Mikalonian: Healing Rain

By Laura Saechao

Nathan Carrington, a young man of nineteen, living in Houma, Louisiana, soon embarks on a journey to Africa after his mother, Lea Carrington, tells him that his older brother, Bo Carrington, a long time archeologist, invites him on an expedition. Nathan soon finds out that things begin to transform into something that he couldnt have expected, as a spiritual encounter with the God he never knew changes his life forever.

Troubled by her past, Lea confronts her witch-like mother while Nathan is away in Africa. Her only hope is to finally bring her mother to Christ before she dies. Little did she know, love would soon find her back home.

A man she vowed never to fall for, a man she could not bring herself to love in a town paralyzed by secrets.

Now they were about to experience the Healing Rain.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 10, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490861937

Laura Saechao

Focused on her bold approach to telling the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Laura Saechao is WOG and a loving and devoted wife. As proud mother of three boys, she is also an entrepreneur in the media industry, building her Production Company to what it is today.

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Copyright © 2014 Laura Saechao.

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.

WestBow Press

A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

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Bloomington, IN 47403

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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.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

ISBN: 978-1-4908-6192-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-6194-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-6193-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014921434

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/30/2015

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

I dedicate this book first to my Lord and Savior,

Yeshua.

To my husband, my soul mate, and my best friend,

Kaosio Saechao;

My three sons,

Michael, Andrew, and Daniel Sikal;

My mother, Mary Ayoub, who went to be with the Lord;

My father, Alex Ayoub, who believed in my dreams;

My brothers, Fred and Dean,

And finally to my prayer warrior, and good friend,

Glenn Stone.

Prologue

N ate tossed and turned in fear and confusion. Get me out of here, he shouted at the top of his lungs. But no one could hear or see him. Nate covered his ears with his hands as Jesus screamed in pain and agony.

Nate heard the sounds of the lashes as a soldier counted, Thirty-six … thirty-seven … thirty-eight … thirty-nine.

Stop! another soldier ordered in Aramaic.

Later, Nate knelt at the base of Christ’s cross, watching as the Roman soldiers nailed His hands to it. Nate looked on in fear, trying to shield his eyes.

Please, I don’t want to watch. Please, no more, Nate cried out. Please, I can’t take any more of this. He pounded the ground with his fist.

A soldier hammered a nail into Jesus’ feet.

The Lord breathed deeply, waiting for this cup to pass from Him, but He knew He was sent to die for the sins of the world, to pay a price He did not owe.

He took our sins and infirmities upon Himself and restored our freedom. He was the lamb that was slain, the perfect and spotless Lamb of God.

Slowly the soldiers lifted the cross to an upright position. Suspended in agony, Jesus breathed His last breaths, waiting to die.

He hung between two thieves. You call yourself the messiah. Save yourself, one said.

Yeshua, remember me, the other said.

Jesus turned toward him and declared, Today you will be with me in paradise.

Jesus then looked up to the heavens and shouted, אבא, למה עזבתני!

Father, why hast thou forsaken me?

Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.

A great silence fell as Jesus gazed up at the heavens. Suddenly the thunder roared and lightning flashed, as the skies grew black. The soldiers trembled as they saw what was happening. An earthquake erupted, and the veil of the temple was torn perfectly in half from top to bottom. Jesus looked up and said, Father, it is finished! Giving up His spirit, He died.

Nate lifted his head and saw what had happened. He cried over this horrible and cruel death.

God, why did I see this? Nate asked. Why did this happen to him?

Just then, angels of the Lord escorted Nate back to his bed. This terrible dream could not be explained.

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Lucifer looked at the Son of God standing before him. Bring Him to me, he ordered in his dark voice. Two fallen angels escorted Jesus forward. His body was wrapped in chains, and He was weighed down with the cares of the world on His back. The fallen angels poked and pulled at Jesus as He made his way down toward the throne where Lucifer waited for Him.

Lucifer tapped his fingers impatiently and shrieked in triumph, thinking he had defeated the Son of God, who was now standing before him. Look at me, Lucifer commanded, but Jesus remained silent. I said look at me, he repeated.

A fallen angel pulled the Lord’s head up to face Lucifer. As Lucifer’s eyes beamed with delight, his image changed from man to beast and back to man, for he was the great deceiver of man, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. So here I have the Son of God standing before me, he said. Now kneel and worship me.

But Jesus softly replied, I will worship the only true living God.

Where is your God now? He cannot save you, Lucifer said. You are in my kingdom. He waved his beastly arm at the surrounding fires.

Jesus looked upon Lucifer for a long while before answering, I have come to set the captive free. I have defeated you on the cross. Thirty-nine lashes I have taken on my body. By those stripes, man is healed.

The chains that held Him captive loosened and Jesus broke free.

The fallen angels backed away as Lucifer screamed, No, no! He rampaged back and forth in fear as his anger grew. I am the prince of this world. They call me the prince of darkness, and I will use every power I have to kill, to steal, and to destroy mankind.

I have come to restore my father’s kingdom, Jesus said. You’ve been stripped of all power. It is finished!

A massive explosion of pure light ignited the throne room.

Nate opened his eyes in horror at the sound of the thunder and lightning outside. He realized he was back in his room. Breathing deeply and shaking with fear, he repeated to himself, Okay, okay, it was a dream. It was just a dream!

Chapter 1

T he birds chirped outside of Nathan’s window. He pulled the covers up to his nose before looking around and realizing it was morning.

Breathing deeply, Nate slowly pulled off the covers and climbed out of bed. His feet were on the floor and his hands rested on the mattress, but he needed time to pull himself together before going down to breakfast.

I need a shower. Maybe that will help, Nate thought. He walked slowly to the bathroom, ran the hot water, and undressed.

Nate’s mind kept returning to the dream, and he wondered what it meant. He could still hear the soldiers whipping Jesus’ back.

When he was younger, Nate had heard in Sunday school about Good Friday and how Jesus had died on the cross for all of humanity, but he had no idea how brutal this death was.

Moments later, Nate was standing in front of his bedroom mirror, blow-drying his hair. Every hair had to be in place. He carefully added styling gel, slicking it just the right way. He admired his firm build and all the artwork on his body. Nate was proud of his looks—his soft brown hair, his dark brown eyes, and his light complexion.

But Nate was a bit of a rebel.

Just then, he heard his mother call him from downstairs, saying that breakfast was ready. Ignoring her, Nate remained focused on his hair and his looks.

Lea grew frustrated at Nate. She took a long pause before calling him again. Nate, did you hear me?

Nate yelled back, Just a minute! He continued to brush his hair and smile at himself in the mirror. Then he laid out his clothes on the bed. He chose a white muscle shirt and jeans, his favorite outfit.

Nate hurried to get dressed. He could smell the bacon from downstairs, and he was working up an appetite. He ran downstairs to eat, kissing his mother before sitting down.

Nate, don’t forget to say your grace, she told him.

Nate bowed his head, folded his hands, and prayed.

God, thank you for this wonderful food my mother has cooked. It smells great. And thank you for this great day you have given my mom and me. Oh yeah, and thanks for my music CDs and my bed and my new truck. Amen!

Nate smiled at his mother. Lea knew he was trying to be cute, as always. Nate tried not to remember the horrible nightmare that he had last night, but he could not explain what the dream meant, so he decided to ask his mother. First, however, he picked up his fork and started to eat.

Lea looked at her son and was not amused by the flippant tone of his grace.

Eat your food, Lea said, pulling up a chair next to Nate. She added a bit of cream to her coffee as she sat down.

Mom, I had the weirdest dream last night, Nate finally revealed.

Putting her coffee cup down, Lea looked at her son and said, Oh yeah? What did you dream about?

Without lifting his head, Nate blurted out, About Jesus dying on the cross. He looked up at his mother.

What? Lea said, her voice rising in surprise. She wanted to hear more.

Yeah. Then he went to hell and saw the Devil, Nate added.

Then what happened? Lea asked.

I don’t know what happened after that. It was all a blur.

Nate decided he didn’t want to get into details; he was already confused. He was only nineteen and didn’t think he should be having dreams like this.

Okay. Well, that is a pretty intense dream for a young boy to have, Lea thought to herself. Anyway, on a different note, I spoke to Bo this morning, she said.

You did? Nate looked at his mother. What did he say?

I told him about Nana and how she is not doing well and said that I have to stay with her for a while to care for her and that maybe you could go stay with your brother for a while.

A smile grew on Lea’s face as she anticipated her son’s reaction.

Really? I can go and see Bo and fly on an airplane? When am I going?

Just as soon as Bo gets you a ticket. He will be getting back to me this morning.

Wait till Tony and Billy hear about this, Nate said, leaping to his feet.

Wait! Finish your food first, and then you can go out and see your buddies, Lea said.

Hurrying through his breakfast, Nate jumped up from the table, said good-bye to his mother, and ran for the front door. He grabbed his truck keys from the hallway table and raced outside. Nate hopped in his red truck.

Be back soon. We still have to go to town, Lea shouted. Nate, did you hear me?

Uh, no, Nate said as he pulled out of the driveway.

Be careful. You just got your license, his mother yelled, watching him drive off in a trail of dust.

Nate hurried down the country road, heading for the gym where Tony and Billy were working out. The gym had housed a car dealership years before. Arriving there, Nate hoped out of the truck and ran inside.

Billy was younger than Tony and Nate. He was very close to Nate, who always looked out for him, treating him like a younger brother. Billy was picked on a lot at school for being on the short side, and so Nate helped him get into shape.

Gino Antonio Delvecchio, a retired high school gym coach, was a God-fearing man. His wife, the love of his life, had died long ago, leaving him to raise their only son alone. Gino never remarried. He had decided to give back to the community by helping kids.

Gino owned the gym, and he encouraged young people to train and keep fit and to stay off the streets and out of gangs. As someone of Italian descent, he also knew all too well about the need to learn self-defense. He loved Nate and Billy and he adored his son Tony. The boy’s full name was Antonio Armando Delvecchio, after Gino’s father.

Gino loved his hometown of Houma, Louisiana, where he met his beautiful wife Carmella through a family member. Gino was a rebel at heart and a bit of a wild child in his early years, but when he laid eyes on Carmella he knew that one day she would be his wife. Their marriage was not the beautiful love story that Carmella had hoped for, but she was a devout Christian and remained determined to stand by her husband.

Gino knew his past too well, and this was why he wanted to give back to his community in a small way.

Nate walked by pictures on the wall showing the achievements of young people at the gym and of Gino’s students at the high school.

Billy and Tony were boxing as Nate came running into the gym, and he climbed into the ring with them.

Hey, guys, guess what? Nate couldn’t wait to tell them the news.

They stopped fighting and asked, What?

Mom said I am going to spend two weeks with my brother in Egypt.

Wow! You are going on an airplane? Billy was envious.

Yes. I am going to see the pyramids and everything.

Just then Gino walked over.

Hey, son. How’s it going? he asked. You’re staying out of gangs, I hope. I see you’ve got some new artwork on you, and I haven’t seen you in the gym for a while. He gently tapped Nate on the head.

I know. Been busy. How’s it going?

The boys were admiring the new tattoos on