It is really  dark.  When people are deprived of light, they strive to maintain sanity.  They struggle for hope, for purpose.  

The path Crazy Larry is on ---is not a path of light. It is not a path of hope. There is no light on this path. And the only hope is to go back and find the light. But there is no knowledge of it ---no striving towards something that there is no knowledge of. You can't go towards something if you don't know it's there. Unless, of course, someone else guides you.

They continue to pray for guidance.  But Shannon prays for ---neither the Chief, nor for Crazy Larry.   She prays for neither by that association.   She prays for …not so much who he is, but who he could become.   And she prays for her Dad.  

The only thing that Crazy Larry strives for is to save Stephen. He sees a special kind of light ---the light of Stephen's eyes. And he goes towards that light. He has to save Stephen. What he doesn't know, is that …the task is already done.

     But he doesn't have to know that.   God knows.  And it is He who does the saving.  That is often not clear to many of us, but it needs to be clear. 

Stephen's direction is clear. While on the island, he will keep his mind spiritually and mentally sharp. He will recite aloud the descriptions of our Lord.

The Lord, God, who heals, sanctifies, and provides ---our Creator, our all-sufficient, Lord, and Maker ---our loving Shepherd, who sets the standard through peace and righteousness ---the Almighty, all-knowing, ever-present, immutable God.

The song of praise rings out in Stephen's head:  

                                                                         

El Elyon, El Shaddai

Jehovah-jireh, Adonai,  

Elohim, Jehovah-shammah.                                                  

El Roi, Jehovah-raah, 

Jehovah-saboath-tsidkenu-nissi-shalom, 

          
     Loving Lord, thank you …Jesus, prepare for me a home.  

Prepare a home for Crazy Larry?

     If Crazy Larry survives, will he leave the island a new man?  This island, Missionary Island, as most call it, gives you the knowledge to light the path, leading to God's eternal home.  They have hope that Larry is not as crazy as everyone has made him out to be.  

This is a critical time for Shannon. Will Dad pull out of it?

     She wants to be there for …Dad.   If he should recover, she wants to be there the very moment he pulls out of it.   


 

Shannon's intentions do not gauge her level of exhaustion. When the body wears down, if we don't take care of it, it takes care of itself. But compared to what Dad is going through, she feels she can at least be able to stay awake. Surely she can endure that!

She is wrong!  

She collapses in her chair.  Sleep will no longer be denied its privilege.   It wins over her desire to stay awake.   

Yet her internal struggle spurs on many dreams ---dreams filled with fear.