The Day Heaven Rescued Pawpaw

How Pawpaw's Little Angels Stood Against Heck Itself

The Epic Battle of Heaven Against Doubt, Worthless, and Indifference

Little Luna, the cherub "ballernina," floated en pointe, executed a determined pirouette, and finished with a flourishing révérence — her wings poised to outwit gravity’s persistent desire to plop her right onto her tutu.

She then danced a flawless little bourrée a foot off the floor, and intentionally landed on her pockets. “Ow!” A bit too intentionally there, I think.

She gazed out across the forever, dangling and kicking her feet wildly as they still had too much to do. And oops — she almost fell off!

Whew, that’s a relief!

Looks like a long, long way down…

Whoops, there she goes! Oh my, and oh dear besides.

Down, down, down she tumbled, oh no!

She was at a complete loss as to which ballerina move one should use for an impromptu fall. Well, whatever it was, it wouldn’t do at all. And besides, it was particularly way up there and not intensely way down here.

Seeing the celestial realm approaching from far below, she quickly reversed‑chaînéd up, spinning like a yo‑yo on a string, and landed in Heaven at the Edge of Forever like a beautiful, lovely little swan — if the little swan had landed on a greased rolling pin.

Kerplunk, I believe, is the term most apropos.

Luna exclaimed, “Oh, what a kerflop!”

Apparently, the mostest apropos term for a graceful swan landing on a greased rolling pin — especially one surrendering to gravity with such enthusiasm — is, in fact, a kerflop.

Her older sister Gracie, who had witnessed the entire event, twirled gracefully up to Luna and finished with the most balletic pirouette and bow.

“Should I kerplunk now,” Gracie asked, “or should I kerflop?”

Luna sighed. “Kerplewy.”

“You’ll get it right,” said Gracie.

Gracie Twirls for Luna

“Maybe you should have been the dancer,” Luna replied.

“Believe you me, you are a natural‑born dancer,” said Gracie. “It’s just that it still takes practice. And besides, that last part? Maybe you can give it a name, and then it’s a real ballet move! Of course, you have to Frenchify it first. I know — Le Kerplop de Luna.”

They both laughed, catching little Rosie’s attention.

Their baby sister shot from the Playgrounds to the Edge of Forever like a pink lightning bolt — without air brakes — barely missing Gracie and, oops, sailing right over the edge.

Gracie and Luna serenely watched dear Rosie tumble out of the heavens.

“Should we rescue her?” Luna asked.

“Sure,” said Gracie. “If she asks… politely… eventually.”

Luna gave her a very good little‑sister stare.

“She can fly, remember?” Gracie added.

“But if she falls any further, she might hit the highest star,” said Luna.

“Oooh, close, but nope,” said Gracie. “She missed it.”

Rosie zipped back up to them, wings buzzing with indignation. “Some big sisters you are!”

“I give it about a 10,” said Gracie. “Almost perfect.”

“A 10?” Rosie asked as she fluttered in for a landing.

“Yep,” said Gracie. “That was just about the bestest swan dive off the Edge of Forever I’ve ever seen.”

Luna laughed. “As if that was intentional!”

Without hesitation, Rosie pushed Luna over the edge.

Luna twirled back up just like before, but this time landed en pointe. “Ta-da! That was the Le Kerplop de Luna.”

With a bit too much "because" and a pinch of "oops," Rosie pushed Luna off the edge again.

Luna popped back up, feathers ruffled. “Now cut that out!”

Rosie planted her hands on her hips. “You were supposed to ta-da again.”

“Now girls, remember, sisterly love…” Gracie began.

Luna and Rosie promptly pushed Gracie off the Edge of Forever.

But Gracie did not tumble.
She did not fall.
She did not flinch at all.
Or any such things.

Gracie said,
“Some of us remember we have wings.
Little ones, to keep gravity humble.”

All three girls laughed. They decided to head back to the Playgrounds, perhaps to visit the Sandbox of Treasures. But Gracie paused and looked down toward Pawpaw.

Luna followed her gaze. “He’s alone again.”

Rosie fluttered beside them. “He’s always alone.”

“That’s not exactly true,” Gracie said softly. “For Heaven is always watching over him.”

“Let’s go visit him,” Luna said.

Gracie shook her head. “Now you know that we have to have permission first. Unless it’s an emergency.”

“It’s EMERGENCY,” Rosie declared.

“Now Rosie,” Gracie sighed, “it has to be a real emergency. We can’t just say it is one. And besides, we still need permission.”

“Let’s ask Gabriel,” Luna suggested.

“Oh no!” Gracie said quickly. “Angels like Gabriel are so busy doing important things. And Rosie, before you suggest Raphael… he’s doing much more important work than we can know.”

“Nothing more important than Pawpaw!” Rosie insisted.

Gracie raised an eyebrow. “Now Rosie, think about that. There are so many pawpaws down on earth… and here in heaven too. Aren’t they just as important?”

Rosie thought about this for a moment. “I suppose. But their grandangels can visit them too!”

Gracie sighed, patient as the dawn. “That’s not generally how it works. In fact, most of us little ones aren’t allowed to go down to earth at all. We are very fortunate…”

“But why not?” Luna asked.

Gracie brightened, remembering. “Aunt Bee explained it to me a long time ago. She said it was a combination of things. First, Pawpaw’s ‘faith and belief, trials and tribulations, perseverance and prayers’.”

Luna and Rosie stared at her, utterly clueless.

Luna whispered, “I think she’s speaking in tongues.”

“Don’t be silly,” Gracie said.
“That just means Pawpaw’s been through a lot, and for a very long time.
And if you do that, you get God’s promises!
See, God’s promises are always on their way, but it takes quite some time to get there.
But as Aunt Bee says, ‘They always do.’”

“So we will be the answer to God’s promises!” Luna said hopefully.

Gracie laughed. “I’m sure we are, but that’s not really up to us.”

From her porch swing, Aunt Bee called to them, warm as a summer breeze: “My sweet little angels, come to me.”

Now, they loved Aunt Bee so, and visited her often. She rarely had to call to them — but when she did, they had a habit of zipping to her at far too much speed.

Gracie knew better and was prepared. She grabbed her sisters’ hands. “This time, we will be proper little angels and not wake the prophets with our wake.”

“Yeah,” Luna said, nodding seriously. “Last time Samuel wasn’t too happy about that.”

“And Nehemiah,” Rosie added. “He said some things.”

Gracie winced. “He did.”

As Aunt Bee taught Luna and Rosie what they should know, Gracie sat on her paradisical porch steps nibbling her oh-so-heavenly cookies. It was the same talk she had given Gracie so long ago about the way things are.

But as Aunt Bee was finishing, Gracie could not help but remark, “Whose mansion is that empty one, across the way?”

Aunt Bee replied, “Why, that’s Pawpaw’s mansion.”

All three girls perked up, but Aunt Bee laughed. “No, he’s not here just yet, but his mansion is.”

Gracie said, “But… this is the prophets’ neighborhood. Does this mean you are a prophet? Pawpaw too?”

Aunt Bee smiled. “Perhaps, but prophets are for earth. In heaven, we are all brothers and sisters, neighbors and family. This is the neighborhood for the servants of God — for those who devoted their lives to Him, those who gave their lives in service to Him and to His children.”

Gracie understood what Aunt Bee meant. She remembered things Luna and Rosie were too young to know — things about Pawpaw’s journey that she quietly carried in her heart But Luna and Rosie simply listened, wide‑eyed, letting Aunt Bee’s warm words settle into their little hearts.

Afterwards, when it was almost time to leave, Rosie said to Aunt Bee, “But… we need permissions to visit Pawpaw. He’s all alone.”

Aunt Bee smiled. “You are so sweet, but not just yet, dear one. This time, only one of you may visit, and it can only be Gracie.”

Gracie perked up. “Why just me? Can’t Luna and Rosie come along?”

Aunt Bee said, “Because this is not a casual visit, for Pawpaw needs you.”

“Pawpaw needs me?” Gracie whispered.

“Yes, Pawpaw needs you, Gracie. He needs you right now.”

Gracie froze, her eyes widening. Somehow, she knew Aunt Bee was telling the truth — not just because Aunt Bee always told the truth, but because deep inside, her heart told her this was very important.

Pawpaw needed her.

Gracie rose into the air. A golden, ethereal glow surrounded her, and for one brief moment she looked less like a little cherub and more like Heaven’s answer.

There was a great boom. And where she once was, there she wasn’t.

Gracie traveled with such speed that she was at Pawpaw’s house almost instantly. But he was not there.

Just as she had done so many times before, she felt for Pawpaw’s faith. When she sensed it, she took off like lightning. She jumped before she leaped and was gone before the BOOM!

A moment later, the sound echoed through the neighborhood, loud enough for all the neighbors to hear.

Instantly, Gracie was at the hospital, beside Pawpaw.

The doctors and nurses had all given up hope on Pawpaw. The hospital machines screamed and would not be silent. With nothing more to do, the doctors had left.

Soon after, the nurses left as well, leaving Pawpaw all alone.

And poor little Gracie was too late, for Pawpaw was unconscious.

Not knowing what else to do, she held onto Pawpaw’s hand. By God’s infinite mercy, she knew Pawpaw’s pain but was protected from carrying its burden.

“OH PAWPAW!” she cried. And she waved her hands to heal him.

But Aunt Bee’s voice said to her, “Dear Gracie, remember, we are forbidden to interfere directly in the lives of those on earth without permission. And besides… he needs you.”

Back in Heaven:
Luna said, “I don’t see anything.”

Rosie said, “Where is Gracie?”

Aunt Bee answered, “Girls, shh! I’m talking privately to Gracie. She’s down on Earth now with Pawpaw.”

Rosie: “Oh, I goes too!”

Luna: “Me too!”

Aunt Bee: “No, Rosie, for the moment, you’ll just have to wait this one out. And Luna, you are old enough to know better. Now behave and set a good example for your sister.”

Suddenly, Gracie was pushed backward by a force unseen and completely unknown to her.

It was one of Heck’s worst devils: Doubt.

Doubt laughed. “They sent you? A little girl? Away with you!”

It was as if an invisible wall slammed up against Gracie.

“I’m not afraid of you!” she shouted. She pushed back with all her might, but to no avail. He was overwhelmingly powerful — yet to his surprise, she did not slide back any farther.

Doubt laughed again. “You can barely hold your own against my presence!”

He stepped forward, and Gracie was forced back with each stride. No matter how hard she tried to stay put, his presence kept pushing her back.

“I won’t let you see your Pawpaw again,” Doubt hissed. “And you will never get one step closer.”

He grew bigger, darker, and the room turned black.

Not knowing what else to do, Gracie shone like the sun. Doubt shielded his eyes with his arm.

“Do you think I’m like those pathetic little devils you’ve faced before?” he snarled. He lashed out with a wave of darkness, but it barely budged her. He lashed out again and again but with almost no effect.

“I’ll show you!” Gracie cried. She lit up even brighter than the sun. “Even the smallest light drives away the darkness!”

Doubt yelled, tried to shield his eyes, and laughed again. “That’s not going to work on me, little girl! You are as nothing!”

Worthless emerge from the darkness. “That’s my line, big brother.”

“You stay out of this,” Doubt snapped. “She’s mine.”

When Gracie heard that, she shone all the brighter. Worthless quickly stepped back.

“You’ll regret that!” Doubt roared. He unleashed a concentrated darkness at Gracie, withholding nothing — a force no little cherub should ever have to face.

Worthless uttered in disbelief, “She’s… still there!”

Doubt snarled, “Not for long!”

Gracie could feel herself slipping, sliding backward. There was nothing she could do… but then she remembered.

Gracie whispered, “Faith.”

Suddenly, his dark beam deflected off her like water off a rock.

“What?” Doubt sputtered. “No one has done that since—”
He continued his attack, pouring out darkness without restraint, but to no avail.

He glanced over at his brother, Worthless.

Worthless muttered, “Don’t look at me, unless you want me to take a shot at her.”

Gracie said, “Light can hold its own against devils like you, but I’m also the angel of faith!”

By faith, Gracie repelled Doubt’s attack until he roared, “And I’m the dark angel of doubt and unbelief!”

Suddenly, he switched his attack from darkness to unbelief — a deeper, sharper force meant to unravel her faith.

“Away with you!” Gracie cried.

Her beam of faith struck him so unexpectedly that he simply vanished.

Dark ashes drifted down on Worthless.

Worthless blinked. “Ha! Good one, Doubt… Doubt?”

He held out his hand to catch a few ashes and examined them. “Doubt?”
Then he looked at Gracie with pure hate.

Worthless snarled, “Why you…”

What followed were a lot of oh‑no and you‑shouldn’t‑say‑that words. But Gracie had no idea what they meant.

“You can’t do that with me! You little, weak, worthless, so‑called cherub. You’re not even worth enough to send reinforcements!”

“Poor little cherub,” mocked Worthless as he lashed out at Gracie with a double shot of empty void and horrible scorn. To his surprise, both attacks bounced off Gracie’s shield of faith.

Gracie looked at the shield. “Where did that come from?”

Aunt Bee whispered, “Through belief in God and by His grace.”

At Aunt Bee’s whisper, Worthless trembled.

But he shot at Gracie with all he had. No matter what devious forms of assault he used, Gracie’s shield deflected them all.

Growing through wonder, belief, and confidence, Gracie’s faith surged within her and she remembered Pawpaw.

“By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left!”

And when she said this, the armor of righteousness and light appeared over Gracie — and the Sword of the Lord in her hand.

Worthless stopped his attack and clapped.

“Very good. I haven’t seen someone pull out that old trick in this modern age. But that armor is too big for such a little girl like you.”

When the armor of righteousness appeared over Gracie, even from so far away in Heaven, Luna and Rosie could see their sister’s light and feel the strength of her faith.

Without Aunt Bee’s assistance, they could suddenly see Gracie standing in front of Worthless — in her armor, alone.

Luna gasped. “She needs us!” Rosie spit out her cookie. Luna continued, “Wow… look at her golden armor!”

Aunt Bee said, “That’s the armor of righteousness. And she’s holding the shield of faith and the sword of the Lord.”

Luna asked, “Can we do that?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Aunt Bee replied. “But you must have faith.”

“And hope too!” Luna declared. “Well, if she can do that… we can too! Let’s do this, Rosie!”

Rosie’s eyes grew big. “Okay?”

Luna repeated Gracie’s words — the best she could remember: “By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left‑handedness…”

Luna lit up like a mid‑summer full moon, and her armor appeared with a shimmer of blue. She stomped proudly. “We can help Gracie now! Come on, Rosie — you can do this!”

Rosie looked worried for a moment, but planted her feet, scrunched her shoulders, and tried her best: “By the truthy word, by the powwer of Jesus, by the left‑handed right of armoreds…”

Suddenly there was a pop and a FLASH!

A burst of pink light went off like a flash bulb — bright enough to make Luna jump and Aunt Bee shield her eyes.

But when the light faded…

Rosie was still standing there in her little white robe. Her halo was spinning, and she looked dizzy.

Luna said, “Rosie… what was that? You didn’t quite armor… You’d better try again?”

Rosie stomped. “Oh! I need a power‑upper!” She grabbed one of Aunt Bee’s cookies and wolfed it down like she hadn’t eaten in a week.

Luna whispered, “Aunt Bee’s cookies aren’t normal cookies… they’re faithtastic cookies! Full of gracious goodness with extra love inside!”

Rosie gasped. “Wuv? Inside?”

She turned into a streak of rosy‑light as she zipped into the kitchen.

Squirrely, who had been quietly nibbling a cookie on the counter, suddenly found himself airborne. He didn’t know he could jump that far.

Rosie shooed him away. “Sorry Squirrely, I need this more than you!”

She grabbed the cookie, took a heroic bite, and crumbs flew everywhere.

She tried again. A pink spark. Another bite. A bigger spark.

She stuffed the rest of the cookie in her mouth.

Then Rosie did her best: “Let the suffering little children come to Jesus, because the kingdoms of God are where He is!”

Luna blinked. “Rosie… that’s not exactly how that verse—”

She didn’t finish.

Because Heaven heard her hearts.

FLASH‑BOOM‑POP!

A crack of thunder — sharp and sudden — and a pink flash lit up Aunt Bee’s porch like fireworks on the Fourth of July picnic.

A full suit of rosy armor erupted around Rosie — glittering, glowing, and slightly sticky from cookie crumbs.

Luna stared, jaw dropped. “Holy Ephesians 6:10 through 17!”

Rosie stood frozen, eyes wide, stunned by the dazzling armor.

Then she whispered, very seriously:
“I’m… gonna need another cookie.”

Aunt Bee sighed, half amused, half worried. “Little ones… you must be careful.”

But they were already gone — a streak of blue and another of pink racing from Heaven toward Gracie, toward Pawpaw, two tiny crusaders of helpingness to stand by their sister.

But could two tiny cherubs make it in time? And what are two little cherubs against three of Heck’s notorious villains?

Worthless lashed out without mercy, time and time again.

But the cute little cherub held her own.

If it weren’t for the armor, she’d be a goner — without a doubt.

And it was that thought — without a Doubt — that made her realize she had the Sword of the Lord.

Gracie declared,
“For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:
I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

By these words, Worthless seemed to be wounded — but Gracie’s strength was wearing thin.

She cried out, “Believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.”

Suddenly Worthless screamed, “My eyes!”

He clutched his face and stopped his attack.

“What have you done, little girl? My eyes! I can see the truth! What have you done to me?”

He held his head and staggered backward.

But Gracie stepped forward with her sword.

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts!”

“What? The hosts of the Lord are here?” Worthless cried. “I can’t see! Where are they?”

He flung fiery darts at Gracie — anything he could muster — but blinded, he kept missing her entirely.

Gracie declared, “The Lord is my strength and my shield. He shall fight for me!”

The Worthless thing screamed, “You shall not pass!”

But Gracie whispered, “Blessed be the name of the Lord. Be gone with you. Let them be driven backward and put to shame that wish me evil.”

And poof — Worthless was gone, like his brother. Ashes rained down where he stood.

Just when she thought she could relax, Indifference stepped forward out of the ashes.

Indifference said, “You won’t defeat me like the others. They simply weren’t prepared for one such as you. And if you think you have defeated them — truly defeated them — think again. They’ll be back, and quickly, I should think.”

Gracie answered, “You’ll go up in ashes just like they did!”

Indifference smiled faintly. “You little fools think you can defeat evil, quench darkness… but we remain in the hearts of mankind.”

He moved but a finger and lashed out at Gracie with fire and fury: the mists of silence, the mirror of emptiness, the weight of memory, and so many other things that any normal cherub might have instantly been dismissed by.

Seeing that Gracie was unmoved, he opened his hand and unleashed five times the fire and fury.

But in the roar of the flames, he heard Gracie’s little voice:

“The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ…”

“Words!” Indifference spat. “That’s just words, little girl!”

But as he turned up the flames, the image of the Son of God could be seen standing in front of her.

Indifference screamed, “No fair! No fair! This is my fight — our fight!”

Poor little exhausted Gracie, hardly able to stand, managed to say:

“I will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and they shall say, The LORD is my God. The Lord is my God.”

As Gracie’s strength faded, she was caught in the arms of her Lord. Peace and mercy flowed into her little frame. He set her on her feet again, reviving her and strengthening her resolve. And as she stood on her own, His image faded softly — but she knew His presence remained.

Gracie cried, “Be gone, Indifference!”

And with a crash of thunder, Indifference fled.

Gracie stepped forward to see her Pawpaw. After looking around cautiously, she set down her shield and sword so she could hold his hand.

“Pawpaw, I’m here for you,” she whispered.

Then the impossible happened — Pawpaw revived.

“Gracie! Is that you? Am I still alive?”

“Yes, Pawpaw, it’s me! And you are not dead! Jesus saved you! And me too!”

“That’s right, Gracie,” Pawpaw breathed. “That is what He always does. Jesus rescues all who believe in Him… and forever and ever too. Even if I die, I am alive in Christ.”

As Pawpaw began to pass away again, Gracie started to do a miracle — but remembered what Aunt Bee had told her. She didn’t have permission. So she cried out:

“Mr. Jesus, Beauty of God, please save dear Pawpaw! Don’t let him die!”

But Doubt, Worthless, and Indifference appeared — with a great many others.

Gracie grabbed her shield and sword and prepared to fight.

“All of you, stay back!” she commanded.

As they came toward her, she lit up so bright that they all stopped in their tracks.

But only for a moment.

Suddenly, there was a bright blue flash of light with a pop. Then there rang out a determined, diminutive voice.

Luna declared with confidence, “For in you, O LORD, do I hope: you will hear, O Lord my God. And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in you!”

The little angel of Hope stood fully clad from head to toe in her armor of hope and righteousness, her shield of faith in one hand and the sword of the Lord in the other.

Then a sudden bright flash of pink, like a flashbulb accompanied by a tiny thunderclap. And with it came yet another little voice.

Of course it was little Rosie, the angel of Love.

Just like her sisters, she was clad from head to toe in love and righteousness, holding her shield of faith in one hand and the sword of the Lord in the other. And though she was little, there was nothing little about the love shining from her hearts.

Rosie focused with all the determination her hearts could muster:
“Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The three little brave cherubs of Faith, Hope, and Love looked almost comical standing against a small army of Heck itself — determination on their faces, confidence in their hearts, and cookies full of heaven’s love in their tummies.

Yet the girls surrounded Pawpaw — with confidence not in their own strength, but in Jesus the Christ of God.

All Heck was about to rain down upon the three little angels when they said together,
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I.”

And Jesus appeared in the midst of them.

Slowly, the army of Heck backed away from the presence of the Beauty of God. They did not dare hiss or sneer or speak a single wicked word.

So Pawpaw was saved that day.
All Pawpaw needed was a little Faith, a little Hope, and a little Love.
Three little cherubs with big hearts.

With smiles, hugs, promises, and too much caring — and with Jesus’ permission — Gracie, Luna, and Rosie “miracled” and revived Pawpaw’s wounded heart.

The doctors, the nurses, and everyone at the hospital could not see the spiritual battle that had taken place there.

But they could see the results: Pawpaw was alive when he should have been gone. They had never seen anything like that before.

Aunt Bee said, “And so, our precious little cherubs politely zoomed back home to Heaven with the blessed assurance that Pawpaw would live at least a little while longer. And they were a little wiser, a little taller, a little stronger. But most importantly, they had belief, they had faith, they had promise — and now they had promise fulfilled.”

Luna said, “You told us that we were too small… and you were right, too. Did you see that Worthless guy? Taller than the sunflowers in Kansas!”

Rosie wrinkled her nose, “And stinky too!”

Luna nodded. “Right — and smelly and nasty and dark and gross and ugh!”

Rosie stretched her arms up. “They were way taller, taller than this!”

Luna laughed. “You couldn’t reach up to their knees!”

Gracie curled up to Aunt Bee. “I noticed you didn’t leave your porch… probably didn’t even leave your porch swing?”

Aunt Bee smiled. “Oh didn’t I?”

She presented a plate of her heavenly cookies. This time, they were sprinkled with victory.

Gracie said, “I’m… gonna need another cookie.”

Rosie said, with cookies already in her hands, “And I’m going to need two cookies! One for Squirrely.”

Then she put one cookie in her mouth so she could grab yet another and toddled off, humming an old hymn.

Luna spotted the plate. “Cookies! Thank you, Jesus!”

All of them said together, “Thank you, Jesus, for rescuing us all!”

Then they all joined in, singing along with Rosie’s humming of “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee”:

And so they praised Him.