Free The Gift of Light: (Revised) (The Gifts Book 1) by Jen Gentry

goodness. His plan is a mystery to us all, but it is a plan in motion as it unfolds before us. I am concerned about the growing number of demons surrounding the senator’s mansion. The sorcerer there is very strong, and he binds the senator and his staff closer to the demons with each passing day. His deceptions are well covered.”
         Staniel nodded his head in agreement. A fierce battle loomed on the horizon as the tension between the opposing forces built.
         “All we can do is keep the saints praying and keep our faith, knowing that the Lord has us all in his hands.” Liam agreed with Staniel. Keeping the saints safe and praying was the key element in the angels’ whole purpose in doing the Lord’s will.
     
     
         Bradley spent the summer with his Aunt Amelia, learning about his mother and her family. He spent hours leafing through photo albums with his aunt who patiently answered his many questions about what his mother. His father never talked about her and kept no pictures of her anywhere. At that point, his mother was only a vague sweet memory.
         He remembered some things, like how she always smelled like flowers and that she had long blonde hair that would tickle his nose when she held him. What he remembered most about her was that she loved him. He still heard that sweet voice croon to him that she loved him ‘up to the moon, around the moon and back.’
         He sighed as he looked at pictures of them together when he was a baby. Thinking of her death brought a painful stab to his heart. All his father would say was she’d died in her sleep. “It would be best to forget her and never think of her again.” That was the last time his father mentioned her to Bradley.
         He put the photo album away and thought of Marta, something he’d done a lot of lately. He knew he’d hurt her in a very bad way and the bitterness of guilt flooded his soul. He simply couldn’t believe it. How could he have done something like that, no matter how angry he was? He threw a little girl down on the ground and robbed her of her hair. How? How did he do that? He wanted to make amends, he just didn’t know how. He vowed he’d never hurt anyone again and determined not to become another version of his father.
         Bradley craved forgiveness, a foreign concept to him personally, but something he wanted badly. Amelia was a strong Christian woman. At the start of the summer, Bradley wanted nothing to do with going to church, but she insisted. At church, he learned about Jesus, the real Jesus, not just a figure on a cross. This Jesus offered him forgiveness for all his sins.
         Bradley spent many hours pondering this. What if he did give his life to Christ? What would it mean? How would it help? What would his father think? Did he really care what his father thought? Somehow he knew this was personal, his decision to make. It was up to him to choose.
         When he asked his aunt about giving his life to Jesus, she arranged for him to meet with her minister. The minister prayed with Bradley and read him scriptures about Jesus’ life and death on the cross.
         “You see, son, the word says that whosoever believes that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead and then accepts Jesus into his heart, is a new creation. His sins are forgiven and he’s washed white as snow in the shed blood that Jesus gave for us when He died on that cross.” The minister asked,
          “Are you ready to ask Jesus into your heart, Bradley?”
         “I know I want forgiveness for bad things I’ve done, but what if Jesus doesn’t want me? What if I’ve been so bad that I cannot be forgiven? What if the girl I hurt never forgives me?”
         “Son, what matters is that Jesus forgives you. You can ask for this girl’s forgiveness, in time, but I don’t know what she’ll do. I can only tell you that Christ will forgive you if you accept Him in your heart and ask for