A New Life

Chapter 1

ROSE

Her name was Rose and she was clinging to
 the vows made to the man she'd come to dread.
His harsh voice now fill her with fear,and
this from the one she'd dearly loved and wed.
 
They'd both been baptized as teenagers
and had there served the Lord for years.
Now after two short years of marriage, Rose was
seeking for answers while shedding many tears.
 
Lee had started drinking about six months
ago and had quickly progressed to this.
He was vocally abusive almost every night and
Rose feared it would soon progress to fists.
 
He'd made it clear before their marriage
he wanted to wait before having a child.
Now Rose felt she had to tell Lee about the
 baby, for she'd been putting it off for a while.
 
As he flew into a rage, Lee yelled, Get
rid of that kid, or better yet,just leave.
Such words coming from the man who'd pledged
his love was very hard for Rose to receive.
 
Totally out of control, Lee struck
out at her, this time using his fists;
with a split lip and a black eye, Rose hadn't
known such physical and emotional pain could exist.
 
Having no family, Rose knew she'd have to get
 away for her safety and that of her unborn babe.
Deciding just what to do and where to go,
were the hardest choices she had ever made.
 
While packing things into her bags, Rose
decided she must leave that very day.
Still not knowing exactly where she would
go,she just knew she had to get away.
 
Just before leaving Rose called John,their
pastor, to tell him all that Lee had done.
He prayed with her and said, God Speed,let me
hear from you, and remember you'll never be alone.
 
With Lee passed out,Rose took her things
and drove to get some money at the ATM.
All the time hating what she was doing,but
knowing it was the best for all of them.
 
Her next stop was to get her lip
stitched,then to fill her car with gas.
Thus she drove quickly away to protect her
child and to get away from the awful past.
 
Rose had driven for hours when she came
to a town with the unusual name of 'Paradise'.
This seemed to be a sign, so she called her pastor
and said, Here the two of us will begin our new life.
 
And so they did.
 
Virginia Archer
11-09

 

 A New Life

Chapter 2

JOHN

He was the  pastor of a fairly large
church and most people called him John.
He and Gena, his wife, had just been talking
with their friend, Rose, on the telephone.
 
In the three way conversation, Rose had told
them all that was happening in her new world.
She had a good job working from her apartment
and yesterday she'd borne a healthy baby girl!
 
Rose had named her new baby Rosalee and
seemed to be getting on with her life.
John was praying that Lee would come to himself
and soon be doing as well as his estranged wife.
 
Rose had left to protect their unborn baby
plus she could no longer live with the fear.
Lee had beat her in a drunken rage, and
  soon after Rose left, he seemed to disappear.
 
John and some of his deacons had searched
for lee, figuring he'd wound up on the street.
John had a ministry among the street people,
 so he asked about Lee of everyone he would meet.
 
No one had seen lee, or even heard of
him, at least none who were willing to tell.
So asking everyone they talked with if they
saw Lee, tell him to give Pastor John a call.
 
After years had passed with no contact,
John's sadness for Lee continued to grow.
Then a doctor called saying, We've a patient
here who says he's someone you used to know.
 
His name is Lee and he was found on the
street where he'd been beaten to a pulp.
John almost shouted for joy, saying I'll
be right there, and tell Lee not to give up!
 
Lee was indeed in such bad shape
that John could hardly recoginze him.
As he began to recover,John and Gena told
Lee that he could come to stay with them.
 
All those months in hospital and detox,
Lee's bills were paid by John and his wife,
all the time praying that their good friend
would soon be free and ready to start a new life.
 
And he was.
 
Virginia Archer
11-09

 

 A New Life

Chapter 3

LEE

His name was Lee and he was clinging to the memory
of the one who his voice she had come to dread.
His beloved whom he had caused great fear,his
Rose who'd loved him dearly and happily had wed.
 
It was almost three years since his
violence has caused her to run away.
Two of those years he'd spent in a drunken
stupor, seldom remembering their happier days.
 
Living on the street was a dangerous place
as Lee had found out one dark night.
Two men attacked and thinking he was dead, took
his last bottle and disappeared from sight.
 
The next morning he was found by a
policeman as he was patroling his beat.
Lee was so drunk plus having been severly  
beaten he couldn't even stand on his feet.
 
After taking him to the charity ward
they found Lee had several broken bones.
When asked for his next of kin,the only
name he could remember was Pastor John.
 
John came to the ward right away and
agreed to pay Lee's many bills.
He spend six months in detox, where
his body and soul were eventually healed.
 
The next six months he spent taking in
every word that Pastor John was teaching.
With the lord's help, Lee was back on the
street and now the Gospel he was preaching!
 
After being sober for over a year, Lee
decided his Rose he must try to find.
Knowing that until he found her and their
child, he would never have peace of mind.
 
When John heard what Lee was planning
he said, I know where your Rose is living.
Having kept in touch, I know they're safe and
all the hurt you did to her is already forgiven.
 
After recovering from a time of bitter
weeping, Lee called Rose on the phone.
He told her he'd been sober for a year
and begged her and their baby to come home.
 
After they had talked and talked, Rose then
said,Lee,even after all the sorrow and strife,
I still love you and Rosalee and I will
be home tomorrow to start our new life!
 
And they were.
 
Virginia Archer
11-09