The Great Train Ride to Liberty Mountain

THE GREAT TRAIN RIDE TO LIBERTY MOUNTAIN

A novella

BY DANIEL WHYTE III WITH DANITA WHYTE

Copyright 2015. Torch Legacy Publications. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner, except for brief quotations included in a review of the book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

chapter one Wednesday, April 29 Compton, California Trey Brown stared down at the thick theology book lying open on the table in front of him. He had been on the same page for the past forty minutes, unable to concentrate because someone was loudly playing Yeezus in the apartment above him. Across the hall, someone else had N.W.A.'s “Straight Outta Compton” on full blast. The clashing hip-hop music vibrated through the thin walls of Trey's cramped twobedroom apartment and made the shadeless lamp on the table vibrate.

No way I'm getting though this chapter with this noise.

Trey sighed and ran both hands through his short uncombed afro. He grabbed his phone and tried calling his brother for the fifth time. It was two in the morning and Trey was worried since he had not heard from him in several hours. As if knowing about his worry, a gunshot rang out and was quickly followed by another. Trey went to the window and looked out into the dark streets of his East Compton neighborhood. A few people were milling about in the shadows – drug dealers and prostitutes looking for rides.

They scattered as a police car sped past with its lights flashing and siren wailing.

Trey hung up his phone as the ringing ended and went to voice mail. Pulling on his jacket, he stepped out into the dirty hall and took the narrow flight of stairs two at a time. A cool breeze slapped his face as soon as he went outside. Trey kept a sharp eye out as he walked. Although being known as the Los Angeles home of gangsta rap, his birthplace of Compton also had a violent reputation. A few blocks from his apartment, a squad of police cars had blocked an avenue intersection. A small crowd of people had gathered and two bodies were on the ground.

“No!” Trey yelled catching sight of the black Mercedes that belonged to his brother. Its windshield was riddled with bullet holes.

“Hey, stay back,” one of the officers ordered. Trey ignored him. He ran across the street only to be pushed away by the officer. “I said stay back,” he shouted. “Get yourself back to the other side. This is a crime scene.”

“Myrick!” Trey yelled at the still body of his brother lying face down on the asphalt. A puddle of blood was under him.

“Myrick, answer me!” Trey yelled.

The shouting officer tried to push Trey away again but a second officer intervened. “I'll handle him,” the second

officer said. He grabbed Trey's arm and turned him towards the street. “Was he of any relation to you?”

“That's my brother,” Trey answered. He looked around desperately, feeling the need to do something – anything.

“I lost my brother last week,” the second officer said. He paused and looked at Trey with sincere sympathy before embracing him. “I'm sorry, son.”

Three hours later, Trey returned to his apartment. The music had stopped playing, but the theology book was still there. Trey slammed it shut and stuffed it into his backpack beside more text books, his class syllabus, and a set of notebooks. He fingered the only fading picture he had of himself and Myrick – as ten- and thirteen-year-old boys. They were standing in front of an outside basketball court, their mother and father in the background – that was when they had been a family. But when Trey turned ten his father had been gunned down; a mere two years later the same thing had happened to his mother; and now at age twenty-four a bullet had claimed his brother's life.

Leaving his apartment again, Trey went back downstairs and knocked on the landlord's office door.

“Door's wide open,” the gravelly voice of Mr. Paso snapped.

“Morning, you don't sound too good,” Trey said entering the

cluttered

room. It smelled

of cigarette smoke.

Overflowing ashtrays and empty diet coke cans were everywhere.

“Oh, hey, Trey,” Mr. Paso said in a kinder tone. “How's it going?”

“Tough,” Trey said. “Myrick was just shot a few hours ago. He didn't make it.” Mr. Paso was silent. “Can I use the computer?” Trey asked. “I need to email my teacher and let her know what's going on. I might need an extra day to finish studying for some assignments.”

“Be my guest,” Mr. Paso said waving him in. Trey signed into his Liberty University Online account and typed up an email to his Christian history professor telling her about the death of his brother and asking for an extension on that night's exam. He also logged into his Facebook account and posted an update asking his fellow classmates to pray for him.

Mr. Paso pulled several of Trey's books out of his bag and flipped through them. “I don't see how you understand all this,” he said. “But I have to say, I'm really impressed with you. I didn't believe it when you told me you were going to Liberty University online. I was pretty sure you wouldn't make it past the first year, end up taking to the streets like all the other kids around here.”

“I didn't think I would make it either,” Trey said. “But champions don't quit, no matter how difficult life is to you; they keep on keepin' on. Attending Liberty taught me that – a bunch of other stuff too – but mainly that.”

“And now Compton's champion is graduating,” Mr. Paso said. “What are you getting?”

“A B.S. in Religion," Trey said. "I started out in business, but I felt God calling me to be a minister, so I switched. I'm not just getting an education to leave Compton, you know; I want to help make this place better. And even more than jobs and better schools, people around here need Jesus."

Mr. Paso nodded. “When's the graduation happening?”

“Next month,” Trey answered. Despite sadness over his brother's death, a smile broke across his face. Myrick would have been so proud of him. “I just have to figure out a way to get to Virginia. I need extra money for a plane ticket.”

Mr. Paso handed Trey his books as he stood up to walk to his day job as a mechanic's assistant. “Every thing will work out,” he said.

chapter two Wednesday, April 29 Angola, Louisiana "My apologies, y'all," the heavyset staff member monitoring Angola's Front Gate Visiting Processing Center said. She turned to the group of about fifty people who had been waiting for more than thirty minutes. "It shouldn't be much longer. We're having some prisoners transferred."

Twenty-three year old Billie Jean Bailey sat back in her seat and sighed. She stared out the window at what she could see of the 18,000-acre property that held the Louisiana State Penitentiary and housed over 6,300 offenders. One of those offenders being her father who had called Angola home for thirteen years. As much as she hated the delays, Billie Jean was used to them, and seeing her father's face again was always worth the wait.

"This has got to be about the hundredth time I've seen you in this place. Who are you seeing?" a strident voice jolted Billie Jean around. She hadn't noticed a woman holding a pouting toddler take the seat beside her.

Billie Jean waved thick, bouncy curls out of her face. "I'm visiting my dad," she said.

"I'm visiting my sons, all three of them ended up here," the woman said. She looked and sounded tired. "This is my granddaughter. I'm Meagan Franklin."

"Billie Jean Bailey," Billie Jean said shaking her hand.

"What did he do?" Meagan asked.

"I'm not really sure. I was ten when he was arrested. He said it was a bar fight. Someone threatened his brother and he pulled a gun, ended up dropping it and it fired. That stray bullet killed a man," Billie Jean said. "He was charged with second-degree murder."

"Any chance he's getting out?"

Billie Jean shook her head. "He's still fighting the charges, but honestly...no. I mean, this is Louisiana."

"Yeah, I know. All my boys just locked up for foolishness," Meagan said. "When they were kids, I would tell them it's okay to make mistakes. You might get in some trouble every now and then, but just don't do foolish stuff."

She sighed. "My youngest was granted parole so he should be out soon. And they're all pretty good boys, just got involved in some bad situations."

A minute of silence passed before Meagan patted Billie Jean's arm. "But you're doing good," she said. "Your visits probably mean more to your dad than he lets on. Prison ain't nothing but pain sometimes. And there's lots of people in here

who don't have nobody to come see them. Before my son, my youngest one, arrived here, he was at Orleans Parish Prison.

There was a new kid there, just eighteen years old. He didn't have any family or friends to visit him and couldn't stand the isolation, ended up killing himself. Just stuffed toilet tissue in his mouth until he suffocated."

The staff member was now directing people outside to one of the main prison buildings. Meagan stood up. "Tell Billie Jean goodbye," she instructed her granddaughter. The toddler frowned and buried her face in Meagan's gray sweat jacket.

Meagan laughed. "Stay blessed," she said to Billie Jean.

Billie Jean showed the staff member her visiting order and identification documents. She stuck her purse and iPhone in one of the lockers and followed the others outside. After being searched she was let inside the visitation hall. Her father was waiting, dressed in his customary white t-shirt and baggy blue pants. He stood up and hugged her. "Hey, baby," forty-seven year old Terrance Bailey greeted. "How’s life treating you?"

"Good," Billie Jean answered as they both sat down.

"Very good actually. I have some really, really, really wonderful news to tell you."

"Go on, go on," Terrance said.

Billie Jean smiled. "I'm finally graduating from Liberty!" she exclaimed. "Last week, I finished my final class. The big day is next month."

Terrance laughed aloud and clapped his hands. "That's my girl!" he said. "Y'all hear that?" he called to the others who were in the visitation hall. "My baby girl is graduating from college."

Several of the inmates who had grown used to seeing her clapped along with Terrance and congratulated Billie Jean.

"What's it for again?" Terrance asked. "A Ph.D.?"

"Oh, no," Billie Jean said. "I'm not anywhere near getting a doctorate. It's a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. I want to get my Master of Arts Degree in Cinema and Media Studies from the UCLA, but that would require moving out to California."

"If you want to work in film, go for it," Terrance said.

"Don't worry about leaving me. I'll be fine. Unless God sends an angel to open the prison doors like Peter in the Bible, I won't be getting out of here."

"I appreciate your support, Dad, but it's not just California," Billie Jean said. "At the moment, I don't even have the money to buy my plane ticket to Virginia. I really want to travel with three of my online classmates who are also graduating next month. One's in Texas, and the other two

are from California and Georgia; we've been talking back and forth since the beginning. Our plan was to meet up in Atlanta and from there travel to Liberty together, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen."

"I thought you told me you had a job. What's up with that?"

"I'm an intern teacher at a preschool," Billie Jean answered. "I don't get paid."

"Well, you attended my graduation when I finished Bible college here and I want you to attend your ceremony," Terrance said. "You did the work and you deserve that. If I had money to give, you know I would give it. Since I don't have any, I'm going to give you the best thing I have. The warden here likes to say that our greatest enemy is lack of hope. Hope is what keeps me going in here. Hope is what put you in college and hope is what got you through. Hope is what's going to get you to your graduation. It is going to happen. C'mon and say it with me: it is going to happen."

"It is going to happen," Billie Jean repeated after her father.

"That's it," Terrance nodded. He closed his eyes. "Dear Jesus, you brought my baby girl this far. Don't You let her down now. Make a way for her to attend her college graduation and not just her only, but her friends as well. We

know that when You say yes, can't nobody say no. We thank you in advance. Amen."

Forty minutes later, Billie Jean left the prison. She got in her beat-up white Volvo S60 and began the over two hour long drive back to her apartment in New Orleans. It was ten in the morning and the sun sat high in the sky, blazing brilliantly between the spaces formed by longleaf pine trees that bordered the road. Prison may be pain as Meagan had said, but sometimes it also brought about change in people.

That had certainly been true for Terrance Bailey. Instead of getting bitter about his fate, he had enrolled in the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary at Angola and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Christian ministry.

While in seminary, Terrance had given his heart to Jesus and now served as an assistant pastor at one of the many churches in the prison, reminding other murderers, robbers, and thugs that they all had a future and a hope – if not down here, then in Zion.

Billie Jean was proud of her father. Second to her soon-tobe alma mater, Liberty University, Terrance Bailey had been the main reason why she had grown strong in her faith.

chapter three Wednesday, April 29 San Antonio, Texas Live salsa music pulsated loudly throughout the noisy, vibrant, color-soaked interior of Rosario's. As usual, the favorite Mexican restaurant of twenty-five year old Cesar Lazaro was crowded and he had to wait longer than usual for his to-go order to be filled. He pulled his Nexus smartphone out of his pocket as it vibrated and opened the text message that had just come in. It was from one of his online college classmates.

It is going to happen! the short line from Billie Jean read.

Cesar furrowed his brow in puzzlement. What is? he keyed back.

Before he could receive a reply, the peppy waitress who had taken his order approached him. "Here you are," she said handing him a bag. "Cheese enchiladas, chicken fajitas with guacamole, and a double serving of shrimp nachos. Buen provecho!"

"Muchas gracias," Cesar said.

The aroma of the hot food tantalized his senses as he drove the short distance across Southtown from Rosario's to the Lake Presbyterian Church. He swung open the mahogany-

colored arched top door which was always unlocked and entered the church's foyer; the interior's coolness was a welcome relief from the hot Texas sun. Soft harmonious singing flowed from the sanctuary. He walked in quietly so as not to interrupt the choir practice that took place every Wednesday afternoon. The choir director noticed him anyway and waved, but the choir members carried on singing: Alas! and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die!

Would he devote that sacred head for sinners such as I? At the back of the church, Cesar went past several offices and Sunday School classrooms. He stopped at a door and knocked. "Come in," the familiar pleasant voice of Maria Paula Lazaro said.

"Cesar!" she exclaimed when he entered. He set the food down on a chair and embraced the petite woman who had birthed him into the world. "Mama," he said. "It's so good to see you."

"With you, it's always good to see me," Maria said. "You visited me yesterday and said the exact same thing." Strands of black hair from her messy bun fell across her bronzed face and she smiled good-naturedly. "I hope shrimp nachos is in this bag."

"Two servings," Cesar assured her. "To make up for the time I forgot last week."

Maria and Cesar sat at the table. After prayer, they shared out the warm food and began eating. Besides the table and chairs, the fifteen-by-twenty foot room that Maria lived in also held a bunk bed with tiger-striped blankets, a couch, a space heater and a television. While his mother chattered on incessantly, Cesar watched the muted screen which displayed three commentators discussing remarks the president had made that morning regarding immigration.

"Cesar!" Maria said sharply. "You aren't listening to me."

"I am," Cesar said.

"What did I just say then?"

"Uh..." Cesar thought hard for a second. He swallowed the last of his enchilada and shrugged. "Siento. I wasn't...but not because I don't want to."

Maria turned to look at the television. "Talking," she said shaking her head. "Talking is still the only thing that gets done in Washington."

"You're telling me," Cesar said. "They're putting off executive action until after the midterm elections are over. I wrote again for you to be granted a stay of deportation, but still nothing." Maria was about to say something but Cesar stopped her. "Don't say it's alright, Mama. It's not. I know you

don't complain, but you shouldn't have to spend the rest of your life in this room fearing that if you go out, you'll be deported."

"It is quite alright, Cesar," Maria said gently. "My life may not be how I would like it, but it is better than what it could be. God is in control, even of this situation, and He will bring something beautiful out of times we don't understand.

You always say that the system needs to change and perhaps He is preparing you to do that changing – to be our people's Moses."

Cesar smiled. "Well, I have my doubts about that," he said. "Anyway, I don't want to be a politician. I'm going into law."

"All the better; good lawyers who understand our plight are exactly what people like me need," Maria said. "How is your college work coming along?"

"I'm nearly done. After finishing the assignments for this week, I will have completed all the courses required for my B.S. degree in Criminal Justice," Cesar said. "Graduation is next month."

Maria's hands flew to her cheeks. "Look at you, look at you," she said. Her voice was full of pride and her eyes glistened with tears. "The first one in the entire Lazaro family to graduate from college." She reached across the table and

squeezed his hand. "I am very proud of you, Cesar.

Congratulations!"

Cesar leaned back in his chair. He could hardly believe that he was done with four years of discussion board forums, quizzes, essays, study notes, and video presentations fueled by coffee-filled all-nighters and numerous cans of Monster energy drinks. He had already ordered his cap and gown, but due to financial restraints, Cesar wasn't sure he would be able to make the trip to Virginia to attend the graduation. He didn't tell his mother that. "I wish you could come to the ceremony," he said instead. "I don't think I would have finished if it wasn't for your constant support."

chapter four Thursday, April 30 Atlanta, Georgia DeShawn Malik Isaiahs dropped his head onto the kitchen counter inside his family's small apartment as the crying of his baby daughter interrupted his sermon writing for the third time in the past hour. As much as her parents had tried to train her, eighteen-month-old Brianna Destiny Isaiahs still had not grasped the concept that the good God had made midnight hours for sleeping. DeShawn jumped up as his wife's screaming mingled with Brianna's crying.

"DeShawn!" twenty-year-old Britt Emerson-Isaiahs yelled for her husband. She backpedaled out of Brianna's bedroom and bumped into Deshawn as he came into the dimly lit hallway.

"Hey, hey, hey," DeShawn said grabbing her. "What's going on?"

"A rat!" Britt answered, her honey brown eyes wide.

"You'd better hurry and find us a better place to live. We can't stay here anymore."

"I'm working on it," DeShawn said. He went past her into Brianna's room, searched with his hand for the light switch on the wall, and flipped it on. "Where was it?"

"Right in her crib, just sitting there," Britt said. "It crawled out when I came in." DeShawn sighed and rubbed his neck, looking slowly around the yellow-themed room until he spotted a hole in the wall. He knocked around some more to make sure there weren't any other rodents lurking about then he pushed the dresser in front of the hole. "Probably went in there,"DeShawn said. "This will have to do for now. I'll pick up some traps tomorrow. Is she alright?"

Britt had already checked to make sure her daughter had not been bitten. "Yeah, I don't think it touched her," she said.

Brianna had stopped crying and was now lying in her mother's arms contentedly sucking on a fist. DeShawn closed the door to her room and followed Britt back into the kitchen.

Along with his sermon materials that were scattered over the counter, there were also numerous home magazines and newspaper sections advertising houses which were for sale or rent. For the past three months, DeShawn and Britt had been looking to move out of their dilapidated housing complex where roaches frequented the stairs and the hallway of the building was constantly dark and filthy. The plaster on the ceiling was cracked and the walls had not been repainted in years. Most of the fixtures were either rusty or broken and the faucets all leaked. No matter how often they nagged the landlord about the problems, nothing was done to fix them.

Britt pulled down a jar of 3rd Foods baby food. "Do you mind holding her?" she asked DeShawn. "I have a test to finish."

"I thought you were done with all your classes," DeShawn said. He took Brianna and twisted the lid off the baby food.

"Yum! Will you look at that? A chicken noodle dinner."

"This is the last week," Britt said. "Then I'll be ready to graduate next month."

"A Bachelor's in Religion," DeShawn told Brianna proudly. "You have yourself one smart momma."

Britt smiled. She left them and hurried back to their bedroom where the only computer they had was. Her test timer was steadily counting down – remaining time: 46 minutes and 13 seconds...12...11...10...

"Do your classmates still plan on stopping here before continuing to Virginia together?" DeShawn called to her from the kitchen.

Britt nodded then remembered that he couldn't see her.

"Yes," she said aloud. "Providing we can all get our money together. Cesar started a GoFundMe graduation page for us last week."

"After what? Four years of only talking online, I think it would be great to see all of you finally meet in person,"

DeShawn said. "Hey, stop spitting out your food! Britt, I need to know what you think – " "Honey, I'm still taking my test," Britt reminded him.

"Right. Sorry."

Thirty minutes later, Britt was finished. She found DeShawn and Brianna asleep on the couch in the living room, Lecrae's "Round of Applause" coming softly through DeShawn's Skullcandy headphones. Britt covered them both with a blanket and sat in the armchair across from them. For her last semester, she had swore off social media to better focus on her studies, but now that classes were over she looked forward to catching up on what her friends had been doing. Britt's heart fell as she brought up her Facebook account on her smartphone.

The day before, her classmate Trey Brown had posted a message: Hey all, my big brother was just shot. Hurting bad right now. Prayers appreciated for me and my city. Peace.

Britt knew what it felt like to suddenly lose someone who was close to you. She closed her eyes and prayed for God to comfort and give strength to Trey.

chapter five Friday, May 1 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Thirty-eight year old Tanner C. Sparks stretched out his arm to admire the glistening, black and gold, Swiss-made Louis Vuitton watch his teenage son had given him for his thirty-ninth birthday. The big day wasn't officially until next week, but his wife and three children had started the celebrations early. The lovely CEO of Russia's third largest oil production company finished introducing him. He walked onstage, shook her outstretched hand, kissed her cheek and turned to the applauding audience of nearly 10,000 who had filled Dubai's Trade Centre Arena for the annual three day Global Summit of the Future.

“Thank you, thank you very much,” Tanner said. “Please take your seats.”

The applause continued.

“Thank you, thank you,” Tanner repeated. He smiled winningly and waited for the noise to die down. When it did, he launched into the speech he had been contemplating making for the past two days. “Two years ago when I had the honor of speaking here, I introduced a range of new advanced car technologies that were being developed by FutureNOW.

Some of those technologies are still a ways off, but I'm pleased to announce that many of them have been realized and are being successfully tested and featured in auto showrooms even as I speak.”

The crowd clapped.

“Biometric vehicle access has been applied to forthcoming Audi models,” Tanner continued. “No longer do you have to live in fear of losing your keys or mistakenly locking them inside your car. With innovative biometric technology, you will now be able to unlock and start your car by having your fingerprint read. LTE has allowed us to create a fully WiFi equipped vehicle allowing drivers and passengers to be connected with everyone through windshield apps built on a multi media interface system. Ladies and gentlemen, our future is bright indeed and it is closer than you think.”

The crowd clapped again.

“However, today I don't want to talk about the future. I don't want to talk about automotive tech. I don't want to talk about space exploration,” Tanner said. “Today, I want to tell you how a drug-dealing, irresponsible, future-less teen from the States became the CEO of galaXias and the chief product architect of FutureNOW. It isn't because I possess an exceptionally genius mind. It isn't because I graduated magna or

summa

cum

laude

from

some

Ivy

League

university...actually I barely made it through high school. I am here today because someone gave me an opportunity.

“I remember it like it was yesterday. Tudor Hale, the founder of galaXias (it was then called Spatium, the Latin word for space), pulled a nineteen-year-old me off the streets of Atlanta. We went to a hole in the wall diner. 'I don't know you, Tanner; and you don't know me,' he said. 'But I'm looking for someone to take over my company and I want that someone to be you. At the moment, you are a problem but I see potential, and what's more? I want to turn your potential kinetic. There is a vast difference between what you are now and what you could become. If you could just see half the potential within you, you would be amazed at yourself. Now, I'm giving you an opportunity to develop your potential and to release the world of possibilities inside of you. I have opened the door for you, but you must enter on your own.'

“I left the streets behind. I decided to step through the door of opportunity that Tudor Hale had opened for me. For five years, until his death, he was my mentor and guide in life and business. The only reason why I am who I am is because I was given an opportunity. I am sure that all of you here today have your own success stories, but none of us have truly made it until we have helped someone else make it.

“I would like to challenge you all not to miss your opportunity to give someone else their opportunity. The leaders of tomorrow are often disguised as the losers of today.

Take a moment and look around you. There is potential lying everywhere waiting to be discovered and made kinetic.”

The inspired audience applauded once again.

chapter six Friday, May 1 Dubai, United Arab Emirates “Different, but wonderful as usual,” Tanner's assistant, Hillary Merke, complimented him as they left the Arena later that day. “Yours was the most talked about speech of the Summit so far on social media.”

“Well, I expected that,” Tanner said. “Am I done here?”

Hillary checked her boss' schedule on her smartwatch.

“For today, yes,” she said. “Tomorrow you are set to give a report on the findings from galaXias' Mars rover, and the Sheikh has a meeting with you regarding plans to build a space themed amusement park.”

“Ah, certainly looking forward to that,” Tanner said. He opened the door of his svelte Tesla Model S and slid inside.

“Thanks, Hillary,” he said. “I'll see you in the morning.” He shut the door but quickly opened it again. “Also, do me a favor and treat yourself to something fun. It's not all business here. Dubai has the world's largest mall, you know, and a simply incredible bike shop. You work too hard.”

Hillary smiled. “I think I'll check out the bike shop. See you tomorrow.”

Tanner had barely pulled out on the freeway when his iPhone beeped with an incoming text message. Tanner activated AutoPilot and looked at his phone screen. The message read: Have time? I have news. Call me.

Tanner dialed the number of his close friend, attorney Stanley Stark Jr. “What do you have?” he asked as soon as the ringing stopped.

“Family news,” Stanley answered. “Remember you asked me to find out what happened to your high school girlfriend and the baby you had together?”

“Yeah,” Tanner said. His car switched lanes and he squinted into the glaring noonday sun which glittered off of several skyscrapers.

“I found them. Unfortunately, Claire died a few years ago.

Lung cancer, I think. But your daughter is quite well; she has her own family now.”

“Where is she?” Tanner asked.

“Atlanta,” Stanley said. “It looks like she just finished college too. I sent her graduation funding page to you and she's on Facebook. You can search for her there.”

“Alright. I appreciate it,” Tanner said. “Anything else?”

As Stanley spilled the details of his latest court case, Tanner pulled up the GoFundMe page that Britt had started with Trey, Billie Jean, and Cesar to raise money for their

graduation trip. He made a quick calculation as her picture loaded. She was twenty now. Tanner thought she looked very much like him – same large honey brown eyes, deep chocolate brown hair, and a prominent Roman nose. She had a beauty mark right above her top lip just like her mother.

Alongside her picture there were also three photos of her online classmates.

Tanner read how the four of them, despite their diverse backgrounds and less than ideal childhoods, had been encouraged by school counselors and church leaders to enroll in Liberty University – a private, non-profit Christian university in Virginia. Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt had connected through Liberty Landing, a private Facebook community for online students, and formed a strong friendship over the Internet. Whether helping one another with studies or challenging each others' faith in the Lord, the four friends had stuck together via the internet and were now looking to raise $5,000 so they could meet one another for the first time and attend their graduation ceremony together.

So far, $1,500 had been given to them. Tanner dropped his phone on the passenger seat as a bolt of pain shot through his arm. He waited for it to subside, shook off the fatigue he had started to feel, turned off AutoPilot, and manually sped the rest of the way to his hotel.

____________ “Daddy!” Josie yelled as soon as he entered the Gold suite on the twenty-third floor of Fairmont Dubai. Tanner bent to hug his six-year-old daughter. He gasped for breath as pain flared in his chest. “Go get Joelle,” he said, pushing Josie away as he collapsed. “Quick!”

When Josie returned to the suite lounge with her Armenian-born mother, Tanner was lying face down on the carpeted floor.

chapter seven Saturday, May 2 Dubai, United Arab Emirates “What is the problem?” Joelle asked the doctor. “He's not even forty.”

Shakir Assad rubbed the side of his nose and sighed. “It's not a matter of age, Mrs. Sparks,” he said. “The things your husband has been experiencing lately – fatigue, shortness of breath, chest and arm pain – are all symptoms of atherosclerosis. Anyone can get it, even the relatively young.”

“Is it life threatening?” Joelle asked.

“Yes,

it

can

be,”

Shakir

answered.

“Because

atherosclerosis is a rather sneaky disease, it starts early in one's life and progresses silently. Since Mr. Sparks just started feeling symptoms of this it is highly likely that the disease is advanced and it could be a serious problem for him soon if not treated immediately.”

Joelle related the doctor's information to Tanner later that morning as he dressed. “Basically your arteries are slowly narrowing and hardening,” Joelle said. “I think you need to rest today.”

“I'll rest when the Summit is over,” Tanner said. He joined Josie at the floor to ceiling window which provided a

breathtaking view of the sunrise over the Dubai skyline.

“Where are the boys at anyway?” he asked referring to his thirteen-year-old and eleven-year-old sons.

“On a tour of Switzerland with their cousins,” Joelle said.

“Remember?”

Tanner didn't remember. He leaned his head against the warming window glass and exhaled deeply. “I had a dream last night,” he said. “I lost my soul in order to gain the world, but I profited nothing from the exchange.”

Joelle gave him a significant look. “Now I really think you should rest today.”

“I'm fine,” Tanner grinned. He kissed Joelle, kissed Josie, and started for the door. “I'm taking you ladies out to dinner tonight. Until then, so long.”

On his way down in the elevator, he called Hillary.

“Morning,” she greeted. “I'm waiting for you at the Za'abeel Halls.”

“I'm on my way,” Tanner said. “Last night, I found four American college students I want to fund through the Sparks Foundation.”

“Consider it done,” Hillary said.

chapter eight Monday, May 4 Compton, California Trey stood behind the front desk inside Landon's Automotive Repair meticulously filling out order forms for needed car parts. Outside in the garage he could hear his coworkers hollering and laughing back and forth as they replaced tires and revved engines. He had received a response from his teacher the same day he emailed her. She had graciously given him an extension on his last exam which he had aced. She had also told him to expect a call from her in a few days.

Trey appreciated the fact that despite being many miles apart, his college instructors not only cared about his academic standing, but also his spiritual well being.

Throughout his four years at Liberty University, his teachers had

always

made

themselves

available

to

offer

encouragement, plenty of feedback on course assignments, and prayer. He picked up his cellphone as it rang. “Hello.”

“Hi, this is Sophia Dell,” a sharp female voice said on the other end. “Is this Trey Brown?”

“Yes, ma'am, it is,” Trey answered. “I really appreciate you taking the time to call me. I know you're probably busy having to grade dozens of end of course papers and all that.”

Sophia Dell, who had informed all her students to call her Prof. D, laughed. “Yes, well, I hope to have all grades posted by tomorrow. But never mind that; how are you doing, Trey?”

“Okay, for the most part,” Trey said.

“I was very sorry to hear of the death of your brother,” Sophia said. “No matter your age, it is always difficult when a family member dies and especially in a tragic, unexpected way. However, we can take comfort in the fact that he is in Heaven with the Lord. I remember you sent me an email in...I think it was week three of this class, and told of how you had the privilege of leading Myrick to Jesus.”

“Yeah,” Trey said. He remembered that.

“We cannot always immediately understand the plans or purposes that God has for people's lives. We may not understand why He takes some quickly and lets others live longer,” Sophia continued. “But we do know that He is a good God even in bad times. He does not allow pain without purpose and He will not let us cry without also providing comfort. I know this sounds cliché and probably isn't

something you want to hear, but God works everything out for good.”

“No, I actually agree with you,” Trey said. “Just yesterday some of the boys Myrick used to run with asked me to talk with them about Jesus, so I'm sort of hoping that his death is helping them see there's more to life then what they've been doing.”

“That's a godly attitude to have,” Sophia said. “In times of grief, Satan often hopes that we turn against God or question His sovereignty. But hard times should only serve as catalysts to push us closer to God, not pull us away from Him.” “Yes, ma'am,” Trey said.

“Now when my father passed away, and this was several years ago,” Sophia said, “two of the verses which comforted me the most were Second Corinthians 1:3-4. Let me share those with you now. 'Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' And I'm sure you have other things going on, so I won't keep you any longer, but do you mind if I pray for you before we hang up.”

“Not at all. Please do,” Trey answered.

“Heavenly Father,” Sophia began. “Because we live in a fallen world, death and grief are a part of life. Even though we may all grieve differently, thank you that we do not have to grieve alone because You are near to the brokenhearted.

During this time of loss for Trey, be especially near him and remind him often of the coming day when You will wipe away every tear from our eyes and when death will be no more. Even though he may not understand why or the way in which Myrick died, help him to find strength to continue trusting by turning his eyes to You. Help him through the pain. Send him new mercies each day – ” The bell on the door rang as it swung open. Trey nodded to the new customer, signifying he would be with him in a minute. “Amen,” Trey said as Sophia finished praying.

“Professor D, thank you for taking the time to talk with me.

Trust me, it means a lot and I have to say being in your Christian history class has been one of my favorite experiences. I know I trusted in Jesus when I was twelve, but I never fully knew the significance and the depth of what I was a part of until recently. Learning about the roots of my faith from Saint Paul and Tertullian to Constantine and Augustine, all the Reformation guys... its been phenomenal.

So thank you, again.”

“Well, I'm glad to hear that, Trey,” Sophia said. “It has been a delight having you in the class and I appreciate your diligence in your assignments. It has been my pleasure to be a part of your learning experience here at Liberty. I will continue to pray for God to use your education to do a great work in your life so in turn He can use you to do greater works in the lives of others. I look forward to meeting you at Commencement next month.”

“Same here,” Trey said.

chapter nine Tuesday, May 5 San Antonio, Texas Cesar burst through the sanctuary doors of Lake Presbyterian. He ran down the aisle to the back offices and nearly slipped as the leather soles of his roper boots hit the freshly mopped floor. “Be careful,” Maria warned without turning from the water she was sloshing down the rest of the hallway.

Cesar steadied himself against the wall. “Mama,” he said.

“You're not going to believe this.”

“Oh, I think I will,” Maria said. “What is it?”

“Our graduation trip funding goal was reached overnight,” Cesar said. “We all have Amtrak train tickets to Virginia. I'm set to leave in – ” He glanced at the time on his phone. “Three hours to meet Trey at the station. We'll stop in Louisiana to pick up Billie Jean and again in Georgia for Britt.”

Maria stopped mopping and beamed at him. “I told you it all would work out,” she said.

“But that's not all,” Cesar continued. “Enough money was also given to pay all of our student loans off. I mean, that's a lot of money – over $100,000!”

“It's all pennies to God,” Maria laughed.

The door to the pastor's office opened and the church's longtime minister stuck his silver-haired head out. “Did I miss another joke?” Pastor J. Scott asked. Cesar shook his head and quickly told him what had happened.

“What can I say?” Pastor J. Scott said, “Except that God is good.”

“All the time,” Cesar agreed.

“Do you know who gave it?” Maria asked.

“It was all done anonymously,” Cesar answered. He paused and tears filled his eyes. Here he was, almost at the end of a significant chapter in his life. He felt as though he had just finished a four year long journey that left him feeling beat but elated. Cesar reached for his mother and hugged her.

“I only wish now that you could be there,” he told her.

“I'm proud of you, Cesar,” Pastor J. Scott said. “All of us are. We're not only proud because you're graduating, we're proud because you didn't give up. Growing up without your father and at constant risk of losing your mother, your road hasn't been an easy one. I remember when you were a rather insecure boy, unsure of what you wanted from life. But you persevered and have grown, not only through book knowledge, but more importantly through Bible knowledge, into a confident young man. You know Whose you are and

you know who you are. My heart tells me that as long as you keep Jesus at the center, you will go far in life.”

The three of them held hands. With bowed heads and thankful hearts, they praised God for His mercy and miracles.

An hour and a half later, Cesar arrived with packed bags at the San Antonio Amtrak Station (SAS). He had to wait about twenty minutes before Trey got off the train that had brought him from California. “Hey, bruh!” Trey greeted Cesar. They immediately found seats on another train that would take them to Louisiana and conversed like old friends.

Outside, the sun was steadily descending, setting the sky ablaze with streaks of pink, peach, and saffron like a classic blood orange margarita. The bright colors soon gave way to purple dusk. Inside, across the aisle from Trey and Cesar, a young mother tried to soothe her crying baby. A few seats behind

them,

newlyweds

quietly

argued

over

their

honeymoon plans. A few seats in front of them, a trio of teenagers expressed extreme disappointment over the season finale of some meaningless television show. By the time the train sped across the Texas border, night had fallen, bringing an onslaught of tiny, silver stars. For two soon-to-be college graduates, all was bliss and beauty.

chapter ten Wednesday, May 6 New Orleans, Louisiana Over eight hours after leaving Texas, the Amtrak train pulled into Louisiana's New Orleans Station Building (NOL).

The time on Cesar's phone informed him that it was right after six in the morning. After riding all night, he was ready for breakfast. The next train would be leaving for Georgia at nine, giving him and Trey almost three hours to get something to eat and locate Billie Jean. This latter task proved to be easy. Trey and Cesar both recognized Billie Jean's familiar face as soon as they entered the train station's waiting area. She was dressed in black pants and a red sweater with the letters “LU” printed on it. Two matching gray duffel bags sat on the floor by her chair and a small camera case was slung over her shoulders.

“Miss Bailey, I presume?” Cesar said when they went over to her.

“Your presumption is correct,” Billie Jean said. “I can't believe we're finally meeting one another – in person, that is.”

“Me neither,” Cesar said hugging her.

Trey did the same. “Actually, I pretty much can't believe anything at the moment,” he said. “The past forty-eight hours

have been so unbelievable I'm still trying to find the right words to describe it all.”

“My dad once told me that trying to understand all of God is like eating ice cream too fast. You get a brain freeze,” Billie Jean said. “His ways are truly incomprehensible, in the best way possible.”

“I'm with you on that,” Cesar agreed. “But speaking of ice cream, I'm starving.”

Billie Jean's eyes lit up. “Y'all have to try Mother's. It's one of my favorite food joints and their po' boys are downright delicious,” she said. Leaving their luggage at the station, the three of them made the twenty minute walk to Mother's Restaurant. Heeding Billie Jean's suggestions, the boys finally decided on an egg and meat po' boy sandwich, fruit, bran pecan muffins, and orange juice. Billie Jean ordered a large cup of sweet iced tea. She loaded fresh film in her camera as she waited for them to eat. “I hope y'all don't mind being on camera,” she said.

“Like who isn't on camera these days?” Cesar said.

“No, why?” Trey asked.

“Well, I started a film project where I make short videos about regular people in my life. I call it slice-of-life films because they really don't have any specific meaning; they just depict everyday experiences,” Billie Jean explained. “I've

made ones of my dad, my high school counselor, and several of my preschool students. So I was thinking, once we meet up with Britt, we could take turns telling our background stories to Pip.” “Pip?” Trey and Cesar questioned.

“Yes,” Billie Jean smiled. “I give my cameras names. My old one, Nik, retired last month. This new one is Pip.” “Alright, I'm in,” Cesar said.

“I'm guessing there's not a chance we're going to win an Oscar for doing this,” Trey said.

“No guarantees, but I might submit it to some film festivals if it turns out well,” Billie Jean said. “And after some serious editing.”

“I thought you were graduating in childhood education,” Cesar said.

“I am. I had to get a practical degree first just in case my filmmaking dreams don't work out,” Billie Jean said.

“At the rate you're going, I bet they will,” Trey said. “I can see the headlines now – 'Hollywood's next Ava Duvernay!' 'A revolutionary cinematographer!' But yeah...let's do it.”

“Great,” Billie Jean said. She aimed her Canon AE-1 at their half-finished plates. “I'll get a jump start now. There's

nothing as realistic as eating. Why did you guys decide to attend Liberty Online anyway?”

“I was looking for an affordable college experience,” Cesar answered. “It was obvious I wouldn't be able to pay my way and would need financial aid so my pastor suggested Liberty. His son attended and was always talking about his time there so my pastor thought I should give it a try. I'm glad I did now. Liked it so much, I plan on getting my law school.”

“When my cousin got a job in Virginia, she invited me and Myrick out for a visit. While we were there, she suggested we take a campus tour of Liberty since I was looking for a college,” Trey said. “I was so impressed with the spirit and staff of the place that I immediately decided I wanted it to be my college, but leaving Compton wasn't really an option for me at the time. Then my cousin was like, well, you can still go because they have online degree programs. I had never even heard of online education before, but it turned out to be for the best because a lot of my Facebook connections encouraged me to attend since I'm going into ministry. If I wasn't accepted at Liberty, I probably would have ended up at El Camino and I'm not sure they wouldn't have been as great at building character.”

“Isn't that a community college?” Billie Jean asked.

“Yeah, out in Torrance, but they have a satellite campus where I live,” Trey said.

“I did one year at Delgado before transferring to Liberty,” Billie Jean said. “Personally, I think online learning is superior to campus learning. Since I had to work most of the time while taking classes, it gave me a lot more flexibility. I didn't have to worry about being late or rushing to attend lectures at some specific time; I could just bring up my classes anywhere. Also, driving back and forth to campus was tiring and classrooms have never been ideal for me. I can't focus that well in groups.”

“I know I enjoyed it,” Cesar said. “But, really, I think it depends on the student and what they're learning. For me, the most important thing was Liberty's Christian worldview. All of their content was Christ-centered and reminded me daily why I was pursuing higher education in the first place and Who I was doing it for.”

“And the community at Liberty Online was amazing,” Trey said. “It really made me feel like I belonged to something greater. I mean, look at us. Even though we all live in different states, grew up in different situations or whatever, we all connected and now here we are about to graduate together.”

chapter eleven Wednesday, May 6 Atlanta, Georgia Britt buckled Brianna into her carseat and set a Goodwill shopping bag beside it in the back seat of her husband's car.

“Did you find what you wanted?” DeShawn asked as she got into the passenger seat.

“Sure did,” Britt said. “The dress came with matching shoes. Both in my favorite color – magenta!”

“Remind me again. Is that a pink or a purple?” DeShawn asked.

“Definitely pink's cousin. Purple is also a close cousin,” Britt said as DeShawn laughed. “I told you I have all the relations of the color family down pat. Any improvements at Suge's Place?”

“Man, I'm working on getting that place shut down,” DeShawn said. “Guys come there looking to be rehabilitated from addiction and they just end up worse than before. You can't run a halfway house with a director who's a drug dealer himself. I don't see how this has been overlooked. It's frustrating. The system is all screwed up.” He frowned as the late evening traffic brought their car to a standstill. “On a more positive note,” he continued. “I found a better place for

us. There's two beds and two full baths. It's only a little more than we're paying now but the neighborhood and quality is way better.”

“Where is it?” Britt asked.

“Out in Glenwood Park. You're going to love it. There's a balcony and it's the only condo in the area with a private rooftop deck. I told the agent to hold it for us until we get back from your graduation trip. Where are your classmates staying again?”

Britt checked the text message she had received from Billie Jean earlier saying that she had arrived with Cesar and Trey an hour ago and looked forward to meeting her. “They're at Drury,” Britt said.

DeShawn took the next exit and in a few minutes pulled into the parking lot of Drury Inn and Suites. They found Trey, Cesar, and Billie Jean sitting in the dining area with plates of hot dogs, macaroni and cheese, and cups of soda. “Hey, Britt,” they all greeted.

“Hi, guys,” Britt said. “I know you're all probably tired from traveling and we could have just waited until tomorrow morning, but I've really looked forward to finally seeing you.

I'm afraid my patience wouldn't have lasted.”

Trey and Cesar pulled up extra chairs for them. “This is my husband, DeShawn, and our daughter, Brianna Destiny,” Britt said.

“Pleased to meet everyone,” DeShawn said amid a round of handshakes. Billie Jean took Brianna from Britt and held her. “How old is she?” she asked.

“Eighteen months,” Britt said.

“But by the way she cries sometimes you would think she was already in her terrible twos,” DeShawn added. “So let's see if I've been paying attention to all the glowing things Britt has told me about you all. Obviously, everyone's graduating from Liberty. And you're from the great states of California, Tennessee, and Louisiana?”

“Texas, not Tennessee,” Cesar corrected him.

“Really?” DeShawn said.

“He has roots there,” Britt said.

“San Antonio?” Cesar asked.

“No, North Dallas. My dad was a firefighter there until we moved here to be with his ailing mother,” DeShawn said.

“Even after she passed away, we had grown to like it out here so we stayed. I had just started high school which is where I met Britt. I went back to Dallas to go to DTS with my brother. He stayed out there, but I returned here to Atlanta to be part of a new church plant.”

“You and Trey should have a lot to talk about. He's planning on going to seminary and then going into ministry,” Billie Jean said. Brianna had fallen asleep in her arms.

“Do you plan on doing ministry out in Compton?”

DeShawn asked Trey.

Trey nodded. “Yeah. I've been praying for God to show me exactly what He wants me to do to make a difference in my community,” he said.

“Well, whether you plan on pastoring a church or doing more street ministry, you have your work cut out for you,” DeShawn said.

“DeShawn did most of his hands-on ministry training near your city. Lynwood, was it?” Britt said.

“Lynwood, yeah. Full of Crips when I was there,” DeShawn said. “Urban ministry, you know, can be like messy – really, really messy; but if you see just one life changed, it's always worth it. And of course, you're better prepared for the mess when you've taken the time to be educated in evangelism, apologetics, and spiritual warfare as you've done.

So you have a solid foundation, Trey.” DeShawn turned to Cesar and Billie Jean. “What about you two?”

“I'm going into law,” Cesar said. “Constitutional law.”

“Whoa, weighty stuff,” DeShawn said.

“I'm graduating with a degree in childhood education,” Billie Jean said.

“But she has a covert desire to make movies,” Cesar said.

“Our entire ride out here, Trey and I have taken turns trying to persuade her to pursue that path.”

“Hey, tell them about your project,” Trey said.

“Sure,” Billie Jean said. “I make short videos which I call slice-of-life films. So I thought since we're taking this trip together, we could take turns telling our background stories to one another and Pip. Pip's my camera. Trey and Cesar have already agreed, so if you want – ” “I'd love to,” Britt said. “It sounds like it will be fun.”

After talking for several more minutes everyone separated to get some needed rest for the next day.

chapter twelve Thursday, May 7 Georgia – South Carolina Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt accompanied by Britt's husband and daughter, arrived at the Peachtree Station Building in Atlanta early in the morning. Their new train would carry them to Lynchburg, Virginia, making just one stop at the midway point in Charlotte, North Carolina.

As soon as the train pulled out, Billie Jean switched Pip on and trained its camera lens on herself. Outside, the world whizzed past. Brown earth blurred with green grass. Green grass blurred with green trees. Green trees blurred with blue sky. Inside, Trey, Cesar, Britt, and DeShawn listened to Billie Jean, rapt. When she wasn't sleeping, Brianna listened too.

“My name is Billie Jean Bailey. I am twenty-three. The early part of my childhood was laced with neglect and drugs and lived to the beat of the King of Pop. My father, Terrance Chimere Bailey, was a devout fan of Michael Jackson's music, hence the inspiration for my name. He constantly played his albums around the house until I could recognize most of the tracks and lyrics by the time I was six.

'Terrance was an eighth grade dropout. He worked a lot of odd jobs in and around New Orleans. He may not have been

educated or wealthy, but he did provide for me and care for me, things my mother was incapable of doing. My mother, Jazmine Walker, was in and out of rehab due to her drug addiction. No matter how hard she tried to stop getting high or how many times she vowed to quit, she never succeeded.

She suffered relapse after relapse after relapse. On my seventh birthday, I found her on the floor in the bathroom, a needle in her arm. She was dead.

“After that, it was only me and my father. Pretty soon it would just be me. I awoke one night to my father letting himself into our house. It was well after midnight. 'You're very late,' I told him. 'Where were you? I had to walk home from school alone.' Even though I was twelve at the time, I still didn't like the idea of being home alone which I often was. “'I know,' Terrance said. He sounded tired. He looked tired. There was an ugly bruise on his cheek. “'Are you alright?' I asked. “'I am now,' Terrance said. 'But I don't think I will be for long.'

“We were both silent. Then, he said, 'Billie Jean, I might be arrested.' “'Why? Did you do something wrong?' I asked.

“'I killed a man, Billie Jean. I swear it was an accident, but I killed him,' my dad said. “'Daddy, why didn't you do what you always tell me to do?' I asked. 'Just walk away.' “'I don't know,' Terrance said. 'Go back to sleep.'

“I did so, only to wake up to my worst nightmare. In the morning, the police came and arrested my father. I would never see him outside of a prison again. When officials found out my mother was dead and none of my relatives were willing to take me in, I was placed in foster care. I was in and out of different homes until I turned sixteen and my case worker decided to adopt me herself.

“Mrs. Candace Remmer (I called her Mamma Candace) already had three grown daughters. Due to an unstable home life, I was not a very good student in middle school. Thanks to the patient, loving guidance of Mamma Candace I earned straight A's all throughout my high school years.

“While living with Mamma Candace, I also started going to church. She faithfully went every Saturday evening and every Sunday morning. It was the first place I heard God's Word read. It was also the first place I recorded my first video. I used the church's camera equipment to contrast the way sunlight and moonlight came through the stained glass windows. When Mamma Candace saw I was interested in

film she bought me my first personal camera. That one I named Alpha.

“About the same time that I started going to church, my father gave his life to Jesus in Angola. Even though he maintains that him killing a man was accidental and not premeditated, Terrance decided to leave justice and his future to God. He let go of his bitterness, invited Christ to fill the hurting and empty places of his heart, and started attending the prison seminary. In a short time, he earned his Christian ministry degree and became a pastor. When I go to visit him in prison, I can tell his life has changed.

“He encouraged me to stick with Jesus and go to college as soon as I completed high school. 'Don't waste your life messing around with drugs like your mother did,' he told me.

'Don't get involved with the wrong people like I did. Stick to the straight and narrow path and you'll be alright.'

chapter thirteen Thursday, May 7 South Carolina “Even though I was going to church and reading my Bible, I didn't actually get on the straight and narrow path until I was eighteen and in my senior year of high school. My high school counselor, Zandra Thomas, who also sang in the choir at Mamma Candace's church, asked me if I had ever made the decision to follow Christ. “'No,' I answered. 'But I know about God.' “'It isn't enough to know about God or to know of God,' Zandra said. 'God made you to have a relationship with Him. In order to become a Christian you must be born again.' “'My birth mother died a long time ago,' I said clearly misunderstanding her statement. 'How can she give birth to me again?'

“Zandra smiled. 'I don't mean a physical one,' she explained. 'But a spiritual one. There is a man in the Bible named Nicodemus who asked the very same question as you did. I'm going to give you the same answer that Jesus gave him. In John 3:5-8, Jesus said: 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh

is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.' “'Basically, He was telling Nicodemus that his religion – going to the temple, keeping the laws – was not enough.

Neither is yours and neither is mine. We can go to church, pray all day, memorize every word in the Bible and still not make it to Heaven.' “'Why not? Aren't those all good things to do?' I asked. “'Yes, but they aren't good enough,' Zandra said. 'Being born again is not about doing good things. God is a righteous God Who requires perfect righteousness. No matter how good we are, we can never reach His standard of perfection. Only one person in all of history was able to do so, Jesus Christ. As God's son in human form, He lived a sinless life and through His death, burial, and resurrection He gave us the opportunity to have a relationship with God as well. What Christ did for us on the cross was a gift. Therefore, salvation is not something we earn, it is something we receive.' “'How can I receive it?' I asked. “'Good question,' Zandra said. 'Jesus had the answer for that too. He said in John 3:16, 'For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' Billie Jean, you can become born again by receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior through faith. Would you like to do that today?'

“I said that I would and with one prayer I turned my life over to Jesus. It was at that point that I fully started to realize that God had a plan for my life and I needed to live on purpose. After graduating from high school, I enrolled at Delgado and got a pretty demanding job as a waitress. With the back and forth between work and school, I soon found myself getting away from the Lord instead of growing towards Him. I stopped going to church on Sundays to catch up on sleep and other activities that had gone neglected during the week. Then Zandra recommended Liberty Online where she was currently pursuing her doctoral in business . “'It would be less stressful for you,' she said. 'And, as a new Christian, the learning experience there will strengthen your faith.'

“I took her advice and found that she was right. Going to Liberty was the best thing I ever did, not only academically, but also spiritually. No matter how much the mind learns, it will eventually become stagnant if the soul is not also properly taught. Each of my classes and every one of my professors pushed me closer to the Lord.

“Even though I decided to get my first degree in childhood education, I was able to take a few online courses in cinematic arts. These courses helped me see that film is a powerful medium that God can use to bring more people to Him. Cinema is rife with theology and I understand now that God gave me a passion for filmmaking in order to positively influence culture by bringing stories of faith to the silver screen.”

chapter fourteen Thursday, May 7 South Carolina – North Carolina Billie Jean finished and cut her camera just as Brianna awoke. Britt took out an insulated sippy cup full of fruit juice and fed her. “Alright, compadre,” Trey said to Cesar after Billie Jean finished reloading Pip. “You're on next.”

“My name is Cesar Eligius Lazaro,” Cesar began. “I am twenty-five and this is my story, so far.

“Trevino Casiano was my papa, but being a dedicated member of the Zetas drug cartel, I never knew him. My mama, Maria Paula Lazaro, gave birth to me shortly after crossing the Arizona-Sonora border with her brother. Seeking a better life than gang warfare and economic hardship, my uncle, Cy, quickly found work and supported himself, my mama, and me until mama was well enough to work on her own.

“When Cy's job transferred him to San Antonio, Texas, mama and I moved with him. Aware they were in danger of being deported, Cy and Maria were careful to abide by the laws of the land and tried repeatedly without success to gain legal status in America. When I saw that much of their hard earned money was spent on lawyers who failed to advocate

for them and did not take their cases seriously because they were not citizens, I decided that when I grew up I would become a lawyer.

“Cy soon married and moved into his own place. His two sons became close friends of mine. When I was fourteen, the thing I feared most happened. I came home from school to an empty house. All the lights were on, the television was still playing, and I could see where she had started to prepare dinner. 'Cesar, are you looking for your mother?' a neighbor asked me. “'Yes, she's normally here,' I said. 'Did she go somewhere?' “'Your uncle was visiting her earlier,' the neighbor told me. 'They were both taken in by immigration officers.'

“Cy and Maria remained at a detention center while waiting for removal proceedings. I visited them, but for nearly seven months, I found myself struggling to live on my own. I taught myself how to drive at fifteen and quit going to school to work, taking any job that was offered me – construction, cutting grass, or washing cars.

“Even though my mama was eventually released, Cy was deported. To avoid more trouble, a church offered her protection through their sanctuary program. My uncle's sons still had their mom, but they were devastated at being

separated from their father. They took his deportation hard and became very, very angry. They weren't the same kids, not even towards me. They're both serving time today.

“I'm afraid that if it wasn't for Pastor J. Scott and his wife taking me in, I would have gone down the same tragic path as my cousins.

chapter fifteen Thursday, May 7 North Carolina “To my mama's immense gratitude, J. Scott put me back in high school and ordered me to complete my studies which I did, finishing at the top of my class. The day after I graduated, J. Scott had a serious talk with me. 'Now that you've finished your general education, you need to pursue higher education,' he told me. 'One thing that will help you in deciding on a degree is knowing what you want to do with your future. What do you think God has put you here to be, Cesar?'

“I remembered my childhood dream to be a lawyer. 'I want a law degree,' I said. 'I want to help people who cannot represent themselves.' “'That is an ambitious but attainable goal,' J. Scott said.

'However, you need a bachelor's degree before you can enroll in law school.'

“J. Scott's son, who was deployed on active duty at the time, was attending Liberty Online. Since I was reluctant to leave my mama in Texas, J. Scott suggested I do the same, so I started taking courses to get my bachelor's degree in criminal justice. Both mama and J. Scott were pleased with

my choice to become a lawyer. 'It is a most Godly vocation,' Maria said. “'How so?' I asked having never connected issues of justice with the Gospel. “'Well, Christ is an advocate,' J. Scott said. And then he explained, 'God is the righteous Judge. As sinners, each human being stands accused before Him; guilty of things for which even our justice system would quickly indict us. Our punishment is not prison, but death, and after death, an eternity spent in the lake of fire. There is no chance for us to be acquitted, unless we call on the attorney Jesus the Christ.' “'But the Bible says we all have sinned. Not one of us is good,' I said. 'God's law is the standard and we all fall short of it. You've preached this before, so how can Jesus get us off?' “'1 John 2:1-2 says, 'My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,' J. Scott said. 'Advocate is just another word for attorney. As the only person Who lived a sinless life, Jesus is the only One able to reach God's high standard of perfection and that is what sets Him apart from all other lawyers.'

“J. Scott continued, 'Never has an innocent lawyer taken the punishment for his guilty client. But that is exactly what Christ did for each of us. In order for the law to be maintained and for God's justice to be satisfied, He paid the guilty penalty for me and you by dying on the cross.'

Cesar continued, “That day, I stopped defending myself before God and accepted the offer of the Attorney He had already provided by placing my faith in Jesus the Christ. It is now that same faith, and not necessarily my distasteful childhood experiences, that fuel my passion for law. As a boy, I knew I wanted to represent the friendless, defend the have-nots, speak up for the voiceless, and bring justice to the struggling. As a boy, I knew I wanted to remind America that minorities and immigrants are men and women and children with names and faces and dreams and goals – not statistics and not problems. As a boy, I knew I wanted to remind America that she is the Mother of Exiles and that Lady Liberty lifts a lamp to immigrants yearning to breathe free.

“As a man, I now know the why behind my boyhood wants. Sometimes, I could hardly stay awake while studying late into the night and barely managed to keep up with all the reading, but my time at Liberty reminded me that God is a God of justice. He is the Lawgiver. Without Him, our rule of law makes no sense. Without His Word, we have no firm

foundation on which to base our moral code. As His follower, God requires me to do justly. Isaiah 1:17 has become my life verse and mission: 'Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.'”

chapter sixteen Thursday, May 7 North Carolina The train rolled to a stop at the Charlotte Station Building (CLT) in North Carolina around 11:45. Everyone got off, ready for lunch. The train would be departing again at 2:15 to take them straight to Lynchburg, Virginia.

After chicken-bacon sandwiches, fries, and diet Coke at McDonald's, Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, Britt, DeShawn, and Brianna were traveling again. Fresh from their break, Billie Jean turned her camera on Britt who began to tell of days gone by. “My name is Britt Emerson-Isaiahs,” she said. “I'm twenty and this is my story.

“My parents were only teenagers when they had me. Both were heavily involved in drugs and neither of them had completed high school. I don't know that much, nothing really, about my dad. He walked out on my mom shortly after I was born and she never talked about him with me. Even when I asked her to, she refused.

“Thankfully, my mom, Claire Emerson, found Jesus. She left her wild lifestyle behind and between work and school, devoted most of her time to raising me. Claire finished high school at nineteen. The following year she enrolled at Liberty

Online and earned two degrees in Christian counseling and life coaching, respectively. She became the director of women's ministry at our church. Claire was always encouraging me to stay focused on God and on getting a good education. She wanted me to start college early, and right before she died of lung cancer, I began a dual enrollment at Liberty Online.

“To be honest, Liberty was not my first choice. I had always imagined I would attend college on campus and informed my mom I wanted to go to Georgia State University. She wouldn't hear of it, and insisted I first attend a college that had a Christian worldview and would embolden me for Christ. But I'm jumping ahead...back in high school, I met DeShawn. I was a sophomore. He was a senior. We dated steadily throughout his last year until he left for Dallas to attend Dallas Theological Seminary.

“After he left and after my mother's death, I became very depressed. I was lonely. I started to feel angry that I didn't know my dad and that he had never been a part of my life. I skipped an entire semester and contemplated dropping out completely. Having to work plus go to high school and do college work was beginning to overwhelm me.

“One of my online instructors reminded me of Paul's words: 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course,

I have kept the faith. Quitting is not a characteristic of a true follower of Christ,' he said. ‘Finishing is. As you know, Liberty seeks to train champions for Christ. Champions are not just defined by their wins, but also by how they deal with their losses. It does not matter how many times they fall, they rise again. They may not cross the finish line first, but they will cross it. You may not have all the time you would like to study, and as a result your grades may not be as high as you thought they would be; but don't allow limited time or any other obstacle keep you back from finishing. In Christ, you can do all things.'

“My nights were often later and my mornings came earlier, but I took my instructor's words to heart and persevered.

chapter seventeen Thursday, May 7 North Carolina “DeShawn had asked me to marry him at a Lecrae concert. Of course I said 'yes', and we had our wedding the year after I finished high school, and soon we had our daughter. He was a counselor at a halfway house for young men and the associate pastor of a church plant, and I joined him in ministry.

“I don't believe I would have been as confident or as competent as I was without the knowledge I received while studying religion at Liberty Online. But we should never think that education is what qualifies us to serve God. He still looks on the heart and has used many without much theological training, such as D.L. Moody and Charles Spurgeon, to do mighty works for Him. However, I have heard it said that Jesus spent thirty years preparing for a threeyear ministry, so as His followers, we can at least spend three or four years preparing for the lifetime of ministry that God has called us to do.

“With professors who took every opportunity to apply biblical principles to course assignments, I was encouraged to pursue God. I was also strengthened in my walk with Him.

“Being an urban missionary with daily involvement in street life, it's easy to get discouraged. Entire neighborhoods are overlooked by the federal government and by local officials who promised to bring change, and sad to say, they are overlooked by so-called mega-churches as well. These places are burdened by high rates of unemployment, poor schools, violent crime, drugs, incarceration, disrespect towards law enforcement, and in turn, some law enforcement disrespect the citizens. Good kids die every day, done in by a system that doesn't believe in them and ignored by parents who are left with the task of burying them. Last year, DeShawn and I averaged attending two funerals a month and not one of the caskets held a person over thirty-five years old.

“Many want an opportunity to do better. They want to be free from the weight of poverty and escape the cycle of violence, but few are willing to give them a hand up. Single mothers, just like my mom, tell me all the time that they are just normal people. They want what everyone else wants.

They don't want to walk home from work in fear of being robbed, raped, or shot by a stray bullet. They don't want to raise their kids in a rat-infested housing project.

“DeShawn often reminds me that being in ministry is to be in constant spiritual warfare. There are dark spiritual powers in the world that actively resist God's work and those

who are carrying it out. These powers seem to be especially active in urban neighborhoods. My time at Liberty taught me loads of theology, gave me a deeper understanding of the Bible, and equipped me to be an effective evangelist; but most of all it taught me to never give up. I am convinced that no matter how hopeless the circumstances may seem now, it is Christ Who will transform downtrodden communities – not just in my home city of Atlanta, but in cities the world over.

“Liberty University Online has sparked a flame inside of me that I pray God would use to set the world on fire for Him.”

chapter eighteen Thursday, May 7 North Carolina – Virginia Billie Jean held Brianna while Trey told his story. Cesar took charge of the camera. “I'm Trey Thurmond Brown; twenty-four years old,” he started. “Growing up, my big brother was my hero. Myrick Frederick Brown was three years older than me. He was funny, considerate, and always willing to help. He was also smart.

“Even though our dad had only gone up to the sixth grade and our mother only had a high school education, both of them wanted better for us. In order for us to attend a private school instead of Compton's public school, they worked multiple jobs and Myrick and I had to get up an hour earlier because it took us thirty minutes to drive to the school in Los Angeles.

“I was a pretty average student, but Myrick was spectacular. He learned Spanish and French. He joined the chess team and quickly became a top player. He won awards for his twelve-page paper on Alain Aspect's quantum theory breakthrough. But his success didn't come without problems.

He was allowed to skip two grades and started eleventh grade at thirteen. Being the youngest student in his class and the

only black kid, he was subject to ridicule. Some of his classmates joked he needed to return to the lower grades and exchange his chess board for a basketball. When Myrick let one of his teachers know he wanted to be a CERN physicist, he was told he might want to consider a more realistic career choice. Myrick had enough. He told our parents he wasn't going back to school.

“Our dad sat us down. 'Don't ever use the prejudices of others as an excuse to fail. God did not make young black men to only be ball players and rappers,' he told us. 'But teachers, doctors, scientists, presidents, CERN physicists, or anything else He has placed in your heart to be. All of your dreams have the possibility of coming true if you are willing to study hard, work harder, and never give up.' So Myrick returned to school.

“When I was ten, our dad was gunned down. While Myrick was my hero, our dad was his hero and his sudden death was especially painful to him. Myrick graduated from high school the following year at fourteen. Our mother wanted him to start looking at possible college opportunities, but he wouldn't hear of it. 'What's the point of speaking another language if that language can't prevent my dad from getting shot?' he asked. 'I can spit about Einstein's theory of relativity all day long but people on our block still end up

dead. And not the Berlin Defense, Veresov Attack, or any other stupid chess move is going to bring them back.'

“When I was twelve, our mom suffered the same fate as our dad. She was shot in an armed robbery. I was in the store when it happened; sat on the floor beside her while she bled to death waiting for the police to arrive. Myrick totally lost it after that. He took to the streets and started hanging around original gangsters. With my dad dead, my mom dead, and my hero of an older brother gone astray, I turned to Jesus.

“I walked to church and, at the pastor's first invitation, went down to the front and received salvation. With Jesus in my life, I became more hopeful about my situation. I began to believe that God had made me for a reason and that every event (good or bad) that had taken place in my young life had happened for a purpose. I chose to trust that God would not allow any weapon formed against me to harm me. By God’s grace, I am determined to accomplish the work He has created me to do which is to win my city to Christ.”

chapter nineteen Thursday, May 7 Virginia “Myrick and I moved out of the house we had lived in with our parents and into an apartment. If we struggled before when our parents were alive, we were really suffering now.

Since we couldn't keep paying for me to attend the private school in Los Angeles, I switched to our local public school and finished my middle and high school years there.

“I regretted every time I had taken my mom's home cooking for granted. For all our education, neither Myrick nor I could prepare food, and our meals consisted of cheese crackers, lots of peanut butter sandwiches, and grape sodas from the corner store with cheeseburgers from Tom's Jr. on the weekends. Somehow, we survived.

“One spring, our cousin Vanessa invited us to spend a week with her and her husband in Virginia. I was eighteen.

The huge galaXias company out in Silicon Valley had gone on a hiring spree and Vanessa had recently gotten a tech job at one of their satellite campuses. We talked about our futures. DJ Denton, Vanessa's man, wanted to know what our college plans were. 'I'm not wasting any more days sitting in some classroom under some uppity teacher,' Myrick said.

“'I guess Morehouse would be my first choice, but I haven't decided on a specific place,' I told them. 'Problem is, I can't afford to move out to the Morehouse campus or any campus for that matter. I've been looking for scholarships so I won't have to worry so much about money.' “'Teachers and college people always be like they want kids to go to college, but if they really wanted them to go, they shouldn't make it so expensive,' Myrick said. 'I mean, everybody's not rich like Bill Gates.' “'Bill Gates actually dropped out of college,' DJ said. “'Then why are you so hung up on Trey going?'

“Because he's not Bill Gates,' DJ laughed. “'Trey, you might just be in luck,' Vanessa spoke up.

'Since you want to be a minister you should go to a Christian college. Liberty University, which is right up the road from us, just so happens to be holding an open house this week.

Maybe you should go and check them out.'

“DJ nodded in agreement. 'Largest Christian university in the world,' he said. 'First rate in every way. They even have their own mountain and that's saying a lot.' “'If you decide to go there, you won't have to be concerned about paying anything immediately if you apply for financial aid,' Vanessa said. 'They'll be willing to work with you on finances.'

“'Of course, four or five years from now you'll be slapped with a hefty bill demanding that you pay up,' DJ said.

'FedLoan will be after you like a hound dog.' “'DJ's joking,' Vanessa said, 'and, contrary to what your brother thinks, a college education, no matter how it's paid for, is always worth it. Another Liberty benefit – they now offer plenty of degrees online so leaving home is unnecessary. Now you can learn from anywhere.'

“Vanessa's Liberty recommendation turned out to be exactly what I needed. When I visited the campus, I immediately felt at home. I saw and felt that God was at work there and I wanted to be a part of it. I signed up for classes and even though I was all the way on the other side of the country there was never a moment when I did not feel connected to the school. Every interaction that I had online made me feel like I belonged and, coming from the neighborhood I grew up in, that meant something special.

“I've had the opportunity to brag on my school before and will continue to do so whenever I get the chance. I am most grateful for what Liberty is to the body of Christ. It is not only Christian on the surface or Biblical in name only, it is fully Christian in spirit too. Through the things I learned, I was able to lead my brother to the Lord. It wasn't enough to throw John 3:16 at Myrick and tell him he needed to love

Christ because Christ first loved him. He was alright with faith, but he wanted his faith to be built on as many facts as possible. Never one to give up the opportunity to ask a question, he had to know the whys, whats, and hows; the ands, ifs, and buts. Because Liberty taught me the fundamentals of the Bible, Christianity, and theology, I was able to counter his doubts with truth and answer his inquiries regarding the divinity and humanity of Christ, what's going to happen in the last days, and the problem of evil. A few days before I knew I would be taking this train ride with y'all, Myrick was shot. I was hurt by his death, but also hopeful because I know he is in a better and much more just place.”

chapter twenty Thursday, May 7 Lynchburg, Virginia "That's a wrap," Billie Jean said handing Brianna back to her mother. "Thanks everyone for participating. I thought I had a hard time getting through college, but now I know I wasn't the only one. Your stories have each inspired me in a different way, but they all remind me of the verse in Isaiah in which God told Israel not to be discouraged because He would strengthen and help them."

"I agree with that," DeShawn said. "I think I can safely say that considering all the obstacles you guys had to overcome to get to this moment, God really was with each one of you every step of the way. Even in how He used online education to bring you together – " "Excuse me," a loud voice interrupted DeShawn.

Everyone turned to see a petite woman in a royal blue vintage dress coat standing in the aisle. Her white hair was in a beehive. "Pardon my nosiness but I couldn't help but notice you've been filming one another the entire time we've been traveling. What for? If you don't mind my asking."

“We were doing a graduation film project,” Billie Jean said. She was about to explain further but the lady interrupted again.

“Graduating! You don't say,” she exclaimed. “Then you're just who I need. You see, my grandson is graduating from college next week and I'm set to address his class, but I'm just not sure if the speech I've prepared is what they need to hear.

Do one of you or all of you have a moment to hear it? I want to try and explain what it means to be a well-educated person.

And what school, may I ask, are you graduating from?”

“Liberty University,” Cesar answered.

“Ah, yes,” the woman said. “I've heard of them. They are right here in Lynchburg, aren't they? Well, what do you say?”

“Sure,” Britt said. “We can hear it now or – ” The train conductor made a forceful show of clearing his throat. Everyone turned to see him standing in the open train door. “I'm sorry to interrupt,” he said. “But we've been stopped for the past twenty minutes and everyone else has already left. Would you mind continuing your conversation outside?”

“Oh, no, we're the ones who should be apologizing,” the woman said. “I'll take my leave now.” She turned back to Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, Britt, DeShawn, and Brianna. “I'll read it to you tomorrow,” she told them. “As soon-to-be

graduates yourselves, please be honest with your feedback and I've just realized that I haven't even given you my name.”

She laughed loudly. “It's Cindy Hale. And now I shall take my leave and I will see you all again later.”

“Hey! Wait...” Trey called after her as she stepped briskly through the door. But it was too late. Trey turned back to the others. “She doesn't even know where we're staying,” he said.

chapter twenty one Friday, May 8 Lynchburg, Virginia Trey still felt groggy from sleep when he left his room at Wingate by Wyndham and took the elevator downstairs for breakfast. For the first time in a long time he realized that he didn't have any text books to read, no tests to study for, no papers to turn in. All of that was behind him – at least for a while. In the hotel dining area, he spotted Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt sitting with Cindy Hale. DeShawn had taken Brianna to the pool. Trey filled a cup with coffee and joined the group.

“Last one to the table is a popcorn,” Cindy said laughing.

She shook a finger at Trey. “That's what my husband used to say, but what am I babbling about. We have a speech to read.” She took a notebook and a pair of reading glasses out of her leather tote. “Here we are,” she said. “And do interrupt at any moment and tell if something sounds like wack.” They all nodded that they would.

“And now,” Cindy began. “Even after attending college and receiving higher education, one cannot expect a person to know everything there is to know about the world. So what does it mean to be well-educated?

“Most people believe that if one has graduated from college and has a degree to show for it, one is well-educated.

But being a college graduate does not mean one is welleducated. Both history past and history present show us figures who have made history and changed the world but never went to college or either dropped out. A fun fact to know: of the forty-four people who have served as president of the United States, ten never went to college, including George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, yet ‘welleducated’ college graduates quote them as if these presidents were educated.

“Many people who have attended college and had the knowledge to do great things, failed to do so because they never gained the wisdom or had the common sense to apply their book smarts to everyday life situations. American author and lecturer, Alfie Kohn, writes that many well-educated people would freeze up if they were asked what eight times seven is because they never learned the multiplication table.

Personally, I have read the writings of many bestselling authors who have degrees in English and who write brilliant stories with perfect grammar and spelling but misspell the most basic of words while typing e-mails. Still, many welleducated graduates leave college without having learned

anything new because, instead of focusing on their studies, they spend time partying or making friends.

“Sitting hours at a desk in a classroom does not make one well-educated. Neither does getting high scores on a test or memorizing a bunch of facts. Graduating from college does not necessarily make one graduation-worthy.

“A bad education leaves students without the ability to think for themselves, analyze and come up with solutions for complex problems, think critically about the way the media and others present information, and make a living to support themselves by holding down a job or creating their own job.

One of the most important things looked for in ‘welleducated’ people is the ability to think critically. Just because the media reports a story does not mean that we should accept it the way they report it. Well-educated people think for themselves. As American educator Marva Collins says, 'Trust yourself. Think for yourself. Act for yourself. Speak for yourself. Be yourself. Imitation is suicide.' Most students coming out of college without having learned anything, struggle to love themselves and love others. They have a hard time accepting people who are different from them in any way.

“Since we know that a bad education does not produce well-educated people, what is a good education? A good

education is when students graduate or leave college without just having memorized a bunch of facts, but also have the wisdom to think through those facts and apply and use them in real life. Well-educated people cannot just be measured by the scores they receive on their tests or what is in their heads, but by what comes out of their heads through their words and actions. Well-educated people have creative and curious minds and are able to analyze, criticize, and solve problems.

They are able to think critically about the world around them and analyze facts and opinions they hear before making a decision.

“Well-educated people have the capacity and bigness of mind and heart to love themselves and other people and to be tolerant of others’ beliefs, cultures, and traditions. A good education is when students graduate from college and know that the knowledge they have gained is not to be kept inside of a golden box inside their brain but should be dispensed to teach the next generation and to make the world a better and richer place to live.”

Cindy Hale removed her glasses. “Thoughts?” she said.

“You're probably going to accuse me of not thinking critically about your speech,” Cesar said. “But I think it's very good.”

“Yes, really,” Britt said. “Because for what else do we receive an education if not to give back from what we have learned.”

“And if going to college does not help you do good and make better decisions, then you have not truly been educated,” Billie Jean said. “If it does not improve your life, if it does not improve the lives of others, then nothing has been learned or at least what has been learned is not being applied. A good education should build character.”

“Yeah, I've always liked what MLK had to say about that: 'Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education,' Trey said. “And I would add that educating the mind with facts without educating the heart and soul with faith is not an education at all. The Bible says the knowledge of God is the beginning of all understanding. To some degree, I think that's what happened to Myrick. Teachers taught him all the facts, but he never had the faith in God to put those facts to use outside the classroom.”

“Well, I think I'll add that,” Cindy said making some notes on her paper. “Education without faith is meaningless.”

chapter twenty two Saturday, May 9 Lynchburg, Virginia Today was the day!

The morning of Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt's graduation came with a dismal, gray drizzle. But no amount of overcast weather could dampen their spirits. Donning their graduation regalia, the four of them (along with DeShawn and Brianna) made the short drive from their hotel to the sprawling campus of Liberty University. Britt noticed the slow ascent of the sun first. The drizzle stopped. The clouds turned from gray into soft shades of pink. Then a bit of yellow joined the pink, then crimson red and brilliant gold.

The swirling mass of spreading, deepening colors turned the clouds into a marvelous mess of morning glory. The sun's rays finally cut through the huge clouds and the entire mountain scene was set ablaze with dawn light.

Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt joined thousands of other graduates in the line-up at the football practice fields before the triumphant procession into Williams Stadium began. For some, there were tears. For others, there were smiles of joy and relief. But all were proud of themselves and one another. Amid much chatter and cheers, everyone in the

stadium found seats. Absolutely too many pictures were snapped. And then the Commencement exercises began.

There was prayer and singing, several words from the chancellor, a special message from a special speaker, and a charge to the graduates amid a flurry of other presentations.

Long nights of studying seemed like a distant memory now. The time-consuming task of ordering books and waiting for them to arrive, the exciting thrill of finally receiving them only to be discouraged by the arduous task of reading them was finally left behind. The graduates had waded through dozens of sheets of course syllabuses and course schedules to get to this grand day. For Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, Britt, and the hundreds of other graduates who had attended school online, they remembered the many assignments they had been required to turn in: course requirements checklists, class introductions, discussion board threads and replies, quizzes and tests, wiki pages and edits, bibliographies, essays, and final exams. Many of the graduates remembered that they had completed their assignments while also getting married, giving birth, doing ministry, writing sermons, leading worship, cooking, cleaning, taking care of children, and doing a host of other mundane duties that could not have gone neglected.

They had worked hard. They had made time. They had doubted. They had thought about giving up, dropping out; but in the end they had decided to keep on and now they were here.

Deadlines. Guidelines. Demands for excellence. Pressure.

Long days. Short nights. Blood, sweat – alright, maybe not blood – but definitely some tears. This was the Liberty way.

The graduates also remembered that they had not succeeded on their own. As the music played and the words from the speakers passed through his ears, Trey Brown thought about his parents and the sacrifices they had made to give him a good early education. They had been the first ones to believe in him: his father had told him to study hard, to work harder, and to never give up; his mother had urged him to go beyond the status quo. Trey thought about Myrick and how his brother's misunderstood smarts had pushed Trey to do better. He thought about DJ and Vanessa; he was here because of them. And then there was Prof. D and countless other instructors like her who were always willing to give an encouraging word. He thought about the mean streets of Compton – they had willed him to rise higher, dream bigger, and reach further.

Billie Jean Bailey remembered her father, elated over his daughter getting a degree even though he would not be able to

see her accept it. His love for her had never failed. Billie Jean thought of Mamma Candace, who had taken her in as her own daughter and was the first to invest in her passion for film.

She also remembered Zandra Thomas who had helped her make the decision to follow Christ; she was graduating from Liberty today because of her.

Cesar Lazaro thought about Maria, always patient and loving, never complaining, doing what had to be done even when the circumstances weren't ideal. She wasn't there to see him graduate, but he knew she was proud of him. And then he couldn't forget Pastor J. Scott who had led him to the Lord, recommended he attend Liberty, and praised his dream of being a lawyer.

Britt Emerson-Isaiahs thought first of her husband and daughter, the joy and love of her life. She was happy and grateful that they could be with her to celebrate this special day. Britt also thought of her mother and how she hadn't wallowed in a pity party over Britt's father walking out on her; instead, she had picked herself up, brushed herself off, placed herself in God's care, and never stopped moving forward. Britt was glad now that her mother had not listened to her and had enrolled her at Liberty anyway. Now, here she was graduating at the age of twenty.

Trey, Billie Jean, Cesar, and Britt knew this day would soon be over. It was the end of one chapter in the book of their lives. Another chapter would soon begin. They knew that more hard days and dark times would come and, as they went further out into the world, carrying their crosses and fulfilling their callings, they knew they faced the possibility they would not remain as connected as they had been the past four years. But they would never forget the train ride they had taken out to Liberty Mountain together. They would never forget this day.

They had spent many hours reading and studying history; now it was their time to make history.

They walked into Williams Stadium as students. They went out as alumni. They were champions because the faith that built Liberty University was the same faith that would help them in conquering their communities and cities for Christ.

chapter twenty three 3 years later Malibu, California Seventeen-year-old Raffi Sparks walked through his family's steel and concrete masterpiece of a home looking for his dad. He found him out on one of the expansive viewing decks testing a new laptop interface that was controlled by one's thoughts. "Yo, dad, you okay?" Raffi asked stepping out of the cool interior and into the warm California sun which shimmered across the beach waves stretching out in front of their five acre property.

“I asked not to be disturbed,” Tanner said. “As soon as my train of thought gets interrupted the entire processor goes haywire. This is going back to square one.” He turned and saw his oldest son standing outside the glass door. “Hey, old sport, what are you up to?” he asked. “I thought you were staying at SXSW until next week.”

“Mom called. She said you were sick so I took the next plane back out here,” Raffi said.

Tanner smiled. “Mom also has a sister who's getting married this weekend,” he said. “You should know by now that when Joelle wants you home, she exaggerates my

condition. Look at me! I'm forty-two years young and feeling better than ever.”

Raffi would second that. Besides feeling better, his father also looked better. Not only did Tanner feel successful, he also felt fulfilled. Since finding out he had atherosclerosis over three years ago, Tanner had increased his giving through the Sparks Foundation and pledged to invest his billions in philanthropic causes. When an interviewer had asked him why he was doing so, Tanner had said, “I can't take any of it with me, I might as well give it away.”

Last week, his personal doctor had informed Tanner that his body was healing itself. “I am not only healed,” Tanner said. “I am whole. There is a difference.”

Raffi's voice cut through Tanner's thoughts again. “Well, I guess I'll stay since I'm here,” he said. “I saw most of the films that I wanted to see anyway. I brought back some copies.” He spread out the DVDs he had been holding on one of the white deck chairs. Besides globetrotting, surfing, and reading books about Indian cuisine, there was nothing Raffi liked doing better than searching for and eventually watching well-produced indie films. Sometimes he was successful in persuading his dad to watch with him.

“Just Friends,” Tanner said reading the title of the first one. “Sounds sappy.”

“It's a nice story actually,” Raffi said. “This dude pays for two round-the-world air tickets for him and his girlfriend.

Right before they go on the trip, they break up, so instead of letting her tickets go to waste, he offers it to any woman with the same name as his now ex-girlfriend. He finds the perfect travel mate, they go all around the world, and everything turns out a-okay.”

“I suspect that by the end of the trip they've fallen in love,” Tanner said.

“Uh, no, because this travel mate is already in a relationship. But the guy does start an organization to help people who want to see the world but don't have the money to do so. So it still has a sweet ending and some very good shots of Tokyo at night, Sydney during New Years – all around fantastic camera work.”

Raffi pointed to another film. “Mortem,” he said. “A man dies and wakes up in the afterlife only to find that God has assigned him the task of replacing the Grim Reaper who has been in the death business since the beginning of time.”

“The Great Train Ride to Liberty Mountain,” Tanner read.

He thought he recognized the faces on the DVD cover. “Let me see that one.”

“Sounds nostalgic, doesn't it?” Raffi said handing him the film. “A mini doc. Four kids with different and oftentimes

difficult backgrounds connect while attending college online.

When it comes time for them to graduate they are all cashstrapped until an anonymous giver makes a huge donation – completely paying for their travel expenses and their student loans. They are all able to meet up in person and travel to their college together by train in time for their graduation.

During the trip they take turns telling their life stories to each other. It was all filmed through a single-lens reflex camera and the sound quality is exceptional. Also, someone very special makes an appearance.”

“Who?” Tanner asked.

“My godmother. She read the speech – ” “Stop, no spoilers,” Tanner said going into the house. “I think I'll watch this one first.”

THE END.