The Peace of Love: Broken Pieces Series

By Shirley Ann Williams

Darren had found refuge in his Fathers arms, outstretched and waiting for the wayward child to come home. Home to Him. This cell was not a home that Darren, aka Fester, had envisioned as a place to live out his life. Maybe, for his father, but never for him. The choice was initiated when he crossed that line between obeying the law and defying it.

Prison now was not his temporary home, but the place he would eat, sleep, and work for the rest of his life. But in reality, Darren Moore had already lived his life in prison, barred in by his actions long before setting foot in this institution. The prison he lived in for most of his life was the one he constructed himself.

Picking up the journal Gabe had left behind, he flipped hastily through the pages. Though he tried to talk to God, it was difficult never having done so before. Darren had uttered His name only in curses. This way of living was strange to him, and Nathan had explained that it would be. There would be days hed feel like a failure; and in such times, God would be there waiting patiently.

Father God, please help me. As soon as he cried his utterance, a whisper sounded. Looking about his cell, he saw no one. Was God really listening? Darren had heard whispers similar to these at the trial. With tear-filled eyes, he glanced down and began to read. To Fester Moore

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inspiring Voices
• Release date: Dec 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781462410873

Shirley Ann Williams

Shirley Williams writes what God has laid upon her heart. Writing is a part of her faith journey; giving witness to God’s love, mercy, and grace. Now a retired teacher, Shirley pens stories of inspiration and hope amid the struggles and confusion life offers; creating characters searching for God’s peace.

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Copyright © 2014 Shirley Ann Williams.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Author and editor photos from personal Goss family album;

Bridge photos of author and editor by Carl Boone;

Novels 1-5 covers by artist and author, Shirley Ann Williams

Graphics/art submitted for the book by Shirley Ann Williams

Inspiring Voices

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.inspiringvoices.com

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4624-1088-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4624-1087-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014922702

Inspiring Voices rev. date: 12/23/2014

Contents

Chapter 1 Home For The First Time

Chapter 2 Store Dilemma

Chapter 3 Delivered And Paid For

Chapter 4 The Picnic Invite

Chapter 5 Bernard’s Education

Chapter 6 Picnic At The Farm

Chapter 7 Judge’s Chamber Talk

Chapter 8 Jonas, Once Lost Son

Chapter 9 Gabriel’s Farm Outing

Chapter 10 One More Day For Jason

Chapter 11 Trip Into Another World

Chapter 12 Adjustments

Chapter 13 No Luck

Chapter 14 What If…?

Chapter 15 Call To Warden Morgan

Chapter 16 The Park

Chapter 17 Hand Extended

Chapter 18 Wanderings From The Heart

Chapter 19 More Talk Between Them

Chapter 20 Amends

Chapter 21 Talk With His Earthly Father

Chapter 22 Mystery Gesture

Chapter 23 In The Barn

Chapter 24 Miracles Abound

Chapter 25 Wonders Never Cease

Chapter 26 On The Docket

Chapter 27 Day Of Peace And Promise

Chapter 28 Courtroom Decision

Chapter 29 Voice Beyond

Chapter 30 A New Beginning

Chapter 31 Epilogue… Or Just The Beginning Again?

Broken Pieces Series

A five book series

Broken Pieces: Handle With Care

Shackled Cries

Up From The Valley

Sweet Essence Of Truth

The Peace Of Love

Author:

Shirley Ann Williams

This Book Dedicated To:

My beloved son,

Seth

My soul will dance

in love with you forever.

Love,

-Mom

Foreword

The hardest part for me as an author is the grief process that takes place when the final chapter is written: the conflicts are resolved, and the last word is penned. Perhaps more than anything, releasing the characters who have endeared themselves to me during the writing is the most difficult… akin to mourning the loss of beloved family members who now reside merely in fond memories.

This fifth novel did not seem remotely possible when the fourth book in the series ended. Sensing the series complete, I resigned myself to such a thought and began the ‘writer’s lament’. Shortly after penning the last chapter in novel four, Sweet Essence Of Truth, God touched my heart and soul with new revelations. He was not finished with the story and prompted my attention toward concluding it as it should be; not as I had earlier envisioned it to be. It was in listening to His purpose that I understood: the characters were searching for a Divine presence in their lives and succeeded in their quest. The problem arose from the omission of this author to recognize something grander than first conveyed. The whole message was not finished. Now that the characters had found God, it was imperative to reveal the changes that occurred from their discovery. They had their own stories to write in their faith journeys and I was doing them an injustice not to continue their walk.

Redemption had come to those flawed characters who lived for self alone. Their actions were guided by their shallowness; a mere image of shiftless decisions based on their greed and gratuitous motives. The characterizations were deeper than I initially realized. God stirred my heart in ways words cannot express. Not only were the characters changed in the writing of this story, but so was I. My hope and prayer, dear reader, is that God’s unconditional love and redemption be received as you ask Him to come into your heart. As were the characters, may you be changed in the process.

Written for His glory,

Shirley Ann Williams

From The Author

I write because I feel God’s pleasure. Without His inspiration, none of the novels would have been. God prepares my heart before a single word or phrase is given me. It is through the process of listening and discerning what message God wants penned that the story can commence.

Answering the call to write is as much a mission to me as my being ‘birthed’ a teacher…neither more important than the other. Perhaps it was through teaching that God began working on my heart; thereby preparing me for the day when the stories would find a safe haven within my soul. Many of the characters are based on real people I have encountered in my lifetime; others, created from my imagination. Many evolved on their own; no explanation other than their sudden appearance on the written page. In those times, I welcomed their presence; not questioning their existence, but accepting what God was creating in the story line. When those moments happened, there was a peace within me. Moments such as those are not to be rationalized away, but boldly embraced as ‘God moments’; times that defy any explanation or reasoning.

Throughout the writing process, I immerse myself within the characters; trying to experience the feelings they hold during their journeys. In a sense, I become each of the characters, evoking the very fiber of who they are. Challenging at best to understand characters different than me, I asked God’s guidance in getting a ‘feel’ for what they were thinking, making the reasons for their transformations all the more real.

The messages of love, redemption, and hope are intentionally woven throughout the story. Through their daily struggles to come to terms with their pasts, it is my hope these characters have touched you with their desire to find peace; a serenity only their Heavenly Father could offer. Like the characters, we are on a daily walk of life; beautiful in spite of the many obstacles that test us. Through those struggles, we become students of this journey, being made stronger in the process. I celebrate with you as you meet the challenges; seeing them as opportunities to ask for Divine wisdom along the way.

It is difficult at times to separate my fictional characters from reality; for in the writing, I walk beside them; understanding their personalities, and really getting to know them. There is a fine line where fiction ends and reality begins; for the blending of one to the other is hard to distinguish.

The intent of each story is to offer you, the reader, a message of God’s unconditional love, mercy, and grace. If my characters can evoke a stirring of your heart, then the purpose of the message has been successful. The power of the Divine is stronger than any words; the message, more lasting than humanly understood. It is in the miracle of such times that we can bow our heads and count our blessings for the beauty God daily graces upon us.

Thank you, dear readers, for walking alongside Gabe, Manny, and Deke in their long-awaited discoveries; for caring through the characters of Sarge, Nellie, Darcy, and Avery; for being the encouragers like Lucas, Nathan, and Suzanne. It is my hope that you deemed some peace even in the tribulations and obstacles; that hope reigned over the hopeless. May you feel, as did the characters in this series, a need for the Divine.

Thank you, readers, for sharing with me as we both walk on this beautiful journey of life. The paths along the way do not have to be traveled alone. There is a Divine Father who wants to accompany us each step of the way. His hand ever extending within our reach, He’s desirous of that relationship with His children. That, my dear reader, is what graces life’s journey with meaning, beauty, and the miraculous visions for the future.

Written for His honor and glory,

-Shirley

Chapter 1

Home For The First Time

Darren had found refuge in his Father’s arms, outstretched and waiting for the wayward child to come home. Home to Him.

Home.

Home for the first time.

This cell was not a home that Darren, aka Fester, had envisioned as a place to live out his life. Maybe, for his father, but never for him. The choice was initiated when he crossed that line between obeying the law and defying it. Learning no distinction, prison was ever in his subconscious to be his home one day, but only temporarily. He had seen what his father had done, oftentimes skirting around prison terms with unethical lawyers: those making big bucks for illegal dealings; making plea bargains and exchanging money in the meantime.

Prison now was not his temporary home, but the place he would eat, sleep, and work for the rest of his life. But in reality, Darren Moore had already lived his life in prison; barred in by his actions long before setting foot in this federal institution. The prison he lived in for most of his life was the one he constructed himself.

Picking up the journal Gabe had left behind, he flipped hastily through the pages. Though he tried to talk to God, it was difficult…never having done so before. Fact was, Darren had uttered His name only in curses. This way of living was strange to him, and Nathan had explained that it would be. There would be days he’d feel like a failure; and in such times, God would be there waiting patiently.

Darren continued flipping through the pages when something suddenly caught his attention, begging him to that page. He knew it was not his doing, but something more that made that page stand out.

‘Father God, please help me. I don’t know if I can read this now.’

As soon as he cried his utterance, a whisper sounded.

‘My son, start with little and much will be given you…’

Looking about his cell, he saw no one. Walking to the bars and peering through them was just as futile, for no person was there. Was he going crazy? Or was God really listening? Darren had heard whispers similar to these at the trial. Wiping his tear-filled eyes on the sleeve of his shirt, he glanced down and began reading.

To Fester Moore,

It has taken me most of my adulthood to write down the feelings I have toward you. At first, I hated you with a vengeance for what you did to Mom. You broke her spirit and made her feel worthless. No more!

I know that hatred is of the devil, destroying all decency in a person. It took me a long time to come to terms with this, and in so doing…I have grown. No longer do you have that hold on me. I now know the richness and beauty of the love from a Father who will never leave me. He loves me unconditionally; something you would never do.How I wished you would! Even though it has taken me years…

The reading stopped. Darren could not go on; his emotions tugging at his heart. Never had he let them control him; rather, he controlled them. Always hiding the tears when they came, no matter how much the hurt. He learned this from his father.

But Daddy, it hurts. I can’t do it any more.

"What kind of son are you? Here you are bawling like a baby. You can’t quit on me, boy. There’s too many more loads of dirt to move and haul off. Don’t you quit on me, you hear…keep that wheelbarrow moving or we don’t get paid. Now, hush up and get moving."

Darren remembered the time; a time he’d much rather forget. He was only seven when his father took him to his job site making him do work geared for a man…a man with strength and endurance that a young child did not have.

But, Dad…the other kids want me to…

Those kids don’t have to work as hard as you do. You see, Fester boy, there’s those of us with no skills, so we take what jobs come. You want to eat, don’t you?

Yes, but…

"I don’t want to hear no more. You’ll do as I say. Because, boy, if you don’t, it’ll be a long night without eating. Hear me?"

Darren remembered all too well the way he hurt. The wheelbarrow full of dirt was heavy, so loaded down it constantly stuck in the ruts made by the trucks that came on the site. It was only after the wheelbarrow tipped, losing some contents, that Darren realized the intensity of the anger that was bottled up inside his father. He saw the rage in his father’s eyes and knew what most likely would happen next. But something constrained his father momentarily, holding his fisted hand from doing harm.

"You’ll shovel all this dirt back into the wheelbarrow. And I mean every single speck of dirt. When you finish, go to the truck and don’t move. Not one inch. Do you hear me, boy?"

It took Darren an hour and a half to do as his dad demanded. Thirsty beyond anything he had felt before, he walked to the truck without drink. It was hours later that his dad appeared, opened the driver’s side of the truck, and drove off…Darren holding on for dear life in the bed of the truck.

‘Hatred. The exact feeling I never was allowed to say, but I felt. Father God, I hated him so! You hear me…I hated him!’

As Darren thought through his feelings, crying out to God with his frustration, he heard it again. It was quiet with the same intonation as the last whisper: ‘But My son, I love you so…’

‘If only I knew for sure…if only I knew for sure…’

Again, the message came: ‘In time you’ll know, for you will feel My presence…’

Closing his eyes, his body stretched out on the cot, Darren fell into a deep sleep. For the first time since the trial, he had no nightmares. There was a peace in his slumber, ending with the sound of the guard’s wake-up call; signaling the start of his work at the prison, now called home.

*************

Morning, Darren.

What time is it?

Oh, it’s late. Mason let us sleep a little longer today. So, judging by what time we normally get up and then adding maybe five minutes, I’d say it’s about 5:35 a.m.

Jason, that’s…

I know…it’s too early, but you’ll get used to it. Pretty soon, you won’t even notice. Trust me, the best time here at the prison is right now. This time of day, the air is brisk and the sight is breathtaking.

So, where are we going?

Outside. Warden Morgan thinks if we can start the day with fresh air in our lungs, we will begin to thank God for all He has created.

Jason, I don’t know you well enough to ask, but…

Yes, I do.

You do what?

What you were going to ask me. Yes, I believe in God. Am I right about your question?

Yes. But how did you know? I mean…

God told me you would ask some day. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.

Then if you believe in Him, does He…? I don’t know how to ask without you thinking I’m crazy…but, does He…?

Talk to me?

Yes.

Sometimes He does. And sometimes, He just listens. There were times early on when all I could do was cry out to Him, ranting and raving like a mad man. And, you know something, Darren? He always let me be angry at Him, but I always knew He loved me.

Still, after all the anger hurled His way?

Especially then. Who else could be yelled at, even cursed at too many times to count, and still love unconditionally? God is a mystery, and we have to accept that.

A mystery…that’s exactly the word for God…

Darren, if we understood God completely, then what? That’s why God is God and we’re not.

I’m still having trouble with all this…

"Don’t worry, man…we have a whole lifetime to get to know Him.