Web Novel: SET APART

Written by Abby Caymol | Apr 15, 2024

Abrielle

“Abrielle, honey, I’m very nervous. I don’t know what results I will get. Please pray for me,” Mama Selam cried out. I reassured her that she was always in my heart and that I always remember her in my prayers. The wind blew gently in our faces, with a touch of cool weather, as we watched the branches of the trees waving from the wind and the leaves falling in the hospital parking lot. Mama Selam and I prayed together, asking for God’s peace to sanctify her through and through. I told Mama Selam that the Lord Himself is her strength and defense against all the fears invading her thoughts and mind. I could sense Mama Selam’s fear and understand that it was unbearable. “Mama, can I share the word of God with you? It will give you comfort,” I asked her. She said yes, and I brought out my Bible from my bag.

I opened to Matthew 11:28-30, which says, “Come to me, all weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” This verse speaks to a heart that bears too many sacrifices already – a heart that wants to give up but continues fighting. I comforted Mama Selam with God’s promises, reminding her she was not alone in carrying whatever heaviness was in her heart. I told her that when she diverts her attention to Jesus at the cross, she can give her burden to Him to find rest. No one will ever love her as much as Jesus does. He sees her, and it hurts Him that she is suffering. I also consoled her that God is near the broken-hearted, and she need not fear because God is with her.

“For the Lord has comforted His people and will have compassion on His afflicted,” she uttered. “God will renew your strength, Mama. The Lord has steadfast love for you, and His mercy never ends. They are new every morning. He is a faithful God,” I comforted her. Mama Selam replied by gesturing to hug me. She hugged me so tight that it brought tears to my eyes. I love Mama too much. After our heart-to-heart talk, we went inside the cancer department area, where they told us that they would call Mama Selam for the results. After that, we immediately went home. When I got home, I checked my messages from The Fruit app. I received messages from the same people and an additional user named Godlovesyou7. They asked if I observed the Sabbath day, and I replied to them saying yes. Another message from GhostYusukeUrameshi07 asked where I was from and how long I’ve been sharing God’s word. The next one was from user0543777, asking for advice on godly friendship.

I replied to all of the messages I received, but one of them got me thinking about what godly friendship consists of:

First, It involves encouraging one another and building each other up.

Second, It requires mutual respect. Everyone is different, and we need to respect each other’s differences. If someone has a complaint, we should bear with each other and forgive.

Third, We should never gossip about conflicts with others, as this can separate close friends. If there was a mistake, we should respect each other by not repeating the offense, which will help maintain good relationships.

Fourth, A godly friend gives good advice. Their pleasantness springs from their heartfelt advice.

Fifth, A friendship should be devoted to one another in love. We should always think of each other above ourselves.

Sixth, A real friend loves at all times.

Seventh, A godly friend is honest and will not sugar-coat anything.

The open rebuke of a friend is better than hidden love.

Eighth, a loving friend can be compared to an iron that sharpens another iron. In the same way, a friend sharpens another friend. Ninth, a friend who honors God chooses their friends carefully and doesn’t let wickedness lead them astray. Tenth, godly friendship involves listening to advice and accepting discipline. Eleventh, above all, a godly friendship loves each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. A friend who loves deeply and has Jesus at the center doesn’t need to memorize all these things. They will be written and engraved on the tablet of one’s heart. There is no secret to achieving a friendship propelled by God’s love. When the Spirit of God resides in the hearts of both friends, colorful flowers will spring up in the open field. Where there is God, true love follows.

Jeremiah

I am excited to get my license so I can go fishing. I had to wait a few weeks for it; I’m considering contacting Mr. Jose Ferrer. It would be great if he could join me at some fishing locations. I called him on my phone and introduced myself as Jeremiah Kim. I reminded him that he gave me his calling card two weeks ago when I bought a fish to fillet at his friend’s booth at Pike Place Market. He remembered me and was excited to hear that I got my license. He invited me to lunch at a restaurant near Alki Beach Park and said he could arrange for his friend, the fishmonger who owns the business Mr. Ferrer worked at. I gave him my availability, and we made plans.

I agreed to meet him at a restaurant and got the name before ending the call. It’s currently in the fall season, and the area we are meeting is by the seaside so that it might be cold. This is an exciting moment for me as I haven’t made friends outside the airport since moving here from Miami. It was almost time to leave the house, so I checked the time and drove to the employee parking area. I’m wearing my favorite sap-green jacket as it’s chilly outside. I waited inside my car for about 15 minutes before the bus arrived at 11:30 am. While waiting, I checked Abrielle’s story on Blessbook and saw that she was in the hospital yesterday, but there were no details about what happened or who she was with.

I hope she’s okay. I wonder if I’ll see her on the bus today. We might not be friends yet, but I’m worried about her after seeing her stories and reels. Is this what true friendship is? Even though we don’t talk, I’d like to know how she’s doing. How can I reach out to her? These thoughts ran through my mind as I looked out of my left window and saw the bus approaching the second shelter. I exited my car, locked it, and headed towards shelter three. The cold breeze made me shiver, and I felt like it was urging me to look up at the sky. For the first time in history, I found myself saying, ‘Lord, please comfort my friend Abrielle, whatever she may be going through.’ I can’t believe I started praying to God.