God's Obscure Army: Sarah Lowell

a christian fantasy short story

I.

Hi. My name is Sara Lowell, and I am a member of an elite squad known as the G.O.A.---- God's Obscure Army. Yes, the one true God, that is. The one of the Bible who made the heavens, the seas, and sent Jesus as a sacrifice for the world. What makes this army so obscure? We are saints who are repeatedly used by God in the manner in which Moses and Elijah were on the Mount of Transfiguration, somewhat to the same capacity of angels. So in short we're sort of dead, but not in heaven yet, and dropped here and there in this earthly concept we have of time doing God's work. Vainglorious work aside, it seems all of us saints in the G.O.A. have this one burning desire in common: a want for home. That would be Heaven. Each time we're extracted from a mission we feel the pull of our destiny; our fate of love and light calling us to the clouds. As I've been told, most of our collective service time is pretty short, averaging about 3 to 4 mission drops, the Father isn't heartless after all. He longs for us to rest with Him as well. A downside of service is, even though we're in a glorified state where sin is resolved---- man, you just can't help but sometimes think that you'll sin at any moment and ruin a mission---- seasoned veterans call it the "inbetweeners," or "mission jitters."

So who exactly am I? I mean who was Sara Lowell before she died? Sara Lowell is Caucasian with a splash of Japanese and a dot of Creole. I was 19 when I "died" in a car accident. It was the late 90s and I was jammin' "Thief" by Third Day (average youth group kid), crying, and praying for the salvation of my sick Granny Joyce. She had cancer, and was dying. So I had decided to put off my first semester of Lafayette's Community College, and make the drive to Baton Rouge, Louisiana and be with her--- and pray. Growing up, whenever anyone would say anything about Jesus to Granny, she'd just laugh a grandmotherly laugh and say, "I can't believe you all are actually talking about that," with a condescending eyebrow raise. Of her salvation, I just had to be sure.

Halfway to Baton Rouge my little Chevy Impala began to sputter on the very busy highway. Then wouldn't 'ya know it, I was rear-ended and I shot through my windshield and onto the road in front. Cars screeched and swerved all around me that early July evening. And in the midst of all that frenzy, I felt electricity vibrate me all over, and I was instantly whisked away to the "Hiatus Realm," or the third heaven. The G.O.A. "goes hiatus" (to the third heaven) all the time between mission drops. For us it's like a mini, less glorified heaven. We just rest and have a spirit of praise there, and basically recharge, while in a dream-like state. We're transmitted scriptures, news about the Earth, mission drop orders, news of others' mission drop orders, graduates, and new recruits, and again rest. Going hiatus brings a total rejuvenation. So here I'll begin the story of my first order. My first mission drop was to my sickly Grandmother Joyce.

II.

Falling down from hiatus, I thudded next to a dumpster on the side of Lafayette Hospital's ER at what appeared to be 9:00 at night. Hiatus had been new to me and a place of absolute peace. I felt the Father's presence there, and His words would envelop me like a wind. He told me He loved me, He was proud of me, and that He had a series of special jobs for me on Earth. He told me secrets about my past, and assured me of things about our future in glorious Heaven. Then He told me that as a gift, my first mission drop would be to Grandma Joyce.

"She told me in prayer she would listen to the gospel one last time if she could just hear you sing again, and I am granting her that wish. Just remember to listen to me. Alexandra, the angel you met here will accompany you. Blessings my daughter."

So here I am.

I remarked, "Alexandra, a dumpster, did I do something wrong? Surely there was a mistake in this!" Alexandra was an ivory toned angel that looked about 35 years old by sight. She had long wavy brown hair of about two tones, and wore white and lavender robes. I, on the other hand, sported robes of orange and white.

Alexandra put her finger to her lips to shh me, while her eyes danced, "Remember what the Father said to do, listen." Then she pointed. From the opposite side of the dumpster I could hear shallow sobs.

We slowly eased around the dumpster, and stood. Before us was a dirty man in rags, race indeterminable, looking to be in his early 50s.

"Just talk to him for me," the Father spoke intuitively, "love him, and ask him if he'd like to pray."

His name was Marcos Frasier. He had began to have mental problems after fighting in Afghanistan, then shortly coming back lost his wife and only child in a car accident. Devastated, his mental health worsened.

"Maria was the only woman to love me, one day I took a walk outside, and just kept walking. I became homeless. I had kept having thoughts that circled in my head and I can never  get any peace."

I said a prayer with Marcos Frazier, then he felt he wanted to rest, so I let him be.

"This human could not see me this time, most will be unable to see either of us. Marcos... Father has told me He will do fine,” said Alexandra. I smiled, relieved for Marcos, and elated to be a part of Father's plans. In a snap, two dark forms appeared right beside where Marcos was propped against the dumpster. Before I could catch a breath, Alexandra shot two laser icicles from her palms stabbing the unclean spirits to disappearance. Alexandra whisked me around with fury in her eyes.

"They CANNOT do that, do you hear? Do you see that bluish glow around him? He has the Father's protection! We prayed for him, the blue shows Marcos' surrender. Demon thugs will try to force and steal, they'll try to do that. Father's orders: blue is our territory--- ours! It's their surrendered will."

"Yes Alexandra," I spoke shocked. How amazed I was to see a soft angel turn 180 degrees to lethal at the bat of an eye. Then to speak with such seething disturb. I found it both fearful and awesome. "Alexandra how do I fight? Sure, I can pray, but I don't think I have lasers like you do."

"This is the spiritual realm my dear, you'll find "reality" to be skewed, and a bit more enhanced." Alexandra plopped on a Blue Chevy soundlessly. I did the same.

"I'm sorry if I barked at you earlier. This war. This world. These people. Millions of years. Millions of years of seeing poverty, violence, perversion in so many forms. Michael could squash Lucifer, but Jesus did what none of us expected. Oh the glimpses we can see of Jehovah through the saints' lives. I never could have grasped the majesties of God, without seeing His mercies in your lives. Oh what a mighty God we serve, and I'll serve Him faithfully until the end."

"Ding!" The sound of a short bell, and the Father's voice in our realm quietly: "Sarah you have 2 hours to get a verbal crash course in G.O.A. combat; learn all that you can from Alexandra. You have 1 more mission before Grandma Joyce, wait for later orders.

III.

Alexandra told me loads of things about the G.O.A. realm. The bluish light is our friend and often an indicator, so was God's bell. God could speak to our mind, but sometimes directly into the realm. I learned that we are in the realm of the imaginations. Whatever weapons I imagined would be visible here and aid to help the natural realm. Alexandra said that this is a similar dynamic of fighting that would be present with the saints and demons at The Battle of Armageddon at the end times. I imagined short swords, water, fire, lasers, shields, chains, and boxes. Furthermore, I imagined a realm horn for angelic dispatch. I learned that snapping my fingers dropped a sheet past me to the floor, and was an invisibility cloak in an instant to the few people that could see me. I learned that when angels were in deep combat, I was a saint. The best thing for me to do was to stand back and pray.

 

*********

 

"Ding!"

"Time's up Sarah. One mission, then Granny. Go to the office of a Mr. Patrick Samuels, room 523," God said.

IV.

Totally stoked from the weapons course and maneuver tactics, I was ready for anything.

"Let's go!" two short swords shot out of my robe in a flash. I started across the parking lot.

"Uh, Hon, no one does it that way."

Instantly the wind started turning underneath me and I was lifted to Alexandra's side, flying straight toward the hospital window. We glided straight through the wall and in the middle of the room with a huff.

"Or you can just snap your fingers and imagine where you want to be," said Alexandra breathlessly.

"Ding!"

"The situation is this, Gina the Head Nurse in Prenatal, a saint, needs to take off for two weeks. Because of demonic influence, Patrick doesn't want to lose his star worker. Your mission: Convince Patrick to cave," said the Lord.

I gave a hearty laugh. My Lord, my Lord. As if I never learned on Earth to not put You in a box. Here I was, ready for the deepest combat. Take it easy Sarah, don't rest yet, you never know.

Patrick Samuels was in full smirk and typing away at the keyboard, a music app streaming through his phone.

"Three years ago you were nothing Gina," Patrick muttered while typing. The

faintest hint of red illuminated him. Then suddenly, a dark shadow placed it's arms like a vise on Patrick's head turning his heart light a deeper shade of red.

Patrick cursed then muttered, "I need her right now, that's a long time. Her and her useless God."

Sarah stared at the man, totally baffled. A few dark spirits were flying around the room, which agitated the negative red color even more.

"Yippe- kayay evil spirits!" Sarah brought out her lasers, her lasers thudding like rubber against the vermin. They hissed at her grotesquely, and tiny bits of fire rained on Sarah and Alexandra.

Alexandra said, "He's got some evil soul snags, so we can't see the slightest flicker of blue in him to encourage and move in on. We'll have to be creative. Father God, we pray your blue. We pray your sanctification on this situation. Let your benediction be with us here."

The slightest blue spot rested on Patrick's chest and the demon jerked his vise harder. Alexandra continued to pray. Mr. Samuels muttered. There began to be some fuzz over the music streaming, and a faint blue glow to the music app.

"I got something for you Mr. Samuels," said Sarah having a stroke of genius. "Just a few moments, Sarah played with the frequency, prayed the move of God on the frequency, then imagined and pulled the Christian song Thief by Third Day to the phone's surface…

"I am a thief... I am a murderer...they nail Him to the rugged cross and raise Him, yeah they raise Him up next to me..." the Christian rockstar crooned.

Mr. Samuels was light blue and in light tears. There was not a shadow in the room.

"Wow, Gina, you must have some faith, The Big Man running interference for 'ya,"

he said wiping the last tear and changing back his music app, "whatever."

"Whatever? That means we won?" Sarah asked incredulously. "Do we wait?"

Sarah bit a thumb anxiously. I'm going to go find Gina, Alexandra please stay here and pray, please just trust me. How can I die."

Two snaps of her fingers sent Sarah to the hospital directory kiosk. Third floor Prenatal Care. Two snaps, at the ward.

V.

"Gina! Can you help me find this document?" a plump Caucasian woman yelled from the front desk.

"Gina! Can you help me in here?" someone yelled from the opposite direction.

A dark African- American head blessed with deep dimples popped out from a supply room.

"I'm a comin'," she yelled good naturedly, zipping her slim frame to the front desk first.

After 15 min. of watching Gina Johnson flit around the ward, Sarah started to panic. How was she going to turn this around? If she didn't complete this mission would she see her Grandmother Joyce? Lord I put my faith with Alexandra's I believe we have received the blessing for this dear sister. At that moment, next to the supply room, with no else around padded Gina.

"Oh, I almost bumped into you there. Are you in the chapel choir? Did you need help finding someone on this floor?" Gina asked Sarah grinning.

She could see her? What do I say? What...?

" 'Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours,' Mark 11:24."

Gina's eyes glazed with tears, she tucked her hair behind her right ear, and grabbed Sarah's hand.

"I needed that right now. Thank-you. I'd love to chat, but I'm so busy."

"I understand. Be blessed." Sarah smiled and glided away.

"Gina! Mr. Samuels is on Line 1 for you."

Sarah ducked behind a corner and listened.

"Yes Mr. Samuels! Thank you so much! I'm so grateful!" Sarah heard Gina Johnson say.

"Ding!"

"Mission Complete." He said.

 

*********

Sarah and Alexandra met back up at Mr. Samuels's office in total elation. Things were going great. This was a lovely start. Alexandra told Sarah that her knowledge of scripture, and obedience in the things of God on earth, make quite a difference on the capacity God is able to use you.

VI.

The room was sick and mentholated. There was faint breathing coming from a frail mouth. Aunt Joyce!

"Speak softly to her Sarah. Don't shock her. You don't want to race her heartbeat. Try singing her favorite song.

What was....? Against All Odds...

"How can I just let you walk away...let you leave without a trace," she sang low and breathily.

Her eyes began to flutter rapidly, and now with deep healthy breaths her thin chest rose and fell.

"There's nothing here to remind me, just the memory of your face."

"I love you Grandma. I'm here, I can't explain how. Heaven is..."

A cold breeze swished in and a dark impish figure crept near the bed.

Joyce reverted to shallow breaths and a few coughs.

 

"Ding!" "Right now is Joyce's decisions. Maybe you should switch songs, though that was her favorite, your choice Daughter." He said.

Sarah was terrified. She tried to move her wrists but some sort of green plasma made them immovable by her sides.

She sang, "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole..."

The imp moved away to the middle of the room as Joyce extended arthritic fingers toward Sarah and turned her head to her grandaughter.

"Oh precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow."

Extended fingers. Extended fingers. Smile. Fade and flatline.

Furious tears streamed Sarah's face. Tears? Were they even possible here? This was no closure! This was no closure!

"Father why? Why!"

"Did she even believe and let go of her sin?"

 

 

"Ding!" "Go to the cafeteria and sit down. I'm sending you Josefina."

 

Sarah lagged out of the room as it began to be stampeded by a gaggle of nurses.

 

To the cafeteria, snap, snap.

 

VII.

Sarah took a seat away from the crowd. A Hispanic woman in scrubs and a food hairnet began to make her way toward Sarah. The Hispanic woman had crossed eyes, protruding teeth, a gaunt frame, and long brown hair.

"Hi Sarah," Josefina smiled.

"Josefina?" says Sarah, "You're not what I expected."

Josefina begins to smile and waves away a hand. "I'm Angel Force, not G.O.A. by the way, if you didn't know..." she seats herself down soundlessly. She leaned into Sarah's face, gesticulating while talking. "The Father has me the best setup down here for a while. You know what Hebrews 13:2 says, "Forget not to shew love unto strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares."

"So that's what I do in different clothes all over the building---- appear to some people. Can they accept the eyes? The teeth? Even though the Spirit is presenting itself to them? Then God writes their reactions in His book for later judgment. God is awesome. So awesome that He wanted me to tell you how your Grandma Joyce was for the past month."

"Her health was declining but there was this saint who worked there. Joyce was unresponsive to all the other nurses. This saint, this nurse softly spoke to her. She fed her, she massaged her arms and legs. She told her about Heaven and Jesus when she could. She would ask if Joyce wanted Heaven, if she wanted Jesus. Joyce would always squeeze her hand. The Lord wants you to know you sealed it tonight. Joyce feels like she truly had a miracle through all her pain tonight, and she was able to find some faith."

Josefina stood and embraced Sarah who was emotional with joy.

 "We should be getting a call to go Hiatus in a few moments, I'll embrace you here. I'm sure Alexandra will meet us."

 

"Ding! Angel Force Mission Complete. Ding! G.O.A. Mission 4 out of 4 Complete.

Alexandra, Sarah, Josefina in tow, and God says we are good to go."

 

The ladies beamed in Holy Fire to Hiatus, and there was a bit more goodness and peace on the Earth.

 

 

APPLICATIONS:

Sarah Lowell wants you, saint, to remember to listen to the voice of God with every step. She also wants you to remember to pray for the salvation of your loved ones. Furthermore, she wants us to remember that often we don't know the heart of our sick loved ones when they're in their last days. Salvation may have been with them in the end.

Alexandra wants you to remember to listen to God and spiritually FIGHT!

Gina Johnson wants you to remember to pray, keep joy, keep busy!

Josefina wants us to remember to not judge by appearances, and to entertain angels.

 

Author's Note

in the bible, some super saints didn't die, and their bodies were used in the future. this story explores if God did this more than we think.