Posted by Alison September 02, 2024

September Selection: Inspirational Fantasy, Encouraging Poetry, Plus More

Dearest Readers,

I hope you will find something to inspire and encourage you in this longer post. Enjoy! And may God bless you. As usual, I invite you to stay awhile and browse my bookshelves for more free reads.

See you next week, God willing.

Love,

Alison

The Return

As Donal put one weary, blistered foot in front of the other, he forced himself to remain alert to danger. He had yet to reach the border between the Broadlands and the Narrows.

Donal scratched nervously at his ragged beard and scanned the field beside the road for food. He pounced on some grains which had been forgotten by the harvestors, then stuffed them into his sack quickly. He could see land men in the distance. They were a hot-tempered and mean-spirited folk. He knew this from experience, having been worked nearly to death by a land man for a bare handful of food a day.

Donal forced his thin, run down body to move on. Only once he'd reached the shelter of a few boulders did he stop. Then, with his back soaking up warmth from the stone, he ate the grains hungrily and took a few meagre sips of tepid water from his flask. The whole time he scanned the rocks and the surrounding country. The land men were no longer a threat, but he hardly fancied the idea of a troll, or worse still, a giant hurling one of the boulders at him. He may have been dirty and thin, but they'd still make a meal of an outsider like him. Donal stumbled to his feet when a pebble bounced to the ground. He snapped his head upwards, then sighed in relief when he saw the horned sirax balanced on the rocks above him. The grass eating creature was harmless, but he moved on anyway.

The shadows were lengthening, and his mission was urgent. He must get home. Home was his one and only hope now. He dared not think too much of how he would be received, if at all. Donal stuffed another handful of grains into his mouth with a dirt-caked hand. His whole being protested with the effort as he pressed onwards. I must reach the border. I must get home. Please.

His tears began when he saw the giant barricade in the distance, and became a river as he neared it. His feet were on fire, and his body was one constant scream, but he didn't care.

He endured the jeers and taunts of the guards quietly. As long as they let him through. That was all that mattered. So he could go home. Please.

On realizing that he was a native of The Narrows, the guards raised the gate, shaking their heads and speculating all the while. Donal ignored them. Let them gossip. The whole of The Narrows must have known by now.

With a grateful heart, the battered man spent the night under a bridge: he'd complete his journey in the morning.

***

As the sun caressed his tired body, Donal started up the dirt road, his eyes downcast, and focused mainly on his grimy, bleeding feet. But every now and then, he looked up, taking note of familiar landmarks.

Donal crested a small hill, then leaned against a spreading tree: an old friend. Below him stretched the achingly beautiful land of his youth. He spotted a distant figure on the road below, and his breath caught in his throat. No. It couldn't be. Impossible.

The figure was moving quickly. Donal's legs pumped with new energy as he half jogged, half tumbled down the hill. His vision blurred, but he saw that the figure ahead of him seemed to be running. Towards him.

Time and fear stilled as he fell into the unexpected embrace.

Donal looked up into the broad, tear-washed face and wept anew at what he saw there.

The older man clasped him even closer. My son. My son.

***

This story is inspired by the account of the prodigal son, told by Jesus in the Bible.

You too, can run to the Father today.

***

Luke 15:11-24 ESV

[11] And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. [12] And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. [13] Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. [14] And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. [15] So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. [16] And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything. [17] “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! [18] I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. [19] I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ [20] And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21] And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ [22] But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. [24] For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

https://bible.com/bible/59/luk.15.11-24.ESV

The Searcher's Song

For a brief moment, Marna was tempted to give up; to admit defeat. Another ransacked cave; another disapointment. No doubt, the work of Cherno and his dark followers. But, they hadn't found it, that much she knew; and the knowledge steeled her resolve.

"Onwards, people! There are more caves to explore."

She whispered her greatest hope to her brother Keiran. "Cherno has no knowledge of the elders' secret code. but it will lead us to the treasure."

Keiran nodded. "Perhaps we should give up on these caves and head straight to the cliffs. The code indicates that there is water in the hiding place."

Marna agreed quickly. She was tired of dead ends; and tired of constantly hiding. Once her people had the sword, Cherno and his evil hordes would be ousted forever. "We must hurry. The tides will turn soon."

***

Marna and Keiran volunteered to explore the sea cave, whilst the others kept watch. The young woman held her torch aloft as she picked her way carefully over the dank, slippery floor. All the while, they listened to the sound of the waves.

Marna recited the elders' secret code, her eyes searching for clues, and for the ancient symbol.

"Over here!" Kieran's voice echoed through the chamber. "Over here!"

Marna made her way to the spot. And there it was: the marks etched on the rock would appear to be a fossil to the unaware.

Together, they removed the loose rock concealing the treasure: their only hope of breaking the enemy's grim hold.

Mara stepped forward and touched the sword's intricate hilt. As she did so, it seemed to come alive. Intense light sliced through the cloying darkness, and Marna's heart began to sing redemption's song.

***

This second story is inspired by Jesus' parables of the lost treasures in the Bible.

When we seek Jesus and His Kingdom, we ourselves are like treasure seekers.

Seek true treasure today.

***

Matthew 13:44-46 ESV

[44] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. [45] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, [46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

https://bible.com/bible/59/mat.13.44-46.ESV

***

Hope and cheer

Reaching

Father I'm reaching;

reaching for You,

awaiting Your answer:

Make me brand new

***

God answers this prayer by leading us to His Son, Jesus, Who took our sins upon Himself. By trusting in Jesus; in His death on the cross for me, I can be made brand new. (Be born again, saved, made righteous.)

Repent and ask Jesus to save you today. :)

***

The God of the Book

is the God for me:

I trust Him, I love Him;

He is all He should be

***

The God we believe in is the God of the Bible. All you need to know about Him can be found between its two covers. When you place your trust in Him, you are trusting in the good, perfect, righteous, holy, One True God. You are trusting in Jesus who saves us from our sins.

***

In My Garden

Sunny sight

Dusty Millar and a pansy grown from seed. Note the grass clippings which I always use after sowing seeds. It helps keep them warm and damp, and is essential for container gardening.