that extra split second to focus her thoughts before she spoke. "Reverend."

Reverend Hawthorne interrupted, "Please call me Edward. We've known each other for a long time now."

Most of his clients were well into their seventies and eighties. He had been so busy the last few years that he never seemed to meet people his own age. It was refreshing to have such a beautiful single woman in his office.

He did love a woman once, but she could not come to terms with the life he led. He knew the thought of dead bodies made her skin crawl. He had a feeling Alexandra was different.

Lexi took a breath as she looked into Edward's eyes and pleaded for understanding and help. "Edward, I know I am the key to helping my sister, Susannah, get into Heaven. We must find her and bring her home.

I stumbled on an article written by Edgar Cayce, the famed psychic." Pulling a piece of paper out of her purse and unfolding it. She passed the paper to Edward to read.

The Void:

"After death, we may enter a region that is Void of love, life, and light, Void of everything. For some, this region is apparently where their wish can come true. Here they are truly alone with themselves. For some souls, this is a pain that is unbearable. In the absence of truth, love, gentleness, and kindness, some souls fill the Void with an irrational and unbelievable amount of pain and fear. It is so dark in the realm of outer darkness that the darkness hurts and panic grips them without knowing why. There are various degrees of darkness to this realm, and it is darker and denser at the center than at its outer fringes. The closer we are to the outer edges, the more interaction there is with others in the realm. The closer to the center, the darker and more painful is the solitude. Those who find themselves in outer darkness cannot travel across this dimension. They must grow through the levels of this realm. After death, one may find themselves in a particular degree of darkness that most closely corresponds to the degree of the absence of love in one's life. Outer darkness is not a punishment. It is a region which operates lawfully for the benefit of those who are there. This region is not a realm which was created for any soul to experience, but one which came about as a consequence of the negative activity of souls in creation. So great has been the desire for self, so monumental across time and space has been the selfishness of some of God's creatures, that this realm is the creation or manifestation of their own collective activities. Outer darkness and the reality with which it is associated were created and are held in place by collective self-interest."

After reading the description. Edward nodded, "I remember in seminary school that we did a brief review of the belief of the Void. It is supposed to be a space that amplifies thought and emotion.

It is believed by researching the stories of people with near-death experiences. This nothingness can be agony and torture for some souls, a void of all love, life, and light. The ultimate experience of aloneness.

But there are also articles written that it can be a temporary stop-over for the soul. If the soul can embrace love and forgiveness, it can ascend into Heaven."

Edward looked deep into Alexandra's eyes as he passed the paper back to her. Was she ready for the task of bringing a soul out of the Void?

"Reverend, I mean Edward. I know she is being tortured by the dark entities grabbing for her soul. My sister may have been going through a time in her life when she questioned the existence of God. But her soul does not deserve the penalty of being stuck in the Void. We need to help her. And I will not stop until I know for sure that her soul rests in Heaven."

That was all Edward needed to hear.