Tommy’s new life in Christ
Tommy’s pace slowed as he reached the school gates, and his heart sank. He knew that once he entered those gates, it would be like entering a den of lions that was roaring and ready to pounce on him. He was ten years old and lived with his mother in a tiny flat on the north kept housing estate. His mother, unfortunately, did not care for Tommy, and he did most of the food for him. She didn’t take care of herself and the house, so unfortunately there was always a smell that no amount of washing would take away and because there was a meter running on the water and funds were low, there were not a lot of clothes washing. Tommy took a deep breath and walked into the playground and stood far away from everyone, so he didn’t have other children coming close to him. Outside wasn’t too bad, but when Tommy entered the classroom, the lions advanced and roared. Hay, what’s that horrid smell in the room, and everyone would look at Tommy and laugh. They would think up nasty rhymes to sing around him and try to trip him up, but he was smart and never fell, much to his relief. Today was the last day of the spring term and there would be a week’s break from school which would mean no bullying and more time to be walking in the fields where birds and animals were friendly to him and seem to know he had a gentle spirit. Tommy woke up the next day, and the sun was shining. His mum was passed out on the sofa as usual with an empty bottle of scotch on the floor next to her, so he got some breakfast and juice, then he headed out in the beautiful sunshine and into the woods at the back of the estate. He loved walking in the woods, seeing all the different trees and flowers; it always amazed him at their beauty and although he had never met Jesus yet he always felt free, relaxed and happy when he was here in this place. He spent a glorious morning out in the woods but by one his tummy was grumbling and saying food time, so he started heading out the woods towards the house. Some children had come out of the woods in front of him. Their ages ranged from about five to ten years old and they were all happy and dancing around, Tom sighed. Although he was happy on his own, there was a part of him that really would like a chance to play with other children, but he always stayed away so they wouldn’t see him, and teasing would start again. To his surprise, one of the older boys turned round and looked at him. Tommy stood still, hoping they would not come to him, but they did, and they continued to smile. “Hello” said the oldest boy
Tommy felt rather shy and awkward at a child being nice to him, but he finally found his voice. “Hello, I’m Tommy” “Cool why are you on your own have you no friends” “Nope” “I just have a pack of lions teasing me and being nasty to me” “Oh, that’s not nice well we are not lions, we are going back to a friend’s house to have food and lemonade do you want to join us “Tommy was feeling rather anxious thinking it may be a trap, but one of the younger ones came up to him and held his hand “Come on, you haven’t got to worry about us, we will not hurt you” After a minute Tommy agreed and went with them. It felt so good to play The children led the way to a house. Tommy had never seen it, it was bright and had beautiful flowers in the garden, all the colours of the rainbow and the smell that the flowers gave off were beyond words. He stood and drank in the site for a while until one of the other children came and took him into the back garden and started playing chase the rabbit and hide and seek. Tommy stood there amazed, and there was such a marvellous feeling inside of him. That he had never felt before. After a while he felt brave enough to join in, and he had a wonderful time. So many new games, he had not learnt before. They played until about four in the afternoon when a beautiful lady came out of the house with squash and biscuits, but strangely the other children didn’t have any. Tommy asked, but she just said they went thirsty. “So” said the lady “what’s your name my name is Hannah?” “ I’m Tommy, you have a lovely house and garden.” “ Yes, I am thrilled to be here, and the children make it extra special. “ Are they all yours?” “ No, they are my Father’s children “He just lends them to fill my heart with joy every day”. “Oh wow.” “Does he live close?” “ No, but they are special children, they come on their own” “Have you heard about Adoni and Jesus? “ No, said Tommy, who are they,” “well this may be difficult to believe but Adoni is my Father and Jesus is His son. “Oh, wow, and the children are His sons and daughters,”, “yes that right
Tommy finished his drink and biscuits and then looked at his watch “My goodness I must go my mum will wonder where I am. “Ok I’m Sure She will be fine,” “ I hope so! “Would you like to come back here tomorrow and see the children?” “Oh yes, please said Tommy “that would be great.” “Ok, so shall we say ten,”. “ Brilliant,” Tommy left and had a smile on his face and a strange feeling inside that things would be great on this holiday. His mum was awake and had been out and got enough food for tea tonight. “Hi mum, how are you feeling today.” “ I’m okay rather tired and got a headache.” Tommy knew what that meant a hangover from a night and morning drinking. He sat down to wait for food with the vision of the cheerful children still dancing around in his head. He smiled, and a couple of times he even laughed out Loud as he remembered their different antics. Twice his mum looked over at him, she was so used to him being quiet and sad looking it was so nice to see him smiling and happy for once. “ So what have you been up to today you look happier than normal?” asked his mum “Yes, I am. I have had a brilliant day, I went to the woods, and everything was coming alive. Then when I started heading towards home. There was a crowd of children in front of me., To my surprise, one of them came up to me and asked them to go with them. They took me into a garden and we played for about two hours, then a lady called Hannah came out with a drink and biscuit for me. She was lovely, and she said I can go back tomorrow and play with the children again and she told me about the father Adani and Jesus who is his Son and the children were His children”. “ Oh, wow ok,” “I will go back tomorrow,” “ Brilliant, so good to see you having friends” said his mum’ “Yes, I can’t wait He went to bed a content boy with a smile still on his face. When Tommy woke up the next day however, the sun was hiding behind some gloomy clouds and it looked like rain. He got up and his mood mirrored the weather. Tommy scowled. It will rain so I can’t go to the garden. Just when I find something good, it takes away from me. “ Oh, come on Tommy cheer up the sun might come out soon and you can go” But it didn’t, in fact they had a full-blown thunderstorm... He stomped and sulked around the house like the thunder itself. But isn’t that always the case when you find something new, you usually find soon there will be something to block your way. Well, after a very stormy morning, in both senses the storm stopped, and the sun came out again. So eagerly Tommy got his coat and with a bounce in his step he went to find the beautiful house and all
his new friends. Suddenly halfway there an awful thought spring up like a weed in a garden full of flowers. “What if they are not there, what if they don’t want to play with me today”? His heart skipped a beat, but something inside him wanted to carry on and much to this pleasure. He found the house and heard the cheerful sounds of children playing. There was that nervous feeling that they might not want to play. Much to his relief, a little boy about seven turned up, “Hello Tommy” “ Hello” said Tommy slightly hesitant “Have you come to play again, that’s great, come in, we are all here,
They climbed the trees, ran around making an obstacle course of stuff in the garden. Tommy created it himself. It was so good to know the other children were listening to him. They had a wonderful afternoon, but again it had to end and the lady brought out the squash and cake. Today it seemed to taste even better than yesterday. “ I wish those children could stay longer. I miss them,” “ Yes, I know I miss them too, I’m on my own here and I love to see them playing in the garden.” “Where are all your friends are they away for the holidays?
Tommy felt a lump in his throat and tears trying to rush up into his eyes “ No, I have got no friends” “Oh. that’s sad, why not?” “Because I have problems at home they don’t know about and the just tease me I stay away from them” “Oh dear that’s not good can’t you explain” “No, they don’t give me a chance and if I retaliate it just makes them worse. If I can I Just walk away. “ Oh dear I will talk my father about it” “hmm he can’t do a lot, he probably would not be interested in someone like me.” “yes He is interested in you.” “Oh, how can He” “ well because Adoni is very special, you know that your mum loves you” “ Yes, well a long time ago there was a man called Jesus and His Father who created the earth and everything in it felt sad that so many people had stopped loving him. So He sent his only son Jesus to come and tell people about God again. Oh yes Jesus, the man we talk about at Christmas, but I thought that was just a story” “No my friend He is very real. He is all around us and he loves each one of us. He knows all about us and He loves us learning about him and talking to him. “mmm he probably wouldn’t talk to me if he is so special” “no my friend he loves you and knows all about you. He is interested in all your problems you can talk to Him the understand the has known you before you were even born. I know that sounds hard for you to believe. “ mmm just a tad” “but it’s true, have you heard of the book called the bible? “Yes I have seen it in the library but I thought it was just a large hard to read book about history”. “ No, it’s so much more than that it has stories all about people’s lives being changed and healed and
fantastic signs and wonders “ Sounds interesting” “ Yes, I have a good news bible if you want me to show you it.” The lady looked excited and Tommy was really enjoying the attention “Yeah Ok” Hannah almost skipped in doors and skipped back out again then she sat down as next to Tommy and opened the bible to her favourite Passage. John 3 v16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that who so ever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life “ Wow, does that mean we will live forever on this earth”. “ No” laughed “Hannah when we die here on earth we go to a special place called heaven, where everything is beautiful and we can meet Jesus and His father asking them as many questions as we like”
“ wow, I enjoy asking lots of questions, so how we get into this heaven place. Is there a secret door somewhere in this world? “ “Ha’.’ laughed Hannah, no we need to have a friendship with God the Father through Jesus” “ OH. how do we do that “ Well, you know you do something wrong and your mum tells you off but then forgives you.”, “Yes, well, most of the time she forgives me” “OH.” “Well, God sent Jesus to die for our sins on a terrible cross, He loved us that much” “ Oh, my goodness did He die for me as well” “Yes, he did” “Oh dear”, said Tommy looking worried thinking of all the things he had done wrong’ “ It’s okay he only did it once and look everybody sin in one go: “Goodness” “Then they buried him and after three days in the tomb, His Father raised him from the dead. So now all our terrible stuff died with Jesus and we too can have a new life, all you have to do is talk to him and ask him to come into your life and change you from within through another special person called the Holy Spirit who guides you all day, if you let him, learn to listen to him”. “ What he talks to you” “ Well yes, he talks to your heart where Jesus goes but he can do it so many ways He can do it through the nature he created or your mum or a friend, nothing is impossible for Him to do. “ So you reckon he would want to be friends with me and talk to me! “OH yes, Jesus stands and knocks on the outside of your heart and all you have to do is let him in, and then you can start a very special journey in life with Jesus by your side.” “Can I do it now” “Yes” “Good” “Just repeat after me. “Lord Jesus, thank you that you died for me. Thank you, that when I pray to forgive me, you wash all
my sin away. I ask you Lord Jesus to come into my heart and make me who you want me to be. Thank you, Jesus Amen”. Tommy prayed that prayer and really meant it and although nothing magical happen, he sensed a strange happiness and calm inside of him He looked up to see Hannah wipe a slight tear away from her eye, but he said nothing because he thought that may be wrong. Tommy looked at his watch and realised it was getting close to this teatime. “ I had better go home. Mum will wonder where I am.” Yes, do you want to take the book with you, I can write some special places in it for you to read when you are quiet. “Oh yes please” As he walked home that evening he no longer felt alone. He had a fantastic imagination and imagined Jesus walking every step of the way. His mum was asleep on the sofa when he got in drunk again. Suddenly the wonderful feeling went as he made himself something to eat and then went into his bedroom to play his game. He felt sad for his mum. It had been a tough time. They had lost a dad and a husband and then losing the house and having to move to a new town, a new school. It was too much for his mum and she sank into depression and drinking. Tommy remembered the bible and started reading the scriptures Hannah had given him, all about God and Jesus. Next thing he knew, his mum was coming to check on him and turn his light off. “Night son, love you” “Love you too.” By the time he woke up, his mum was awake and was washing up. She had found the bible, and it was open about our hope is in Christ, she had read it and now she wanted to get straight. It amazed Tommy they had a long chat about how they both honestly felt and by end of it his mum too gave her life to Jesus. The atmosphere in the house changed. Tommy finally got out of the house and went straight found to the Hannah’s house and told her the exciting news about his mum. The children were there again, and they had a wonderful time. Again at four the lady came out with squash and biscuits, and the children went home to their family “I don’t mind if you want to bring your mum round one day. We can sit and talk about things while you play” “Yes ok I will ask her, she is lonely here as she doesn’t go out and mix with others”. Another week went by and his mum took the lady up on her kind offer. She was looking forward to meeting the children that Tommy kept talking about. When they got there, the children were not in the garden like they normally were “OH yes sorry they had to go to a special celebration with the family today but they will be back tomorrow” “What can I get you both, coffee, tea cakes.” “ Yes, please” They had a very pleasant afternoon talking about Jesus and the wonderful things he does and by the end of the afternoon much to Tommy and Hannah’s delight his mum gave her life to Jesus and from that day onwards other than a few rough days Tommy and his mums life got better. She took better care of herself and the house, which meant Tommy’s clothes didn’t smell and he even learned how to help with the help of Hannah. By the time Tommy went back to school after the break, he felt like a different child No more roaring
lions to scare him and in fact God had made Tommy into a friendly but bold and confident like a lion He had prayed about the bullies at school, He wanted God to move him into a different classroom. But sometimes we need to face our grants full on and not run away from them. Instead of hiding in the background, he was brave and saw a boy alone, so he decided he would talk to him Soon the bullies saw him and came up to him, but Tommy was brave now and just ignored them, until they got bored and went away The best thing is that James who was the supreme ring leader came to him why he was so different and Tommy boldly told James about God and forgiveness The bully got saved and so did some of his mates. One day they were walking past the house where the children had played and he realised he had not seen them for a while. He knocked on the door and Hannah came out, “Oh hello good to see you is your mum “Ok,” “Yes she is fine, I just suddenly thought I had not seen the children for a while” “Oh, I have something to tell you” What’s that I hope they are Ok The children were angels sent by Jesus to draw you to the house and now they have gone to a special place to someone else who needs a friend but they will be back sometime. Now you have a new friend they can leave knowing that they finished their work. “Oh wow, will I ever see them again? I’m not sure, maybe.