Cricket’s chirping filled the desert’s rolling hills; the silence of the night echoed. A horse in a stable snorted as a woman with raven-black hair fed him hay. A sad smile came across her features while she stroked the soft, brown fur of her beautiful steed. Her blue eyes swam with tears that broke any inner resolve. She quickly dried them without a second thought.

            “Oh, Buttercup, am I not meant to preach God’s word?” she whispered, kissing his cheek. Maybe a stroll would be best. She decided to walk away from the stable, not towards the safety of home but into the unknown darkness. With every step she took, her mind replayed the horrible conversation between her and Pastor Raymond, whom she’d known since she was ten. She expressed her sincere desire to minister and preach outside of Sunday school. Maybe to teach the scriptures to a handful of women. His uncomfortable gaze spoke volumes, as if she’d mentioned her time of the month.

            “Sarah Richards, what were you thinking?” she said to herself with a sniff. A shiver escaped her, teased by a gentle breeze. It was only the month of August, and she felt exposed, naked, and alone. It made her think of the famous Apostle Paul, formerly Saul, an immediate reminder of how he despised Jesus. She admired his story and his willingness to travel with Priscilla and her husband, Aquilla. It demonstrated his compassionate character in contrast to the way others may easily dismiss his writings being sexist and blunt.

            Laughter bubbled up inside her as she wondered what the great Apostle Paul would note about her situation. Would he encourage her to preach the gospel? Seek another church? Or abandon hope and seclude herself in the mountains? The thoughts ran through her mind, while her footsteps drifted towards the road outside her home. The sense of danger crossed her mind a little too late; luminous headlights appeared behind her. A loud, blaring honk immediately alerted Sarah; a small gasp escaped her. Before she could react, a rough hand yanked her back from the open road. Her body collapsed into the arms of an older man with a beard, without a single hair along his scalp.

            “Careful, Miss Sarah. You could’ve gotten yourself killed!” he said with a genuine expression of concern in his brown eyes. Sarah blinked, and the realization dawned on her how close she was to death. She slowly pulled away and took a clear look at him. He had a blue plaid, long-sleeved shirt with a white T-shirt underneath, blue jeans, and brown boots to match. Once her adrenaline wore off, she disengaged and stared up into his gaze.

            “How do you know my name?” Sarah inquired in a voice that demanded this gentleman not beat around the bush. Her mind raced to determine his identity. Was it a friend? Unlikely, since she had few friends. Was it the actor James Faulkner? It couldn’t be because how would he know her name, let alone bother to save her from death?

            “I think you can figure out that answer.” He motioned for her to come with him. Sarah blinked but stayed in place, refusing to move an inch with this stranger. He noticed she remained unwilling to go with him and flipped around toward her in a plea for her to follow. Sarah shook her head and exhaled a small sigh.

            “No, I can’t. If you think for one second that I’ll leave with you to goodness knows where, you’re mistaken,” she spat out with incredulous fury. She adjusted the sleeves of her red plaid shirt, prepared to punch his lights out and call 911. However, her scowl softened at his broken-hearted expression. He approached her, and she braced herself for whatever was to happen. He took her diminutive hand in his and kissed it, sincerity stretched across his face.

            “I would quote my lord with ‘but who do you say I am,’ were I not worried I’d be struck blind again,” he chuckled. Her breath hitched. So, this was him: the Apostle Paul himself. She swayed in shock at the realization, and her friend caught her elbows. 

            “Paul… That’s who you claim to be. Why are you here? Aren’t you in Heaven already? Am I dead?” Paul gave her another chuckle and a hearty pat on the back. Her features contorted with astonishment at his lax attitude. She frowned that he wasn’t taking the matter seriously. Paul, however, kept a sincere smile on his face, rubbing her back in reassurance.

            “Let’s just say our Lord allowed me to visit you for tonight. He knows you’re hurt at being denied the opportunity to proclaim the gospel, to share your experiences, and ultimately glorify Him. Knowing how much you admire my own story, He sent me to intervene, so to speak.” He nudged her onward in a gentle manner. She followed with hesitation. A creeping silence passed between them and allowed her to acknowledge the real reason Paul revealed himself.  

            “Put it this way, Miss Sarah, if Jesus were here himself, in all His glory, telling you that there is hope for you, would you believe Him?” Paul asked, taking a small glance toward her.

            She could only raise her eyebrows and nod in agreement. Shame reflected on her face that she did not immediately start praying to Jesus about her pain. Instead, she chose to leave herself exposed and in danger. Pulling her out of self-pity, she felt a reassuring squeeze upon her left shoulder.

            “Sarah, I didn’t journey from Heaven to make you feel ashamed or sorry for yourself. I came to speak to you about Pastor Raymond and why he denied you the opportunity you seek. It’s not his fault. His wife recently passed away; he’s lonely, and your calling reminded him of his wife’s desire to share the gospel.” His reply left Sarah’s mouth agape in shock. She could’ve sworn in recent weeks the woman was healthy as a horse, that she’d driven her breast cancer into full remission.

            “Unfortunately, the loss devastated Pastor Raymond so much that, well… he couldn’t find the courage to properly express his desire for you to share the gospel. He is also very fond of you, Sarah. In fact, his son, Kyle? He really likes you, you realize. Thinks of you as a godly woman of true faith.” A knowing look clouded his eyes. That news stunned Sarah even more than the news of Diana’s death. She never knew he admired her faith and always assumed they were friends.

            “And umm… by godly woman, you mean one worthy to be… his wife, maybe?” She couldn’t help but smile as a blush crept up her cheeks. Memories of their coffee meetings and the kiss they shared once were enough to make her heart swoon. She met Kyle when she was sixteen, yet their friendship waxed and waned. If God intended to draw them together, it would happen by his will, not her desire. Her giddiness grew at the very thought of Kyle, intensified by the silence from Paul.

            “I have no words. But I thank God you’re here, to save me from the car, that you undertook this journey to…” she trailed off in contemplation. Surely, he didn’t come to inform her that she and Kyle were to become an item. The purpose of his visit must’ve been deeper. He must have intentions beyond those he revealed thus far.

            “To remind you of God’s calling upon your heart, Sarah. To preach the good news, proclaim His name, and never give up-“ Sarah’s ringtone chimed and cut him off. The beeping continued while she merely stood there in shock. She briefly touched her screen and lifted the phone to her ear in silence.

            “Sarah? Is that you? I’m sitting in my truck, ready to drive all over Tucson hunting for you!” a familiar, soft voice said, and Sarah sighed in relief. She placed a hand upon her chest to compose herself for a moment.

            “Don’t worry, Kyle. I’m fine. After feeding Buttercup, I took a walk to clear my mind and… I ran into an old friend.” She glanced over, but caught no trace of Paul. She scanned the area only to puzzle over his disappearance.

            “Well, whoever he is, I want to thank him for making sure you’re okay. And listen, don’t worry about my dad; he’s going through a lot. It’s not your fault.” She blinked away tears, exhaling a quiet sigh. “We’ve fallen into a cycle of meeting for coffee instead of going on a real date. Can we meet at the Dave and Buster’s down by the mall? I promise to go easy on the skeeball,” Kyle said as her eyes swam with joy. Everything Paul told her was true and enough to inflate her courage.

            Her head nodded so vigorously that she was sure he’d hear it in her response. “Yes, Kyle, I’d love to. And don’t worry, there are no hard feelings toward your dad; I know about your mom. She was a treasure to the church community and me as well. And… come what may, be it that I share God’s word or simply go on many dates with you, maybe even share one lifetime with you, I’m so happy to have met you, Kyle. I love you, my dearest companion in Christ,” she whispered, barely able to process the words that escaped her lips.

            “Oh, Sarah, I love you too.”

            A sigh of relief escaped her as she turned and began to make her way home. She silently thanked Jesus for bringing Paul to intervene, knowing she would see him again. One day.

Editor: Shannon Hensley