When you’re having trouble and all is blue,
When clear blue skies are filled with gloom,
When all your hope has turned to doubt,
When all your paths are all worn out,
That’s when you turn to God and say,
I need you to erase all of this grey.
I need your Spirit to succeed,
I need your son to come save me.
Then serve Him and you will see,
The King of Kings saves those in need.
So much so that you will know,
God exalts those He chose.
– Thomas M. Watt
Spent all morning stacking the chapters up so I could make a single file out of them. It amazes me how much time I spend on the easiest of tasks.
Going to promote Way of the World on a daily basis from here on out, sorry ’bout it. I’ll give you updates, information, and every reason to resent me as a blogger and a human being.
Oh well.
Anyway, Way of the World is a book series that I spent a year and a half of my life working on. I’m kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I got ridiculously obsessed with the concept – it’s a loose allegory of the bible, from Old Testament to New, and features biblical protagonists that would make Marvel comics jealous.
The first book is split into two stories – one is told from the Archangel Michael’s perspective, the other is told from Adam’s, who of course stands for the Adam who is responsible for the fall of man.
I’m not marketing this as a Christian book mainly because I don’t feel it is one. It’s a ‘Christians meet the real world’ book. I believe people who know nothing about the bible and have no belief in God whatsoever will still enjoy this story.
What are your thoughts? Does this concept appeal to you? Are there any aspects of Way of the World that you don’t like, or find offensive?
Let me know.
– Thomas M. Watt
For months and months been on the run,
Had myself a bit of fun.
Tore down all my truths of old,
Replaced them with some sins so bold.
In the flesh I did reside,
The more you sin the more you die.
It eases e-motional pain,
Sin enough you’ll feel no shame.
But go on you’ll find some trouble,
And when then comes your pride will double.
So sure I was of Christ’s untruth,
I laughed at Christians on youtube.
Dumb it seemed that some believed,
One man could replace our primal needs.
Sacrifice, deny yourself, worry not, you won’t see Hell.
Hahaha, haha, hehe, the things he speaks of I won’t take heed.
For I was sure that I knew better, that heavenly things were not too clever.
Dumb it was to live this life thinking one day you’ll see the light.
What light, what proof, what evidence? Where is this God that some still seek?
Nowhere, nowhere, He goes unseen, but this God of light lets blind men see.
For you see I came to truth – that evil exists, and me it used.
Day by day I could not rest, could not stop sin, did not repent.
But when I prayed my heart did open, God returned, covenant He honored.
Showed me to the days of old, when we were close and I wasn’t so cold.
Amazing how when there’s no evil, you find your own evil has doubled.
But after mocking God is through, and your world has fallen through,
And you’re sure you have no chance, that you have tripped on your last dance,
And of good feelings there’s none left, no way this life holds hope; you’re doomed.
That’s when I think it’s time to pray, and if you listen, you’ll know why I say –
That God who lives up high above, that God who you so boldly told –
That with all your heart you don’t believe, who you once deemed a mental disease,
That same God you went against, He will still be there when you’re on the fence,
And it won’t be long before you see, that God so loves you, He’s all you need.
– Thomas M. Watt
What if the love of your life lost their mind, and their inability to show restraint during a time of crisis was putting your own life at risk?
What if a group were chasing after you, and one loud noise would give away your position and get you killed?
Would you risk hurting someone you loved to save yourself?
What if hurting them were your only option, and the future of humanity depended on YOUR survival??
James faces the same predicament in the following excerpt. To give you some context:
– James is locked in a hidden prison room.
– Zephrons are giant red aliens who invaded planet earth and enslaved whatever humans they chose not kill.
– The night of the invasion, a group of locals escaped to an underground military base. They were soon afterward indoctrinated by Colonel Fitz, who considers himself to be the new messiah. This scene takes place in that underground base.
– The zephrons are going to wipe out the rest of humanity in one day…
And James is the only person who can stop them.
* * *
CHAPTER 52
James’ stomach grumbled loudly. He hadn’t eaten a good meal since before his sentence to the picking plant. He looked around aimlessly for something edible to distract him. Nothing. Only the doggie saucer of water. He took handfuls from it, desperately hoping for the water to trick his stomach. He began weeping as he drank.
“I wanna marry you,” said Penny.
James raised his head. Penny moved in, then began licking water out from the bowl. James crawled backwards then clutched himself and began to rock. He smeared dry the tip of his nose, then looked across the room to Spes’ cell.
“Do not worry, human. It will never-”
“Never what!” James screamed. He stood up, grabbed the prison cell bars, then shook them. “What do you want me to do? My best friend is dead, my dad is dead, and tomorrow morning, every human on the surface of the earth will be dead! And here I am.” He grabbed both sides of his hair and breathed chaotically. “Stuck in a prison cell, unable to do anything about it.” He squinted back at them and pointed his index finger. “And you idiots expect me to believe that this is God’s plan? That somehow my being here is going to help me conquer the zephrons?”
“Calm down, human. God knows-”
“God knows, God knows, you know what? God knows shit. That’s what I think. If you want something done you’ve got to do it yourself, period.”
A humming noise came from outside. The door started to creak open to the corridor, and Fitz entered in. He held the ring of keys.
“Well well well, traitor.” He walked over to James with the key ring in one hand, a rifle in the other. “I get your bicep, in case you were wondering.”
“What happened to Roy? What happened to your daughter?”
“I locked Penny up for disobeying me. She was hanging around that drunk loser after I forbid her to.”
“And Roy?”
“Why don’t you ask her?”
“I did.”
“Well? Did she tell you?”
“She’s a little kooky if you haven’t noticed.”
Fitz smiled. “Roy is dead.”
“From a bullet?”
He nodded.
James lowered his head. “Suicide.”
“Not suicide.”
James looked back up.
Fitz grinned and pointed to himself. “That was all me.”
“You killed Roy?”
Just then, the ambulance sirens in the hallway began going off – the same that were triggered whenever someone stepped out from the elevator and entered the underground base. They were soon accompanied by the sounds of zephron howls. Human shrieks quickly followed.
“You led them back here!” said Fitz.
James tried to shake his head as Fitz raised his rifle.
“You led them-”
Janie ran in and tackled Fitz. The ring of keys dropped to the ground, but the rifle remained in his grasp.
“My king! My king! We have to go!”
Greg, Juan, and the other underground council members rushed in. They grabbed Fitz and carried him off his feet and out from the room, then turned towards the back end of the corridor. The keys remained in the middle of the room, unreachable by any of the now-fully exposed prisoners – the door to the secret prison had been left open. All the zephrons had to do was peak inside and James would be toast.
“Ahh!” screamed Penny.
James hurried over then hugged Penny’s face into his chest. He picked up a ratty, child-sized blanket and did his best to cover them both with it. He whispered into her ear as the loud, nightmarish yells echoed from the main room over to them.
“Penny, I need you to calm down,” he whispered.
She bit her lips into her mouth. “But what’s happening?”
The screams only intensified. So did the wild zephron howls. It was a slaughter – no doubt about it. James was nervous and scared, but knew that as long as everyone inside the secret prison area remained quiet, there was a good chance the zephrons wouldn’t bother leaving the main room. And even if they did, they were more likely to run straight past them and battle Fitz and his small army instead.
“What’s happen-”
“Don’t worry – I just need you to be quiet. Can you do that for me?” James’ eyes flickered up. He noticed the hammer in the corner of the cell. “Everything is going to be okay.”
“James!” said Penny.
“Shh,” he whispered, then covered her mouth. “Be quiet, Penny.”
Soon he heard their loud, thumping footsteps echoing through the corridor.
“Hime-cared!” She blurted out.
James hugged her face into his shoulder. “Please… just, shhh.”
Penny struggled to break free as the monstrous roars grew closer. She began to move her limbs erratically, and screamed more muffled words. James struggled to keep her quiet, but she wouldn’t be still. Penny escaped his grasp.
“James! James! Promise you’ll marry me, James!”
He could hear the zephrons closing in. James crawled on his hands and knees over to the hammer. He picked it up, then gulped and looked at Penny.
“Say you love me! Say it!”
James grabbed Penny by the throat and shoved her down, back against the ground. His hand shook as he held the hammer over her forehead.
“Shut-up,” He pleaded through a whisper.
“JAMES!” Penny screamed.
“Don’t!” said Fides, from across the room.
“JAMES!” She shouted again.
James swung the…
* * *
Well, what would you do? I’d love to hear a variety of perspectives.
* And if you’re dying to know what actually happens, you can start by clicking here.
– Thomas M. Watt
One of the great questions every person faces during their lifetime is whether to place their faith in God or scientific reason. The debate has gone on for centuries. An issue that I find particularly captivating is, at what point do you reconsider your own religious views due to the testimony of another?
For example, I’m certain every atheist has heard a man of unshakable faith recount stories of spiritual blessings and unexplainable phenomena that suggest “help from above.”
Likewise, any person who lives for God must at some point face the fact that many of the most accomplished and brilliant people of this world have achieved great success without so much of giving God a head nod.
This is a major conflict my hero must face in “A New Kingdom.” The alien invaders conquer mankind in one night, and after enslaving humanity with tremendous ease, he is left to wonder what kind of God would allow his children to be defeated by a Godless race.
Would you be willing to change your views on faith if a more intelligent race of non-believers were to conquer the human (and historically God-fearing) race with ease?
– Thomas M. Watt
If aliens visited earth, how would it affect your faith? Would it shatter your religious views, or not change a thing?
What if aliens invaded planet earth, conquered and enslaved the human population, and informed us that God was a myth invented to keep humanity in line?
I want to hear some thoughts on this subject. Go ahead, leave something in the comment section. This question consumed me for a year so much that I finally wrote a book about it.
I’m looking forward to reading your responses… Unless your name is Keith. You know who you are, Keith.
– Thomas M. Watt
When the music plays and no one sings,
When sights of beauty come to thee,
When I hear the voice of sounds the songs of singing going ’round.
When my heart beats just too fast and when my head hurts from last task.
When the notes all string together when the grey clouds fill the weather –
How sad it makes me feel it does to know a God that no one trust.
To feel him there and looking down to know his presence his peaceful sound.
How much it hurts my heart it quakes to feel his spirit feed me with grace and yet go trampled by the liars,
Tired of hearing falsifiers.
Tired of listening to bloated speak, tired of trying different things.
I know what’s truth I know what’s not I know my God I know what’s taught.
I know the way the voice the King I know the pain that true faith brings.
I know the art the beauty brushed I know the want of knowing such.
It gets so old so old for me that day by day the world rolls deep.
“Listen here I’ve got it down – A way to make God’s will abound.
A way to make yourself feel good a way to do what gods all should.
I’ve found the answer, it says right here – To mans opinions all should fear.’
Oh pipe down for once you trend, just shut up please you’re not my friend.
I’m tired of seeing with my eyes and hearing songs and knowing cries.
I’m tired of all of what’s been said I’m tired of courting bull-shit with dread.
The thing is one and easy and true,
The truth is this – that God loves you.
All his laws his rules and such, follow them you’ll feel a rush.
For they’re designed to grow his kingdom, to help the lowly and never leave him.
What a big mistake it is, the day that man takes God as myth.
– Thomas M. Watt
Hello to you with silent breath,
I hear your thoughts and struggled quest.
I’m sorry if you feel so bad. I’m sorry if you don’t feel glad.
I’m sorry if you feel so empty. I’m sorry if your dreams are heavy.
I’m sorry that you hate hope too. I’m sorry that depresses you.
I’m sorry if things didn’t work out. I’m sorry if the time ran out.
I’m sorry if you waste the days, waiting for grey clouds to rain.
I’m sorry if you feel alone. Sorry if you hate your phone.
Sorry if you’ve been betrayed, felt a loss, called deranged.
But there’s not much that I can do, except to say I’ve felt that too.
And when we breath with heavy chests with thoughts of lonely and great unrest,
And when we suck and can’t do shit and all is wrong and life’s a bitch,
That’s when you need to stand and say, “There’s still a chance, so fuck the grey.”
Because from deep anguish your heart rises, from great loss new hope surmises.
From your hatred of yourself, from your knowledge of no help,
Comes a force from deep within, it helps you out, it’s why you’ll win.
For what more can they say to you, when you’ve lost all yet pulled on through?
You will win and shout and say, “I felt the loss, I did decay, I was depressed, I did delay. But then one day I stood and saw, a heart’s as heavy as its boss. Sorry folks but I refuse to curl all up and amuse you. No more laughing, no more scoffs, I’ve come to tell you no man’s lost.”
For on that day when they beat you, push you down, leave you bruised. You can rise if just you know it, turn around and make them notice. As much pain is in your chest as bad as hurt feels from this test, as much as God sounds like nonsense and as low as you feel from the rest, if you just rise and please believe – You only lose if you don’t breathe.
– Thomas M. Watt
Weary achy tired mood.
Lips of others sound no good.
All this speaking of bull-shit, too much saying your thoughts I quit.
What ever happened to that one kid who said what he said and did what he did?
Where are the people who used to laugh loud because something was funny and they just messed around.
What’s wrong McWatty? Why don’t you laugh? Don’t you know cheese goes to mightiest rats?
I’ll tell you right now because I don’t jive with that. I care little for respecting big bears with big hats. I care nothing for circles who speak this and that. I like to talk about real thoughts and speak. I like to listen and help fill some needs. I like to build to grow and to share. For some tearing down I do not ever dare.
Hello big crowd I see you’re all laughing. Sorry to say I find mighty rats nasty. As far as the bear with big hats and the claws, as far as the way social groups talk – Not down with it. Not up with it either. I’ve been on the bottom and I’ve met something deeper. You know who He is so I don’t have to say it, but one more last thing I save my laugh for later.
– Thomas M. Watt
Jack pulled his hair out. He had lost everything – his house, his car, his job. Boom boom boom. Despite his enormous pain from misfortune, he lowered to his knees everyday and prayed to God almighty that He would help him out of his mess. His prayers weren’t quite Our Fathers, but strings of passionate thought which roped along slews of angry, bitter curse words.
During this time Jack grew closer to God, and could see clearly that God was involved in his life – just not giving him the things he so desired.
One day, as he was praying alone in his room, he heard a chuckle. He turned, and spotted a golden-haired angel.
Falling back at once, Jack gasped loudly and stared blankly at the sweet innocent child. “You’re… you’re… an angel!”
“Oh,” said the angel, “You can see me? I have to go!”
The angel fluttered her wings and started away, but before she could escape Jack caught her by the leg. “No! You’re not going anywhere! You’ve got some explaining to do young lady!”
The angel laughed. “You’re crazy mister. This is gonna piss God off, you know.”
“I don’t care!” Screamed Jack. “I want answers… I need ’em!”
The angel sighed. “Okay, okay. What’s your problem?”
“I lost my job, my house, my car… what’s God doing over there?”
“Well first of all, you lost your job, not God. Second of all, he’s barbecuing hot dogs and hamburgers for the great feast.”
“Don’t mess with me! I demand to know why God’s been ignoring me.”
“Ignoring you! Are you stupid? I’m here, aren’t I?”
“Yeah,” began Jack, “But you aren’t doing anything.”
The angel laughed and shook her head. “So what do you want? Your job? Money? Your house?”
“Yeah!”
“Why?”
“So I can live comfortably.”
The angel smiled and shook her head. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe the road to heaven comes by prayer and devotion, and not by money?”
“So?”
“Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Do you know what that means, Jackie boy?”
“Sure.”
“What?”
“It means we’re poor here so we’re rich up there.”
The angel shook her head. “No. It means that the less you have, the more you must rely on God. The more you rely on God, the richer you become in Spirit. The richer you are in Spirit, the better things are looking for you and the big man.”
“What?”
“Judgment day.” The angel smiled, and flew away.
Jack shrugged, got on his knees, and returned to praying. Only this time, when he thanked God, he finally understood why.
– Thomas M. Watt
Words and Images by Richard Reeve
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