One Second Past Midnight

By Janie Baetsle

One Second Past Midnight by Janie Baetsle

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 19, 2021
• ISBN: 9781636303673

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One Second Past Midnight

Janie Baetsle

ISBN 978-1-63630-365-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-63630-366-6 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-63630-367-3 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Janie Baetsle

All rights reserved

First Edition

The storyline of this book is fictitious as well as the characters involved. Current events and scriptural principles did play a key role in its development. God has played a major part in just the attempt to write the story. It was with his guidance and prompting that this book was written. Sometimes when things are presented in a fiction type setting the message gets across much easier than just stating the facts. Anyway, God urged me to get the message out as time is short. I pray that someone somewhere will have their life changed by reading this book. That is my hope. That is my prayer.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

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

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

The Rapture

None of us know the date.

None of us know the time.

But that day will come suddenly without warning

when Christ returns.

Those in him, both those who have

died and those who are alive, will be

caught up to join him in the clouds.

Those left behind will embark upon the

darkest times the world has ever known.

No author or screenwriter has yet to depict

the horrors that await when the world, as

they have known it, is suddenly given over

to the days of tribulation.

The time to ready one’s heart before God is now.

The next second could be too late.

Chapter 1

It was one of those hot sticky days in early August—a Sunday morning. David had just let Charlie out for her usual routine. He couldn’t help but smile as he watched her paws hesitate at the top of the steps, reluctant to exchange the comfort of the central air for the stifling heat of the outdoors. But just then, a beautiful yellow butterfly went winging past, and her feline nature fell into full swing.

She hurried off to follow it, not meaning it any harm—just curious about the winged creature. It landed on the upper part of a nearby shrub just beyond her inquisitive paws. Although she had remarkable staying power, as most cats do, she finally lost interest in the pursuit and went on to investigate other things. The grass was heavy with the morning dew, causing her fur to quickly dampen. The temperature was already in the high seventies as the sun beat down from the stillness of the sky.

From out of nowhere it came. If Charlie had not been preoccupied, she would have seen the ominous shadow of the young hawk looming just above her, circling closer and closer. Suddenly it swooped down with its razor-sharp talons outstretched. Finding their mark, they mercilessly sunk deep into her thick gray fur. Totally caught off guard, Charlie felt a surge of agonizing pain, quickly followed by the nauseating sensation of suddenly becoming airborne.

But the young hawk had underestimated the feline’s weight. He struggled to retain his hold. In spite of his efforts, his talons ripped free, sending his prey plummeting to the earth below. Before the hawk could regroup, Charlie managed to hit the ground on all fours and raced for refuge under the shelter of the front porch. The whole episode had taken her completely by surprise. Shock began to quickly set in. Unbelievable pain arose from deep ugly gashes on her back. Curling up in a ball, shivering with fright, she flattened her ears against her head and closed her eyes. Hideous mournful sounds filled the air. At first, she questioned the source—then she realized they were coming from her.

*****

Charlie should have wanted back in by now. A sense of dread swept over David as he went to check on her. She was nowhere to be seen. He called her name, but there was no response. Charlie! Charlie! Here, kitty kitty kitty!

Walking around the yard, he listened carefully, and then he heard it—the most horrible sound ever coming from beneath the front porch. Bending down, he saw her—terrified and crying with pain.

Speaking words of comfort, he ran to get a blanket, his phone, and his car keys. Carefully bundling her up, he held her in his arms as he ran to the car and speed-dialed the emergency number for the vet.

The streets were empty of heavy traffic, as was typical of most Sunday mornings. David sped down the five blocks to the veterinary clinic, pushing the speed limit to its max, speaking softly to Charlie and desperately to God.

Reaching the parking lot, he pulled up to the clinic, turned off the ignition, but left