The Lighthouse of Asaph: Unforgettable Christian Reflections (A Faith Builder)
Some years ago I wrote a series of stories. I wrote them without thinking about publishing them, much less to share this set of stories with so many people; I only experienced that with my closest friends and some relatives.
Little by little those stories were increasing, not only in number but also concerning the amount of personal feelings and creative and fancy options that were able to get out of my own heart. Then a Pastor from the Dominican Republic, who placed on me his confidence, prayers and support, encouraged me to continue writing them, with the fact that they could be good to help others.
My life was full of sadness. I could see people everywhere receiving apparently undeserved miracles, but my miracle seemed to be completely impossible, without understanding that a miracle was also happening to me. The sort of facts that I was waiting for, events of the past thought to be dead that could revive again in the present, never really happened, but outstanding things did, so I could change my life and see many other good things.
Then, one day I gathered all those stories into a book which I entitled "The Lighthouse of Asaph", because I like lighthouses a lot, and the name of Asaph due to a man of the Bible who was sad and discouraged. That biblical name had been engraved on my mind when one night one of the young people of my church came to visit me accompanied by others. He wanted to encourage me spiritually and used an illustration based on Asaph. I used to visit lighthouses of Cuba and made reports for pleasure; and as the lighthouses are generally associated with the guide of Jesus for us, I made the decision to use that allegory.
Every year, when arriving the terrible and threatening hurricanes of the Caribbean, I lose sleep and the happiness, fearing that the strong winds could pull up the trees that my father planted almost forty years ago; some of them are already rootless, but there are still many in foot and this fact is one of the best memories that I have of him. Many times my mother and I were praying next to the door while the wind blew irresistibly outdoors. When I think of something like that, I also imagine that our faith can be considered as trees which are looked after by other people, new ones can be planted as renovated reasons and good actions and ideals to be fed, comparable with lovely kept seeds of those old demolished trees. A new way to rescue the faith from the mean of the pain that exists around us may be thought as well.
Many times my memories and thoughts transformed into dry leaves, then they were gathered as ashes, but one day, miraculously, all those ideals began to hold testimonies, varied texts and memories that could be good for others to begin again. It was not a simply personal game of learning how to use words but of reviving myself when using them.
Essays:
1. Foreword
2. The Perfect Story (Published by In Touch Magazine, Dr. Charles Stanley Ministries)
3. A Special Feeling
4. Rejecting Job
5. Jesus
6. The Hug of David
7. Dinning with The Lord
8. The Drafts of Samson
9. Sand in my Eyes
10. A Red Sea for a Lifetime
11. Simply the Best
12. The Friendship's Secret
13. The Miracle of the Time
14. The Last Sheep
15. The Trains of Life
16. The Lighthouse of Asaph
17. The Wheel of Life
18. The Only Play
19. My Helmsman
20. Abandoned Baggage
21. The Mountain
22. My Place
23. Life of Promises: an Eternal Blessing
24. Unexpectedly
25. The Christian Runner
26. Elim was on Sight
27. A Vessel Forever
28. The Man That Ate Poppies
29. Let us Start Living from His Love!
30. Restoration
31. Roofs
32. What God Makes...
33. A Prayer for a Wound
34. The Evil Chef
35. The Blind Angel
*From Cuba: God bless you all!
The Story Behind This Book
Some years ago I wrote a series of stories. I wrote them without thinking about publishing them, much less to share this set of stories with so many people; I only experienced that with my closest friends and some relatives. Little by little those stories were increasing, not only in number but also concerning the amount of personal feelings and creative and fancy options that were able to get out of my own heart. Then a Pastor from the Dominican Republic, who placed on me his confidence, prayers and support, encouraged me to continue writing them, with the fact that they could be good to help others. My life was full of sadness. I could see people everywhere receiving apparently undeserved miracles, but my miracle seemed to be completely impossible, without understanding that a miracle was also happening to me. The sort of facts that I was waiting for, events of the past thought to be dead that could revive again in the present, never really happened, but outstanding things did, so I could change my life and see many other good things. Then, one day I gathered all those stories into a book which I entitled "The Lighthouse of Asaph", because I like lighthouses a lot, and the name of Asaph due to a man of the Bible who was sad and discouraged. That biblical name had been engraved on my mind when one night one of the young people of my church came to visit me accompanied by others. He wanted to encourage me spiritually and used an illustration based on Asaph. I used to visit lighthouses of Cuba and made reports for pleasure; and as the lighthouses are generally associated with the guide of Jesus for us, I made the decision to use that allegory. Every year, when arriving the terrible and threatening hurricanes of the Caribbean, I lose sleep and the happiness, fearing that the strong winds could pull up the trees that my father planted almost forty years ago; some of them are already rootless, but there are still many in foot and this fact is one of the best memories that I have of him. Many times my mother and I were praying next to the door while the wind blew irresistibly outdoors. When I think of something like that, I also imagine that our faith can be considered as trees which are looked after by other people, new ones can be planted as renovated reasons and good actions and ideals to be fed, comparable with lovely kept seeds of those old demolished trees. A new way to rescue the faith from the mean of the pain that exists around us may be thought as well. Many times my memories and thoughts transformed into dry leaves, then they were gathered as ashes, but one day, miraculously, all those ideals began to hold testimonies, varied texts and memories that could be good for others to begin again. It was not a simply personal game of learning how to use words but of reviving myself when using them. Essays: 1. Foreword 2. The Perfect Story (Published by In Touch Magazine, Dr. Charles Stanley Ministries) 3. A Special Feeling 4. Rejecting Job 5. Jesus 6. The Hug of David 7. Dinning with The Lord 8. The Drafts of Samson 9. Sand in my Eyes 10. A Red Sea for a Lifetime 11. Simply the Best 12. The Friendship's Secret 13. The Miracle of the Time 14. The Last Sheep 15. The Trains of Life 16. The Lighthouse of Asaph 17. The Wheel of Life 18. The Only Play 19. My Helmsman 20. Abandoned Baggage 21. The Mountain 22. My Place 23. Life of Promises: an Eternal Blessing 24. Unexpectedly 25. The Christian Runner 26. Elim was on Sight 27. A Vessel Forever 28. The Man That Ate Poppies 29. Let us Start Living from His Love! 30. Restoration 31. Roofs 32. What God Makes... 33. A Prayer for a Wound 34. The Evil Chef 35. The Blind Angel *From Cuba: God bless you all!