Billions flood churches, St. Peter’s Basilica is full,
Sitting in the services, humans ignore the painful.
Preaching prosperity, good feelings, and victory,
Churchgoers decide to ignore the appalling.
The world is fighting, and governments are abusing,
People are dying, without of Christ’s love learning.
All the while worshippers raise their hands, singing of His love forever,
Blocking out what’s in the newsstands, getting deafer and deafer.
FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK, ARIA WAS TAKEN IN BY THE TOWN’S physician, Cad had followed the town’s sheriffs the whole way to the physician’s house. His hands kept shaking and he cursed every time he’d ever fumbled for an arrow. Aria, Cad wondered. How could she have learned all of those fighting techniques? She’d never shown me those… But then again, why would she? Cad glanced at Silas who was walking nervously next to him.
Chapter Ten
“GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!” Iris said, pushing her way in. She looked at the man carefully. A long thin cut, spilling blood was on Julius’s head and his arm was slightly burned. His face looked so peaceful, as if he was finally at rest.
“You’re not going to give up on me that easily,” Iris whispered. “Pika, go get my satchel!” The boy rushed to her tent, with its singed edges and smell of smoke. He retrieved the satchel and returned it to Iris.
“Here,” he said.
Oh wait—I don’t drink coffee. And come to think of it, it wasn’t a short break, either. Hopefully I’m not the only one who’s noticed that I’ve been gone from ApricotPie for a very long time now. I promise, it wasn’t intentional. So first, a brief update on my life, and then an explanation for my absence followed by some thoughts on the future.
The first five verses of John pack quite a punch. They show the eternality of Christ along with his power, authority, and victory as the light of the world that has not and cannot be overcome by the darkness. It’s a great introduction to a phenomenal book:
Chapter Nine
AS CAD AND IRIS RETURNED TO THE CAMP, Alaric was, of course, running around in a circle like a rooster with a missing head. As soon as he saw the two come out of the trees, Alaric ran up to them, hugged Iris close to him and glared at Cad.
“What were you two doing in there? Answer me!” He demanded.
Cad began, “I—”
“Cad was only teaching me how to shoot properly, and in turn I taught him which herbs were the best for headaches and cuts.”
Alaric scoffed and shook his head. “And why would a healer need to know how to shoot an arrow?”
*Written for Light Magazine’s A Heart Set Apart
Chapter Six
CAD SLEPT AROUND THE BURNING FIRE with the other men that night before leaving the next day early in the morning. He was aroused by Julius kicking a live coal at his hand, giving it a slight burn. He only reduced his screams by rushing over to the cooking quarters and dousing the left over porridge all over his hand from the day before. When he returned the men stared at him in shock. Cad finally looked over at his appearance and realized that he looked like a bear caught with honey.
Chapter Five
CAD EYED THE MAN THAT LAY ON THE GROUND. His hair was reddish blonde, his face bruised from the fall and a small cut on the side of his right cheek. His ax lay several yards away, lying in the muddied banks of the creek.
The man pushed Cad forward, making his knees land in mud. Cad turned his head slightly to the left and saw his kidnapper grabbed the other man by his hand and brought him to his feet.
Chapter One
A YOUNG BOY WATCHED FROM BEHIND A TREE. He eyed his prey with skill and knowledge. To him, these two went together hand-in-hand as a bow and an arrow. The prey, a beautiful snow stag, was standing between two oak trees. It rubbed its antlers against one of the trees and then shook its head.