This story is a sequel to Bike ride and I am planning two more after this, Second Day with Serena and Church. The original story is over three years ago, this story here is a Friday graduation, next one is Saturday and then Sunday and going to church. Please read the author notes as I share a little ore of myself, a message and also a prayer.
God Bless
After Graduation (Sequel to Bike Ride)
They broke from the kiss and did not hear the applause anymore or notice they were on the large screen above the stage. Four more people needed to be given diplomas but at this time, the show was stopped for them, the two who were patient for over three years and the reward has begun.
"Ash, do you trust me?"
"Honestly I trust very few if any but I do not distrust you. Why do you ask?"
"I have waited over three years to see you and I know the campus is big but thought just once we would have seen each other. Serena my roommate knows you but I made her promise she would not say anything because I wanted to trust that God would bring us together. I want you to trust me that I never once was with another man and I dated before meeting you but since meeting you that once, I prayed to have not temptations to date and God honored that request."
"I can believe what you are saying because I asked the same to have no temptations of dating unless you are not the one and not one girl interested me. Serena flirted with me a few times and eventually I pushed her out of my life. Not that she was trying to advance on me but I did not want even her friendly banter and she was told many times and did not listen."
Serena came down the aisle at that time and handed the diploma Misty dropped to her and Ash went over and got his jacket. He came back and Serena looked shyly at him and then she took her chance and hugged him. He froze at first but then hugged her back "I am so happy for you Ash, she is perfect for you."
Misty watched her roommate and now he, well what is he? She does not care, she is with him now and even if they are friends for a while she is okay but she will pray for them to move on in the relationship. She wants to grow close to the guy she hardly knows but he heart has waited three years for.
While still hugging Serena, Ash looked at Misty and whispered sorry but Misty knew Serena had so much regret I her that the hug meant so much more to her than it did to Ash. She was happy for her friend that she might be able to reconcile the friendship with Ash.
Ash pulled away and Serena apologized for hugging him so long. "Serena, will talk soon but know I will never give up on our friendship. I know you have a good heart in you and someday you will listen to me about a love that surpasses any love a man can give you. You will someday find a man that will love you and wait three years for you if he has too and might even fall in love with you only after meeting you once and then waits three years for you."
Misty heard him talk to Serena but she felt the real message was meant for her. She started to get tears in her eyes and she pushed pass Serena to hug him again. "I promised God if he brought you to me that I will not mess with your feelings and your heart so I want you to know the longer we did not see each other the more I thought about the short time we have together. We talked about everything important to us, at least to me and you answered honestly and to me correctly, all the answers I want from a girl I can spend time with. With Serena as our witness, I love you Misty and will you go steady with me?"
Misty knew her answer but getting over the shock he verbally said everything she wished to hear someday from a man and here he did, the second time they met and she could only answer with a five words "Yes, I love you too."
The three of them walked out of the arena after Serena found a friend who is more than happy to cover for her, a friend who knew the turmoil she caused Ash and who witnesses what looked like the beginning of forgiveness.
"I know you too want some time together but I could not work the rest of the night. I know I have a long ways to go to gain even a bit of friendship back but tonight is the happiest day of my life too" Serena said and then started to walk off.
Ash watched her leave and then looked at Misty, she nodded understanding "Serena, I am hungry as usual and we are going to Thin Crust for pizza, come join us."
"I can't do that, you have waited for three years to be together and now you are."
"We will for many years after because God chose to let us be together and he will not take us apart unless we chose to go on our own will and not listen to God" Misty added in.
"Okay, but will you" she paused, looked down and even looked full of fear and turmoil was running through her veins "tell me and teach me about God?"
Misty and Ash could not have smiled any bigger. Both talked about God around her but never t her because she always denied the help so they avoid pushing her further away by trying to force God on her. Through the actions of God's love today, Ash starting to forgive her and the kindness by both of them, she has it in her heart to find out who God is and why they trust Him to set a path for them in life. She was hungry to find out how two people three years ago felt at the lowest point in their lives and yet trusted God to show them the person they will love for the rest of their lives, she needs this God."
Ash and Misty grabbed her hand and almost pulled her over, "We are doing take out, and to tell about God and Jesus and the love and grace we cannot do in a public place. Not because we are ashamed, because you need to hear it all and then you need to ask every question you might have. Once we teach you the beginning, the end and the forever, we will teach you the bible and fill your heart with His word."
Serena was scared but she was committed. She knew Ash and Misty did not go to parties like she did, they were not sexual like she was. She is a virgin but she still made guys happy and she does it more than she would like to admit. She has twice had to kick a guy because she went too far but then asked him to stop and they wouldn't. She has never told anyone this stuff and afraid she will be revealed of her habits.
She trusted Ash even though he did not trust her and she also trusted Misty, she has been the one girl who always treated her nice even when the other roommates might be mad at her. She trusted herself very little, many times she tells herself to not do something and she does and usually it ends badly.
She looked at the two people in front of her, each one holding one of her hands thought they stopped running. "Can you tell we get excited when someone wants to learn about the love of God?" Misty asked her.
"I am not sure what I am feeling about all this but I am not going to run, just scared."
"We understand and we held your hand for a reason, we will hold your hand through the beginning of the walk with Christ and anytime you need to turn to us for guidance. Ash and I take this seriously and will always be one when everything is down and we will never judge you, we might hold you accountable for your actions and help you reconcile the wrong doings but God cast the end judgement. If we start to cast judgement then we will also be judge the same."
Serena was already getting confused. "Our own sins should be what we work on, we are all sinners and to judge others while we are being wrongful ourselves is a sin and can be judge for it. There is a way out but does not mean we can do as we please. A verse in the bible states, 'How can you judge the speck of dust in your brother's eye when you have a log in your own.'"
"Another verse is 'He who is without sin can cast the first stone, then Jesus turned to the prostitute and told her, go and repent from your sins and sin no more.' The amazing thing about that passage is Jesus is without sin and yet he did not judge the woman but showed her love and forgiveness and sent her on with instructions on how she can be come pure in God's eye. Through the eyes of Jesus, we are pure as new fallen snow to God."
"How?" and this was the question that needs to be answered in a quiet place.
"We will discuss that yet tonight and also explain the love of Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit." Serena looked more confused "We will explain it all Serena and if not tonight, we will meet other nights too."
"How do you know Ash feels as passionate as you and will stick by me because I did not hear you two talk while you dragged me" the last part she said in a teasing manner.
"He told me three years ago his love for God so I know he is as passionate. He prayed to God to find me again and he waited three years and he trusted God so I know he feels the same way. He has forgiven you for everything you have done to him so I know he loves God. He shows so much love that only God can give him that great big heart of his."
"Misty, I am scared." She broke down crying and leaned into her old roommate that is as of today since Misty got a job and moved a few miles off of campus.
"Serena, it is okay to be scared. Fear sometimes makes the heart speak truths and know that Ash and I are also sinners as hard as we try not to. No sin is less or greater than the other and we will always be sinners but like I said earlier, through the eyes of Jesus, God sees us to have no sin."
Ash came out with the pizza and noticed a sobbing Serena on Misty's shoulders "We have been talking and someone is feeling some guilt that she cannot let go." Ash nodded and then walked everyone to his new place a block away.
He unlocked the door and the girls stared shockingly at his place. "You girls can stay here tonight and I have two extra rooms and they are both furnished. Misty, I am sure this will not disappoint you but no sleeping in my room until I get the guts to ask you to marry me and then we do get married." She giggled knowing he was being honest but he looked so cute to her.
"Serena, when I witness to others I usually give my testimony, my life before Christ, and since accepting Christ as my Savior. You know my mother was murdered and raped in front of me and how the men never saw me. I will tell you right now the Holy Spirit looking was over an innocent little boy but I was still too proud of a nice year old to seek more."
Misty was listening and fighting the tears she felt surfacing.
"You know the many foster homes I was in, the abuse, rape and broken bones and broken will to live I went through. You know I was picked on in middle school and then how I went through a growth spurt, took up sports and broke many records and the girls were all over me. I did not want them because of the abuse that I suffered when younger and now I am thankful for that because I am not sure I would have been able to reject them otherwise. This is an example of God taking something bad and using it for future goodness in our lives."
"You know about my cousin Gary Oak beating on me when he visited and how he got sex every week from his girlfriend and all the nasty things she did to him. I felt sorry for that girl and prayed for her to be okay and change her ways from her impure ways with Gary."
"That was me; he said those things about me?"
"You knew Gary Oak?"
She nodded and then spoke between sobs. "Ash, I never did anything with him, I am willing to get my medical records and show you my barrier is still intact and trust me on everything else."
"No need to worry Misty, I trust you on your word. Gary is a windbag and a liar."
"I caught him in bed with some girl name Dawn Berlitz the week before I met you and he was the reason that I was down when in the park because I broke up with him but had a hard time letting him go, that is until I met you that day."
"He was with Dawn?"
"Misty, Dawn is the girl Ash was good friends and was going to tell her he wanted to be more than friends. I did not give you all the details when you mentioned her name that night but I knew that Ash was hurting too but at the time we were not real close."
"I caught her with Paul, in my apartment and she begged me to come back and said he was the only one. I kicked her out and the following Monday she told me no when I changed my mind and said I wanted to work things out. I also forgot about the pain she gave me when I met you Misty, thank you Lord" he finished as he looked up.
"Not sure if this is a question to ask now but do I have to go to a church full of stuffy old people?" Ash and Misty laughed.
"First, we are not making you do anything and if you wanted to leave right now, I would give you a ride home and still work on our friendship but you asked us to share with you so I do hope you give us that chance."
"I will, my interest is peeked and want to learn more."
"As far as church" Misty continued "you can pick the church you want to go to and I recommend trying a few until one fits. Once you like one go to it a few months and if you still like it you join as a member. I go to the late service down the road from where we use t look. It is a community church and the music is played by a band made up of members and singers are also from the congregation. The music is a mix of old time gospel and new age Christian Rock."
Ash continued "Funny is I go to that church too but I like to have my day open so I go to the eight in the morning service and not the eleven in the morning service. I am willing to go to the eleven if it means going with you Misty."
"I was just thinking I would like to go to the eight in the morning if we can spend that time left in the data together. I do not mind mornings but Serena can vouch that early morning weekend noise was not welcomed at Daisy's" both girls laughed.
Okay, you girls stay here tonight, tomorrow we talk more and also we can go shopping to make the place more acceptable for women. I do not mind both of you visiting and staying over if the night is late but you know my rules, no couples in this condo."
"Condo, are you renting or did you buy this?" Misty then regretted asking the personal question. "Sorry, not for me to know."
"I bought it. When I turned 18 I was given the second of 4 installments of my mom's estate. I put that money into investments and last month when I was officially had the grades to graduate, I was given the rest. I bought this place and also paid off a cabin my mom owned up north and I loved going there. I will take you there sometime Misty."
Serena had a lot to take in and was ready for bed. Ash brought out a few of his t-shirts for the girls to pick from and then Serena wished them a good night.
"Serena, I will pray for you tonight to understand what we are saying to you. Before you go to bed I want to leave you with John 3:16 and we will discuss this tomorrow because 'For Go so loved the world he gave his one and only son to die for us. Those who believe in him shall live forever in eternal life.' This is what God's love is about."
"Even for me" she asked.
"Especially for people like us" Misty responded.
"Like 'us', why you two, you two are so good and I am so broken."
"Sit down Serena because if you do not hear this little bit then you will not sleep tonight."
She sat down and hugged the shirt she had I her hands. She was tired but she was more curious than tired.
"God did not come to earth as flesh to be with the good people, he came to heal the sick and not just the sick physically but more the sick with a wicked soul. The night after I met Misty I had thoughts about how pretty she is, sexy she is and wondered things I should not of had on my mind. When with her I was constantly talking to God to help me not look at her with impure intent. I thought and still think she is the most beautiful woman I have ever met. Jesus tells us to have thoughts of a woman with impure intent is the same to lust after them I your heart. If you were married and I was married but not to each other and I looked at you and wondered what it would be like to be in bed with you but did not do it, Jesus tells us we are just as guilty."
"To hate someone in your heart is to murder them, at work or school if you intently take a paper clip or take one and later realize it is not yours and do not return it that is no different than robbing bank. Jesus does not judge us by the size of the sin, but the action of the sin. We are guilty and only through the love of Jesus can we be forgiven and accepted into God's heavenly kingdom for eternal life." Misty finished up and then looked at Ash.
"Sorry but I had impure thoughts about you and thank you for thinking I am all you described. I am proud I can catch the eye of an honest wonderful man like you." He smiled at her but let the words linger because he enjoyed her confession.
"Good night you too and normally I would say something witty now but I do not feel right saying anything now."
"Serena, when you first learn of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it seems difficult to let loose but remember I can be a jokester too and that was after I accepted Christ. At first we think we need to make up for all of our bad but hopefully Misty and I can teach you to enjoy the love of Jesus and enjoy life without beating up your own self too much."
"I love both of you" and she kissed both of them on the cheek and rushed off to the room Ash directed her too.
After she went to the bedroom and closed the door, Ash leaned to Misty and kissed her cheek. "Ash, I do not mind kissing but nothing else, I might have the grace of God in me but I am female and you are hot and not sure how good I can stay."
He leaned in and kissed her, put his arms around her and cradled her body to his as his lips touched and enjoyed her lips. He broke the kiss and she leaned her head on his chest. "I better go to bed Ash. I am way too comfortable and if I stay here any longer Serena will wake to me sleeping in your arms and all credibility will be out the door."
She pecked his lips one more time and then she went to her assigned room and closed the door.
"Good Night Misty" Ash said to no one but it felt right.
A/N: okay, I am going to do this with a few sequels. The next sequel will be day two of witnessing and filled with testimony an also Serena letting it all out. Her guilt will build so much in her and she will have to confess all she has done to Ash and Misty.
One of the hardest things as a Christian, or at least to me is to know God has forgiven us; Jesus made this possible by dying on the cross and then rising from the dead on the third day. Hard for me because he died for me and all I have to do is ask with my heart to be forgiven and it is done. Growing up in a home that taught nothing good comes easy so how can something great be so easy.
Serena will have a hard time with this, Ash and Misty will show her in the bible examples of people who were bad and then God used them to spread his word across the lands. God will use you for his mission and know what is so great about this, He does not need us, but he wants us. That is wonderful love to not be needed but to still be wanted.
When I am writing stories like this and One God, which I will post the nest chapter in a couple of days, is I hum gospel music. I am told we cannot mention songs on here because of copy rights but try it, turn on the radio, hum along and let your fingers type God's word.
Okay, enough writing today, I wrote both Bike Ride and After Graduation today from scratch and also another chapter of One God (needs to be edited) but all three add up to over 12k words. I also built a planter for my wife and spent two hour outside with my four year old adopted little girl, I am 50 so kind of tired now. I want to close in prayer:
Dear Lord, give me strength to type your truths and to reach those who need to be reached. Even believers need a push to finish what you have asked us to do and give us that strength, the strength to plant one more seed, to prepare a person who does not believe to ask one question and for the believer to have the correct answer. I pray this in Jesus name, Amen.