A warrior woman collapsed on the side of the road. She was covered head to toe with sweat and dirt where it gathered into mud in the creases of her furrowed brow. She couldn’t take another step forward. She knew she needed to sit, rest and recover. Her breathing slowed and her heart steadied it’s pace. A warrior friend came upon her on the road and implored her to get back in the battle. She gave her ammunition and showed her how to use it, but to no avail. The warrior woman had nothing left to give at the moment. Her friend bid her farewell and promised she would be on the front lines on her behalf.
The warrior woman continued to wait. She was still. She lifted her glazed face to the breeze and inhaled deeply. Twenty-four hours passed. Then forty-eight. She knew not what she waited for nor when she would be released from her roadside perch. She continued to exist but didn’t strive for more.
Off in the distance she saw a person running into the wind. It was a messenger. In her tightly clasped hand was a paper. She threw herself on the ground next to the warrior woman and uncurled her fingers. No words were exchanged. None were needed. Spread before her was a blueprint stolen from the enemy’s camp. Not just any blueprint, but the one showing the enemy commanders snare. She couldn’t believe she was seeing the elaborate and deliberate creation of the strongman’s deceptive trap.
Immediately her life flashed before her eyes. She could see how it took years to erect the entrapment. Event upon event, lie upon lie. The enemy used true life happenings and pierced her heart. She had no idea that the small puncture would be all he needed to gain access to wound again and again. It was a wound that became familiar. A wound that grew quietly and so did it’s authority and power. With stunning clarity she saw for the first time the chain that bound her to the tower of lies. She realized she wasn’t on the side of the road but rather at the top of a tower located in the center of a labyrinth.
Breathless she watched as the chains that bound her fell loudly to the ground. Finally she was free. Never again would she climb the stairs of this place she called home. Her freedom was irrevocable. She felt no shame or condemnation. Her victory had been won. Understanding filled her mind and peace entered her soul while gratitude graced her emotions.
With fresh eyes she looked at the horizon and saw the others fighting for freedom. Her spirit called her forward toward her Beloved. With the blueprint in her pocket, newfound bravery overshadowed her as she ran to join the warriors. She knew she was needed to help free others.
