Read Online When Lightning Strikes by Brooke St. James - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Brooke St. James
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alternative is a bunch of uncertainty when you die."
"So you're scared to die, and it helps you to believe there's something afterward?"
I sighed, feeling defensive and frustrated. I took a second to ask God to help me to keep from misrepresenting Him.
"I guess my honest answer is yes. If I didn't have the hope of heaven, I think I'd be scared of death."
"Do you think I'm going to hell?"
"Why are you asking me these questions?"
"Because I'm curious. Do you?"
I groaned. "Yes. Why would you make me say that?"
"Because I'm amazed by the fact that you actually believe it."
"So you're just making fun of me?" I asked.
"No. I'm just curious, that's all."
"Well there are people who could do a much better job of answering your questions than me. Google Chuck Missler or Ken Hamm if you want some intelligent, scientific answers. I study history way more than I study the Bible and I pretty much suck at being a Christian anyway."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I'm stubborn and terrible with authority and I'd rather be making a good impression on you right now than talking about this."
We were both silent for a second and then, from the corner of my eye, I saw his face break into a grin. "You want to make a good impression on me?" he asked.
"I did before I found out that you didn't like girls, but it doesn't matter since all we ever do is talk about religion and I seem like a big Bible nerd every time I'm with you."
He reached over the console and touched my arm. The contact was brief, but it sent chills down my back. "Did you just say I didn't like girls?" he asked, laughing under his breath.
"I meant you didn't want a relationship or whatever." I groaned. "It doesn't matter anyway. I still have the other stuff working against me."
"You're not being a nerd," he said, trying to make me feel better. "I'm just intrigued as to why you believe that stuff when we have so many other things in common."
I was quiet for a few seconds, trying to decide what to say. "I sort of feel the same way about you. I honestly can't understand why anyone would believe in just nothing . I mean, if you had another god and another afterlife squared away, I could maybe understand rejecting the idea of Jesus and heaven, but to refuse to believe in favor of believing nothing is honestly a little crazy to me. I know you feel like I'm the wacky one, but really, what do you have to lose by just believing? It's not like you have to give up anything or change anything. All you have to do is believe. It seems weird to me to pass up a free gift like that."
"So how do you know if you've believed right? Does a bolt of lighting hit you or something?"
"No. There's no lightning. I guess everyone's experience is different, but I've never known anyone to have lightning. I've, without a doubt, felt God's presence inside me and been moved spiritually, but you can only see through eyes of faith. He's never shown up in front of me or anything." I put a hand over my chest. "I know for a fact based on my own experiences that God is who He says He is. I know that in my heart, but even if I didn't know that, I might still be prone to believe in it because the alternative is no fun at all. I mean from what I'm telling you, Jesus is the ticket you need to make it to heaven when you die. It doesn't hurt me to believe that. I can't comprehend choosing to believe in nothing when there's a more promising alternative."
"So you think everyone who doesn't believe specifically in Jesus is going to hell?"
I shook my head at the fact that he was making me answer that yet again, but I said, "Yes."
"Isn't that sort of mean of a god to send that many people to hell?" he asked.
"God's not sending anyone. It's the opposite. He's providing a way for them to avoid it. He gave us the path to Him, and it's our choice whether or not we'll take it. There's a parable in the Bible about a wedding feast. A man was thrown out of the banquet because he didn't have the right attire. The king
"So you're scared to die, and it helps you to believe there's something afterward?"
I sighed, feeling defensive and frustrated. I took a second to ask God to help me to keep from misrepresenting Him.
"I guess my honest answer is yes. If I didn't have the hope of heaven, I think I'd be scared of death."
"Do you think I'm going to hell?"
"Why are you asking me these questions?"
"Because I'm curious. Do you?"
I groaned. "Yes. Why would you make me say that?"
"Because I'm amazed by the fact that you actually believe it."
"So you're just making fun of me?" I asked.
"No. I'm just curious, that's all."
"Well there are people who could do a much better job of answering your questions than me. Google Chuck Missler or Ken Hamm if you want some intelligent, scientific answers. I study history way more than I study the Bible and I pretty much suck at being a Christian anyway."
"Why do you say that?"
"Because I'm stubborn and terrible with authority and I'd rather be making a good impression on you right now than talking about this."
We were both silent for a second and then, from the corner of my eye, I saw his face break into a grin. "You want to make a good impression on me?" he asked.
"I did before I found out that you didn't like girls, but it doesn't matter since all we ever do is talk about religion and I seem like a big Bible nerd every time I'm with you."
He reached over the console and touched my arm. The contact was brief, but it sent chills down my back. "Did you just say I didn't like girls?" he asked, laughing under his breath.
"I meant you didn't want a relationship or whatever." I groaned. "It doesn't matter anyway. I still have the other stuff working against me."
"You're not being a nerd," he said, trying to make me feel better. "I'm just intrigued as to why you believe that stuff when we have so many other things in common."
I was quiet for a few seconds, trying to decide what to say. "I sort of feel the same way about you. I honestly can't understand why anyone would believe in just nothing . I mean, if you had another god and another afterlife squared away, I could maybe understand rejecting the idea of Jesus and heaven, but to refuse to believe in favor of believing nothing is honestly a little crazy to me. I know you feel like I'm the wacky one, but really, what do you have to lose by just believing? It's not like you have to give up anything or change anything. All you have to do is believe. It seems weird to me to pass up a free gift like that."
"So how do you know if you've believed right? Does a bolt of lighting hit you or something?"
"No. There's no lightning. I guess everyone's experience is different, but I've never known anyone to have lightning. I've, without a doubt, felt God's presence inside me and been moved spiritually, but you can only see through eyes of faith. He's never shown up in front of me or anything." I put a hand over my chest. "I know for a fact based on my own experiences that God is who He says He is. I know that in my heart, but even if I didn't know that, I might still be prone to believe in it because the alternative is no fun at all. I mean from what I'm telling you, Jesus is the ticket you need to make it to heaven when you die. It doesn't hurt me to believe that. I can't comprehend choosing to believe in nothing when there's a more promising alternative."
"So you think everyone who doesn't believe specifically in Jesus is going to hell?"
I shook my head at the fact that he was making me answer that yet again, but I said, "Yes."
"Isn't that sort of mean of a god to send that many people to hell?" he asked.
"God's not sending anyone. It's the opposite. He's providing a way for them to avoid it. He gave us the path to Him, and it's our choice whether or not we'll take it. There's a parable in the Bible about a wedding feast. A man was thrown out of the banquet because he didn't have the right attire. The king
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