Road to Forgiveness (eBook)

A novel

Theresa Keeton (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
180 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3178-2142-5 (ISBN)

Infos

After a detrimental argument with his alcoholic father in his Florida home, twenty-one-year-old Jason Williams receives instructions from Yahweh, King Jesus, via a dream supernaturally, to escape to his uncle's home in Virginia. While there, Jason experiences Yahweh's unconditional love and supernatural power in his own life, as well as in the lives of those he loves. The lessons the LORD demonstrates for him ultimately lead him to understanding the importance of forgiveness.

Theresa Keeton lives in Chesapeake, VA, with her mother and nine-year-old son, Micah. The Road to Forgiveness has been her project for a little over ten years, yet she is excited for the adventures King Jesus has in store for her.

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After a detrimental argument with his alcoholic father in his Florida home, twenty-one-year-old Jason Williams receives instructions from Yahweh, King Jesus, via a dream supernaturally, to escape to his uncle's home in Virginia. While there, Jason begins to reconnect with old friends and rivals, during which Yahweh begins to reveal Himself to Jason in extraordinary ways. He experiences Yahweh's unconditional love and supernatural protection in his own life, as well as in the lives of those he loves, thus drawing him closer to the LORD. The lessons the LORD demonstrates for him ultimately lead him to understand the importance of forgiveness and the power of Yahweh's redemption.

Textauszug

Chapter One

Coming Home

 

 

“Now boarding Flight 257 heading for…”

Jason Williams ignored the remaining broadcast, knowing that wasn’t his flight number. Anxiety kept him from sitting in one of the many empty chairs in the small terminal. Instead, he stood before the massive window overlooking the airport’s runway. For what felt like the hundredth time since he had taken an Uber to the airport an hour ago, Jason glanced over his shoulder, fearing his father would discover his whereabouts and drag him home. However, he was certain he’d covered his tracks well enough that Dyce Williams wouldn’t figure out where Jason had escaped to …at least, until Jason made it to his destination and relative safety.

The issue wasn’t that his father was controlling. Not at all; at twenty-one years of age, Jason could come and go from their Florida home whenever he chose. Rather, the problem rested in Jason’s back pocket- a debit card in Jason’s name containing thousands of Dyce’s hard-earned money.

Jason took a deep breath as he reached for his wallet, rubbing the worn leather to reassure himself that it was still there.

He would never consider stealing from his father, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Watching a plane taxi down the runway before taking off into the night sky, he exhaled, fogging the glass before him. He lifted his hand to wipe the mist with his sleeve, but stopped short at the sight of his reflection. Big brown eyes stared back, the terror evident. His usually voluminous hair had flattened from the incessant caressing he’d done from the stress of running away from home. He flicked away the few locks of hair that’d fallen before his eyes with a flick of his head. Many considered him handsome, though his insecurities prevented him from seeing himself as such. His father had taught him to take great care of his appearance, and though he didn’t take pleasure in his looks, he did his best to follow that advice.

With that in mind, Jason had stopped at a pharmacy before entering the airport to buy some makeup for the bruising around his left eye.

“Don’t touch it,” he chastised himself quietly, though he pressed his fingers against the corner of his eye anyway. Dropping his hand, he watched the sadness fill his face, overshadowing the fright.

Dyce Williams was a social drinker, normally refraining from drunkenness. However, something had changed within the last few months, causing him to grab the bottle more often. Jason didn’t know what had happened to cause this shift in behavior. With the alcohol increasing, Jason had tried to keep his distance from his father for fear of what he’d do. When Dyce had taken his first swing at Jason, he’d apologized profusely, hugging his son tightly and swearing never to do it again. Jason felt shocked; he didn’t know what to do as he stood in his father’s embrace. But there was a next time and another time until Jason couldn’t take it anymore. He always debated whether to fight back. But what if he hurt his father? What if his dad really didn’t know what he was doing in those moments?

Jason shuddered, recalling a time a few weeks back when his father had hurt him. Jason was unconscious before he’d hit the ground. During this time, he’d had a dream that prompted him to leave. Within a dark expanse, he was chained to the ground, unable to move his hands or feet. He screamed for help, but he was all alone. Suddenly, a bright light appeared around him, illuminating the darkness, and the chains were broken.

“What? What is this?” He’d asked the space around him. Sitting up, he looked around, but he couldn’t see anyone. A voice called to him from the light.

“Jason.”

“Yes?” He answered, terrified of what would happen next. “Is that You, Jesus?”

“I am He. Don’t be afraid. Go to your uncle. He’ll know what to do next.”

Jason was confused. My uncle? Shawn?

“Okay,” he’d agreed, though he didn’t understand.

The dream ended after this, and he’d snapped awake in bed, unsure how long he’d been unconscious. His father must have felt guilty and moved him there.

Despite still being perplexed, Jason obeyed, preparing to leave. Though the dream didn’t specify how to go or when he needed to do these things, he made his own plans. He hadn’t spoken to his uncle in five years and wasn’t sure about the reception he’d receive, which was when he’d decided to take a little money from his father’s savings to help with his future endeavors. Dyce didn’t fully trust banks. While Dyce allowed paychecks to go into his checking account, he’d withdrawn large amounts to stash throughout the home in case of emergencies. Jason knew each place and had taken a little at a time, placing it into his own checking account. He’d only intended to take a thousand to help with travel and maybe a hotel room for a few nights before he moved on to the next location. However, it became easier to take just a little more until Jason looked at his account one day and saw that he had over $10,000. He knew he should have returned it, but felt his dad owed him. So, he booked his late-night flight and, while his father was passed out from his drinking, made his escape.

Jason exhaled again. His conscience was bothering him, but he ignored it. Jason didn’t think God liked his methods, but he was desperate. He had to do this. He had to get away.

Shaking the guilt away with a toss of his head, he reached for his cell phone in his backpack at his feet. The next step was to call his uncle to let him know he was returning to Virginia to see him.

The phone rang a few times before going to voicemail.

“No…please answer…please…” Jason pleaded, hitting the redial button.

Still no answer.

“One more time…”

 

**

 

Shawn Williams had just drifted into a deep slumber when the annoying ringing of his cell phone chirped loudly in his ear.

Ignore it, his mind urged as he slipped further beneath the covers. While he was grateful to the Lord for the steady work he was bringing in with his new landscaping business, he ended each day more exhausted than the last. He knew he needed help, but he was too busy dealing with clients and the actual job to stop long enough to look around.

The persistent ringing, however, was more than his wife, Hayden, could tolerate. On the third call, she turned over in the bed to jab him sharply in the chest with her index finger, startling him from his sleep.

He groaned in protest.

“Just ignore it, Hon.”

“That phone will be ringing all night. Answer it, or it’s going out the window,” she responded sternly.

He sighed in surrender as he groped for his cell phone on the nightstand by the bed.

“Williams,” He announced groggily into the speaker.

“Um… is this Shawn Williams?” The caller asked hesitantly.

“Yeah. Who is this?” Shawn asked, rubbing his eyes.

The voice sounded young and faint.

“This is Jason.”

“Okay….” Shawn exhaled softly, his body still fighting to stay awake but losing.

The young man sighed as he realized that his name had gone unnoticed.

“Uncle Shawn,” he spoke a little louder into the mouthpiece. “This is your nephew, Jason.”

Jason, that name sounds familiar, Shawn mused as the phone slipped from his ear onto the pillow.

“Jason,” he repeated with a yawn, stretching his aching muscles.

Then he recognized the name.

“Jason!” He yelled, bolting upright in his bed. Hayden shrieked in shock as she sat up, her long raven hair flinging around her face.

“Shawn! What are you doing?” She demanded.

He ignored the question, quickly snatching the phone from the pillow. He turned the speaker on so Hayden could also listen.

“Jason, you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“Wow. Sorry about that,” Shawn said. “I didn’t recognize your voice.”

“No problem. Sorry to wake you.”

“It’s okay. How are you doing? It’s been a long time.”

Wow… Actually, now that Shawn thought about it, it had been a long time since he’d spoken to his nephew. When was the last time he’d talked to Jason? Five years?

Oh, man! I’m a terrible uncle! He criticized himself.

But it wasn’t entirely his fault.

…or was it?

After Dyce, Shawn’s younger brother, and Jason’s father moved to Florida from their home in Virginia, communication ceased between the brothers. Dyce had taken a job that was the “opportunity of a lifetime.” Shawn couldn’t begrudge his brother’s happiness; however, he had felt that the physical distance had played a large part in their relationship's fading.

Now that Jason was on the line for the first time in years, Shawn realized just how much he missed his family.

Shawn cleared his throat and asked Jason, “So, what’s going on?”

“I, um… I need to get out of here for a while.”

“What’s wrong?” Shawn reiterated.

He sensed the delay in Jason’s pause.

“I just need a vacation,” he said slowly.

“Don’t we all?” Shawn teased.

“Uncle Shawn, I need help,” Jason pleaded.

Shawn raised his eyebrows at his nephew’s desperate tone. “Okay, sorry. I want to help you. But can you talk to me or give me more...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 24.10.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Kinder- / Jugendbuch
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3178-2142-5 / 9798317821425