Breaking Barriers: Jonah Finds His Voice

Chapter 6 - The Opportunity

As I settled into my room after dinner, I opened my computer and called up my friends on a video chat. Lea, Cindy, Matt, and Jules all joined the call and we started catching up.

"Hey guys!" I greeted them excitedly."

Jonah, what's up man?" Matt asked, adjusting his camera.

"Not much, just wanted to catch up with you all," I replied.

"I had a Math tutorial with my brother at school today," Matt said, looking a bit weary.

"Oh yeah, how'd that go?" I asked, trying to sound interested.

"It was fine. Just a lot of equations and numbers," Matt groaned.

Jules piped in, "And I did... nothing today. Just laid in bed all day."

"Really? That sounds like my kind of day," I chuckled.

Cindy spoke up, "I was at a dance competition today! It was so much fun."

"That's great! Did you win?" I asked, trying to show my support.

"No, but I had a blast nonetheless," Cindy replied, beaming with pride.

"What about you, Lea?" I asked, turning to her.

"Oh, I was at church helping Pastor Marco with something," Lea replied, sounding a bit evasive.

"Oh, that sounds cool. What were you helping with?" I asked, curious.

Lea hesitated for a moment before answering, "Just some paperwork and stuff. Nothing too exciting."

"Well, I just remembered seeing George outside Pastor Marco's office when I was there earlier today," I said, trying to keep my voice calm.

"George? You mean the guy who isn't exactly the biggest fan of our faith?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, that's the one," I said, feeling a bit uneasy. "I was just curious if you guys saw him or if he was hanging around the church or anything."

Lea put a hand on her chin, thinking. "No, I didn't see him at all. But I was mostly inside helping Pastor Marco with some paperwork. Why do you think he was outside the office?"

I shrugged, not really sure how to answer. "I don't know. It just seemed odd, that's all. But maybe I'm overthinking it."

Jules chipped in, "Maybe he's just trying to find a new place to make fun of us."

"Come on, Jules," Cindy spoke up. "Let's not jump to conclusions. Maybe there's a perfectly innocent explanation for it."

Jules, being the jokester he is, interjected with a smirk. "Or maybe he finally saw the light and decided to join us in the church!"

We all laughed, but the thought of George actually being interested in our faith was too far-fetched for us to take seriously. Regardless, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about the whole situation.

I nodded, "Yeah, who knows? I'm probably just being paranoid. Let's change the subject."

We continued chatting about our plans for the weekend and the latest school gossip, but the image of George outside Pastor Marco's office lingered in my mind.

As the conversation with my friends continued, Jules brought up Ava. "Hey, what's up with Noah's girlfriend? I heard she's a science geek," Jules said with a hint of sarcasm.

Cindy replied, "I haven't really met her yet."

Lea chimed in, "I think she's okay. She seems kind."

Jules, on the other hand, had a different opinion. "I've had a few encounters with Noah's group and Ava was always with them. She's just like the rest of them, mocking our faith in Jesus." Jules had a noticeable dislike for her and her relationship with Noah.

"Jules, come on now. Ava may have her beliefs but she's still kind," I said, trying to defend her.

"Jonah, you're too nice for your own good," Jules replied, rolling his eyes. 

"I understand where you're coming from, but maybe she just needs some guidance," I replied. "I only spoke to her once, but she seemed open-minded to learn about our beliefs."

"Ha! Open-minded, right," Jules said with a smirk. "She's just pretending to be nice so she can fit in with Noah and his group."

"Well, maybe we should give her a chance," I suggested. "Who knows, she might surprise us and have a change of heart."

"I doubt it, Jonah," Jules replied with a shrug. "But I'll leave it up to you to try and change her ways. Good luck with that."

Despite Jules' skepticism, I couldn't shake off the feeling that Ava was just lost and needed some direction. I made a mental note to try and talk to her again and see if I could help her find the right path.

"Guys, I just remembered something," I said. "Do any of you remember Noah and his theories of creation? I was talking to him yesterday and I really want to know how to defend the truth of the Biblical creation."

Lea, being wise in the Word, shared with us what she knew. "Well, you see Jonah, the Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days. And on the seventh day, He rested. This story shows that God had control and power over everything He created. It also emphasizes the importance of rest and taking a break.

On the other hand, scientific theories of creation propose that everything came into existence through the Big Bang, a massive explosion that created the universe and all that is in it. These theories also talk about evolution and the gradual development of species over millions of years.

Now, it's important to remember that both the Biblical creation and scientific theories of creation are simply explanations of how everything came into existence. It's up to each individual to weigh the evidence and decide what they believe. What's most important is having faith in God and His love for us, no matter how we understand the creation of the world."

Lea finished, and Jonah couldn't help but feel grateful for her words. He always knew that Lea had a strong foundation in the word, and it was reassuring to hear her perspective on this topic. "Thanks, Lea," he said. "That really helps put things into perspective."

She continued, "I know that this can be confusing, but we need to always seek guidance from the Lord and our pastors. They have dedicated their lives to studying and understanding the Word, and they can help us make sense of these difficult concepts."

Matt chimed in and reminded us that his dad was a pastor too. "Why don't you ask your dad, Pastor Jacob, about it Jonah? I'm sure he would be more than happy to help you understand."

Lea agreed and added, "And don't forget to ask Pastor Marco about it as well. They both have a wealth of knowledge and can provide us with much more insight and guidance."

I nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed that I had forgotten about my own father. "Right, of course. I'll ask him about it next time we talk. Thanks, Matt."

As the video call ends, I say goodbye to my friends and we all agree to catch up again soon. I check the time and see that it's already 10:35 PM. I remember that tomorrow is Saturday and my family is planning to go fishing in the morning. 

This thought brings me back to what my dad told me earlier about the voice I've been hearing. He said we would figure it out together. I can't help but feel curious and a little nervous about what this could mean. But I shake off the thoughts and try to get some sleep, knowing that I need to be well-rested for tomorrow's fishing trip.

As I lay in bed, I couldn't shake the thought of the small soft voice. I closed my eyes and started to pray. 

"Dear God, I know I've been ignoring these voices, but I'm asking for your guidance now. Please forgive me for not recognizing that it might be You speaking to me. But even though I've been neglectful, I'm grateful for Your constant presence in my life. Thank You for always having my back and watching over me. Amen." 

I felt a sense of peace wash over me as I drifted off to sleep, still pondering about the mysterious voice.