Read Online Point of No Return by Paul McCusker - Free Book Online Page B

her.
    â€œDave left some material on your study desk, if you want to look at it,” she continued. “Considering what happened today, you should probably read it.” And she retreated from the room.
    Jimmy went to his desk. He wished he’d been there when Dave came. He needed to talk to Dave or Jacob. He frowned again and thought how stupid it was that Jacob was taught at home. If he’d been at school with Jimmy, he could have helped Jimmy deal with Tony and Brad.
    â€œTo Jimmy B,” said the writing on the large, yellow envelope. He flipped up the clasp on the back and dumped out the contents. A small paperback book fell on top of his normal junk. “Tips for New Christians,” the cover said.
    In his frame of mind, Jimmy didn’t have the patience to read the book. He simply flipped through the various sections about the importance of Bible study, prayer, sharing the faith—and one particular section about the life of a new Christian.
    â€œPurity is a vital part of the new Christian’s life,” the book said. “You need to be pure in what you see and hear and do. As a new believer, you don’t want to expose yourself to anything that will stunt your growth in Jesus. With a prayerful heart, look closely at the books you read, the television shows you watch, the music you listen to. Maybe it’s time to clean your house and—and your soul—of risky, un-Christian material.”
    Jimmy had the sense to know that as long as he was mad at Tony, he wouldn’t have a very “prayerful heart.” But he glanced over at his CD player and saw some CDs Tony had played the night Jimmy smoked the cigar.
    He picked one up and thought about purity. This’ll stunt my growth in Jesus , he said to himself. Clenching the thin disc between his fingers, he angrily broke it in half. Then he grabbed a second CD and broke it.
    It made Jimmy feel good. Pure , he thought.
    He broke one CD after another—until he exhausted his own collection and wondered how pure his parents’ and sister’s collections were.

    â€œI’ll kill him!” Donna Barclay said.
    â€œAll right, let’s not get carried away,” George said.
    Jimmy sat on the living room sofa and watched his judges and jury. He was no longer mad at Tony. That emotion had been moved to a position of lesser importance now that his family was ready to hand him over to a juvenile detention agency.
    â€œWhen did you do it?” Mary asked in a bewildered tone. “How did you do it so fast ?”
    â€œWe were in the family room watching the movie,” Donna offered. “That’s when he did it. We thought he was upstairs doing his homework or…or reading his Bible.”
    George leaned against the doorway into the dining room. “I can’t keep up with you anymore, Jimmy,” he said. “Today you punched your best friend in the nose, and tonight— What possessed you?”
    â€œWe don’t want anything in the house that’ll stunt our growth in Jesus, right?”
    George and Mary looked at each other as if to decide who would answer. George shrugged helplessly.
    â€œRight,” Mary said. “But you should leave the decision of what will stunt our growth to us .”
    â€œDid you see what he did to my room?” Donna growled. “He took down my posters! He went through my books! He broke my CDs!”
    â€œNot the Christian ones,” Jimmy said in his own defense.
    â€œThat’s not the point! You’re supposed to keep your hands off my stuff!” Donna insisted.
    â€œOkay, calm down,” George said to Donna. Then he turned his attention to Jimmy. “Son, I appreciate your enthusia—”
    â€œEnthusiasm!” Donna cried out as if she might tear at her hair in exasperation.
    â€œYes,” George said. “If I remember right, enthusiasm is normal for a new Christian. Don’t you remember, Donna? When