Web Novel: SET APART

Written by Abby Caymol | Apr 19, 2024

Abrielle

Charity and I left work early and went to a pho restaurant as I had requested. It was a cold and rainy night, so hot soup was a great idea. While waiting for our order, I checked my Blessbook account and saw that my friends had already viewed my latest story. Charity noticed that I had many stories and joked that I was trying to catch the attention of an unknown viewer. I explained that I wanted to share my daily life with my friends. I also mentioned that I had tried to find Jeremiah Kim on Blessbook but couldn’t locate him. Charity suggested that his profile would show up on my friend’s suggestions when I no longer had any interest in him. We laughed at her idea. Once we finished our meal, we went home right away.

When I arrived home, I tried calling Charity and telling her I attempted to befriend whoever was viewing my stories on Blessbook. Around an hour ago, I posted a story, but it hasn’t been viewed yet. I waited for a while, and then the other viewer saw it. Then, I posted another story that said, “Hi, I know you’ve been viewing my stories. I hope you are encouraged. You can also tell me who you are, and we can be friends.” I befriended the other viewer and kept the conversation going. However, they only responded by viewing my posts and didn’t view the following stories when I said goodnight. It is a sign that the other viewer is communicating with me. They may not reply audibly or in writing, but they wanted to talk to me without revealing themselves. Therefore, I need to stop publicizing my stories because I don’t know who this person is.

I can’t seem to shake off the thought that Jeremiah Kim might be the one viewing my stories. If it is him, why is he so interested in what I post? The more I think about it, the more it gives me a headache. My friend Charity and I have been brainstorming how to find out who this mystery viewer is, but we still need to figure it out. I checked the time and was surprised that it was already 2 am. I need to sleep since I have work tomorrow. But I can’t help but feel stressed about the whole thing. I want to talk to Jeremiah but am too shy to initiate a conversation and have no reason to speak to him.

I feel like dozing off right now. So, I closed my eyes and asked God to message me. To seek guidance, I opened my Bible app, which led me to a list of stress categories. There, I found a scripture from Proverbs 3:4-6 which says, ‘Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways, submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.’ This verse made me realize that people will only take my encouragement to heart if I remain focused on the Lord rather than on my own understanding, which can sometimes be difficult to comprehend. Should I focus more on figuring out who this other viewer on my Blessbook is? However, I pray to God for wisdom and understanding of His plans for me. I don’t want to dwell in confusion, but I’d love to share His gospel. I ask the Lord to help me pull myself together and make a way. Jesus, hear my prayers.

Jeremiah

At 8:00 a.m., my alarm went off. I needed to get ready because I had a meeting with Mr. Jose Ferrer. I took a shower and left the house at precisely 11:30 a.m. Since it was raining and getting cold these days, I thought the Alki Beach Park area would be fine. As I was driving on the freeway, the rain was hovering around the still trees of Seattle. The melancholic autumn days become usual with the residents of Washington, but they become beautiful because of the colorful trees and falling leaves drifting in the air. I wondered how a gloomy day could mix with the Fall season to result in such beauty that gives great pleasure and satisfaction. These thoughts ran through my head. The deep silence inside the car was monotonous.

I turned on the radio, and a DJ at a Christian station shared today’s verse. I was surprised to hear from Isaiah 61:3: “To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory.” This verse emphasizes that instead of mourning, we will receive joyous blessings; instead of despair, we will have festive praise. Even in times of suffering, we can find joy in the Lord. “beauty for ashes” means that God’s mercy is new every morning. Even our pain can lead to eternal happiness. The autumn season reminds us that a majestic transformation is happening and that gloomy weather doesn’t last forever. 

I realized that true happiness comes from being content with one’s current situation. This thought made me smile and gave me goosebumps as I felt a sudden surge of wisdom that I believed came from God. I eventually arrived at Alki Beach Park and was glad to have found a parking spot. There were only a few people in the area at that time. As I entered the restaurant, I saw Mr. Jose Ferrer sitting inside. I greeted him, and we had a pleasant conversation. He was happy to see me and thanked me for accepting his invitation. We ordered food and talked about fishing. It was evident that Mr. Jose was fond of marine life and enjoyed anything related to sea and water. He also shared that he found healing from all his distress through Jesus.

A tiny realization dawned on me. I suddenly understood that this meeting was not a coincidence. It felt like a divine plan orchestrated by a higher power who heard my thoughts on wanting a friend who could relate to my journey of knowing God. Though I was eager to open up to him, I had to hold back and wait a bit since we had just met. I didn’t know what to say because of my mixed emotions and endless thoughts, so I simply nodded. We spent over an hour eating and discussing ocean life and how he met Mr. Peter, the fishmonger who owned the business he worked at in Pike Place Market. He never asked about my job or personal life, nor did I. “Mr. Jeremiah Kim, I enjoyed everything today. Thank you for coming,” he said happily. I replied likewise and asked him where he parked. He informed me that Mr. Peter would pick him up as his daughter, who worked at the airport, was working that day. I wanted to ask where she worked, but something stopped me, so I just nodded. He expressed his desire to see me again, and I responded that once my license arrived, I would contact him to schedule a fishing trip.

After leaving the restaurant together, we waited for his friend to arrive and pick him up. Once he left, I walked towards my car, but the sound of waves at Alki Beach caught my attention. The sun came out, and the rain had stopped hours ago. I noticed an unoccupied bench near where I parked and decided to sit down. Birds were flying across the city, hovering above the waters. It was windy, and my scarf and coat seemed to be taken away from me. The sound of waves reminded me of my Florida hometown, particularly the Seaside area. Even though I grew up in Miami, Seaside City is much more peaceful. The gloomy weather made me feel nostalgic about home, but I knew that whatever I had here in Seattle was much more than I could ever want for myself. My curiosity about getting to know God still burns in my heart, and I want to learn more about Him. Suddenly, my phone sent a notification from The Fruit app and Blessbook. Abrielle had posted a new reel, which meant another Bible verse to study. Sometimes, studying scriptures alone can be lonely, and I miss my friends Eden, Elijah, and Jacob. I plan to share my journey with them someday once I overcome my fear and gain enough confidence to share the word with them. I put my phone back in my pocket and took a moment to enjoy the view of the ocean and the rest of the autumn day.