Journey to Victory

By D.J. Meyer

"Journey to Victory" is a uniquely compiled story as it incorporates the author's education and experience, along with learned facts, together in this compelling piece of literature.
"Journey to Victory" opens when the main character, Naomi, makes her way to the store where her best friend, Sandy, is a cashier. Naomi collapses and is rushed to the emergency room of the local hospital to determine the cause. In the confusion, no one close to Naomi is told (up front) what is already known, and an important clue goes unnoticed for some time.
Joshua Cantor, Naomi's boyfriend, has been planning a "day to remember", which would be complete when Naomi agrees to become his fiance. His plans go awry when he is told to "come to the hospital quickly" for Naomi wants only to talk to him. After pushing through a barrage of questions and staff enforced barriers, Josh finds Naomi in a sea of white, with cords and tubes protruding out from Naomi and from under the covers. Josh slowly begins to put the pieces together, when Naomi demands the privacy to talk to him alone.
Each person in this drama carries unique qualities and characteristics which help to define who they are individually. Naomi, for example, is normally a sweet, joyful person, who tilts her head when waiting for answers, and is often bothered with and by her hair. However, you will be surprised at her bold "don't ask" attitude when she is under stress or fearful. You will get to KNOW each person well, as you read further and further into the story line.
There are several strong threads that weave this 16 chapter story into its' beautiful masterpiece.
First, it displays the many intense emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual "highs and lows" that any person who faces crisis will move through. I use the experiences from personal trauma, loss, and other life altering events, as well as the concepts I learned from a book I once read during my years of formal education. It taught of the 5 stages of grief. I too, went through the stages of denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and finally acceptance.
This will weave an emotional corridor toward Naomi's healing.
The story proceeds to blossom as Josh and Sandy (as well as some others) stand side by side with her in realizations, meditations, and encounters, and often the distractions, plummets, and spiritual charges that flood her stormy life into victory. These people could not take away Naomi's pain, sleepless nights, and memories. However, they could sit with her, walk beside her, and support her. They would let her know, beyond the shadow of doubt, that she is not alone and she is well loved. Best of all, it reflects what TRUE, unaltered, agape love is, when her boyfriend never gives up, never fades away, and never "calls it quits".
Secondly, the reader will sense their own immediate presence with Naomi as she sits in the police station waiting to identify the criminal. Booklovers will shiver when they suddenly feel the same sensations that Naomi experiences in the sanctuary of an empty church. To those who are walking through their own "valley", you may adopt some of Naomi's questions, realizations, and meditations along the way. Naomi will fill each heart with the pain of fear, the joys of the momentary relief, and the sadness of setback. Often, the reader will feel as though they are "right there" taking each step toward victory.
Next, I have interlaced the truths found in the Holy Word of God within every occasion in the pages of this gripping story. The truth that God is in control. The realization that NO ONE is too "bad" or "lost" to receive the saving grace of God. And equally important, the steps to salvation are found carefully placed within the chapters. While this Christian, fiction drama holds the attention of those who walk with Jesus Christ, it compels everyone to contemplate the gospel found within.
You will meet Stacy, whom Naomi disciples. She cares for someone els

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 16, 2010
• ISBN: 9781453573525

D.J. Meyer

Denise was born in Oak Park, IL and raised just south of the Wisconsin border, where she still resides. She raised and homeschooled three children and continues to help home-school nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. Through the years, exchange students from Mexico, Panama, Brazil, and Germany have graced her family. While she avidly enjoys family, singing, playing keyboard, photography, and traveling, just to name a few; her passion to write has permeated her life. She has attended several colleges educating in: Nursing, computer sciences, grammar, and Bible. Her biography is published in the 1999-2000 National Deans List for academic excellence.

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Copyright © 2010 by D.J. Meyer.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2010913522

ISBN:   Hardcover   978-1-4535-7351-8

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4535-7350-1

ISBN:   Ebook   978-1-4535-7352-5

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CONTENTS

Foreword and Acknowledgements

My Sincere Thanks

More About the Author

Chapter 1    Life takes a turn

Chapter 2    The Line Up

Chapter 3    First Steps

Chapter 4    The Discovery

Chapter 5    Making the Call

Chapter 6    Sandy’s Story

Chapter 7    Back In The Valley

Chapter 8    Christmas Trials And Revelations

Chapter 9    A Day In Court

Chapter 10    Guilty As Charged

Chapter 11    Time For Tea

Chapter 12    The EASTER Message

Chapter 13    The Sunrise

Chapter 14    A VERY Big Day

Chapter 15    The Awakening

Chapter 16    A Special Invitation

FOREWORD AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

No one, not the young nor the old, the weak nor the strong, whether Christian or not, escapes disaster or pain! We live in a world where it rains on the just and the unjust alike! I have learned, not only in my own life, but in the lives of those around me, that pain and crisis is a malady that strikes without warning and leaves NO ONE without affecting the rest of their future, either in a positive or negative way.

As a dear pastor friend of mine has stated countless times, The best day of your life is only but a millisecond away from your worst! For some it may be the loss of a loved one; taken by accident, disease, a victim of crime, or any other devastating experience. For yet others, we fall victim to loss of our earthly treasures because of fire, flood, hurricane, or earthquake, to name only a few maladies. For many, we suffer daily disasters and crisis that we need to live through, learn from, and go forward. These are often the hardest for there is no finality in them unless we take them daily, hourly, and sometimes as often as by the moment, to the cross and lay them down at the Master’s feet.

As I struggled to make a choice on which road my primary character would need to walk I did so with 3 realizations. First, I needed to share that the road back to emotional, mental, and spiritual freedom can only be secure and successful (if I may use that word), when we keep our focus on Jesus Christ. Secondly, recovery from any loss or crisis always employs the same steps taken in any order; disbelief, bargaining, anger, and acceptance. Finally, our world’s society today has become infatuated with much of three interests; sex, money, and power. I labored to turn those three dimensions around to; true love, simplicity in life, and the only true power; Jesus Christ.

Focusing on Jesus Christ is the single, most powerful tool to healing. His provisions come to us most importantly in the Holy Word of God. The scriptures encourage us with the realization that nothing has happened to us that was not, in some way, experienced first by Jesus. God’s word also encourages us through prayer and praises of God’s chosen ones; those who lived before us found in the Bible such as the Psalms. We must never forget that when we keep our eyes on Jesus, he will use countless other methods and people to help us walk through the dark valleys and celebrate with us when those momentary mountain peaks of joy give us much needed rest along the way. You may ask, What methods? Methods such as other believers who gather with you as you take your journey from disaster to victory. Others might include sermons heard from a Christian radio station, TV, or a Sunday service at church. When we seek for God’s help, never be surprised by the awesome answers He and ONLY He can and will present!

When walking the road to recovery, the steps of disbelief, bargaining, anger, and acceptance will come not only in different orders, but quite often repeat and last in different lengths of time. Many times all of the feelings will invade the broken person all at once. Let us not bypass the fact that, often, we are dismayed when we believe we have reached that ultimate goal of success in recovery, only to revert backwards yet again.

This story began it’s very roots on an article that I read and was touched by at the time. It developed from the experiences and conversations with others, for which I was privileged to be present. The manuscript was packed away for quite some time before it was again retrieved to be tweaked and completed. Seven years ago I attempted to find a publisher that would consider a new author’s works, but no lead I received, proved beneficial. When the door did open, it opened with vigor. When I dug out the material, I was stunned, as were others around me, by the content that filled the pages. Content that was so much more prevalent today than it had been at the time of its conception!

Also, after the manuscript’s initial completion, I walked through the second most critical experience in my own life. As I made my last walk through the pages that had been finished years before, I discovered that my walk back to emotional, mental, and spiritual healing and growth, had been prerecorded in the very pages of my book! The nature of the crisis may not be the same, but the process to recovery is! Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.(NIV) Romans 8:28 says that "we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (NASB) Finally, Ecclesiastes 7:14 says When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, a man cannot discover anything about his future." (NIV) What is the message? The message is that God only wants the very best for us. HE (the God of all eternity) is in control of every situation good or bad, and He will walk beside us all the way and carry us through, if we’ll let him.

Please, don’t just read through this touching story as mere fiction. Read between the written words and catch a glimpse of the message permeating from the beginning to the end. Let God use this story to convince you that there is Victory in the Journey!

MY SINCERE THANKS

To a special college English composition teacher who allowed me to forgo the assignments in his class for two semesters, as he encouraged the diligent process of writing and editing; page by page and chapter by chapter.

To a wonderful pastor friend of mine Rev. L.j.Kauffman, whom I’ve known since 1981 when I lost my newborn baby due to SIDS. He counseled with me through many experiences. He planted countless facts and realities into my very being that encouraged me through tough times and great times as well. Some of those concepts were finely woven into the very seams of this story.

Thank you to my family who gave up countless hours as I blanketed our kitchen table with other books, articles, and materials I needed to research to make this as close to real as I could. (I just wasn’t into internet surfing at that time). Thank you to my family again recently, as I struggled to proof, update, and see to a complete and ready-to-print manuscript. Many long hours were spent to point my readers to greater faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what their own struggle may be.

To my wonderful husband, Lauren, whom I have cherished since our union in marriage (just a year after we met) in 2004. Thank you for the financial support you provided so that this book could be printed. Thank you for helping me with the housework, fielding incoming calls, and the tons of encouragement you gave, all to see this to completion. I owe you a million thanks and then some!

Most importantly, I offer thanks beyond mere mortal words, to God my Father, Jesus Christ my Savior, and the Holy Spirit my guide and comforter. I sit here, typing these words of gratitude because without you, none of this would exist or be ready to print and share. After many brick walls and 7 years of storage, a door was opened to publish this book. By divine appointment, God knew in HIS divine providence, EXACTLY when it’s material and truths would be most relevant. Thank you Father, for with you, truly all things ARE possible!

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born into a faithful, God loving family in February 1957. At 18 months old, she moved from Oak Park, Illinois, to a small town near the Wisconsin boarder where she grew up, married, and raised her own three children.

She has attended several colleges. Freshly out of school, Denise began to seek a degree in nursing, but did not complete, as she believed this was not what God wanted for her to pursue. She felt an intense desire to work for and help in a Christian, public service position. During the 1980’s she took classes in Bible, biblical training and counseling through Moody Bible Institute. She earned a degree in computer diagnosis and repair at her local college. It was during this time that she was, for the first time, published in the 1999-2000 National Dean’s List for her academic excellence.

Still not satisfied, she began taking photography classes as she enjoyed capturing landscape and celebrations such as weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays. It was a plus in that she was already fully trained in Photoshop services, as often there is a blemish or two that many people would rather not see, or a person they wish they DID see in their family portrait.

Denise developed a sincere heart for children and young people very early in life. She not only raised 2 daughters and a son, but also enjoyed learning cultures and languages of exchange students from Panama, Brazil, Germany, and Mexico. She also began a community youth group; which she eventually combined with her local church youth group and directed both groups together. During that time she also played organ for the church youth group, and piano for the kid’s choir.

Denise was known for opening her house, day or night, to anyone who needed a place to stay, even when she and her husband worked. In the 1990’s the family welcomed even young people trying to escape dangerous connections.

One of the skills and accomplishments that she continues to enjoy, even to this day, is homeschooling. She and her sister have homeschooled their children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. This is the greatest opportunity to instill good morals and values in addition to the benefits of producing a well balanced, educationally directed young person.

Denise has enjoyed many talents, such as her musical skills on the organ, piano, and keyboard. She has worked as a wedding organist and vocalist since the 1990’s. She has enjoyed college and even now, often takes classes just for fun. She has also worked as a photographer and used her learned skills in photo manipulation and restoration in the past 5 years. She enjoys traveling and seeing other parts of the world. Still, there is nothing as rock solid; nothing as skillful; nothing as much enjoyed, as working with children and people in general.

Recently, she has developed friendships over the internet. Often these friendships grow as those on the other end of her computer connection visit her website and drop her an email. Others are cultivated when she is found to have fashioned her game pages on Facebook in such a way that her faith as a Christian are quite evident. This has opened a world (literally) of opportunities to share the gospel, encourage, pray for, and offer emotional and spiritual guidance whenever needed.

No, Denise is not a doctor. She has no PhD. She has not won any notability awards. Denise continues to serve in the behind the scenes places. She tells her friends, I want to store up my treasures in heaven. This world is not my home. I know I’m just passin’ through. Only God knows what I’ve really done for others. That’s something I won’t know myself until I meet my Lord at His throne!

CHAPTER 1

Life takes a turn

The buzz of the alarm clock once again sounded as it did each day. Opening his eyes, Josh found the clock and hit the snooze button for the second time. Bright rays of sunlight beamed through his bedroom window, hitting him square in the face. Someday I’m going to move this stupid bed to the other side of the room. If the clock doesn’t get me up, the sun will! Josh complained as he pulled the covers up over his head.

Josh had almost fallen back asleep when the phone rang. He stretched his arm out from under the covers and fumbled for the receiver. Hello, he answered in a drowsy tone.

Josh, it’s me, Naomi. Are you still in bed? You said you had a big day today. Anyway, what’s this surprise you’ve planned for us tonight? Won’t you even give me a hint? The one sided conversation continued on, but Josh was barely paying attention. He had uncovered his head and was now gazing at the brown wood-framed picture beside his bed. Naomi and he had their picture taken together last year. Today they were celebrating their fifth year of going out together.

He fixed his eyes upon her in the photograph. She’d always kept her waist length blond hair falling smoothly down her back and short curly bangs dangling from the top of her forehead. Her hazel eyes sparkled like diamonds. She was dressed in faded blue jeans and a long, baggy t-shirt. The essence of her beauty flourished in her attitude and character. Naomi was a person of high spirits and always had a smile for everyone. Even more amazingly, she could even sense people as they were, as if she were looking right into their souls. He met her in a Christian singles group at their church. Josh, Naomi, and her best friend, Sandy would always hang out together. Josh picked up Naomi’s nickname, Nay from Sandy. She never complained, so he comfortably used both names interchangeably. The third summer after Josh met Naomi they all joined some of the other singles from their church on a mission’s trip to Guatemala. It was there that Naomi captured his heart. He watched her as she cradled the sick children in her arms and tenderly rocked them. He worked by her side and helped her care for, and minister to the hungry and hurting. He sat and listened intently as every bible story breathed life as she taught the people in the village. He was captivated by her deep compassion and love. It was then that it finally dawned on Josh the desire to get to know more about this wonderful, young, Christian lady. Five extraordinary years had passed and now he had finally gained the courage to ask her to become his wife.

Josh interrupted, You’re absolutely right! I’ve got to get up and get going. I’ll be by at five this afternoon to pick you up. Have fun shopping today. He blew her a kiss through the phone.

The night before, Josh picked up the ring he had put on lay-a-way at Diamonds are for Love down on the corner of Fifth and Spring Avenue. Three diamonds were meticulously set in a 18 Karat gold band, each diamond enhanced by its surrounding engraved floral outline. He was so pleased with the ring that he could hardly wait to give it to her. He put it in his jacket so he wouldn’t forget it.

Josh jumped out of bed and headed for the shower. The water was warm and energizing, but he didn’t take time to relish its’ refreshment. Too much to do and too little time to get it done. he