The Making of a Preacher's Family - Prep

Plot Complications

Matt is wholly committed to Jesus Christ. He started this strong commitment many years ago as a small child in early elementary school when he was saved, being translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His Marvelous Light. (I Peter 2:9; Hebrews 12:1-2, KJV)

If Matt was perfect or even perfectly committed to God, then he with simply go higher with the Lord every day, becoming less and less tainted by the world, but herein is the rub, Matt is just as human as the rest of Earth's residents. Matt is tempted to doubt the goodness of the Lord and even his own salvation (aka the Lord's Rescue Plan) in his life. Matt is tempted to wonder if he is a good father, since Aurora is such a strong-willed child, early in the lives of the twins, and later in life when Zenith turns her back on her dad and his faith for what seems an interminable period of time, while he is living it.

Lazarus Whatyudid is like this terrible narrator in the soul of Matthew Marks. Lazarus too often sounds like a quadriphonic foghorn at the weakest spots of Matt's life, while remaining a low-grade irritant, even on the strong days, like a badly-wired doorbell or an obnoxious alarm clock, that doesn't seem to have a snooze button, nor an Off-switch. What does Lazarus do, during these times? He points out the things, that are already issues in Matt's heart because Matt cares very much for the world as a whole, and especially for those individuals, who are closest to him, like his wife, and his two twin daughters.

Facing life issues of her own, Artista, Matt's wife walks the tightrope between contentment in the life of a pastor's wife and distress over not being the professional artist she really desires to be, rather than "just a hairstylist." Matt feels his wife's struggles, even when she is not voicing them because Matt is sensate in the realm of the spirit, and is growing to see and hear in this spiritual realm as he is being drawn closer to God by His Holy Spirit.

Diotrephes Broadway is another "thorn in Matt's side," who seems to get a great thrill from poking at Matt, whenever their paths cross. "Well, how's life going, Old Friend? Is the Lord meeting your needs, saving souls, and transforming the world? (smirk) God doesn't exist, and I'm doing fine! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! (and more of the same.)" (Psalm 80:6, KJV)

ZoNed4 is an entirely new planet to the colony of humans, who have settled here. Atmospheric adjustments make it difficult to breathe at some time more than at others. The additional gravity makes the human body feel "fat", even when the appearance is quite thin. Aging seems to be more rapid in this environment of great duress, but the Lord "giveth grace when the burdens grow greater."

ZoNed4 is the ultimate place for testing the promises of The Word of God. If the Lord can get the victory on ZoNed4, then He can get the victory anywhere.