This was not the conversation I had forseen with Jasmine. I thought Bill’s condition might tug at her heartstrings but I didn’t intend to bring up the spirits. The intensity of the conversation was deeply disturbing. I was having a lot of trouble keeping Bill’s airways clear. I thought I would have to take him away and maybe even get help from Van Helsing if he got much worse.
“Did God hurt papa because I was so wicked? Was it my fault?”
That one didn’t take much time to consider. “I don’t think so, little girl. There are plenty of wicked spirits that want to hurt people. Those spirits had nothing to do with you.”
“Why doesn’t God take all the bad spirits away? Then we could be good.”
“Little girl, it’s not what comes from the outside that makes us bad. It’s the choices we make on the inside. We open up the door of our own bad self and the spirits just waltz on in and make themselves at home.”
“John Silver … He tries to be my daddy, but only when he’s away from Fat Fleur Lisel … Why does she take and take and take everything I have?”
“Jasmine …” It was getting so late. Bill was so distraught. “We came down to see you because Papa is going to have an operation in the morning. We think it might help him to at least be able to talk through a machine. But we’re not sure …”
“Not sure of what?”
“Not sure if he’ll come out all right. Not sure … if he’ll wake up.”
“I could look in the quicksilver and see … but I don’t have my bowl …”
“I don’t want you to look in the quicksilver!” I couldn’t stop that flash of anger. “That spirit’s not part of this. God’s spirit will decide what happens to your daddy. He always has. God holds your daddy in the palm of his hand. We have to go. Don’t you be giving those other spirits entrance here, Jasmine. Don’t you do it.”
“All right, mama. I won’t. Can I pray for papa? Will God hear me?”
“Little girl, that’s between you and God. It always has been.”
http://www.amazon.com/Sophronia-Belle-Lyon/e/B009P8N6NQ
Other Christian authors have snippets here! http://www.alanaterry.com/blog/christian-fiction-friday-papa
FINDLEY FAMILY VIDEO 
“Why doesn’t God take all the bad spirits away? Then we could be good.” This is stated so simplistically but really hits me in the gut. How many times do we ask that exact same question, even if not in such a forthcoming way?
This is a real-life question our son wrestles with, so it hits us in the gut, too, each time he brings it up. Why doesn’t God get rid of evil?
Good excerpt! Love the exchange between them.
Thanks!