The Roland Sisters and the Spirit Program

By Sunshine Rodgers

It's a sick world down there, and it keeps getting darker and more wicked every year! Friends become enemies. Families are ruined. Marriages collapse. Pride, anger, bitterness, and jealousy dwell in human hearts like a perpetual disease. People now live in fear, ready to attack out of defense or pounce on the weak, and are able to stomp on anyon

• Language: English
• Publisher: Revival Waves of Glory
• Release date: Jun 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9781088147108

Sunshine Rodgers

Sunshine Rodgers narrates with such conviction and realism in her writing, showcasing the personhood of the Trinity and exploring the depths of God’s true intimacy for His people. She is a graduate of The University of Tennessee where her degree in Communications jumpstarted her career in the television, movie and entertainment industry for a decade. Fascinated with the artistic side of storytelling and art in motion, Sunshine has taken a creative approach to sharing the Gospel, penning her books: God the Father, Jesus the Big Brother, Holy Spirit the Best Friend and Last Night, When I Prayed. Sunshine spends her free time with her husband Travis as they enjoy the beautiful Florida weather.

Book preview

Today

Case Report filed by:

Case Worker: #292950

Sunshine Rodgers

TO: Spirit Supervisor

CC: JCHRIST

CC: YOU

To anyone reading this, here’s a little reminder before you turn the page.

This is a fictitious book and should not be confused with the Truth of the Gospel. Though this story does dive into real-life issues and events, the characters and scenes are entirely speculative. The setting in Heaven is made up completely from my own imagination.

Please read these pages as a drama piece, a cautionary tale, and an encouragement of faith. Because buried underneath the case reports, the file notes, and these inopportune lines is the beauty of God’s love. 

I invite you to discover the inward healing you require as I look out for those three little words the Boss loves to hear. One...two...three words that will change the course of your life. Forever.

Sunshine

Chapter One

There is an area in Heaven that humans on Earth don’t know anything about.

Quite frankly, it’s a department most angels stay away from.

This side of Heaven is a little more...hushed.

Some call it the dark side of Heaven.

I call it...my job!

"I know, it’s a lot to take in! I mean, you just arrived here. What did you say your name was? Avis? Traven?" I ask.

A young muscular man with blonde hair and deep blue eyes stands before me and firmly shakes my hand. My name is Travis, he corrects. 

I laugh. Well... welcome to Heaven, Travis! There is a lot going on here, and you’ll just have to keep up!

I give Travis a tour of the Kingdom Operations, pointing out the  massive skyscrapers in the distance. In these buildings, Alpha and Omega, every clock, timepiece and wristwatch operate slowly, minute by minute, the same time system still used down on Earth.

Paradise receives 1 new resident roughly every 5.9 seconds. So, Earth-time is utilized for the sake of normalcy for our new and existing clients in the S.P.I.R.I.T. Program.

I'll try to introduce everything to you, Travis but you have to walk a little faster. I'm going to be late for a conference meeting. I explain to the newbie, who is more interested in looking at the  impressive facilities than he is in listening to the origin history of Heaven.

As we rush towards the direction of the Omega Building which is still about half a mile away from us, Travis blurts out about his new Assignment in Heaven. 

He said I would be able to counsel a session....all by myself, Travis announces with such innocent wonder.

Assignment Placement is a rite of passage, which is thoroughly crucial to the Kingdom Operations. Our Boss, Jesus Christ and Head Supervisor, the Holy Spirit determine which Divine Department to assign new residents.

Only some new residents start their Heavenly Journey right away, moving straight to the Executive Level for Assignment Placement.

The majority of others who need more specialized treatment, internal transformation and priority reassessment, arrive straight to my department for Group Counseling or one-on-one Therapy. These citizens of Heaven are deemed unsuitable for Kingdom use at this time and will need further treatment at the S.P.I.R.I.T. Program. 

I write in my notepad as we scurry through the massive gardens,  a trait I’ve gotten used to after years of being a Counselor.

Travis was given Assignment Placement upon arrival!  Wow!  Good for him! 

He must have belonged to a family of Believers! Or had someone in his life who was praying for him!

People down on Earth don’t truly realize the impact of intercessory prayer.

That’s when I remembered something. Sorry, Travis! Where are my manners? I close my little notepad and tuck it inside my jacket pocket, instinctively  placing the pen behind my left ear. My name is Alfred Deston and I am one of the Case Managers working in the S.P.I.R.I.T. Program.

I stop for a second so I can catch my breath. Travis looks around the outside gardens, intrigued by the rushing river and the plentiful greenery.

This is a Divine Department that deals specifically with toxic behaviors, mental and emotional illnesses and internal struggles for those new residents in Heaven who need some extra help in their transition from planet Earth to Paradise.

Travis looks like he is about to ask a question, raising his hand but I interrupt.

"I know what you are going to ask, Travis...and yes, it's true. You do need a specific pass to get through the pearly gates! Your name has to be written in the Book of Life which means that sometime down on Earth, you confessed and believed in your heart that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior. Everything that you were taught in Sunday School...well, all the rules apply! But the truth is, we can't have bickering, hateful, unforgiving citizens living in Paradise. Because then we would be just like the Other Kingdom, and well, we don’t want that!"

We are still a little ways from our destination so I talk almost on autopilot. Travis seems to be setting his own pace, intrigued by the foliage and the massive fruit dangling from the trees. 

"And that's why certain residents get assigned to the S.P.I.R.I.T. Program for proper internal healing and transformation before getting promoted into Paradise.

I mean, let’s be honest. It’s a sick world down there! And it keeps getting darker and more wicked every year! Friends become enemies. Families are ruined. Marriages collapse. Pride, anger, bitterness and jealousy dwell in human hearts like a perpetual disease. People now live in fear, ready to attack out of defense or pounce on the weak and able to stomp on anyone who gets in their way!

And that's how humans are taught, conditioned to think about only one thing: themselves!

I get it, trust me! I am a former citizen of Earth!

And it certainly takes some time to transform new arrivals into proper citizens of Heaven. Before they can enjoy all that Paradise has to offer, they need to learn how to appreciate relationships again, to forgive, to treat others with respect and be healed from the past.

And fortunately, we have all of eternity to help our patients re-learn and be re-trained on the basic principles of love, respect, honor and forgiveness."

I stop my training introductions and wave at an older looking man with curly brown hair passing in front of us. He’s wearing a Case Manager’s usual attire: a white shirt and a white suit with a white tie.

Hey Charlie! I yell out.

Alfred! He stops, nods in my direction and then points at Travis who slowly jogs up to where I am. Are you taking him to the meeting?

Yes, I explain. I thought if he sat in the back it would be okay...

Charlie looks Travis up and down with uncertainty and shrugs before continuing to walk ahead of us.

I turn back to Travis. Charlie Rigors is a good guy. He's just hesitant when newbies arrive. You are entering the danger zone. Beware.

Travis laughs a little at my remark.

I look at him seriously, I am not joking.

A cool breeze scatters some red flower petals near us as we approach the Omega Building.

This facility is humongous and mostly made up of glass and sapphire. The architecture is modern with spacious rooms, large windows and tall ceilings.

The Alpha Building and Omega Building are used specifically for the utilization of the S.P.I.R.I.T. Program, an acronym which stands for: Spiritually Performs Internal and Radical Individual Transformations.

The Omega Building specifically covers Group Training and specialized cases where friends, loved ones and families meet to reconcile and heal.

The other high rise is the Alpha Building which is located on the opposite  side of the large lawn. It is used primarily for Individual and one-on-one Therapy for those who need a little more special attention concerning their mental, social or emotional issues.

There is a Commons area for residents  at each of these facilities which consists of a large cafeteria, small gathering tables and couches decorated with multi-colored pillows.

There are Residential areas, sort of like college dorm rooms, all coordinated by level, gender and severity of symptom. Each individual room for the patient consists of one bed, one chair and an office desk stocked with papers, pens and a journal which patients are usually encouraged to use. 

Writing can be a truly effective therapy method, I explain to Travis as I open the wide gold doors to the Omega Building.

There is a Program Worker stationed outside each dormitory hallway to prevent any shenanigans from happening behind closed doors.

This secure lifestyle is for maintaining Earthly standards of protocol while reintroducing patients to the basic essentials of life: healthy relationships, friendships, genuine forgiveness, love and unity and putting others above yourself.

Values that are seemingly not taught down on Earth.

Travis is in awe of how massive the place truly is, his attention diverts to the hologram windows of nature then to the marble lobby floors and the vast hallway of offices.

We walk past the crowded cafeteria and I continue. As you can see, each patient wears a different colored jumpsuit so the Case Workers know which treatment they are currently receiving. The Roland Sisters, for example, wear a brown jumper in their Group Counseling sessions.

Who are the Roland Sisters? Travis inquires.

The Roland Sisters are my longest case on record! I explain.  "Alicia and Crissy Roland have been in the Program for years and years. These two just can't seem to agree on anything and they are unable to drop their pride and anger and reconcile their relationship." 

"Well, I studied Rehabilitation Counseling and eventually got a Ph.D. in