What's the love of God like

A different kind of love story

After several years of success, Gaige Patiens hit the financial wall during the economic downturn in 2008 -- you remember, all the bailouts and the like. The San Diego housing market plummeted. Gaige and his wife's southern California house -- valued as high as 720k -- bottomed out at 450k in less than a year after it peaked ... so did his business and marriage. After 3 years of financial hardship -- going from 10k a month of discretionary income to 2k a month short of expenses -- his wife felt Gaige was no longer a good provider and decided to "pull the plug" on their 16-year marriage. Her reason -- God's "hand of blessing" was no longer on him, so she no longer felt obligated to stay in the marriage. She asked him to move out. 

Gaige was bewildered and devastated. He now found himself not only single but due to all the stress of his unexpected new circumstances, his health declined rapidly. He became disabled with frequent joint pain and less than adequate kidney function. Being in his mid-fifties didn't help. After a couple of years of unsuccessful attempts at starting two other businesses, he found himself out of money, homeless, and forced to move to an area where it was less expensive.

A multi-Trillionaire -- yes, with a T -- named Dr. Joshua Finamore (a real estate developer, well-renowned physician, and inventor turned philanthropist) got wind of his plight through his brother Joseph. Joseph had attended one of Gaige's business success seminars and got word on why Gaige was no longer doing seminars i.e. his business and marriaged had crashed and burned. Joseph mentioned this to his brother Josh (Joshua) in passing during a conversation on various business ventures. Joe (Joseph) was impressed with Gage and found his seminar very helpful. 

Once Josh heard of Gaige's challenges, he had his people do some digging. They were able to find out where Gaige was now "living." He immediately decided to leave the comforts of his opulent life and show up as a homeless person at an abandoned building in Austin, Texas, where Gaige now lived (Many considered Joshua Finamore somewhat eccentric and a bit crazy. It turns out this wasn't the first time he had done this kind of thing).

Gaige, somewhat puzzled by this unexpected visitor blocking his doorway, was clueless of his true identity. Josh being dressed as an unkempt homeless person needing a good bath, definitely threw him off.  

Josh explained he had no place to stay and asked if Gaige had any room... the couch would be fine. He also offered to help out in any way he could - (for three whole years it eventually turned out). Feeling annoyed but also a little sorry for the guy, Gaige agreed to let him stay for now. "He'll hopefully find his own place after a couple of weeks," Gaige thought.

Even though Josh was homeless with no apparent job, it didn't take long for Gaige to notice Josh mysteriously and miraculously came up with whatever was needed whenever they got into a real bind, just in time but not before. He did this for others in the building as well. The really weird part is Gaige always found this guy up early before everyone else praying, of all things -- something Gaige had given up on soon after things "went south" in his own life. 

At first Gaige was put off by all this "good deed" stuff, but over time he got to know Josh, and eventually got over his distrust -- I mean who would really do all this and not have an ulterior motive, right?! 

As time went on there were other hints of Josh's true identity (bright, skilled with seemingly unlimited resources) but Gaige simply never picked up on it. They just didn't match up with who he thought Josh was. When anything weird or out of character came up, Gaige wrote it off as his overly active imagination or Josh messing with him. Over time, the hints became more obvious to the point that Gaige was beginning to suspect something, but not exactly sure what. It took 3 full years before Gaige finally got around to asking Josh what was going on. Josh was glad to explain about his real identity -- even hoping for the question, and how he heard about Gaige through his brother Joe that attended one of his workshops. He also gave direct hints to his ridiculously unimaginable wealth.

Now he had Gaige's full attention and curiosity. He wondered, "Why was Josh doing this? What was in it for him?" Even though Josh had increasingly dropped hints before, Gaige listened this time and really heard him for the first time. After watching him for three years He had come to trust this guy was for real and genuinely cared about others. Actually, Gaige's increased trust was the main reason he finally heard him.

Josh offered to bring Gaige back to live on his own property so he could rest up and heal. Without giving a lot of details, he told Gaige, "there's plenty of room, in fact, you could even have your own place!" Josh said he'd be nearby in his place and glad to visit any time. Still a little suspicious and cautious Gaige started to get excited and after hearing more agree to go. 

"Could this really be happening!?" wondered Gaige. "Anything was better than the current setup, but this is crazy." He figured what did he have to lose? Plans were made to head out the following day.

In the morning Josh sent Gaige out to grab a few things for the trip. Ironically, while Gaige was away, a gang of drug dealers were in the area looking for Gaige and broke into his place. 

It turns out a few days before Josh showed up 3 years earlier, Gaige had accidentally killed a member of this gang during a botched robbery at their hang out. When Gaige broke in, no one was supposed to be there. But one of the gang members was left behind to guard their stash. When Gaige broke in, they got into a tussle and this member accidentally fell down the stairwell and broke his neck. Gaige checked on him but he was gone. He scrambled out quickly undetected...or so he thought. 

When the gang returned they found their friend dead and put the word out on the streets if anyone saw someone come or go while they were out. Someone nearby said they heard a scuffle and had seen Gaige leave that day. Over 3 years later this same guy spotted Gaige in a different part of town the day before he and Josh were to leave and let the gang know that night. The gang made their plans to go after him the next day, the same day Gaige and Josh were to head out. When the gang arrived they found Josh, not Gaige. After some discussion, they decided to beat Josh to death - since Gaige killed their friend, to get even and send a message to Gaige that he was next.  

When Gaige returned he immediately saw his door had been busted in. Rushing inside he found Josh on the floor badly beaten, bruised, and laying in a pool of blood -- he was still alive, barely. Frantically Gaige rushed out to the street to borrow someone's cell phone and call 911. When he went back in it appeared Josh had stopped breathing. After several minutes trying to revive him, he was about to give up when the paramedics finally arrived. They also tried for several minutes, but it was too late. Josh was gone. The paramedics took Josh's body to the city morgue. 

Gaige was stunned. After several hours of numbness and shock, he reached out to someone he knew that worked at the morgue. Gaige asked if he could help sneak Josh's body out. 

Gaige had no money to give Josh a formal burial and didn't know how to reach his dad -- he just found out the day before that Josh's dad was also extremely wealthy. In the excitement and rush, Gaige never thought to get his dad's contact information. Gaige wound up burying him in a plot offered by the guy at the morgue -- someone Josh helped get the job there a few months back. 

Gaige now had the burden not only of losing his best friend but how was he going to reach his dad. What would his dad wonder if he can't and his son didn't return.

Everything was suffocatingly overwhelming. A heavy depression came over Gaige. Not only had he lost what turned out to be his best friend but Gaiges life was back to a miserable mess again with no hope of change. After three days he couldn't handle it and decided to take his life. As Gaige was pondering how to end it, Josh mysteriously and suddenly showed up in the middle of his room. No knock, no footsteps...nothing. To say Gaige was speechless would be an understatement. Not only was Josh alive but he looked better and stronger than before, almost superhuman. Seeing Gaige's utter confusion and disbelief Josh reached out to hug him saying, "remember the gash in the back of my head? -- bending forward -- Check it out!" Gaige did and sure enough, even though there was a scar, it was better than new. Considering Josh was all bloodied and swollen just three days earlier Gaige was blown away. 

Giving Gaige a few moments to at least partially recover from the shock Josh again extended the offer to come back to live with him. With great relief and excitement, but still puzzled, Gaige quickly agreed -- in case the gang returned -- and grabbed what few things he had and together they headed out, never looking back. 

After a couple days of travel -- Josh covering the cost -- Josh pointed out the plane window an island they were coming up to and said "here we are." "You've got to be kidding me," Gaige accidentally thought out loud while looking out the window.  Finally, after crossing the length of the island they landed on a well keep private runway. Gaige also discovered Josh didn't just live here but owned the whole island. Not just any island but a pristine tropical island about the size of Kauai. There was literally enough room for thousands of people to live here -- much less one -- without ever bumping into each other. The island was a paradise, loaded with all kinds of fruit trees, some neither he or anyone had ever even seen, along with lush gardens, tons of wildlife -- much of which he didn't recognize, at least not like this (everything he did recognize was bigger, more colorful or more fragrant here). There were also several spring-fed streams that emptied into a couple of huge lakes, bursting with all kinds of fish. There was even a huge snow-covered mountain near the middle of the island. There were waterfalls and valleys everywhere with plenty of level and cleared areas for farming as well. The weather and conditions were perfect, usually in the upper 70's to low 80's by day and low 60's by night. Gaige had never smelled air or tasted water so fresh and invigorating. After a couple of days, he noticed they seemed to infuse new life with every breath and drink.

It turns out, after several days, all Gaige's physical disabilities completely cleared up. In fact, he grew stronger by the day.. Eventually, he was so healed he never get sick again. He no longer had any aches or pains. He also noticed he didn't even get tired anymore. Things got increasingly better as time went on and Gaige actually started to get younger after a few months and revert to his prime in his former life -- around his late 20's -- but even stronger and more alert. He couldn't remember ever feeling better, stronger or more alive. After living there a while he also found out no one dies here, ever. Something about this place -- or maybe it was someone -- kept everyone alive and vibrant.

"This is only part of the landholdings of my dad and me," Josh explained during one of many conversations. After being there several days to let it all soak in, Josh told Gaige, "the island is yours to cultivate, enjoy and share with others. You are also free to come and go to the other places my father and I own. If you wish you even have the option of exploring and cultivating other properties." 

A few days later Josh tells Gaige, "there are others on their own islands nearby." Over time Gaige developed great friendships with all of them, traveling back-and-forth freely between the different islands, enjoying extended stays, visits, adventures, and projects together. What was really cool is he was able to travel by some kind of mental transport if he wanted to (or fly or sail if he preferred, both solar powered). By just thinking it, within seconds he was at the new location. He discovered these new friends had similar stories on how they got there, and his mutual love and adoration for Josh, his former "homeless" friend, grew more with each new story.

Josh also visited with Gaige regularly and went on adventures with him whenever and wherever they wished, as often as Gaige desired. Gaige simply thought about him coming over -- kind of mental telepathy and prayer wrapped in one -- and Josh was there as soon as Gaige was ready. It was as if Josh knew in advance what Gage was thinking and was just waiting for him to invite Josh over.  

After several extended conversations, Josh told Gaige he is free to stay here forever. In fact, he reveals to him this was his plan from the first day he showed up at the abandoned building Gaige lived in. 

Gaige is shocked when he also found out Josh heard on the streets the gang figured out the day before they were planning to leave, where Gaige lived and was coming to kill him that day. That's why Josh sent him out on errands so Gaige would be spared and Josh be killed instead. In fact, this was the necessary and decided plan between Josh and his father from the start, in order to bring Gaige to this new place. It turns out there could be no unresolved debts, obligations or offenses of any kind from the past in order to live there. So he deliberately allowed the consequence of Gaige's offense to be taken out on him. Plus Gaige would never have the resources necessary to rent even a small place on this island, much less own the whole blasted thing.

For those hearing this for the first time, some may be wondering how Josh come back to life? Well, let's just say it has to do with the strength and power of the love Josh's Father had for Josh and he for his Father. A love so intense and powerful it actually somehow generates life itself. Crazy right?! Gaige also finds out this very same love is mysteriously the source of the life and beauty of this breathtaking new place he is now living in. 

It turns out Josh and his Father not only own this chain of islands Gaige lived among but actually own the entire world the islands are on. In fact, they own an unlimited number of worlds like it, but different at the same time. Worlds Gaige was free to travel to and visit by that same crazy mental telepathy thing. Each planet was equally exotic yet totally unique. Some were mountainous or winter wonderlands and some were entirely water but most were a combination of various climates and geographies. 

As Gaige considers all that his "homeless" friend has told him and takes it all in, Josh and Gaige both stand there together smiling, Gaige's eyes watering up in joy with a huge grin breaking out on his face so big it would normally hurt but doesn't -- it only increases his longing and pleasure -- because there's simply no pain in this new place. 

This is not

THE END… 

Just the beginning.

"...Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."  And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 

And he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment." Rev 21:1-6

*The name Joshua is equivalent to Jesus, also pronounced yehōshūa. It means “Yahweh is deliverance” or “opulence”

Fidus amor is latin for “true love”... “Fin amor”, is “derived from Latin fidus, ‘faithful’. Originally, fin amor ment "admirable and refined" because it was faithful, by definition. So the term, fin amor, comes from Latin, as do many other word constructions in the romance languages.

Gaige (gauge) suggests someone calculated and measured.

Latin definition for: patiens

1.     patient/long-suffering

2.     submissive/liable/susceptible to

3.     tolerant/easy-going

Once they got settled in at the island Josh gave Gaige a new 1st name - Pret, short for Pretium (which is Latin for redemption, ransom, price, value, ransoming, reward). But that's covered in another story.