[stylist] No greater love

[RJ Sandefur]

Well, what do you think about the story? Any questions about the plot?
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barbara Hammel" <poetlori8 at msn.com>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 10:09 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] No greater love


I think the content is good but there is much to clean up yet.  There are
still many clunky sentences.
Barbara




Writing free verse is like playing tennis with the net down.--Robert Frost
-----Original Message----- 
From: RJ Sandefur
Sent: Tuesday, July 16, 2013 2:23 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] No greater love

What do you think about this story?
"No greater love."

By RJ Sandefur

Chapter1 New beginning

John Stone sat at his computer thinking of his friend Ashley Doil. Ashley
had been there for him during his girlfriend Stephanie and his break up.
They, Ashley and John, had been talking with one another over Skype for
several months. On this particular day, little did they know their
friendship would be tested. John loved Ashley or so he thought. He was
insecure and even though he tried hiding it, Ashley could see right through
that rough persona that he tried to portray. John thought back to the time
he and Ashley had met in person for the first time.

###u Flashback

                John sat in the restaurant when in the door came a tall,
slender, 28 year old white girl with a muscular build. She looked like a
professional wrestler. She walked over to the table where John was sitting
and sat down. "Hay, you must be John!" Ashley said in a jovial tone.

John had to ask, "Ashley, are you or were you ever a professional wrestler?"

Ashley cracked up laughing. "No I'm not. I'm just athletic that's all." John
gazed into her sparkling blue eyes which made him think of the sun rising in
the east.  However, there was something about Ashley's eyes that shook him
to the core of his being. He felt as if Ashley was not only looking into his
eyes, but that she was looking into his heart and even deeper into his soul.

John lusted after Ashley, and Ashley knew it. She reached into her purse and
pulled out a small Bible. "Ashley, I'm an atheist. I don't go for that God
and Jesus stuff," John said matter of factly.

"How can you love some guy who died 2000 years ago? When will you realize
that I'm the one for you and not this Jesus?" John said with desperation in
his voice.

"John, would you be willing to lay down your life for me?" Ashley said
seriously.

"Of course I would, Ashley, you know I love you." Ashley knew John's
history. He'd go on line, find some random girl, and try courting her and
when she said that she wasn't interested; John would continually pursue the
girl to the point of stocking her.

Ashley looked at John with hurt in her eyes. "John, we're only going to be
friends. Nothing more." At this John got up, and stormed out of the building
leaving Ashley alone.



### End flashback



                "Hi John," Ashley said softly after answering her Skype on
the second ring.

                "Hi Ashley. I. Well. I'm going to need a heart transplant,
Ashley," John said through his tears.

"Oh John. John. I'll always be here for you and you know that," Ashley said
softly.

"Ashley, please don't take this the wrong way. I know we're just friends. I
love you, Ashley," John said as more tears gushed from his eyes. However,
Ashley knew John meant more than friendship when he told her he loved her.

"John, quit trying to say you only love me as a friend because we both know
that is not true!" Ashley was upset with him and he knew it. She continued
in a firm tone of voice. "John, you think I'm going to come down to Florida
and fly you away to paradise.  You don't know what love means." Ashley
picked up the Bible and after finding her place, she began to read. 1
Corinthians 13



4 ¶Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily
provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all
things.

Ashley could see this was upsetting her friend. "John, you'll be alright."
Ashley said calmly walking over to the book case and replacing the bible
upon it.

John said crying, "Ashley, I need you to understand that I love you and I
want to be with you!"

Ashley got up from her chair and retrieved her King James Bible from the
bookcase and walked over to the mirror. She looked into the mirror and she
could see tears like little raindrops falling onto the Bible. She walked
into the bathroom carrying the Bible and shut the door. She began thumbing
through the Bible and when she had found the passage she wanted, she walked
out of the bathroom and over to her computer chair.

John saw Ashley with the Bible on his web cam and said, "Ashley, you believe
that book?" John said mocking her.

Ashley smiled as she said with resolve, "Yes, I believe this Bible is God's
word."

"What has that Bible done for you? What has God and Jesus ever done for
you?" John asked, his voiced tinged with a bitter edge.

Ashley replied, "John, when I was eighteen, I ran away from an abusive home,
and I lived on the streets as a prostitute. I was a lot like you, John, my
view of love was centered around my body and giving my body to my clients or
what I thought were clients. My pimp would beat me if I didn't bring any
money to him. Well one day when I was twenty years old, I was standing on
the corner waiting for my pimp to pick me up. While I was waiting I saw this
blind guy walking across the street. He was carrying a briefcase. He dropped
it, and some Bibles fell out. I thought, 'You religious nut.' John, people
had told me about Jesus before but they never got to me but I felt something
about this blind guy. Standing there with no one to help, and some of the
Bibles were in the street, so I bent down and picked one of them up."

John sat there listening with his mouth agape.

Ashley continued. "The guy started telling me how he was blinded during his
tour in Iraq, and how he had to relearn everything."

As Ashley continued speaking, she had a pensive look on her face.

###Flashback

"Thank you for helping me pick up those Bibles. Please take one if you like.
By the way, my name's Ron."

Ashley smiled for the first time in an hour. "I'm Ashley," she said softly,
wondering if her pimp could hear them.

"Ashley, why are you out here?" Ron asked. His voice was calm and Ashley
felt safe around this blind guy.

"I'm a hooker. I know what you're thinking, I'm trash. Know one loves me."

Ashley had resigned herself that Ron was just like those Christians. So she
was surprised when John said, "You're a treasure in my eyes and in God's as
well. You know, John tells a story about a woman caught in adultery."

Ashley looked down at the lone Bible in her hand. "Where's the story about
this girl?" Ashley asked her eyes filled with wonder.

"John 8:1-11." Ron smiled as he said, "Is there a place where I can sit?"

Ashley looked toward the restaurant two blocks away. "Yes, follow me." As
they walked Ashley thought, my pimp is late, where is he?

They walked inside and found a table and sat down. "John Chapter 8:1-11,"
Ron said again.

John 8



1 ¶Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.

2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people
came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery;
and when they had set her in the midst,

4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very
act.

5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what
sayest thou?

6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But
Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he
heard them not.

7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto
them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.

8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.

9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out
one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left
alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said
unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?

11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn
thee: go, and sin no more. Ashley reread the story again more slowly. Then
she read it again slower than before taking in every word. "Ron, do you
think if Jesus forgave that girl, do you think he'd forgive me?" Ron said
softly, "Yes Ashley, there is room at the cross for you, and you can come
just as you are. Ashley put her head in her hands. "Jesus, I don't know what
to do, but please forgive. for. please. just save me from this road I'm on.
Everyone else thinks I'm trash, and you didn't condemn that girl." Then
Jesus spoke to Ashley's heart, "Ashley, you've asked me to forgive you. Can
you forgive your parents for the hurt they've caused you?" Ashley thought,
"Lord, I don't know how to forgive but can you teach me?" "Yes Jesus said."
At that moment, Ashley knew she'd been forgiven. She looked at Ron and said,
"I'm forgiven, I know I'm forgiven!" Ron said smiling "You can have that
bible!" Ashley's face beamed as she thought of her new life and how she had
been forgiven! "Tomorrow, we're having church! Want to come?" Ashley said,
"Only if I can sit with you!" Ron smiled as he got up from his chair.
"Ashley, I'm the pastor of New hope Baptist church." Ashley could not
believe it. As she stood their in amazement, she looked outside and saw her
pimp's car pulling up. She knew that at any moment, he'd come in to the
building and hurt Ron. Ashley's pimp stormed into the building. "Ashley,
where's my money!" Her pimp shouted as he grabbed her collar. "Mark, I'm not
the same person I was an hour ago. I've given my life to Jesus." Ashley's
face was radiant her pimp looked at the blind guy still standing at his
seat. "Where's my money!" The pimp shouted at Ron. Ron wasn't afraid of this
man. Ron looked at mark and said in a calm and resolute voice, "Sir, I do
not oh you any money." Mark then saw the breafcase. He walked over to it and
expecting to see money in it and so he threw it open. When Mark saw the
bibles and knew their was no money for him, he slammed it shut. He turned
toward Ashley and seeing her holding the bible in her hand began shouting
profanities. A police officer on his lunch brake heard the camotion, and
walked over to where they were and Ashley explained to the officer who mark
was and how that he was her pimp. Mark then realized he'd forgotten his
glock MM40 in the glove box, and he knew he was going down. The officer
arrested him, and Ashley was taken to a halfway house. While there, Ron made
it a point to visit with Ashley every chance he could.

"Hi Ashley!" Ron said in a jovel tone as Ashley lead him to a chair. "Ron,
that verse you shared with me is really helping." Ron smiled as he asked,
"What verse is that?" Ashley thought for a moment and said, "I don't know
where it is, but it talks about Christ being your strength. Ron, I love it
here at new life recovery. It's awesome! Thanks for telling that officer to
bring me here!" Ron stood up and said, "Ashley, so we'll see you in church
Sunday?" "Yes Ron you'll see me!"

One day while he was visiting Ashley Ron was robed and beaten by a man as he
was concluding his visit with Ashley outside of the halfway house. Ron's
cane lay beside him

                Ashley sat by Ron weighting for the paramedics to arrive.
When Ron got out of the hospital, he went back to the halfway house.
"Ashley, thank you for being there for me when I needed you." Ron said
softly patting Ashley on the sholder. "Ron, you told me about Jesus Christ
and if it hadn't been for you obeying the Holy Spirit. I still would have
been lost and on the streets as a prostitute."

###End of flashback

John was sleeping now. Ashley continued, I've had this bible ever since.
"I'm glad that God stuff works for you! Enough already!" John said with a
start. John continued in an angry tone, "Ashley, you don't care about me all
you care about is that church, God, and Jesus!" This hurt Ashley deeply and
so she said crying, "Goodbye John." After hanging up she logged out of
Skype.  Ashley wondered if John would ever truly understand how deep her
love was for him. Ashley had tried explaining agape love to John, but it was
like talking to a brick wall. Ashley turned off the computer and walked into
the bathroom to shower, brush her teeth, shave her legs and get ready for
bed. The next day, Ashley logged into Skype and John called her. "Ashley,
they've told me that they've not been able to find a match for me. John,
you'll be alright.  Ashley said reassuringly. John said his voice shaking,
"Ashley, I'm afraid of what's going to happen to me if I don't get this
transplant." Ashley straightened up in her chair, reached over and got her
bible off of the book case next to her computer desk. John looked at his
webcam and said in an angry voice, "No Ashley not that God and Jesus stuff!
You know I'm an atheist!" Ashley said softly thumbing trough the bible in
her lap, "I know John, I just want to read this one passage to you. Mabie it
will give you a since of how I feel about this situation. Actually two
passages." John interrupted her. "Just get on with it Ashley!" John was
shouting now. "John. Please. Ashley said as tears formed in her eyes. She
continued this time crying. "John, I'm not always going to be around to help
you. John, Just because I came from Mississippi to Florida to see you and or
baught that mac your on. if that is why you're my friend because of the
material things than our friendship is and has been based on a lie!" "John
said just read whatever it was you were wanting to read to me. besides I
don't know what good it'll do!" Little did John know that what Ashley was
about to read to him was going to have a real and eternal impact upon his
life.

Chapter 2 Know greater love

                John braced himself to hear the same hellfire and brimstone
preaching he'd heard as a child. What he was about to hear was a different
side of Jesus Christ than what pastor Charles Boxer had per trade  Christ to
be. John 15



-13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends. John's mind almost immediately began filling up with questions. How
could Jesus be the son of God, condemn people to hell, and yet talk of
friendship? John wanted to ask Ashley, but he thought, "I'll ask her
tomorrow," but little did he know that Ashley's eyes would be closed. John
reconsidered when Ashley asked, "John, you've never heard that passage
taught before have you?" John only sat motionless staring at his computer
screen. John broke the silence. Ashley, Are you still planning on coming
Sunday?" Ashley smiled. Of course John. I need to go for now, talk to you
tomorrow.

                All that week, John couldn't sleep. John 15-13 still ringing
in his head. It was three in the morning on Friday when he loged in to
Skype. To his surprise Ashley was on line. She called and John answered.
"Hello?" John's voice was shaking. "John, you sound upset." Ashley said out
of concern. "Ashley I can't get those words out of my head! You know. the
laying down your life for your friends?Ashley does this mean. does." John
Ashley said calmly I'd give anything for you." Ashley, John said, you said
we were just friends! Stephanie." "John, you'll understand in time. When God
is ready, he'll reveal it." John cried "Ashley, why do I have to waight?"
John, patients is the best teacher." Ashley said softly. She continued.
John, I love you with a love that is over reaching. Agape love is the kind
of love Jesus is talking about in John. Agape is a sacrificial love. It is
the same love that brought Jesus to the cross." John was lost and he knew
it. All his life he had been brought up to believe Christianity was a list
of do this and don't do that's. Never before had he heard of God ever loving
anyone. John finally said, " Ashley, I'm loging off, I'm going to try to get
some sleep." "Alright John. See you Sunday." Ashley said removing her head
phones. The next day, Ashley showed up at John's house around 10A.M. She was
wearing shorts and a sourt sleeve shirt. John answered the dore. "Hi Ashley!
Come in! John said reaching for her. Ashley took two steps back and John
could tell by the look on Ashley's face she was upset. "John, you're really
making it hard to be your friend! I will never be your girlfriend, nor will
I ever be your wife!" Ashley turned and walked back to her car. John ran
after her. "Ashley I love you, but all you think about is that Jesus! You
can have your Jesus and your pharytale life with Jesus!" Ashley took a step
toward John and calmly said, "John, you won't always have me around to help
you. Oneday you're going to wake up and realize how good of a friend I was
to you and your heart will brake and who will be there to take away the pain
that you've caused yourself?" Ashley stood there looking intently at the man
standing a few feet away from her. She continued, "John, I've tried
explaining scripture to you and you just don't get it, but their's another
teacher experience and sometimes this teacher can be painfull. Goodbye
John." John could see Ashley was beyond hurt. Some how John knew Ashley's
heart was braking. "Ashley, I'm sorry for saying what I said." John said
looking like a dear cought in headlights. However, Ashley knew John wasn't
sincere in the least bit. Ashley did not respond. Instead she got into her
car, and started down the driveway. She turned onto the main road, and went
a few miles. Suddenly, Ashley found herself in bumper to bumper traffic.
>From out of nowhere, a blue van sideswiped Ashley sending her car flying a
few feet. She flew out of the broken window, and landed on the road just a
few feet away from her mangled car. Ashley could see the outline of a figure
coming toward her. Ashley immediately knew who it was. Jesus himself had
come to take her home. "Jesus. John. Save. John." were Ashley's final words
then closing her eyes in peaceful sleep she gave her soul to God.

                Later on that night, John's sell phone rang. "Hello?" John
said softly. "John, Ashley's been in a car accident." Ashley's mother said
crying. John asked, "Where is she? What hospital is she in?" "John. Ashley
didn't make it. She died on empact. I don't think she suffered at all John.
I need to come and talk to you John. Gail said softly. There is something I
need to tell you about Ashley." I'll be over to your place in a few days.
Good bye John." John wondered about what Ashley's mother needed to tell him.
John thought, "Where was she going to be in an accident? It seemed to John
like an eternity during the conversation with Gale. All he knew was that his
friend was gone, and he'd never see her again. John walked into his garage,
and got into his car and went to the accident seen. All he saw cross on the
spot where Ashley had lost her life. John was surprised to see gale stand
there.

                "Well since you're here John, I'll just tell you. When
Ashley renewed her drivers license, she became an organ doner. This happened
one day after you informed her of your heart condition." John was ah struck.
Gale continued, "John, Ashley as you know had a really rough childhood
growing up. Her father abused both Ashley and I and it got so bad, that
Ashley dropped out of school and went into prostitution." John glared at
gale. "I know. I know!" "John please. respect Ashley's memory by not
disrespecting me."Gail   Said sharply. Then John remembered the last words
Ashley ever said to him
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