Welcome to the Whyte House Family Spoken Novels podcast episode #250. Today we are reading chapter 20 of the novel “I Need Someone to Pray with Me” by Daniel Whyte III with Meriqua Whyte.
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Roger turned up unexpectedly at Katrina Bervoski’s to take Aubrey out for an early lunch.
Thank God he did not bring that big Hummer, Aubrey sighed as she slid into the smooth leather seat of his Maxima.
“Surprised?” he asked reaching over to kiss her on the cheek.
“Yes,” smiled Aubrey. “Where to?”
“Billy Jr’s,” Roger said. “By the way, I’m sorry for being so abrupt with you the other day. I wasn’t thoughtful, and you’re right, I need to pray more. Why don’t you pray for safety while we’re out.”
Aubrey couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Maybe God was answering her prayer to help Roger see the importance of communicating with God. Wait till the girls hear about this, she thought.
The food at Billy Jr’s wasn’t the healthiest, but Aubrey enjoyed every bite. “Are you trying to send me to an early grave?” she asked with a grin as she cleared her plate of the baby back ribs, green beans, and pork and beans they had ordered. Billy Jr. certainly lived up to its reputation for serving the best barbecue in town.
Aubrey ended up eating most of her meal alone, while Roger chatted with Billy Jr. by the buffet counter. Aubrey noticed Billy Jr. slipping him another brown bag. Despite the talk she had with her mother and Simone, Aubrey believed in giving people a second chance. She resolved to keep praying for Roger.
“Thanks for taking me out, Roger,” Aubrey said as she buckled in once they had paid for their meal and left the restaurant. “But I need to get back to my job now.”
“I know you’re running late, but I need to fill my gas tank up. You stay put while I go pump the gas.”
Aubrey, curious about the brown bag — even though by now she could accurately guess at its contents — opened the glove compartment where Roger had placed it. She took a quick peek. With her curiosity satisfied, she closed the glove compartment and pretended to search in her pocketbook for something to read. When Roger returned to the car, she was reading her New Testament.
“Nothing like reading the Bible to keep one calm and in their right mind,” he said patting her hand. Aubrey nodded soberly, trying not to smile.
After letting her out of the car at Bervoski’s, Roger rolled down his window and called out, “Be ready to go by six on Saturday.”
Aubrey nodded and waved. Despite feeling good about Roger’s words, she was conflicted about the drug habit he was trying to hide.
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Mother Jamison stopped at the grocery store after visiting a couple of church members who had been sick recently. She was picking up some items to take back for a working single mother who had just joined the church. Stopping midway down the cereal aisle, she wondered, Now how am I going to get that instant oatmeal down from the top shelf? Turning to see if there was an employee close by, she saw a man coming down the aisle. As he came closer, Mother Jamison smiled. It had been a while, but she recognized him. “Mr. Quintin Rodney, how are you?”
The man stopped. “Obviously our paths have crossed before,” he hesitated, “but I can’t remember your name.”
“That’s all right. It’s been nearly a year since we last saw each other. My name’s Jamison—Mother Jamison.”
“Oh, yes. I remember you now,” he said giving her a warm handshake. “How have you been doing? And how’s your daughter doing?”
“Wonderful! Just wonderful!” Mother Jamison said. “Aubrey has gone on with her life. She’s doing a great job at Bervoski’s Interior Design, and because of the sound advice you gave her, she started and now heads the Restoration Reset Ministry at our church which provides counseling and a time of sharing and encouragement for abused women. They meet every Saturday.”
“That’s wonderful to hear,” Quintin Rodney said.
Opening her purse, Mother Jamison pulled out a card with information about Mt. Shiloh United Methodist. “Here’s my personal invitation for you to visit us on Sunday,” Mother Jamison said handing him the card.
Mother Jamison and Mr. Rodney chatted a while longer before going their separate ways. “Be sure to tell Aubrey I said ‘hello,’ and I’ll be visiting your church, if not this Sunday, definitely next Sunday.”
“I will give Aubrey your message and I’ll be looking to see you there,” Mother Jamison said. “Oh, I almost forgot, would you mind getting that oatmeal for me?”
“Sure,” Quintin Rodney chuckled.
Mother Jamison could hardly wait to tell Aubrey about her chance meeting with Quintin Rodney.
“He’s the last person I expected to see in a grocery store of all places,” she said to Aubrey and Simone that evening.
“What are you smiling about, Simone?” Aubrey asked her.
“Ask and it shall be given unto you,” Simone said. “I see a bright future ahead for you, Aubrey, if you play your cards right. Roger out; Quintin in. Wait till I tell Kelli and Jennifer.”
Amused, Aubrey just shook her head.
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Roger again turned up unexpectedly at Aubrey’s workplace on Friday to take her out for a surprise lunch meal.
“Roger, I appreciate you thinking about me — I really do,” Aubrey said. “But I can’t go with you today. I’m meeting with a client in fifteen minutes. This is the only time they could meet with me this week. Plus, you said six on Saturday.”
“I’m sure you can cancel. Here, use my phone,” Roger said holding out his cellphone.
Aubrey pushed it away. “No, Roger. I have to meet with them. It’ll be at least two hours before we’re done.”
“Well, you’re coming out with me for lunch now. I’ll have you back in time,” Roger said taking Aubrey firmly by the arm. He gripped her so tightly that it began to hurt. If there was one thing Roger hated, it was being refused by a girl.
“Roger, I said not today and I mean it.” Aubrey jerked her arm out of his grip. “Like I explained to you before, you can’t expect me to jump at your every beck and call; I have other obligations.”
“Well, I want you to be ready to go when I’m ready to go.”
“Look, Roger,” Aubrey said as calmly as she could, “I do not mind going out with you and I love surprises. All I’m saying is, I’d really appreciate it if you’d be considerate enough to call me ahead of time. Then we can plan better. I’m not always available when you want me to be. I have a job to do here as well.”
“Do you have something to hide?”
“No, I have nothing to hide. My life is an open book, and if you’re implying that I’m sneaking around and seeing someone else, you’re wrong. I don’t sneak around.”
“It’s that Kelvin guy, isn’t it?” Roger said.
Aubrey could not believe what she was hearing. “You must be on drugs,” she blurted out.
Roger grimaced. “Girl, I can make it difficult for you if you don’t do what I want.”
Aubrey swung around and speed-walked back to her office. Looks like he needs a lot more prayer, she thought.
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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:
- 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.”
- Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
- 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.”
- 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.”
- 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.”
- 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.
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