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Back The Last Christian
Chapters (58)
  1. Cover
  2. Other Books by This Author
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright
  5. Dedication
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Prologue
  8. 1
  9. 2
  10. 3
  11. 4
  12. 5
  13. 6
  14. 7
  15. 8
  16. 9
  17. 10
  18. 11
  19. 12
  20. 13
  21. 14
  22. 15
  23. 16
  24. 17
  25. 18
  26. 19
  27. 20
  28. 21
  29. 22
  30. 23
  31. 24
  32. 25
  33. 26
  34. 27
  35. 28
  36. 29
  37. 30
  38. 31
  39. 32
  40. 33
  41. 34
  42. 35
  43. 36
  44. 37
  45. 38
  46. 39
  47. 40
  48. 41
  49. 42
  50. 43
  51. 44
  52. 45
  53. 46
  54. 47
  55. 48
  56. 49
  57. 50
  58. Author’s Note

Abby’s eyes fell. How would Poppy react to her lack of success? “Nothing, I’m afraid.”

“Nothing? I doubt that. Not if he lives in you.”

She looked back up at him. “I’ve tried to share the gospel numerous times. With a woman in Dallas. At a dinner party at Lauren’s. In a college class. On Global Sunrise.”

“Global Sunrise? You’re kidding. God opened that door for you?”

She sighed. “Well, yes.” She decided not to get into what had happened as a result. “I even recorded a message for the Grid that presents the gospel. But…”

A warm breeze blew through the park.

“But what?” He put a hand on her restless knee.

“No one seems to be interested in the message of Jesus.” She gestured in frustration at the empty park. “It wasn’t that way in the jungle. Many people came to Christ there. But here I just can’t connect with people.”

Despite her fears, her grandfather’s eyes looked warm and understanding. He gently asked, “What’s the message that you’re telling them?”

“The basic gospel. That they’re sinners. That Jesus was God in the flesh. That he died on the cross to pay the penalty for their sins and then rose from the dead. That by trusting in him, they can get their sins forgiven and live with God forever.”

Ray leaned forward. “Maybe you’re not delivering the right message.”

She was confused. “How could that be the wrong message? It’s the gospel.”

He smiled. “Not wrong. Incomplete. Let me ask you this: how is that message working in your own life?”

Abby frowned. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“How is the Christian life going for you personally? Are you experiencing something that others would be dying to have?”

“I don’t know. Not really, I suppose.” Abby twisted uncomfortably on the bench. “I’m trying as hard as I can for God. I try to stay connected with him. I—”

He patted her hand gently. “Maybe that’s the problem. You’re trying to do something you weren’t meant to do.”

“But in the message you and Nonny said—”

She was disoriented for a moment. The park disappeared, and Abby found herself sitting back in the hospital room. “No. Not yet!” She looked at Ben. “We weren’t finished.”

He shook his head. “That was ten minutes, Abby. I’m sorry.”

“But we didn’t even get to talk about—” She looked near tears again but seemed to will them back.

“We’ll try again tomorrow.”

Abby looked at me, her eyes pleading.

“At least it worked,” I said, trying to encourage her. “So how was it, meeting your grandfather?”

Her shoulders slumped, and she looked at the floor. “Not what I wanted.”

38

Abby and Ray met at the picnic table again the next day. He hugged her, and they sat.