Welcome to the Whyte House Family Spoken Novels podcast episode #133. Today we are reading chapter 25 of the novel “…And Family Drama Just Won’t Stop III” by Daniel Whyte III with Meriqua Whyte.
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“Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.” – Ecclesiastes 4:6
Anise felt a churning in her stomach all weekend, but she also felt a churning in her conscience as she dragged herself around the house all day on Saturday. To make matters worse, Leanne called her on the phone early Sunday morning before she could pull herself out of bed.
“Hey, Anise! Just calling to make sure you’re going to be in church this morning.”
“I don’t know if I’ll be there. I went to bed not feeling well, and I still don’t feel well this morning,” Anise said.
“Why don’t you go ahead and come on out. Sometimes a good dose of church will help you get to feeling better,” Leanne said. “In fact, you might be amazed at how much better you feel after worshipping God and hearing all of that great singing and preaching.”
“Not this time. But I do thank you for calling. Just pray for me.”
“Okay, I will. Want me to ask Pastor Jonathan to stop by?”
“Oh no, no, that will not be necessary. I’m sure I’ll be feeling better by tomorrow.”
“Alright then,” Leanne said. “I’m going to call Karol and encourage her to come on out.”
“You do that,” Anise said. Thank God she didn’t ask too many questions. Anise crawled out of bed and trudged to the bathroom.
After the morning worship services, which sent the congregants home with their spirits uplifted and a song in their hearts, Leanne walked with Karol to Jonathan’s office.
“I’ve been needing some advice on family matters,” Karol told Leanne.
“Come on in,” Jonathan said as Karol knocked on the slightly open door.
Once she got home, Leanne gave Anise a call. “You missed an uplifting service. People were just shouting and clapping and stomping their feet. I thought I was in a Pentecostal church. I wish you could have been there.”
“I wish I could have been there, too,” Anise said.
“You’re sounding better,” Leanne said.
“Yeah, a little.” Anise feigned weakness in her voice.
“I’m glad.”
“How did Karol enjoy the services?” Anise asked.
“She enjoyed it tremendously. I walked her to Pastor Jonathan’s office after services. She said she needed some advice on family matters.”
Mmm. Advice in his office, Anise thought. “I thought he did not counsel people on Sundays,” she said. “At least that’s what he told me when I tried to get some counseling after church one Sunday.”
“That may be his policy; but he was waiting for her in his office when we got there,” Leanne said.
“Was there anyone in the office with them?” Anise asked.
Leanne sighed. “Anise, what’s that to us?”
“Well, when I tried to talk with him alone about me and Melvin, he was quite firm in telling me he only counseled females by themselves with the door open and with the secretary at her desk. He would only close the door if Melvin was with me or if his wife or another lady from the church was in the room.”
“There’s nothing wrong with his policy. However, I left, so maybe his wife was on her way there,” Leanne said.
“Well, you can’t trust people nowadays to keep your business private,” Anise said.
“You could have had me in there with you,” Leanne said. “Don’t you trust me?”
Ignoring Leanne’s question, Anise continued. “You said she went into his office and closed the door?”
“I said nothing about him closing the door, but if that’s so important to you, yes, he told her to close the door behind her. What are you so tied up in knots about, Anise? Who don’t you trust? Pastor Jonathan, Karol, or yourself?” After not receiving a response from Anise, Leanne hung up the phone.
Anise sat with a blank expression on her face. So that’s why he’s been ignoring me. That’s why he didn’t want to counsel me in his office with the door closed. He has something going on with Ms. High-Butt Karol Reels. I mean, who does she think she is just coming into the church and having the audacity to hit on my pastor. I will see how long she plans on running him down because I’ll stop her in her tracks.
To add to her woes, Anise received a disturbing phone call later that evening.
“Who are you again?” she asked after the caller identified himself.
“I used to be assistant pastor at Ninth Street with Pastor Kirby.”
“Yes. I believe you left when I was just coming into the church. Your name sounds familiar,” Anise said. “Now, how did you get my number? I don’t recall giving it to you.”
“Oh, I have my means,” Cam said laughing. “I’ll quickly state my business. I’m calling to invite you to move your membership from Ninth Street to the new Ninth Street North. All those who have left Ninth Street are over here with me. I know for a fact that Pastor Jonathan is going to end up like Pastor Kirby. I also know for a fact that one lady is already making a move on him.”
Anise’s mind immediately went to Karol. Well, he wouldn’t know that. Karol just started coming to the church.
“Cam, I don’t know what you are up to, but I am not interested in leaving Ninth Street,” Anise said.
“What if I make you a proposition?”
“Go on.”
“Do you remember the evening you were in Kirby’s office with your blue blouse unbuttoned, and . . .”
Anise held her breath and closed her eyes. She felt lightheaded as Cam’s words bombarded every cell in her brain.
“. . . you don’t want me to tell your husband, do you? Or worse, yet, you don’t want it all over the six o’clock news, do you? Or worse, still: what if it gets worldwide coverage via the internet?”
“Exactly what do you want, Cam?” Anise’s voice was quiet.
“What I want is simple: just move your membership to my church. Here’s the address. I look forward to seeing you this Sunday.”
Searching for a way out, Anise asked, “What about my husband? What if he refuses to come with me? You know we’re supposed to be one.”
“I’m sure you’ll figure something out,” Cam said. “I’ll see you next Sunday. Have a great evening.”
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Thank you for joining us for this episode of Whyte House Family stories. You may purchase a copy of this novel and any other Christian fiction books read on this podcast from Amazon.com.
Now, dear listener, please know that God—the divine Author of all things—wants to write a great story with your life as well. But first you must give Him the pen by trusting Him with the life He gave you and surrendering your heart to Jesus Christ as Savior. Here is how:
1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.
If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
May God bless you until next time.
BCNN1 WP 