Welcome to the Whyte House Family Spoken Novels podcast: Holiday Edition episode #60. Today we are reading chapter 3 of the book “I’m Dreaming of a Black Christmas” by Daniel Whyte III with Meriqua Whyte.
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Cassandra was home with Grant Lee within the next few days. Her mother, not able to keep her thoughts to herself, had a serious talk with her.
“Cassandra, you really pulled one on us. I was not expecting this. But, now that you have had the baby, I can’t allow you to have any contact with Grant.”
“Why not, Mother?”
“That will not look good on us. Have you ever thought he got you pregnant because maybe he wants access to your money?”
“How could you think that? He’s not that kind of person,” Cassandra said. “Besides that, they probably have just as much money as we have. His dad is a pastor as well, and owner of a restaurant business on the other side of the tracks. Besides, is that all you’re concerned about — looking good before people?”
“Cassandra, this is going to bring shame upon the family if it gets out into the community. We have accepted the baby, but we can’t let Grant become a part of our family,” her mother said. “That is absolutely out of the question. Your father may lose his position as pastor of the First Baptist Church because you had a baby out of wedlock. But he will definitely lose his position as pastor, and lose his job at the bank, and be run out of town if we let you marry a black boy.”
Cassandra could not believe what she was hearing. “Grant has about two weeks before he leaves for Florida. I want him to spend as much time as he can with his son.”
“Can’t you see what is happening?” her mother asked. “He’s going to leave for Florida and will be gone for at least four years. He is going to do like all these sorry, immature, no good, black men we have heard about — get another girl and forget you even exist and forget that he has a son. Then you’ll be hurt and sad around here for years, languishing and longing for something that you cannot have. Is that what you really want?”
“Grant is not like that, mother, and never will be. All I want is for you and father to accept him as the father of our child.”
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Grant spent as much time as he could on the phone with Cassandra over the next two weeks. At his father’s advice, he had his mother to write a letter which stated his intent to love, care for, and support his child financially. The letter also asked for free access to see Grant Lee from time to time.
“I feel this is important for you to do because of the social stigma that is placed on young black men. You have to prove to them that you are not like many other young black men in our community. You have to go the extra mile,” Mr. Barnett said to his son. “You could tell by the look on their faces that they do not approve of you.”
“Do you think it would make a difference if I go ahead and propose to her?”
“No, son. Only God can change a person’s heart. What you need to do is confess your own sins and failures, ask God for forgiveness, and pray that God will work out this situation for His good. Let’s go. I will drive with you to deliver the letter.”
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Mr. Nichols answered the doorbell when the Barnetts delivered the letter.
“I would appreciate it if you would read it now,” Grant said.
Mr. Nichols did as was asked. He frowned as he refolded the letter and placed it back in its envelope. “Thank you,” was all he said.
“Would it be possible for me to see Cassandra, sir?” Grant asked.
“She’s busy right now,” Mrs. Nichols said. She had walked up behind her husband.
“If you don’t mind, Mrs. Nichols, I’ll be leaving for Florida soon. I just wanted to see my son and make some arrangements with your daughter,” Grant said.
“Well, you can’t see either of them right now. Like I said, she is busy,” Mrs. Nichols insisted.
“Come on, son,” Mr. Barnett said to his son laying a hand on his shoulder.
Before Grant stepped into his car, he glanced up at the middle window on the upper level. He was certain he saw the curtain move back in place.
Natalie Nichols took the letter from her husband and read it. She tossed it in the trash. “He’s just trying to make himself look good so he can marry our daughter.”
Benjamin retrieved the letter from the trash when his wife was not looking. He placed it in his filing cabinet in his office.
Natalie had a mind to take Cassandra’s phone from her but decided to let her hang on to it for the time being. She, however, limited her time out of the house over the next two weeks. “You can only go out if your father or me or Prudence is with you. We can’t risk you having any further contact with that boy.”
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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 