Terry “Turtle” Turnball slowly stepped down from his hunting truck and turned on his headlamp. His was the only truck at the trailhead at this time in the morning. Moving slowly but purposely, lowering the tailgate to grab his rifle and backpack, he took a few moments to turn off the headlamp and soak in the silence. 

Terry locked the truck and headed out on the trail. His trail cameras, each a Hiseeu trail camera, were bought for the quality of its cellular service. They had recorded a number of trophy bucks in the area around the high mountain lake.

The first camera was still in good shape and functioning correctly. After changing the two AA batteries, he proceeded to the next camera about a mile up the trail. But, as he drilled down to that camera’s GPS signal, it wasn’t there. So, he widened his map and found it three miles to the northeast from where he had placed it.

The sun broke through to the trail, but Terry stood still, deep in thought. He made decisions slowly and deliberately, which is one of the reasons his nickname was Turtle. He wasn’t particularly scared, just curious. What, or who, had his camera? 

Terry checked the Garmin and noticed the dot was stationary. So Terry set off after it with his unhurried pace. He was forced to bushwhack his way to the camera as there wasn’t a trail.

Eventually, Terry arrived where the Garmin showed his camera was. 

Standing next to a small waterfall the size of the stream of water from your shower, with his back to Terry, stood a man, in actuality a Spirit from another dimension, who reminded him of someone he knew. He was filling an old army metal canteen, just like the one his Grampa Ralph used.

The man moved slowly and deliberately. He turned around and sat on a log near a small fire ring, picked up the trail camera, held it out, and loudly said, “Well, don’t just stand there staring at me. You know darn well who I am, Terry. If you want your camera back, you need to come down here and get it. And, yes, I have missed you too, Terry.”

His Grampa stared right at Terry, with a big, loving grin on his face.

Terry scrambled down the small slope and ran to his Grampa. Their hug lasted a long moment of joy and a few tears on Terry’s part.

Terry stepped back, wiped the tears from his face, and asked a question that didn’t make any sense. His Grandfather had died twenty years ago. But, here he was in the flesh. He looked like Grampa, smelled like Grampa, walked like Grampa, and was as solid as the log they were now both sitting on.

Terry stared at his Grampa afraid to ask the question. Grampa sensed that and said, “Why am I here? Why am I alive? Good questions.”

Terry couldn’t speak due to the overwhelming, impossible situation.

“I am here as a messenger. The Father in Heaven has an important challenge for you. You just so happen to be the only man out of hundreds like you whose destiny fits like a glove for His challenge.”

“Wait! Did you say God the Father has chosen me? Chosen me for what kind of challenge, Grampa?”

Grampa smiled, stood up, and walked over to the old 1940s metal ice chest Grampa always took on their adventures together. The memory of their lunches out in the middle of nowhere flooded in at the sight of the ice chest. Grampa always brought a can or two of sardines, a can of spam, lots of Saltines, bottles of Coke, Orange Crush, and Seven-Up, as well as oranges, apples, and bananas. But Terry wondered if his favorite was in the ice chest. Slow-dried strips of Venison jerky.

Terry came out of that memory when Grampa asked if he wanted a coke.

“Wow! Grampa! Absolutely! Is there any of your jerky in there, Grampa?” Grampa’s venison jerky was one of his most cherished memories. 

Grampa took out a Coke and a brown paper bag. He opened the Coke with the old-time bottle opener attached to the ice chest, and threw the bag to Terry. It was filled with the jerky.

Grampa said, “Don’t eat all that in one sitting, Terry.”

Grampa and Terry sat there eating apples, spam, crackers, and jerky while enjoying each other’s presence, drinking their Cokes.

After a long, wonderful time, Terry said, “You didn’t say what the challenge is, Grampa.”

Grampa stood up, turned to Terry, and said, “That’s correct, I didn’t. But the answer is that He will anoint you with everything you need to communicate and minister to the land. He wants you to commit yourself to the original command to care for the garden of Eden.”

Terry was stunned and said, “What? Just how is that supposed to work?”

Grampa replied, “The Father will anoint you and empower you to walk in His power and your calling.”

Terry was partly familiar with things like callings and anointings after the last twenty-five years at the same church where he grew up. But, he never ever considered any of that applied to him. Maybe to the pastor and perhaps the elders. But it wasn’t even a question or a possibility in his mind.

Grampa said, “Come here. It’s probably better to just show you what this means. You were wondering how you could possibly communicate with, let’s say, the mountain before us. Let me show you something you thought would never be a part of your life.” Grampa pointed to a giant flat rock next to the small waterfall. “Put your ear on that rock and listen.”

Terry looked at Grampa and thought that a strange request, but the fact he was talking to his Grampa back from the dead had to be important. So he carefully put his ear to the granite. Instantly, Terry found himself standing on a gently rounded hill at the border of a plain that stretched beyond sight. 

Terry turned around and found himself face-to-face with a man with long, black, braided hair, dressed in rough, brown, linen trousers and a blouse tied at his neck. He said nothing, but pointed to another flat rock that looked like an altar. Terry understood this time and put his ear to the rock. A warmth flowed through him, and a sound rose and became a song with no words. It was just a happy sound. He felt like all was well, and he was complete.

At that moment, Terry was back at his Grampa’s campsite. But, this time, his consciousness flooded with pain, sorrow, and anger so strong he tried to step back from the rock. He couldn’t. He was transfixed to the boulder. Quickly, the sound exploded from the rock. But, instead of a peaceful song, this was the sound of countless cries of pain and a demand for justice. 

Terry understood precisely what was going on. He knew the verse about creation groaning for the revelation of the sons of God.

19 For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, [n]in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. (Romans 8:19–22) NASB

“Grampa! The ground is crying! How is that possible?”

38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” b

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:38–40) NIV

“Son, Jesus said that the rocks would cry out if He silenced the crowd’s worship. There’s more to that verse in Luke than just rebuking the Pharisees. The stones know their Creator and their voice is forever before His throne. For He is the only one trustworthy to bring justice and redemption from the decay it suffers from the sins of man.”

“It is very close to the revelation of the sons and daughters of God, Terry. He wants you to become the creation’s friend and advocate. But, most of all, He wants you to learn the true history of the creation and how it has been defiled and abused. There are only two people who know every secret in history. That is the creation itself, and God. Everything that man thinks has been hidden is etched in the rocks themselves. In essence, the Earth is one giant stone tablet, and everything that has ever happened in Earth’s history is chiseled in indestructible stone. This is where your anointing will carry you through what you consider impossible. You will be the mouthpiece for the Land’s testimony before God.”

Grampa stopped and gently said, “I have to go now. But, I will be waiting for you on the other side.”

Grampa vanished, as did the entire campsite. 

Terry walked over to the flat rock and lay down. He sensed the forest cuddling him, and fell asleep.

.