Dear Bryan Davis,<\/p>\n
I don\u2019t even know where to start. Perhaps with my name. My name is Menolly and I love your books. I\u2019m twelve years old, but I started reading your books when I was eleven. I\u2019ve read the Dragons in Our Midst <\/em>and Oracles of Fire <\/em>series. I have also read I Know Why the Angels Dance.<\/em> At first I wasn\u2019t sure if I liked the idea of a fire-breathing boy, but I soon fell in love with the characters. I was ecstatic when I learned of the rest of the books in the series and the Oracles of Fire <\/em>series. The character who touched me most was either Sapphira or Bonnie. Both for many of the same reasons, and the main one was: I know what it\u2019s like to be alone. Now, I haven\u2019t been left in a dark hole for thousands of years, but I have been alone and I know that pain.<\/p>\n It basically started when I began school. I have always been a great student and a really nice girl, but, that almost always leads to bullying. All my life I had been bullied off and on for who I was or what I did, but it really hit home when adults and kids alike started to seem to expect me to always be \u201cperfect.\u201d To some, that may not seem too bad to be called \u201cperfect,\u201d but I could see that they wanted me to be hurt. The kids in my class would mock me by singing, \u201cMenolly\u2019s perfect!\u201d or \u201cOh my gosh! You got a B! You always seem so perfect.\u201d They would laugh and make fun of my love to read, write, and learn. It hurt so much.<\/p>\n They pushed me into a dark place I never thought I could get out of. Like Sapphira and the mines. It might be hard for you to understand, Mr. Davis, since it appears no one but my best friend seems to. I\u2019ve tried telling people I\u2019m not just a genius, but they don\u2019t or won\u2019t listen. I cried myself to sleep every night for over three months because of what they said. I used to love school, but then I hated it. I wanted to change so people would like me more. I didn\u2019t know God very well back then.<\/p>\n I was searching for God. For over two years I had been begging God to show Himself to me, because I had never experienced Him. I now realize my mind was Him working in me. I would pray, sing songs, anything to get His attention. Then, I found your books. As I read, I found new hope and faith intermingled with excitement and loss. I was intrigued by how much faith Bonnie and Sapphira had and I knew when I read about it, that was what I wanted. I would give up all my grades, books, stories, anything God wanted to get that kind of faith and courage. In November, I was just about ready to quit. I wanted everything to be over. Especially school. I was done with being made fun of and feeling like I was expected to do and be someone I might have been, but yet someone a little more. Somewhere around the middle of November, I started The Bones of Makaidos. <\/em>It is by FAR my favorite book ever.<\/p>\n Before I go on, I have to bring up my best friend. The previous November we had met and I am not exaggerating when I say that without her, I would have quit school. Back to my story.<\/p>\n It was Thanksgiving break, so I would stay up late into the night and early morning reading every day. It was astounding. In the last few chapters, I bawled my eyes out. Between Elam and Sapphira meeting again and becoming engaged along with Billy, Bonnie, Walter, and Ashley, it was so happy. Then, Acacia was killed. I definitely cried during that part. The best part for me though when I read it the first time, was when Prof stepped through Heaven\u2019s Gate. My eyes welled up and my throat clenched shut. I felt like I was there, seeing him step through. I was so happy. I could barely stand to put the book down when I thought what if this is the end? What if Bonnie, Billy, Ashley, Walter, Elam, Sapphira, and everyone else\u2019s journeys are over? No! It can\u2019t be. These books rejuvenated a fire in me for Elohim and I will not let it end now. <\/em>I ran to the computer and looked up whether there was to be a sequel. And there was: Children of the Bard.<\/em><\/p>\n I could barely breathe. I was so happy new tears came again. Please, don\u2019t think I\u2019m idolizing your books or you, I am just extremely grateful since they changed my life. That night, I felt the Holy Spirit inside me. It was so overwhelming, I could barely breathe. He washed away all my anxiety, fears, sorrows, regrets, and I felt for once in a long time, peace. I didn\u2019t care what they said about me anymore, I had Elohim and He had me. I went to sleep, and had no nightmares for the first time in years.<\/p>\n The next morning, I looked up other books by you. I had always been fascinated by angels and when I saw the book I Know Why the Angels Dance, <\/em>I knew I had to get it. That, I believe was a Saturday. That Sunday at our church here in Napa, I saw them. I saw angels dancing in our sanctuary. They were circling overhead clad in white with a light blue aura emanating from their bodies. I was transfixed as we sang our worship songs. I watched as one angel, a girl with the most beautiful black hair ever and blue eyes, came down and said to me, \u201cYou are healed. Jehovah has given you peace.\u201d Before that time, I had been suffering from severe migraines that made it so I could not do anything and made me puke from the pain and nausea that accompanied them.<\/p>\n Ever since the angel spoke to me, I have had little to no bullying, no anxiety, I have become better at things I used to be worse at, and I have had only one minor migraine in the past six months. Now, it\u2019s not so much bullying as small provoking. Also, two of the main bullies, left my school, which helped the whole thing die down.<\/p>\n So why am I writing to you now when I finished the books seven months ago? Why haven\u2019t I written sooner to tell you of my miraculous transformation? Well, Bryan Davis, the answer is, I was scared. I was scared that I would send you an e-mail and you would simply think, \u201cCool, another girl who\u2019s \u201clife was changed\u201d by my books\u201d or I wouldn\u2019t write the right thing to explain how I felt. I want you to think I\u2019m special. I want to send you the perfect message so you\u2019ll think I\u2019m just as creative, gifted, and special as you are. You are the one who inspired me to write. I liked to write before, but you really made the passion burn brighter. I really hope you like this and my story. I just want to be like Sapphira and Bonnie in faith, courage, and the way they\u2019re loved.<\/p>\n Oh, if I could have one wish, it would be to be loved. I know my parents and family love me, but I want something more. Ever since I\u2019ve found God, the cavernous hole in my heart has been filled to tip top, but I want the love for me to be overflowing. So, I\u2019ve basically told you about everything that\u2019s happened to me in the past few years, but I\u2019ve felt an urge to. I hope to meet you someday and maybe go into more detail about how I\u2019ve had a few more visions of that angel I spoke of earlier. I wrote a poem for you. Here it is:<\/p>\n When darkness fell on hearts of men Earth had fallen to its death The Savior came to save us all Who can flee from mercy\u2019s eyes Will they finally see the Word From whence they came So now my friends All our suffering With the God who wears the crown I can\u2019t explain it Knowing I\u2019m imperfect Search for Him, Pray for Him, Beg for Him. It took two years of crying, praying, and pleading for Him to show me His power, but He did. I can\u2019t explain it, won\u2019t even try, but when I saw Him, I\u2019ll admit I cried. He showed me an angel. Many angels, singing and praising. I promise, if you want Him, He will show himself to you.<\/p>\n Dedicated to Bryan Davis who helped me know why the angels dance and to actually see them do it. You inspired me to write poems and stories which I hope turn into books. I could write a paragraph to you explaining how you changed my life, and I am not just another fan and how you probably get that a lot, but let me just say, thank you. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll meet some day and maybe then I\u2019ll have the perfect words to describe what you\u2019ve done for me.<\/p>\n Well, that\u2019s it. I\u2019m sure I could think of more, but that\u2019s what I\u2019ve spent seven months trying to figure out what to say. I counted and I have, including this one, at least seven letters to you or things I\u2019ve written inspired by you, Mr. Davis, in my computer. It\u2019s a mixed assortment of poems, half-finished books, and letters. What else can I say but thank you? You gave me the drive to search for my Elohim again and I found Him. I really found Him. My faith has been increased a hundred fold and I know Jehovah like never before. So thank you, Bryan Davis. Thank you for reading my testimony and I hope you appreciate it and like it.<\/p>\n Your forever, grateful fan,<\/p>\n Menolly H.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Bryan Davis, I don\u2019t even know where to start. Perhaps with my name. My name is Menolly and I love your books. I\u2019m twelve years old, but I started reading your books when I was eleven. I\u2019ve read the Dragons in Our Midst and Oracles of Fire series. I have also read I Know […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-1208","jetpack-testimonial","type-jetpack-testimonial","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jetpack-testimonial\/1208","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jetpack-testimonial"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/jetpack-testimonial"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jetpack-testimonial\/1208\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1690,"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/jetpack-testimonial\/1208\/revisions\/1690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.theauthorschair.com\/shopping\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1208"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nWhen the light of Eden left
\nAll hope seemed to be gone for good
\nUntil He came again<\/p>\n
\nAlong with all of men
\nWe were lost, but then were found
\nAnd hearts were freed again<\/p>\n
\nBut few discovered right
\nHow hard it was for them to see
\nTruth\u2019s revealing light<\/p>\n
\nWho can escape the fall
\nWho can push against the love
\nAnd truth\u2019s judgment call<\/p>\n
\nAnd what is veiled within
\nWill they follow in His light
\nAbandoning friend and kin<\/p>\n
\nthey will be reborn
\nThe pride of men
\nWill then be shorn<\/p>\n
\nwe lie in wait
\nfor when our king
\nopens his gates<\/p>\n
\nwill be forever gone
\nNo tears to hold us down
\nFor we share a special bond<\/p>\n
\nThis my friends, is my last thing to say
\nGod changed my life
\nshowed me a brand new way<\/p>\n
\nWon\u2019t even try
\nBut in his arms
\nI can\u2019t help but cry<\/p>\n
\nKnowing who He is
\nKnowing what he\u2019s done
\nTo wipe away my sin<\/p>\n