Divinely Timed

By Grecia Chasteen

Nadia has always felt something missing in her life. She turns to religion, love, and spirituality in search of fulfillment, but her journey takes an unexpected turn when she discovers the thing she thinks she’s been searching for. Divinely Timed follows Nadia as she navigates unexpected twists and turns on the path to self-discovery.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Mar 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9781638294016

Book preview

Divinely Timed

Grecia Chasteen

Austin Macauley Publishers

Divinely Timed

About the Author

Dedication

Copyright Information ©

Acknowledgment

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

I’m Hurting

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Emotional Suicide

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

We Meet Again

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Journal Entry

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Divinely Timed

Epilogue

About the Author

Grecia Chasteen was born and raised in Ohio but currently resides in Louisiana with her wife and children. Her educational background consists of a BA in women, gender and sexuality studies. She also went on to receive her master’s certification in life coaching. Grecia’s passion for helping people allowed her to work in the social work field for ten years which led to a life of life coaching and motivational speaking through her writing.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to those who played a part in my spiritual journey as well as my wife and my children.

Copyright Information ©

Grecia Chasteen 2023

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, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Ordering Information

Quantity sales: Special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Chasteen, Grecia

Divinely Timed

ISBN 9781638293996 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781638294016 (ePub e-book)

ISBN 9781638294009 (Audiobook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023900862

www.austinmacauley.com/us

First Published 2023

Austin Macauley Publishers LLC

40 Wall Street,33rd Floor, Suite 3302

New York, NY 10005

USA

[e-mail]

[phone]

Acknowledgment

I would like to recognize those that helped with editorial suggestions; Audri Gaskins and Walter E Harris III, also Isaiah Smith for the drawing.

Prologue

Society has always encouraged humanity to choose a religion to belong to. If you weren’t able to choose one, then you were viewed as rebellious. Not because you were breaking any laws but you were considered different from what society viewed as normal, and this is what separates religion from spirituality for me.

I grew up in what I call organized religion, where we met on certain days and times to listen to someone explain the only way to get to heaven. I learned what to wear and what not to wear, what type of music to listen to, and when it was appropriate to engage in sex. It was my understanding that if I broke any of these religious traditions, I would not be able to make it to the streets of gold but instead would live in eternal suffering for my afterlife. They described this place of suffering where people lie, kill, cheat, and cry out from the loneliness of heartbreak, but—I live in this place now! I live in a place where people wear a mask instead of exposing who they really are to each other. A place where people judge you for the car you drive or the phone you have, rather than looking at how you view life or how you treat others. A society where survival is normal, and living is no longer a thing we do. Many people called this home, but—it did not feel that way for me.

The religion I grew up learning was instilled in me as a core belief. They spoke of giving unconditional love to others, yet there were so many conditions in which a person could receive it. They taught from a book with stories written by men about conversations they had with God, but the conversations always seemed one-sided. It always felt like there were parts of the story missing, and I was not being told the entire conversation. I studied the book in its many rewritten versions, and in each, the conversation seemed shorter and more confusing. How do we know everything was created in 6 days and the 7th day was for rest when it is also said time is an illusion, as well as manmade? It was said that this book held the blueprint to how we, as people, should live here on this Earth, even though I did not fully understand what was being implied because it all seemed so contradicting.

Are we to love our enemies but not invite them into our home if they do not believe what we believe? They talk about this love for each other but then decide who is worthy in the eyes of God to join in matrimony. They talk of Jesus one day returning, but I wonder if they have ever stopped to think that maybe Jesus could return as a lesbian woman, or a black man, just to see who is able to love unconditionally without judgment. Everyone’s interpretation seemed to differ, so I put the book away and decided I would have my own conversation with God to find out why I am here and what part I play on this journey.

Chapter 1

I pace back and forth in the small, brightly lit room as a woman pops her head in to tell me that I have 20 minutes left.

I’m so scared, and I don’t think I am ready for this! How do I know this is the path I am meant to be on? Kristen, I think I am making a huge mistake thinking that I have something to offer. I mean, really, who am I? This has happened so fast! I say apprehensively as I look at my best friend.

Well, Nadia, Kristen begins to reply, that is something only you can answer if this is the right choice. Life has shown you some difficult things, but you made it, and I can’t think of anyone else that deserves happiness more than you and who can share that happiness in the way that you can. If this doesn’t work out, then I will be here to help you get through it. On the other hand, you deserve this. All that you have been through, it is about time that others show up for you in a way that shows you support.

I glance at her to give a soft smile and check my makeup one last time in the oval mirror. You’re a great friend; you know that?

Now—you know we are not friends! You’re more like my annoying sister that I haven’t been able to get rid of for almost 20 years now. Granted, we don’t share the same DNA, but the stuff we have been through together makes us more than friends, Kristen says, with a giggle. I mean it, Nadia. You have been on this search for as long as I’ve known you, it feels like. I’ve never understood what exactly you were searching for, and honestly, I don’t even think you knew half the time, but here you are right now in this moment. Many people would say you made it!

I laugh out loud. "Well, I didn’t know for a long time either, but now, I think I understand my journey. I know I made the right choice, and yes, in a sense, I guess I did make it, huh? All the experiences I have had with love taught me a lot, but honestly, it taught me about me."

Yeah, I don’t fully understand the twin flame thing even though you’ve explained it so many times. Your intense search has finally come to an end, and you are finally ready to focus on the next chapter, as people like to say. So, let’s get this chapter started and see what happens next in that beautiful, crazy life of yours! Kristen proclaimed, picking up her wine flute from the glass coffee table to take another sip.

You’re right, Kristen. It is time. I am ready for what is about to happen next and what will come, but it will never actually come to an end. In fact, I think this is just getting started because I can feel something else is coming, I stood and grabbed Kristen’s hand, pulling her up from the white metal chair she was sitting on. Let’s go.

I do promise, if you forget about me with all that is happening, then I will find you! Kristen threatened while laughing as we walked toward the door.

Oh goodness! Just open the door for me so I can get out there, I respond with a wink.

She opens the door, and we walk out of the small room to an open hallway with huge windows that is inviting the bright sunlight in. We take a few steps to another door, and Kristen looks at me, You ready? she asks.

After taking a deep breath, I reply, Yes, I’m ready as I can be, I say with a wink.

That works for me. Okay, let’s do this! she says, giving me one more hug before swinging open the metal door.

I watch as everyone stands to their feet, clapping and looking at me—some with smiles, others with blank stares. A few faces I can recognize and whom I smile at, but there were new faces that I didn’t know, but yet they smiled as if we were old friends. I take a moment to think about how long my journey was to get here, in this moment, and how I never