Sparrow

S P A R R O W Faith + Hope + Inspiration

01 Social Media Disciple We highlight one male and female Christian presence in social media making a fearless difference.

(Pg 14)

You Had Me At Hello A moving short story penned by world famous singer/songwriter Adam Young of Owl City “Fireflies”, “Good Time”.

(Pg 22)

Wonder Women Saving the world one girl at a time, an exclusive interview with one of the NZ missionaries volunteering in Thailand for Rahab ministries.

(Pg 4)

Aliens Among Us? You are not alone!

(Pg 10)

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Contents Aliens Among Us

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Aliens Among Us Continued (Invasion)

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Wonder Women

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You Had Me At Hello

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Five Things I Learned

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Designer Scripture

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Social Media Disciples

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W Ed in

h itehead

www.wildlifephotog ra phy.com

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Dearest Reader

Sparrows & Faith Letter From The Editor

The concept of an invisible omnipresent God watching over us 24-7 was always going to be a tough one for my father to explain to his 6 year old daughter. Being an electrician and drain layer, dad favored simple and sincere over eloquent and extensively detailed any day. However, he understood well enough that the weight of the topic about to be discussed was heavy, and one I would be expected to carry in my heart (God willing) for the rest of my days.

As my dad continued to explain to me how the same God who looks after the common sparrows cared even more about me, I felt a beautiful sense of peace that, I’m happy to report, I still cling to this very day. In fact, I have found in my many encounters with other Christians that my belief in God, as well as my faith in general, still remains very childlike in nature when compared to theirs. I’ve been mocked for ‘just believing’ and not doing enough questioning.

“Have you ever noticed that when you drop crumbs while you’re eating, a sparrow will always appear to pick them up?

Even when you leave crumbs out for a night, they’re always gone the next day?”

Once, I did end up letting myself dive into a world of questions that raged a stormy battle within my heart. I tried to turn hope into an essay and found myself sucked dry of it altogether.

The storm overwhelmed me and I found myself washed up on a shore fighting my friends and family for answers I already knew. Dad had the same answers for me that he’d had at the age of 6, and was just as sincere when offering them to me again at the age of 21.

I had indeed noticed such magic taking place, but assumed birds were always just following me around, ready to pounce on the remnants of my outdoor meals.

“Well,” he continued “I know for a fact that if you planted crumbs in the middle of a field, they’d be gone by the next morning. You know how?” of course I wanted to know, but he had to pause for dramatic emphasis before revealing his metaphorical prestige, “Because God tells the birds where the crumbs are. Yup. Sparrows never have to worry about their next meal because God sends them to the food.”

This explanation was, of course, based off Matthew chapter 10:29-31, where Jesus is assuring us and His avid listeners that we need not worry, as God has everything completely under control.

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One sunny day outside the cafe I once worked at, I sat on a pitifully short lunch break munching a scone I’d scavenged from last night’s markout food. In a properly obnoxious Gideon fashion, I decided to test the ‘sparrow theory’. I tore a corner from the scone and crumbled it subtly under the table, and then I watched. I watched for quite a while.

Hope returned in the form of a little sparrow pecking up crumbs, and the quiet, calm knowledge that someone somewhere was watching out for the little feathered creature... and for me. It had appeared suddenly out of the sky.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

So don’ t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” ­­­­—Matthew 10:29-31

I watched it flying away from me over the street before it made an areal u-turn, and then flutter down directly to the bountiful feast at my feet.

So why title this magazine SPARROW? There are many awe inspiring wonders to be seen and felt and read in a walk with God, and I appreciate them all more than I can even begin to say. I’ve seen loved ones healed and I’ve never gone a day without food or a roof over my head. But God knows our hearts intimately and individually, and He knows where they are soft.

He knew (to keep it strong) my Faith would need a constant little loving reminder every day. A soft, simple reminder that I am loved, and everything is going to be okay.

Fortunately in my case, those feathery little reminders are everywhere.

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Wonder Women Saving the world one girl at a time, introducing Rahab Ministries.

Internationally, prostitution and trafficking of Asian women and children is increasing. It is the third largest and fastest growing criminal industry in the world and one of the most urgent human rights issues today.

Over 4000 women work each night in the sex tourism area of Patpong. Rahab Ministries is situated in the middle of this red light area and for over 25 years we have been showing God’s love to these precious women.

In the tourist bars of Patpong, women are employed on a monthly retainer with 2 nights off per month. Each customer who chooses a girl will pay the bar to release her for the night.

It is up to her to then negotiate with the customer what she will be paid. She will also be paid a percentage of each drink that is bought for her. The Rahab Outreach team buys Cola for the woman we visit enabling us to enter the bars. The majority of these women are from Isaan, the Northeast of Thailand. They come to Bangkok looking for work to provide for their families back in their villages, and for most a lack of education limits their work opportunities.

Rahab Ministries takes these girls from the life of prostitution and employs them in either jewelry making, nail art or hairdressing while also teaching them English. Retraining them in a safe Christian environment where they can learn about Jesus, allows a change to happen inside out.

And after they have recovered and reached a confidence to try to support themselves, we encourage them to find a trade that suits them, and to pursue it with Rahab Ministries’ initial support. As they do well in their trade, the Ministry begins to step back while continuing to keep them in prayer.

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Our Aims To share the love of Jesus Christ through friendship evangelism and social concern.

To provide practical help and emotional support for women working in prostitution.

To provide women with opportunities for education, vocational training, and alternative employment.

We interview NZ Veteran Volunteer Leanne Ellis on her incredible Rahab Journey Your first day on the Job? So my journey with Rahab began about 10 years ago when a friend went to visit Rahab ministries in Bangkok and came back to NZ feeling called to raise awareness and funds for this amazing organization. She in turn shared with me, the things she had seen and experienced through Rahab, the heartbreaking stories of the women who had been trapped in a life of prostitution and the incredible work that Rahab was doing to see these women set free from that life and given the ability to start a new journey. We began holding fundraising concerts each year to raise money to support Rahab and to share with people about their work.

In 2008, the church was taking a team to Thailand and I felt that I should go on the trip and see the work of Rahab for myself. For me this was a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience and I could never have imagined that 7 years later I would have visited Thailand 10 times and have discovered a love for the country and people such as I now have. That first trip birthed a passion in me for the cause of human trafficking and sexual exploitation that I never expected.

That first trip was terrifying and certainly took me right out of my comfort zone, but I have discovered that even fear cannot hold you back when God plants His plan and purpose in your life.

What keeps you coming back to Thailand?

A complete love for this country and more importantly the people, is partly what keeps me coming back. But more so is the passion that God has placed within me to see women and men and children set free from sexual exploitation. “One rescued is a reason to celebrate. One enslaved is a reason to fight.” ­­— Kaylie Wilson, The Justice School. Every ‘one’ is worth it.

How important is Christianity in this mission? Has it had any affect on your own faith?

Christianity is incredibly important in this mission. It is only through Christ that any one of us can be truly free! This mission has impacted my faith in many ways. I am constantly astounded at the path God has set my feet upon. As I have returned to Thailand and seen the journey of some of the girls that have been rescued, I have seen the complete power of Gods restoring and healing love transform lives over and over again. Every ‘one’ is truly precious in His sight. The transforming work that God has done in my own life through this mission is really amazing. He makes me brave!! He gives me courage to step through the doors He opens. He has led me on a journey that I could never have orchestrated or imagined I would be on. My passion and purpose for this cause comes from no one but Him.

Rahab is an incredible success story thus far. What can we hope for in the next chapter?

Rahab Ministries are continuing to work in the red light district of Patpong in Bangkok, sharing the love of Christ with the women working in the bars in that area. They are always looking at ways that they can offer the women an alternative to earn an income other than prostitution so have several different endeavors they are continuing with and some new things they are embarking on. Many of the women are trained to make the beautiful jewelery that Rahab sells and the gorgeous crochet toys. Some women are sent to do further training and their latest venture is to open a laundromat that will enable some of the women to be trained to work in this business. Rahab ministries have an incredible board of Thai nationals overseeing the ministry, all with a genuine love for the women and a heart to see them set free.

Is there anything we can do right now to aid the cause?

Become informed and raise awareness for this cause. Support them with prayer. Consider financially supporting them. Their amazing jewelery and toys can be purchased online at www.rahabministriesthailand.com Take a trip to Bangkok and visit them, see the incredible work they do firsthand. It could change your life forever!

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Five Things I Learned When I moved out of my parent’s house

Go to sleep!

Peace.

Being a good steward.

Wanna know a secret that’ll stop you from stressing yourself into sleeplessness every night?

We’ve all done things we regret. We’ve all wished for a time machine with which we could go back and amend our actions. It can eat you up from the inside if you let it, and it can keep you far from your own faith.

Becoming your own cook means purchasing your own groceries, but does it matter where they come from?

Absolutely.

Give it to God and go to sleep.

I can not emphasize enough how much this simple concept can spare you so much stress.

Got an exam tomorrow? Just had a gnarly fight with a loved one? Been having trouble at work? How about money issues, we’ve all got those?

Make like Elsa and let it go. God’s got a plan for your life, so don’t attempt to guess the ending. Worry is always a fear based upon something that might happen, rather than something that is or has. Jesus makes an excellent point on the matter in Matthew 6:27, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” The answer? Nope.

Let God know what’s up, and then forget it. Close your eyes and let His plan unfold while you sleep.

Sweet dreams x

Being away from people I trust and can ‘vent’ my problems to caused me to swallow up a lot of bitter things I needed gone if I were ever to obtain a state of true peace again.

If you are in a similar situation, or you know someone who is, or perhaps you just need peace in your life and you don’t know where to find it, the following is a message from God, dedicated to you: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse them forever, nor will I always be angry, for then they would faint away because of me— the very people I have created. I was enraged by their sinful greed; I punished them, and hid my face in anger, yet they kept on in their willful ways. I have seen their ways, but I will heal them; I will guide them and restore comfort to Israel’s mourners, creating praise on their lips. Peace, peace, to those far and near,” says the Lord.

“And I will heal them.”

Isaiah 57: 15-19.

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Now that I’m the one calling the shots at the store, I made the decision to switch to free range meat and eggs.

While it may sound like a hipster cliche, the very first chapter of the bible describes the environmental design God created for us and the animals to exist in, and it is nothing like the way things are run today, “Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This food will be for you, for all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth—everything having the breath of life in it. I have given every green plant for food.”

Unfortunately, a lot of the meat we purchase has suffered a horrible, unnatural lifestyle before it was packaged and rushed to the shelves of the grocery store. Though a slightly more pricey choice, it feels good to know my products have come from farms that raise their chooks and such according to their natural ways and means.

One day I might be blessed enough to have my own little farm, then I’ll really appreciate the ways and means by which the food reaches my table!

Pick-Me-Up Proverbs

The Church is your friend.

Salty grace.

What’s the first thing you need to do when life takes you miles away from your family and friends?

Do you know what I find absolutely, hundy percent, mind-blowingly amazing?

Join a good Church.

Contrary to popular belief, Church does not actually start and end on Sundays.

Church happens 24-7 as the community is constantly standing together, ready to help a brother or sister in Christ. We are all carrying each-other’s burdens, and you never have to fight this fight alone.

I had only been attending my current Church for two or so months before dire circumstances had forced me out of my flat, and I found myself temporarily homeless. I never once had to consider packing up and returning home to my far away family, as my Church peeps were more than willing to lend a room. I even had the luxury of several family homes to choose from!

Church hospitality: it’s all part of the deal.

Salted caramel.

It’s like a mouth party where salty and sweet dance all the right steps to the tune of your ‘Mmmh’s as you chew.

Then you swallow, and wonder why it all had to end.

I read a verse that echoed this tasty treat the other day. It popped up on my Bible Application, Colossians 4:6. It’s about having the right attitude: converse gracefully, but don’t let yourself be walked all over like a door mat (especially when it comes to discussing your faith).

In my case I’m at both ends of the salty sweet spectrum. I let people walk all over me at work, and then I come home and take it out on myself, my friends, and my family. This is why it’s so important to keep the two flavors in check. Sound as perfect as my favorite salty sweet treat?

I think so.

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Aliens Among Us You are not alone.

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Cover Story

Aliens Among Us You are not alone.

In a country of ‘anti bullying’ and ‘freedom of speech’, why is it that Christians hither and thither continue to hide under our own individual rocks? Why do we passionately stand up for our favorite bands, sport teams, or characters in a book or movie, but we bury our heads in the sand when someone cusses with God’s name, mocks and scorns our morals and virtues, or attacks Christianity in general?

There is surely a long, complicated list of excuses with which to answer these questions, but at the end of the day a good deal of us have to wake up and face facts...

We only turn our ‘Christian Mode’ on around other Christians.

There it is. Sad but true.

Let us observe geeks as an example of full-time commitment.

Most geeks can be in constant ‘geek mode’ 24-7. The geek is ready to recite the lines of his or her favorite characters, spout forth the lore of their favorite realm, and some are even known to have lovingly crafted their own costume inspired by whatever or whoever it is they obsess over. If someone were to ‘hate on them’ at school these days, they’d probably end up in serious trouble; spending their afternoon in a session with the guidance counselor; breaking down their cruel act of bullying.

So, God squad, what’s your excuse? Have you actually tried to discuss your faith as commonly as you discuss movies? What have you got to loose?

It’s a politically correct world out there where you should be just as entitled to talk about Church the other day as your friends are to talk about what they have been watching on Netflix. At the end of the day, the bible does assure us that we will face some persecution for what we believe, so if it’s all part of the plan... what are you waiting for?

Time to invade the general public with our alien-esque modest dressing, our God-given inability to conform, our retro values, and — ­ above all— our fiery faith in Jesus.

Fight the good fight. Peace.

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“What is the most ‘Christian thing’ you have ever done in public, and how did people react?”

Phebe Doesn’t sound like much but for the first time ever I told my boss to stop rostering me on Sundays so I can go to Church. I ended up rostered on the next four Sundays. I was just about to quit when one of the girls working with me stuck up for me and told him it was disrespectful to my faith. Haven’t had a Sunday shift since!

Sarah My aunty was hooked on those ridiculous Fifty Shades of Grey books, so mum and I sent her a big stack of Christian romances by Francene Rivers and now she can’t put them down and she’s coming to us with questions about becoming a Christian. Yiss.

Aurora I worked in a cafe with all non-Christian girls.

One day I was alone with one of the girls and she started asking me about my beliefs.

I answered all her questions about God to the best of my simple knowledge and when I was finished she thanked me, hugged me, and told me she felt really good inside.

Such a good day :)

Daniel A homeless guy asked me for a smoke when I passed him in the street.

Normally I avoid these types because I have my girlfriend with me who I need to protect, but this time it was just me, so I took him to a bakery and got him a pie, then we sat and talked for an hour and I told him Jesus’ story. I don’t know if it sank in but it gave him something better than smokes to think about, and now he will associate Jesus with help and good will.

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Esme When my grandfather had a heart attack I was so determined to get as many people praying for him as possible, so I made a public Facebook status asking people to pray and it got crazy amazing amounts of love and support from mates I didn’t even realize were Christians.

The more you know!

Raise Your Voice

Aliens Among Us: The Invasion

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Social Media Disciples Male

Bear Grylls

Man vs Wild Survival Star

Age : 41 Affiliation : Television Followers: 1.2 b (2015) Likes: The outdoors, his gorgeous family, honey.

Bear Says: “Stay positive. Commit to it.”

Unless you have been living on a deserted island your entire life, you probably know who Bear Grylls is. Mind you, you would probably still know who Bear Grylls is, because he has most likely ‘survived’ your deserted island on an episode of his award winning TV series Man vs Wild. That being said, did you know that this big-time action hero of the screen is a practicing Christian?

You might have noticed Bear integrates running Christian themes and testimonies in any one of his inspiring autobiographies, in which he speaks openly and encouragingly of his faith and how it fuels his existence. Or perhaps you follow him on Facebook or Twitter where Bear comfortably shares scriptures as status updates to his billion plus dedicated fans. Bear often takes the time to advertise one of his favorite Christian events, the Alpha Course, in hopes that his audience of impressionable young lads will give it a go as he once did.

As thrilling as his TV adventures are, it is his bold declaration of faith in Jesus that we find most exciting to witness.

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“Faith is personal if it’s to be real. And I think things that are personal are sometimes hard to talk about. And I think Brits are especially bad at that.

But I’ ve definitely learned over my life through a lot of difficult times (whether it’s military stuff or losing people on big expeditions on high mountains) I’ ve definitely learned it takes a proud man to say he never needs any help.

I’m not that man. I do need some help sometimes.

And my faith has been that to me. It’s been a real quiet strength and a real glue to our family as well. For me to be able to climb big mountains with a person I feel has made these mountains is a huge privilege.”

Social Media Disciples Female

Charis Lincon

Charismastar Beauty Vloger

Age : 31 Affiliation : Youtube Followers: 57k (2015) Likes: Makeup, Disney, her lovely husband.

Charis Says: “You’re beautiful baby so ‘shine like stars’ - Phil 2:15.”

While most beauty ‘gurus’ of Youtube focus their content solely around self image and ‘self’ in general, Charis (or Charisma-star) laces her ornate tip and tutorial videos with fearless Christian messages and themes (notably her ‘Love Story’ testimonial video, and her ‘Queen Esther’ makeup tutorial).

In addition to her dynamic range of sparkling makeup and costume transformations, Charis uses her channel to share testimonies, Christian song covers, and heartfelt messages of sisterly love and encouragement to her viewers.

Her child-like enthusiasm, modesty, and bubbly positivity are like a breath of fresh air amid the typically unfriendly halls of the Internet. Charis is a beautiful role model (both inside and out) to girls struggling with self image, but most importantly she does not resort to ‘tip-toeing’ around her Christian faith.

“I believe that true beauty comes from within, and all girls were made to be princesses! We are called to be children of the King of all Kings!

For me, make-up is SO much fun, like art on my face! But it is not where I get my self-worth, or what makes me beautiful..

‘Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.’ - 1 Peter 3:3-4 I want girls to know that they don’t need to get their self-worth from what the “world”, “MTV”, magazines, or Hollywood may say! God made us beautiful and we need to start believing it!”

Here’s hoping that God continues to bless her and her Husband Jacob as they continue producing quality videos and letting their online light shine.

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Designer Scripture

He who walks w ith integrity walks secu rely Prov 10:9

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YOU ARE WITH ME

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Designer Scripture

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“My faith is fuel on the fire in terms of my inspiration, in terms of my writing and songwriting and kind of why I get out of bed every morning. If I was to hide that fact, I think it would be a crime, although it’s never been, on the other side of the coin, my ultimate goal to go out and preach to people. As a Christian human being, I hope that I am really, really transparent and really in the right place with my Creator, with my Savior.

Beyond that, whatever kind creating art capacity that

my prayer is that He would use of results from me as an artist and take that art to whatever He might choose.”

­- Adam Young

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Short And Sweet

You Had Me At Hello A short story, by Adam Young

Sometimes I catch myself wondering if two strangers in two different cities, both fighting insomnia, ever drag out of bed, throw on hoodies, fumble around in the dark for their car keys and tiptoe to the garage. They don’t even bother to tug socks or shoes on, they just leave because the idea of escape is irresistible and driving at night always seems the thing to do whenever your heart is heavy and you need to be alone.

Maybe he locks the house, backs out the driveway, puts his favorite record on and makes for the interstate. It’s 1:39 AM so there’s nowhere to go and nothing to do even if there was a good enough reason to stop for. The cops are clustered in the shadows by the freeway picking up speeders, so he drives through town 10 mph over the limit and doesn’t even check the mirrors. He takes the corners sharp. The windows are down, the air hangs heavy on the scent of damp earth and wet streets from the summer drizzle that blanketed the city an hour ago. The steady pitter-patter on his bedroom skylight complimented the weight of insomnia so well, it kept him wide awake all night and that’s what got him thinking in the first place. He’d fought it off as best he could, but once the splintered painful memories began working their way into his mind, he was a goner. Driving is still the only way he knows how to choke back the lump in his throat.

The pain has become familiar but that doesn’t mean it hurts any less.

He’s lonely and he knows it.

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Maybe she slides the patio door closed as quietly as she can, steps through the damp backyard toward her sleeping car (parked a little too close to the curb) and steals away into the night. She puts the sunroof back and lets the wind whip through her hair as the headlights drill holes into the misty blackness ahead.

She’ll be the first to admit some nights are worse than others, but it’s nights like these that make it hardest to breathe. It’s not that she’s crushed about the past, she was heartbroken at first and that’s a given, but enough time has passed to allow her to heal and she’s only beginning to breathe easier again.

Unfortunately, certain memories set off tidal waves of heartache, and once the right thought hits her, it’s like a snowflake that starts an avalanche. Bitter memories come rushing in so fast, she starts drowning and it doesn’t matter how hard she kicks and struggles, everything reminds her of the way things used to be…

Or, rather, how bitterly they ended.

It’s early Friday morning and most of her friends have to be up at 6:30 AM so there’s nobody to call, and a good chance that any sent texts will be left unanswered until lunch break later that afternoon. But that’s alright; she doesn’t really feel like talking anyway.

She just needs to drive.

These people are strangers. They’ve never met before.

Neither has any idea the other exists.

Maybe he lives in a small town an hour south of the city and whenever he feels like this, he heads north. Something about the silhouetted skyline framed by the dirty windshield is comforting to him. It gives him an easy target to shoot for, a goal to work towards, something to think about at least, anything to keep his mind from wandering into unpleasant territory. The darkness feels good. The chilly midnight air gushing in through the windows makes him shiver but not enough to roll them back up. The occasional pair of headlights summit the hillside ahead and eventually turn into an irregular stream as countryside slowly turns to suburban outskirt. He takes an exit and heads west on a frontage road.

Maybe she lives by herself in a cozy apartment a few miles east of the city and whenever she feels like this, she makes a beeline for a secret place only she knows about. It’s actually not all that secret, it’s really just a cute little lakeside park with a few picnic benches, a playground with swings, and a sandy beach. She’s been there several times before and always drives home feeling a bit more resolved and determined to move on. When things are bad, swinging is her remedy. Since she was a little girl, swinging the hours away always helped to take the sting out of loneliness. Swinging made everything right, or at least helped the endeavor, and it was always as if the troubles seemed to sort themselves out after hours on the swing set. Tonight she knows she needs to swing for a long time, so she parks the car well away from the wash of streetlights and tiptoes through the shadowy parking lot, still warm from the afternoon sun.

Maybe the frontage road twists and turns, rises and falls, winds through the hills and eventually takes him over the suburban border, a threshold where the sea of residential homesteads turn into pure untainted forest. Had he switched the song or checked his phone, he might have missed the sign that pointed the way to a little lakeside park two miles ahead.

Maybe the park is pitch black, lit only by a garden lamp post surrounded by a fog of insects. She feels her way down the cool concrete sidewalk toward the swings and smiles at the sudden sensation of sand between her toes. It’s a breezy night, her favorite kind of breezy, chilly enough to make her glad she’d worn a sweatshirt. Freshwater waves fizz as they roll up onto the beach and soak into the sand. She lets the wind brush her hair down around her neck as her eyes slowly grow used to the darkness. She settles into a swing and pumps her legs.

The starry canopy pulses overhead.

Maybe his headlights sweep across the parking lot but never land on the lone parked car hidden in the shadows. He turns the ignition off and just sits there with his eyes closed for a moment, listening to the ticking of the engine and the wind rushing through the leaves above. He has no idea where he is or why he ended up here, he’d just stopped here because he felt like it. The sound of water somewhere out in the darkness reaches his ears.

Maybe she’s utterly lost in dreams and beauty and reverie, swept up in wonder, marvel, the lush scent of forest, lake and recent rainfall, just swinging, swinging her troubles away.

Maybe she doesn’t even hear him coming – after all, he’s in bare feet too. He steps off the sidewalk into the sand and his car keys slip from his hand. Maybe the sudden jangle shatters the peaceful silence and she can’t help but gasp as she snaps out of dreamy distraction.

Maybe her gasp startles him and he whirls around to see a pretty girl on the playground swings peering back at him, just as surprised as he is.

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“Oh, I’m terribly sorry,” he stammers. “I didn’t know anyone was out here!”

Maybe they squint through the darkness at each other for a moment, unsure of what to say.

“Oh, that’s alright,” she finally replies. “This beach doesn’t exactly belong to me.”

Maybe he decides he should at least start things off on the right foot and say hello. They both exchange shy hellos and laugh nervously. He apologizes for bothering her and starts heading back toward the parking lot, but she stops him. She hesitates, but can’t help asking how he wound up out here in the middle of the night. He pauses and tells her he honestly has no idea, he just had to get out of the house and after a lot of driving, this is where he ended up. She tells him, if there ever was the perfect place to escape to, this place was it. He takes a good look around and can’t help but agree with her.

Maybe he can’t seem to gracefully say goodnight and leave, and maybe she can’t help but point out the obvious – that there’s an empty swing beside her.

Maybe the two of them start swinging and the hours go by. Who knows what they talk about or what either of them secretly think.

Maybe neither of them can find the right words to explain it, but somehow, by some unexplainable process, old wounds slowly begin to heal. Maybe things happen, maybe security is felt, maybe vulnerability makes a sudden appearance and with it, an avalanche of sincerity, honesty, kindness, compassion, empathy, understanding and warmth. Maybe the painful past, for both of them, miraculously begins to flicker and slowly fade.

Maybe they feel a connection between them, and not only is it completely unexpected, it’s absolutely beautiful.

Sometimes I catch myself thinking things like this really do happen, two people really do meet this way and scenarios like these really do result in happy endings. But then again, I’m a wishful thinker so what do I know about romance? I don’t always wish I was involved in such dreamy scenarios as I imagine, perhaps I’m not cut out for something quite as cinematic, but regardless, I’d be a liar if I said I’ve never thought about them.

What if things like this really do happen? Maybe they happen all the time. Or maybe moments like these NEVER happen and the daydream itself is stretched so thin, it’s become cliche and should be deemed ridiculous.

For more sugar-sweet short stories, poignant points, frivolous finds, and the odd sneaky preview of a new Owl City song, check out Adam’s blog online at www.ayoungblog.com.

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Can two people, hurting for the same reasons, randomly meet by accident at 2 AM and each feel some innate sense of “knowing” that the search is over?

Maybe they’re not even searching at all, maybe they’re both trying to stay as far away from the mere idea of falling in love as possible, all because of past heartbreak and how messed up it left each of them. It doesn’t matter who these hopeless romantics are or where they came from, the point is that they meet, and suddenly the old familiar pain of past shipwrecked relationships disappears. The old aches suddenly vanish.

They’re made for each other and they know it.

I suppose it all boils down to whether or not you believe in love, luck, accidents or miracles, but all things aside, what if one of the two characters in such a conceptual story was you? What if you’d been through more heartache than you could stand, and the second you met the love of your life, you didn’t even have to think twice?

You just knew.

It’s an age-old daydream, but however improbable, I’ll be the first to admit I like to think such stories are not so impossible.

This world is crazy. So what if scenarios like these are crazy enough to be real? What if they’re so crazy… months and years go by – and suddenly that night on the beach flashes before their eyes as they gaze at each other, all dressed up, really only half listening to the pastor’s words.

The church is packed.

Maybe it’s so crazy, she peers at him from behind her veil, blinking back tears of joy, and he can’t help but smile back at her and mouth the words: “The more I think about it, the more I’ll bet things like this happen all the time and none of us know about it.”

o rd e r o n l i n e a t w

w w.ihe r b.com

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OWL CITY MOBILE ORCHESTRA J uly - 10 - 2015 Free download of the single My Everything with purchase of this issue See inside for details!

28 09 07 3572 112 GEC 2015