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"The Permanent Record" by gretchentlm

A guardian angel records the life of a human being.

Category: Book: 1st Chapter

Tags: christian fiction

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Prologue

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…

Jeremiah 1:5

One last scan of the details on this latest creation and I will be ready to report for my next mission.

Ages ago, I would have looked at this being and thought this would be an easy assignment. However, time and experience have taught me differently, as I have come to find that there is often a great chasm between what God sees as beautiful, and what the earth views as lovely.

Each of the Masters children continues to be gifted with the most exquisite of souls. They are all quite different, and yet they are all interdependent. Unfortunately from what I have witnessed in the past, many humans like to point out the differences in each other, and have been known to gravitate towards those they find most similar to themselves thus obstructing the crucial element of interdependency in their walk.

As always, each human’s journey remains their own and only in accordance with the Master’s wishes will I intercede. I will step in when I am called to do so, and on the same note, I will refrain from any intervention when so instructed. No matter what, I will at all times walk before, behind and beside my charge.

Often my lack of intervention causes me great distress. I come to love the humans that are entrusted to my care and I do not want to see any pain or heartache come to them. However, I do have a distinct advantage. With heaven as my residence, I know that the present trials and tribulations will one-day make perfect sense to them.

The ephemeral struggles each human being faces have enduring consequences. And with history as my guide, I have to say every human who has entered into the Father’s glory would willingly live their lives over (pain and all) when armed with the eternal knowledge of exactly what good had been born of their suffering.

I am not privy to the plans of the Almighty; however I do know that throughout history, He has not made a mistake. There have been certain situations where I was convinced God would never be able to reveal His glory, and yet He has always found a way. Needless to say, I have long since ceased trying to figure out His plan. I just trust and believe.

I will be working with a female this time around and I can see a tremendous amount of faith has been bestowed upon her. Circumstances can get pretty ugly down on there and this gift will be instrumental in propelling her through the muck and mire that threatens to ensnare her. Unless conditions have greatly changed since my last trip to earth, I can guarantee there will be times in which she is up to her eyeballs in dirt, regardless of the path she chooses to travel.

I find it curious as to how the endowment of faith on an individual is often received by other human beings. Among believers it is highly valued and at times envied. Although the humans tend to talk as if they can measure the faith of another, I believe it remains the one gift that only the Father can gauge correctly. A heart to heart connection that operates outside of what the senses or society perceives to be true; it is the result of an inner conviction prompted by a higher calling.

Suffice it to say; by no means does the bestowal of any one particular spiritual gift signify a child’s elite status in the eyes of the Father. For no endowment is ever bequeathed for personal gain. Rather each gift is a carefully selected instrument that, if used properly in conjunction with the gifts of others, will serve the Kingdom of God.

As confused as I find myself at the manner in which believers sometimes look at faith, I am most perplexed at how the unbelievers view those who choose to live their lives by faith. They will accuse the faithful of being irresponsible or brainless for placing one’s life into the hands of an unseen entity, all the while living their own lives with varying degrees of faith. The only difference is where they choose to place their loyalty and allegiance.

Not one human being has ever been enabled to see into the heart of another, and therefore every jot and tittle of every single relationship formed is based upon faith. Is the friend or loved one being truthful or treacherous? Are the circumstances exactly as they appear to be? What are the motives that cause one to bring happiness or harm to another?

The answers to these questions can only be reached through faith. At some point in every relationship there comes a time in which an individual must either throw caution to the wind and embrace the connection, or turn their back and forego further contact. In other words, no matter what choice they make, they are taking a leap of faith.

Peculiarly enough, I have even noticed that humans will readily place their faith in the words of a total stranger. Information acquired at the hands of a source in which the public deems reliable, such as the daily periodical or newspaper, is not only accepted without the blink of an eye, but also rarely questioned.

I was often captivated by the humans as they would open up the paper and based solely upon format decipher fact from fiction. Lacking omniscience, I did not know if all human beings came to the same conclusion as to the validity of the written word or not, and it was not until I returned home from my assignment that I could confirm the truth myself.

I do not mean to imply that the information shared among the masses is full of errors and lies. For as I found out upon my return to Heaven, many (but not all) were in fact quite reliable. What truly pains me is the fact that many of these humans would readily put their faith in these unknown sources (that are admittedly intertwined with fancy), and at the same time scoff at the Word of God.

Not only has the Bible endured immense persecution, but it has also withstood the test of time. Unlike the newspapers, one will not find any retraction of a story inserted in small print within the pages of the Bible. And as of last count, contrary to those who have given their lives to protect the truths within the Bible, I have yet to be made aware of anyone who has willingly gone to their death in support of each and every stroke of the pen within a daily periodical. Oh they may choose to fight for a certain principle contained within or the freedom of the press in general, but not for the comics or the classifieds.

The growing trend among the humans to accept the news of the day without hesitation, while questioning the eternal truths incorporated in the Bible concerned me throughout my last mission. Perhaps this tendency to place their faith in one another rather than into the hands of the Creator has diminished since my last quest to earth. Should that be the case, then it is possible this child full of faith will be appreciated for the incredibly courageous being she is to become. For I have come to learn that nothing takes more courage than putting one’s life into the hands of another.

In the infancy of God’s people, the females did a remarkable job at exhibiting this faith. Repressed to the point in which they were merely considered the property of the male, the will of the females was forsaken in lieu of the males. Suffice it to say; to survive in such an environment, the women had to place an incredible amount of faith in their husbands.

All too often, the males mistakenly recognized this total submission as a sign of weakness. When in fact, had the men paid more attention to the example that was being set forth by the women, they may have learned what it meant to be a servant. For had the men paid heed to the way in which their wives yielded to their will, perhaps they would have better yielded their own lives into the hands of the Father.

Inarguably, an abundance of faith will serve to anchor one’s soul to the heart of the Father, provided of course that this anchor is thrown off the boat. All of the faith in the world will do nothing if not properly developed and applied. Of course, this takes time and trials as the humans learn to recognize the Spirit at work and trust in its leading. Customarily, the development of this characteristic often hinges on the additional gifts that have been bestowed.

Standing alone, the ability to have faith means little if one does not know what to do with it or who to place it in. It is for this reason that I am pleased to see the inclusion of a generous portion of discernment and knowledge in the makeup of this new being.

This additional pairing does not really surprise me as I have noticed that they often go hand in hand. Theoretically, discernment should feed off of the knowledge that the individual obtains. Assuming that this female takes advantage of her ability to retain and process information, the knowledge that this will lead to should assist her in grasping on to what is being revealed to her.

Ideally, the gift of knowledge will drive her to study and analyze insights with regard to the Father. Properly applied, this knowledge will boost her ability to discern hidden motives and corrupt doctrines. Through observation and understanding, this should enhance her ability to make wise decisions.

I do not see much of what the humans would consider as awesome gifts in the make-up of this new female. She will not be speaking in tongues, nor will she be able to decipher them. She is unequipped to bring about any miraculous healings, and I see very little future for her in prophesying.

While she will not be able to shock and awe the masses, it is undeniable that the gifts she does bear are capable of producing miraculous results in their own right.

Regardless of how well equipped this child will be, the gifts bestowed upon her are gifts of grace and not indicators of her own personal sanctification. That part is up to her and her alone. Until she is washed in the blood of Christ, these gifts will be of little use to the Kingdom of God.

Finding and recognizing her personal gifts will not be what bring her to the Father, rather it is the gifts that His other children possess that will assist her along the journey. Once there, it will not only become a tie that binds her soul to the Heavens, but also it will enable her to utilize these gifts in such a way that they reflect the Spirit of the One who reigns on high.

Throughout history, many of the Father’s most valiant warriors have gone unnoticed on the earth. The worldly memory of them is now limited to an inscription on a tombstone, or an entry into a family Bible. However, it is precisely these people who have been long forgotten upon the earth that have been invaluable to the advancement of the Kingdom.

But alas, what the earth fails to recognize is oftentimes exactly the same things that Heaven takes note of. Time will tell whether this new creation will one day make her mark upon the earth … or upon the Heavens.

Although every moment of every day harbors an eternal spark, the crux of the matter is that the earthly life of this human will likely register in eternity more as a series of snapshots. As is my duty, I will diligently chronicle each step forward, and each step back.

Therefore, with eternal ink in hand, I bid farewell to my one true home as I report for duty.

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1. Prologue

2. Before I formed you in the womb I knew you…

3. Jeremiah 1:5

4. One last scan of the details on this latest creation and I will be ready to report for my next mission.

5. Ages ago, I would have looked at this being and thought this would be an easy assignment. However, time and experience have taught me differently, as I have come to find that there is often a great chasm between what God sees as beautiful, and what the earth views as lovely.

6. Each of the Masters children continues to be gifted with the most exquisite of souls. They are all quite different, and yet they are all interdependent. Unfortunately from what I have witnessed in the past, many humans like to point out the differences in each other, and have been known to gravitate towards those they find most similar to themselves thus obstructing the crucial element of interdependency in their walk.

7. As always, each human’s journey remains their own and only in accordance with the Master’s wishes will I intercede. I will step in when I am called to do so, and on the same note, I will refrain from any intervention when so instructed. No matter what, I will at all times walk before, behind and beside my charge.

8. Often my lack of intervention causes me great distress. I come to love the humans that are entrusted to my care and I do not want to see any pain or heartache come to them. However, I do have a distinct advantage. With heaven as my residence, I know that the present trials and tribulations will one-day make perfect sense to them.

9. The ephemeral struggles each human being faces have enduring consequences. And with history as my guide, I have to say every human who has entered into the Father’s glory would willingly live their lives over (pain and all) when armed with the eternal knowledge of exactly what good had been born of their suffering.

10. I am not privy to the plans of the Almighty; however I do know that throughout history, He has not made a mistake. There have been certain situations where I was convinced God would never be able to reveal His glory, and yet He has always found a way. Needless to say, I have long since ceased trying to figure out His plan. I just trust and believe.

11. I will be working with a female this time around and I can see a tremendous amount of faith has been bestowed upon her. Circumstances can get pretty ugly down on there and this gift will be instrumental in propelling her through the muck and mire that threatens to ensnare her. Unless conditions have greatly changed since my last trip to earth, I can guarantee there will be times in which she is up to her eyeballs in dirt, regardless of the path she chooses to travel.

12. I find it curious as to how the endowment of faith on an individual is often received by other human beings. Among believers it is highly valued and at times envied. Although the humans tend to talk as if they can measure the faith of another, I believe it remains the one gift that only the Father can gauge correctly. A heart to heart connection that operates outside of what the senses or society perceives to be true; it is the result of an inner conviction prompted by a higher calling.

13. Suffice it to say; by no means does the bestowal of any one particular spiritual gift signify a child’s elite status in the eyes of the Father. For no endowment is ever bequeathed for personal gain. Rather each gift is a carefully selected instrument that, if used properly in conjunction with the gifts of others, will serve the Kingdom of God.

14. As confused as I find myself at the manner in which believers sometimes look at faith, I am most perplexed at how the unbelievers view those who choose to live their lives by faith. They will accuse the faithful of being irresponsible or brainless for placing one’s life into the hands of an unseen entity, all the while living their own lives with varying degrees of faith. The only difference is where they choose to place their loyalty and allegiance.

15. Not one human being has ever been enabled to see into the heart of another, and therefore every jot and tittle of every single relationship formed is based upon faith. Is the friend or loved one being truthful or treacherous? Are the circumstances exactly as they appear to be? What are the motives that cause one to bring happiness or harm to another?

16. The answers to these questions can only be reached through faith. At some point in every relationship there comes a time in which an individual must either throw caution to the wind and embrace the connection, or turn their back and forego further contact. In other words, no matter what choice they make, they are taking a leap of faith.

17. Peculiarly enough, I have even noticed that humans will readily place their faith in the words of a total stranger. Information acquired at the hands of a source in which the public deems reliable, such as the daily periodical or newspaper, is not only accepted without the blink of an eye, but also rarely questioned.

18. I was often captivated by the humans as they would open up the paper and based solely upon format decipher fact from fiction. Lacking omniscience, I did not know if all human beings came to the same conclusion as to the validity of the written word or not, and it was not until I returned home from my assignment that I could confirm the truth myself.

19. I do not mean to imply that the information shared among the masses is full of errors and lies. For as I found out upon my return to Heaven, many (but not all) were in fact quite reliable. What truly pains me is the fact that many of these humans would readily put their faith in these unknown sources (that are admittedly intertwined with fancy), and at the same time scoff at the Word of God.

20. Not only has the Bible endured immense persecution, but it has also withstood the test of time. Unlike the newspapers, one will not find any retraction of a story inserted in small print within the pages of the Bible. And as of last count, contrary to those who have given their lives to protect the truths within the Bible, I have yet to be made aware of anyone who has willingly gone to their death in support of each and every stroke of the pen within a daily periodical. Oh they may choose to fight for a certain principle contained within or the freedom of the press in general, but not for the comics or the classifieds.

21. The growing trend among the humans to accept the news of the day without hesitation, while questioning the eternal truths incorporated in the Bible concerned me throughout my last mission. Perhaps this tendency to place their faith in one another rather than into the hands of the Creator has diminished since my last quest to earth. Should that be the case, then it is possible this child full of faith will be appreciated for the incredibly courageous being she is to become. For I have come to learn that nothing takes more courage than putting one’s life into the hands of another.

22. In the infancy of God’s people, the females did a remarkable job at exhibiting this faith. Repressed to the point in which they were merely considered the property of the male, the will of the females was forsaken in lieu of the males. Suffice it to say; to survive in such an environment, the women had to place an incredible amount of faith in their husbands.

23. All too often, the males mistakenly recognized this total submission as a sign of weakness. When in fact, had the men paid more attention to the example that was being set forth by the women, they may have learned what it meant to be a servant. For had the men paid heed to the way in which their wives yielded to their will, perhaps they would have better yielded their own lives into the hands of the Father.

24. Inarguably, an abundance of faith will serve to anchor one’s soul to the heart of the Father, provided of course that this anchor is thrown off the boat. All of the faith in the world will do nothing if not properly developed and applied. Of course, this takes time and trials as the humans learn to recognize the Spirit at work and trust in its leading. Customarily, the development of this characteristic often hinges on the additional gifts that have been bestowed.

25. Standing alone, the ability to have faith means little if one does not know what to do with it or who to place it in. It is for this reason that I am pleased to see the inclusion of a generous portion of discernment and knowledge in the makeup of this new being.

26. This additional pairing does not really surprise me as I have noticed that they often go hand in hand. Theoretically, discernment should feed off of the knowledge that the individual obtains. Assuming that this female takes advantage of her ability to retain and process information, the knowledge that this will lead to should assist her in grasping on to what is being revealed to her.

27. Ideally, the gift of knowledge will drive her to study and analyze insights with regard to the Father. Properly applied, this knowledge will boost her ability to discern hidden motives and corrupt doctrines. Through observation and understanding, this should enhance her ability to make wise decisions.

28. I do not see much of what the humans would consider as awesome gifts in the make-up of this new female. She will not be speaking in tongues, nor will she be able to decipher them. She is unequipped to bring about any miraculous healings, and I see very little future for her in prophesying.

29. While she will not be able to shock and awe the masses, it is undeniable that the gifts she does bear are capable of producing miraculous results in their own right.

30. Regardless of how well equipped this child will be, the gifts bestowed upon her are gifts of grace and not indicators of her own personal sanctification. That part is up to her and her alone. Until she is washed in the blood of Christ, these gifts will be of little use to the Kingdom of God.

31. Finding and recognizing her personal gifts will not be what bring her to the Father, rather it is the gifts that His other children possess that will assist her along the journey. Once there, it will not only become a tie that binds her soul to the Heavens, but also it will enable her to utilize these gifts in such a way that they reflect the Spirit of the One who reigns on high.

32. Throughout history, many of the Father’s most valiant warriors have gone unnoticed on the earth. The worldly memory of them is now limited to an inscription on a tombstone, or an entry into a family Bible. However, it is precisely these people who have been long forgotten upon the earth that have been invaluable to the advancement of the Kingdom.

33. But alas, what the earth fails to recognize is oftentimes exactly the same things that Heaven takes note of. Time will tell whether this new creation will one day make her mark upon the earth … or upon the Heavens.

34. Although every moment of every day harbors an eternal spark, the crux of the matter is that the earthly life of this human will likely register in eternity more as a series of snapshots. As is my duty, I will diligently chronicle each step forward, and each step back.

35. Therefore, with eternal ink in hand, I bid farewell to my one true home as I report for duty.

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