widower.
Alden’s eyes misted. “Yes. Lila went home to be with the Lord in March of 1886, Chief.”
“Well, she’s waiting up there for you, General. You will have all eternity together.”
“Sure will.” The general nodded. “Lila’s being saved goes back to
you
, Mr. Stranger.”
John’s eyebrows arched. “Me?”
“Yes. Let me tell you the story.” Ryan Alden began by telling John that he had been baptized at Emporia’s First Baptist Church some two weeks after John had led him to the Lord. Then he told him how he met a lovely young lady in Emporia about a year after he had become a Christian. Her name was Lila Shields. He had the joy of leading her to the Lord, and she was baptized at his church the next Sunday.
Tears filled his eyes as he told John of marrying Lila a short time later, what a wonderful marriage they had, and how she had become quite ill and died.
The tears now spilled down Alden’s cheeks. “Chief Brockman, if you had not led me to the Lord, I would not have led Lila to Jesus, and she would not have gone to heaven.”
The general rose from the chair, bent over John, and hugged him once more, saying with joy, “My sweetheart is indeed in heaven, and I will certainly join her there someday!”
There was rejoicing in the Lord among Alden and the Brockmans because of this.
“General, do you have any children?” John asked.
A wistful expression filled Alden’s eyes. “No sir. Lila was not able to have children. And with Lila’s passing, that leaves me alone, family-wise. But the army has sort of become my family, and I’m grateful for that.”
“I’m sure you are.” John smiled. “We all need someone to call family. My family and I are members of Denver’s FirstBaptist Church, and I invite you to come to the services tomorrow. Our pastor’s name is Robert Bayless, and he is really a great preacher. You will like him and his preaching, I guarantee it. And, of course, I want you to meet my wife, Breanna, and our daughters, Ginny and Meggie.”
“Chief, I really want to meet them. I will be there tomorrow.”
“Great!” Paul popped his hands together.
“Amen!” John told the general how to find the church in Denver and gave him the times of the services.
Having done this, John said, “You were talking about family, General. Because you are saved, you know you are in the family of God, which takes in every born-again child of God in heaven and on earth, and there’s a good crowd of us at First Baptist Church. So you do have family outside of the military. We have such a friendly church. You’ll feel very welcome there.”
The general grinned. “Well, as I said, I’ll be there tomorrow, and no doubt, I will present myself for membership.”
“You might as well plan to stay for the whole day, General. Knowing my wife, she will want you to come to our house for Sunday dinner, and Breanna and our two daughters are tremendous cooks. Believe me, you wouldn’t want to miss out on dinner at our house!”
A look of glee passed over Ryan Alden’s face. “Well, after eating all those army meals for so long, that sounds like a little bit of heaven to me. Now tell me about Breanna, Ginny, and Meggie.”
Cheerfully, John told the story of how, as the Stranger, he met Breanna, fell in love, and married her at Denver’s First Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon, June 4, 1871. He wenton to tell the general about his three fine children and how the Lord had blessed them with sweet spirits, intelligent minds, and fine characters.
Alden said, “Wow! What a story! God sure has blessed you, Chief Brockman.”
“Indeed, God has blessed me beyond measure in giving me such a beautiful and wonderful wife, such a wonderful son, and such wonderful daughters!” John then noticed Paul smiling broadly. “What are you smiling about, son?”
“I was just thinking how the Lord has blessed Mama with such a wonderful husband and my sisters and me with such a wonderful
Alden’s eyes misted. “Yes. Lila went home to be with the Lord in March of 1886, Chief.”
“Well, she’s waiting up there for you, General. You will have all eternity together.”
“Sure will.” The general nodded. “Lila’s being saved goes back to
you
, Mr. Stranger.”
John’s eyebrows arched. “Me?”
“Yes. Let me tell you the story.” Ryan Alden began by telling John that he had been baptized at Emporia’s First Baptist Church some two weeks after John had led him to the Lord. Then he told him how he met a lovely young lady in Emporia about a year after he had become a Christian. Her name was Lila Shields. He had the joy of leading her to the Lord, and she was baptized at his church the next Sunday.
Tears filled his eyes as he told John of marrying Lila a short time later, what a wonderful marriage they had, and how she had become quite ill and died.
The tears now spilled down Alden’s cheeks. “Chief Brockman, if you had not led me to the Lord, I would not have led Lila to Jesus, and she would not have gone to heaven.”
The general rose from the chair, bent over John, and hugged him once more, saying with joy, “My sweetheart is indeed in heaven, and I will certainly join her there someday!”
There was rejoicing in the Lord among Alden and the Brockmans because of this.
“General, do you have any children?” John asked.
A wistful expression filled Alden’s eyes. “No sir. Lila was not able to have children. And with Lila’s passing, that leaves me alone, family-wise. But the army has sort of become my family, and I’m grateful for that.”
“I’m sure you are.” John smiled. “We all need someone to call family. My family and I are members of Denver’s FirstBaptist Church, and I invite you to come to the services tomorrow. Our pastor’s name is Robert Bayless, and he is really a great preacher. You will like him and his preaching, I guarantee it. And, of course, I want you to meet my wife, Breanna, and our daughters, Ginny and Meggie.”
“Chief, I really want to meet them. I will be there tomorrow.”
“Great!” Paul popped his hands together.
“Amen!” John told the general how to find the church in Denver and gave him the times of the services.
Having done this, John said, “You were talking about family, General. Because you are saved, you know you are in the family of God, which takes in every born-again child of God in heaven and on earth, and there’s a good crowd of us at First Baptist Church. So you do have family outside of the military. We have such a friendly church. You’ll feel very welcome there.”
The general grinned. “Well, as I said, I’ll be there tomorrow, and no doubt, I will present myself for membership.”
“You might as well plan to stay for the whole day, General. Knowing my wife, she will want you to come to our house for Sunday dinner, and Breanna and our two daughters are tremendous cooks. Believe me, you wouldn’t want to miss out on dinner at our house!”
A look of glee passed over Ryan Alden’s face. “Well, after eating all those army meals for so long, that sounds like a little bit of heaven to me. Now tell me about Breanna, Ginny, and Meggie.”
Cheerfully, John told the story of how, as the Stranger, he met Breanna, fell in love, and married her at Denver’s First Baptist Church on Sunday afternoon, June 4, 1871. He wenton to tell the general about his three fine children and how the Lord had blessed them with sweet spirits, intelligent minds, and fine characters.
Alden said, “Wow! What a story! God sure has blessed you, Chief Brockman.”
“Indeed, God has blessed me beyond measure in giving me such a beautiful and wonderful wife, such a wonderful son, and such wonderful daughters!” John then noticed Paul smiling broadly. “What are you smiling about, son?”
“I was just thinking how the Lord has blessed Mama with such a wonderful husband and my sisters and me with such a wonderful
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