PROLOGUE
There are moments in life when God seems silent. Moments when prayer feels
heavy, faith wanes, and the heart feels like a lamp without oil. But there are also
moments—brief, almost imperceptible—when a divine spark touches the soul and
awakens it.
That moment came to Efraín at the least expected time.
I wasn't in a temple, nor on a sacred mountain, nor surrounded by miracles. I wasHe
was simply at home, alone, convinced that God no longer heard him. That's when
he found an unmarked envelope slipped under his door.
Inside, there was only one handwritten sentence:
"When the faith of many fades, I ignite one."
That single sentence changed everything.
Because, although he didn't know it yet, Ephraim was about to discover that when
Godflame, no life is ever the same again.
CHAPTER 1 — The Voice in the Morning
Efraín woke up before the sun rose over the city. It wasn't an alarm, or a dream, or
an external noise. It was something deeper, something he felt in his chest, likea
gentle pulse that forced him to open his eyes.
He lay there for a few seconds, breathing silently, trying to identify that feeling.
It wasn't anxiety. Nor was it fear. It seemed like a mixture of unease and
anticipation, as if his soul knew that this day would not be like the others.
She rose slowly, rubbing her eyes, and walked to the small table where she always
kept her Bible. She had read it so many times, but for months the words had
seemed tasteless, like withered leaves. Even so, she opened it. It was her habit,
her refuge, her discipline.
The pages stopped at Isaiah. Her gaze fell on an underlined verse.years back:
"Do not be afraid, for I am with you."
Translated from Spanish to English - www.onlinedoctranslator.comEfraín closed his eyes.
The words struck his spirit with unexpected force.
What if God really was there? What if He hadn't been as far away as he thought?
She shook her head, trying not to get her hopes up. She'd had too many.Gray days
lately. Days when prayer felt empty, responsibilities overwhelmed him, and the
future looked blurry.
But that verse…
That verse was burning.
She made coffee and looked out the window. The street was quiet, and the sky,
althoughEven though it was dark, it showed a faint line of light.
He took a deep breath.
"Sir..." she whispered, "if you really want to tell me something, I'm... listening."
There was no response. Only silence.
However, something inside him seemed to agree.
The church was a ten-minute walk away, up a hill that always made him sweat a
little. It was a small church, with white walls and an old roof that needed repair,
but for Efraín it was a sacred place. Since he was a child, he had attended that
church, grown up among its pews, learned from its hymns, and cried and laughed
under its roof.
Upon arriving, he saw Pastor Samuel sitting on the porch. The old man's faceworried,
something Efraín wasn't used to seeing.
"Good morning, pastor," he greeted, bowing his head.
—Ephraim —Samuel replied—. You're here early today.
The young man sat down next to her.
—I woke up earlier than usual.
"Sometimes God wakes up early those He wants to use," Samuel said, without
looking directly at him.
Efraín felt a slight shudder.
—Pastor, is something wrong? You seem… burdened.
Samuel let out a slow sigh.
—Our community is tired, son. The trials, the hardships, the lack of
unity… People are losing something vital: hope.Efraín low thelook.
He himself had felt that lack of hope.
"I know," he admitted. "I myself have felt that... that my faith is weak."
Samuel smiled gently.
—God doesn't need spiritual giants, Ephraim. He needs willing hearts. And theYours,
though tired, remains willing.
The words pierced him like an arrow, sweet and painful at the same time.
Later, the children began to arrive for their activities. Among them wasLuciana, the
little girl with big eyes and a notebook full of drawings.
—Efraín! —she ran towards him— Look, look! I made a drawing.
The drawing showed a mountain with a light on its summit. Below, people were
walking.towards that light. And at the top, written with a blue marker:
"God guides those who listen to His voice."
Efraín felt like he couldn't breathe.
"It's beautiful, Lucy," he said softly. "Why did you draw that?" She
shrugged.
—I don't know. I felt that God wanted me to draw a mountain with light. Like when
He calls us to climb.
The words were embedded in his chest like a confirmation.
That afternoon there was a brief meeting. Pastor Samuel spoke about maintaining
faith duringthe evidence, but what impacted Efraín the most was an unexpected
testimony.
An elderly woman, with trembling hands, stood up and said:
—I was going to stop coming. I felt alone. I thought God wasn't listening to me
anymore. But a while ago
A few days ago, while I was praying and weeping, I felt Him saying to me, "Stay." And
here I am.
Efraín felt a lump in his throat.
Stay. I'm with
you.
God guides those who listen to His voice.
It was as if everything was connected. As if the sky were speaking in fragments.When the meeting ended, he went out into the cold night air. He looked at the dark
sky and murmured without thinking:
—Lord… what do you expect from me?
A gentle breeze swept across the hill.
It wasn't a response, but it wasn't silence either.
When he returned home, he saw something strange under his door: a white
envelope, with no return address.
He bent down, picked it up, and slowly
opened it. Inside was a single
handwritten sentence:
"When the faith of many fades, I ignite one."
Efraín felt his heart stop for a moment.
Who left the envelope?
Who knew what he was going through?
Who knew the exact words he needed?
It trembled slightly.
That phrase wasn't just a message. It was a call to
action.One that I couldn't ignore.
Because when God calls, life changes.
And although Ephraim still did not understand the path, he knew one thing for
certain:
He had been turned on.