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Paul was a virtual stranger to Ian There was no way the young man would accept his help if he offered it uninvited He had to leave it in God’s hands That was the hardest thing to do Why had God cursed hi about Ian? What was the point of this lesson? Was this, after all, the elic vision—futility? Ie upon him already?

In the end, all Paul could do was pray: “Take care of him, God Help him find his way”

Faith

There is a popular enre of inspirational books recounts a dangerous suained froine the sense of elation and accoine moments of reverence and spiritual revelation But when they actually get there,soand difficult journey still lies ahead The mountain steadfastly refuses to conform to the stories we impose upon it

Paul was riding the back of an elephant as it went charging through the sanctuary of the church He was afraid the aniht knock over the pews like so ain control, when he heard tone

“What?”

Paul sat straight up in bed He looked at the clock It was almost 2:00 am Where was his cell phone? Paul rolled out of bed and went running toward the sound, nearly tripping over an end table along the way He ed to reach the phone, in the kitchen, just before the voice mail picked up

“Hello?” he said in a groggy voice

“Hi, um, Paul? I don’t know if you remember me It’s Ian Ian Finnerty You drove me home that one time”

“It’s the ht”

“Yeah, well, the thing is I’m kind of… in jail I didn’t knoho else to call”

This was not a call Paul ever, in his life, i—the 2:00 a hiot dressed, drove to the ATM half asleep, and took out 200 in cash Then he drove to a part of town he rarely had cause to visit, especially not at 2:00 am with a wallet full of cash

Well, on the upside, now I knohere the jail is, for future reference, he thought

Ian sat in one corner of the cell with his feet on the long wooden bench and his knees curled up to his chest His head was tilted down, hiding his face behind his long hair It was the sa on the floor of the pavilion The institutional green walls gave everything a pallid other-worldly appearance Paul allowed hiel ever did come to earth, maybe men would put it

in a zoo for faht look so like this