Been There Prayed That:

Book 2: New Day Divas

by E.N. Joy

Genres: African American Christian; Christian Fiction

Synopsis

Mother Doreen has left New Day Temple of Faith in Malvonia, Ohio, and moved to Kentucky to help her diabetic sister. Her sister's husband, a truck driver, pretty much lives on the road. Mother Doreen feels in her spirit that she's needed to intervene on her sister's behalf, especially when the assistant pastor of her sister's church seems to be there just a little bit too much. Her suspicions really grow when her sister's belly does too. Is it Mother Doreen's spirit of discernment warning her that things in her sister's home and church aren't what they seem, or is Mother Doreen just a busybody church mother sticking her nose where it doesn't belong? Back in Malvonia, Tamarra and Maeyl's relationship is moving along nicely. She even has a feeling that the man she knows god placed in her life is going to propose to her. But suspicions arise when someone from Maeyl's past shows up at New Day Temple of Faith, unexpected and unwelcomed. Will their relationship be able to withstand the strain? Follow the New Day Divas series by E.N. Joy as this soap opera brings back these and all of your other favorite blessed and highly favored characters. Their antics will keep you entertained until the very end.

Release date: February 1, 2013

Publisher: End of the Rainbow Projects

Print pages: 256

Sample

“What the Jack Daniels was Mother Doreen thinking when she vouched for this woman to be the new leader of the New Day Single’s Ministry?” Unique spoke in a loud whisper to the woman next to her who responded with a shrug, wondering the same thing herself. “Better yet, what was Pastor thinking to approve such a thing?” Rolling her eyes, she added, “Heck! For that matter, they could have named me leader, seeming just any ol’ everybody can lead a ministry around here these days. Do you even have to be a member of the church to be a leader anymore?” Once again, the woman she was venting to shrugged.

The room was full of hushed whispers, teeth sucking, neck snapping, and eye rolling as Sister Lorain took the podium in front of the twenty-five members of the New Day Temple of Faith Single’s Ministry. She appeared oblivious to all that was going on around her. Instead, she was delighting in the fact that she was doing God’s kingdom work. She was a leader in a church; a place not too long ago she thought she’d never step foot in, let alone be operating a ministry. But here she stood, holding the torch, or as church folk would say, the mantel. It had been passed down to her from Mother Doreen, the former leader of the New Day Single’s Ministry.

It was a new day all right. With this being only her second meeting since taking over as the new leader, several men had joined the ministry, which was something the past leader had been unable to achieve. Up until recently, the ministry had consisted of nothing but single women. Today, although the men remained out numbered, there were at least seven of them.

Lorain credited this now co-ed ministry to God for moving her to personally invite the single men of the congregation to join the ministry. But some of the other women—most of the other women—okay, all of the other women—credited her short skirts, three-inch pumps, and low cut blouses for the sudden increase in male attendance. And those Mary Kay cosmetics she sold on the side and tried to push on the women at every church function was partly to blame as well.

Although all the women thought these things about Lorain, only Unique was bold enough to say it out loud, with the intent of Sister Lorain overhearing her. But Sister Lorain seemed completely unaware of all the negative energy and comments being made around her and about her. So Unique figured the next time she’d have to say it even louder.

The young twenty-two-year-old, Unique, was raised in project housing in Columbus, Ohio that was now called Rosewind Terrace, but would always be known as the former Windsor Terrace. A mother of three children with three different fathers, Unique was one of the less diplomatic members of the ministry. And it had nothing to do with the fact that she was raised in the projects, but had everything to do with the way she was raised by her single mother of five children with five different fathers.

It was only two years ago when Unique moved to Malvonia, Ohio with her sister, who was also a single mother of two children with two different fathers, that she began to change her ways for the better. Prior to moving in with her sister, Unique had been evicted from her apartment for nonpayment of rent, which had only been twenty-five dollars a month thanks to her Section 8 Housing voucher that paid the bulk of the rent. But between her drinking, smoking weed, and paying babysitters while she went out partying, Unique never even had twenty-five dollars left over from her welfare check to pay the rent.

Unique’s sister took her and her kids in with opened arms the day the sheriff came with an order that allowed for all of her and her children’s belongings to be placed on the sidewalk. Now, two years later, the seven of them were still making the best of the three bedroom finished basement house her sister was leasing.

Unique was still on welfare. She was no longer partying like she used to, although she’d hit the club every now and then if one of her girlfriends in Columbus called her up and talked her into doing so. These occasional nights out with the girls sometimes led to a little bit of smoking and a drink or two. But since getting saved, joining New Day, and getting baptized a year and a half ago, she’d made great strides toward giving up things of old. With her occasional backsliding she was nowhere near where she needed to be in Christ, but she was far from where she used to be. But no one judged her then, and no one judged her now. Nope, nobody at New Day judged anybody . . . with the exception of Sister Lorain that is. So it was probably safe to say that things were about to change up in New Day Temple of Faith.

As Sister Lorain opened up the meeting in prayer, invisible stones, shattering glass house after glass house, hurled through the room.

Yes, indeed. Judgment day was near.

“I don’t know what I would have done had you not been by my side.”

“Them are words for Jesus only.” Mother Doreen entered her younger sister Bethany’s hospital room just in time to hear her sister speak those words to the man that sat at her bedside.

With a bouquet of fresh cut flowers in hand that she’d just picked up at Floweroma on her way to the hospital, Mother Doreen continued speaking. “No man on earth is deserving to have those words spoken to him.” Mother Doreen looked the man at her sister’s bedside up and down. “Not even a pastor.”

“Mother Doreen, it’s a blessing to see you on this fine day that the Lord has made. It’s even better to see you glad and rejoicing in it.”

Mother Doreen’s eyes narrowed. Was the good pastor being sarcastic, she wondered?

Pastor Frey stood from the chair next to Bethany’s bed he’d been sitting in for the past hour. He held in a smirk. He had to admit that his comment drooled with sarcasm. He silently repented to the Lord. He then offered the seat to Mother Doreen with a gesture of his hand.

“No thanks. I’ll stand.” Mother Doreen rolled her eyes and proceeded to arrange the small flower bouquet she’d placed in the window sill. “I don’t want to sit in that chair and get them spirits all over me,” she mumbled to herself.

Clearing his throat, Pastor Frey looked to Bethany and said, “I, uh, guess I better get going now that you have company. Besides, I have to teach Bible Study this week plus give the word on Sunday. I need to go get with God.”

“Well, thank you for stopping by.” Bethany extended her hand to Pastor Frey. “I know you’re a busy man.”

Taking Bethany’s hand into his and patting it, Pastor Frey replied, “A pastor’s work is never done. But checking in on the sick and shut in members is part of it, so I don’t mind at all.”

“Assistant pastor,” Mother Doreen chimed in as both Bethany and Pastor Frey looked over at her. “An assistant pastor’s work is never done. And you are just the assistant pastor of Living Word, Living Waters; correct?”

Straightening his tie that was already straight, Pastor Frey uncomfortably replied with a, “Well, uh, yes. I’m just sitting in for Pastor Davidson while he’s in consecration this week. ”

“But a pastor nonetheless,” Bethany said in the assistant pastor of her church’s defense while cutting eyes at Mother Doreen. She then turned toward Pastor Frey. “And a fine pastor you are.” Pastor Frey returned the smile.

“Speaking of fine,” Mother Doreen chimed in, directing her attention to Bethany, “Child, that mighty fine husband of yours called the house this morning to talk to the kids before I got them off to school.”

“Did he?” Bethany asked, removing her hand from Pastor Frey’s once she realized that it was still resting there.

“He did indeed. He says he hopes to finish his truck run a day early, which will put him back in town in two days instead of three.” Mother Doreen walked over to Bethany and stood by her side. “That’s a good man you got, Bethany. God must really love you so to bless you with someone who spends days in and days out driving that big ol’ semi truck across the country in order to provide for his family. It can’t be easy for a man to be away from his wife and children for so long.” Mother Doreen directed her next comment to Pastor Frey. “Just as soon as God blesses you with a wife and family of your own, Pastor Frey, you’ll know what I mean; spending all that time with God and doing God’s work and all will trump the time you can spend with your family.”

Straightening his already straightened tie one more time, Pastor Frey excused himself without responding to Mother Doreen’s comment. “Well, ladies, enjoy the rest of your day, and God bless.”

“Thanks again for stopping by to check on me,” Bethany called out to Pastor Frey as he exited the room nodding a You’re welcome. Bethany immediately turned her attention to her sister once Pastor Frey was out of sight. “What is wrong with you, woman of God?” Bethany spat.

“I’m just fine.” Mother Doreen proceeded to fluff up Bethany’s pillows behind her head. “Is that comfortable enough for you? I can always ask the nurse for another pillow.”

“I’m fine, Reen,” Bethany said, calling Mother Doreen by her family nickname, “but I beg to differ the same about you.”

A confused look covered Mother Doreen’s soft facial expression. She pat down her salt and pepper ear length hair that she wore in a roller set. Some of the curls fell on her olive colored forehead. Petite, calm, and passive was how Mother Doreen had once been described. But these days she had a holy boldness about her that seemed to have turned her into a ball of fire.

“How do you do that?” Bethany seemed agitated as her olive colored skin appeared tainted with a touch of red. She was the spittin’ image of her older sister, minus the salt and pepper hair. Her hair was still its natural brown.

“Do what?”

“Go from being as sweet as southern sweet tea to as sour as a box of Lemon Heads. This just isn’t like you, sis. I mean, you are the kindest and most caring woman I know. You were always the peacemaker between Mama and Daddy’s four daughters. Between everybody. Now all of a sudden you’re a hell raiser.”

“Child, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Mother Doreen said in the most genuine tone.

Bethany observed her sister’s expression for a moment; the sincerity of it. It was at that moment that she knew her sister didn’t realize how out of character she became whenever she was around Pastor Frey. “You really don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

Mother Doreen was clueless as to what Bethany was talking about. A peacemaker she was, so her sister accusing her of raising hell baffled her. She’d always been a calm, passive person, the voice of reason, so she had no idea where Bethany was coming from.

“Every time you get around Wallace, you act like a totally different person,” Bethany said.

“The devil is a liar,” Mother Doreen spat and shooed her hand as if her sister was talking nonsense. “You know me. I’ve always been the same person. I don’t put on a show for nobody. Not for the Lord, not for church folks, and certainly not for no Pastor Frey.”

“See there,” Bethany pointed at Mother Doreen in an accusatory manner, “that’s what I mean. Do you hear how you even say the man’s name? As if his name is laced with rat poison, and you’re gonna get poisoned and die just for allowing it to rest on your tongue.”

Mother Doreen just stood there, taking in Bethany’s words and playing back her own words and actions toward Past Frey. She wanted to examine her ways and see if there was any truth to what her sister was accusing her of. Had she been anything but Christlike when it came to Pastor Frey?

“That man has never done anything to you or said anything outside of a godly kind word,” Bethany continued. “I wish I could say the same for you. I always talk you up to him and my church family about what an awesome woman of God you are, and this is how you act. I’m embarrassed.” Bethany rolled her eyes and positioned herself to a point where her back was almost to Mother Doreen. “Now I’ve let you get away with it for over a month now, ever since you’ve been here. But it’s time for this nonsense to stop.”

There was silence while Bethany paused in order to allow her sister to digest her words. Bethany turned her head around slightly, only to see the regretful look that filled Mother Doreen’s eyes.

“Reen, I know how much you love me. You being the oldest, you always felt the need to take care of me. So I know it must make you a tad jealous to see others taking care of me. But the spirit of jealousy is not of God, so you’re going to have to let it go. Visiting and praying for the sick and the shut in is part of Pastor Frey’s duties as assistant pastor. That man has such a big heart, he’d do it even if it weren’t in the by-laws as part of his duties.” Bethany turned all the way back toward her sister. “I know you gave up your life in Ohio to come down here and take care of me, and I thank God for that. I need you, sis. No matter who else God sends to look out for me as well, I’ll always need you. So don’t ever think for one minute that your coming here was in vain.” Bethany extended her hand and smiled.

Mother Doreen rested her hand inside her sister’s and returned the smile. It was at that moment that Mother Doreen began to question her own behavior. Because Bethany was her only living sibling left, the other two having lost the battle to diabetes and high blood pressure, was she being over protective? Had she allowed her flesh to rise up so much that it overshadowed her spirit man? She could have sworn she’d heard clearly from God; that He’d sent her there to Kentucky to intercede on behalf of her sister. But had she allowed some deep rooted seed of jealousy to interfere with her assignment from the Lord?

“I’m sorry,” Mother Doreen apologized. She shook her head, wondering if she ever would have known just how ugly she had been acting had Bethany not pointed out her behavior.

Even though it wasn’t cause for her to be rude, she couldn’t deny that there was still something about Pastor Frey that didn’t sit well within her spirit. Bethany was right; the man had never been anything but kind to her, and his kindness toward her or anybody else she’d seen him interact with always appeared to be genuine. She’d seen him pray, praise, worship, exalt, teach, and preach God’s Word. Nothing about Pastor Frey appeared to be staged, phony, or make believe.

Confusion began to set in with Mother Doreen because although she was convinced that Pastor Frey was a man after God’s own heart, she was also convinced that he was after something else as well.

“He’s blessed me once. He’s blessed me twice. God has blessed me every day of my life. And if God don’t do nothing else, He’s done enough.”

Tamarra couldn’t believe that after all the time she’d known Paige, that Paige could sing the way she was singing today. Just a few weeks ago, when Paige had mentioned to her that she was going to join New Day’s praise and worship team, she thought about that white girl, Kim, on the reality show, The Real Housewives of Atlanta. Tamarra had never heard her best friend sing, hum, or even mention a desire to sing. So she didn’t know what to expect when just last week Paige informed her that she’d be singing her very first solo, and on Easter Sunday no less, when the sanctuary would be full for sure. Would Tamarra pretend that Paige really could sing like Sheree did with Kim on the television show, or would she keep it real like Ne Ne did? From the way Paige was hitting them notes and allowing the Lord to use her to bless His name, she knew she’d be able to keep it real.

Tamarra just couldn’t take sitting down any longer, so she rose to her feet. She’d been in awe while sitting; feet frozen to the ground. The persons on either side of her had been standing since the praise and worship team hit the first note. Not one to stand just because everybody else was standing, or even because her best friend was doing a solo, Tamarra had remained sitting. She preferred to sit, close her eyes, and allow the sweet song of the praise and worship team to summons the Spirit of the Lord into the sanctuary. Then she stood to show reverence to God.

For Tamarra, when the Holy Spirit showed up, sitting on that pew was no longer an option. Sitting on that pew was like sitting on God. It didn’t take someone yelling at her from the pulpit not to sit on God either. She didn’t stand for man, she stood for God. And at this very moment, the Lord had definitely showed up, and He’d used the voice of her best friend to invite Him there.

By the time Paige finished her song, the church was in a state of worship. The atmosphere had been set for New Day’s pastor to bring the Word forth, and a mighty Word it was. The pastor’s message was so powerful, that church went overtime by a half hour.

“I know we’re running a little late,” Pastor stated, “but don’t worry, I’m sure the buffet line at your favorite restaurant will shorten, and God has angels watching over that roast in the oven and food in the crock pot in your homes.”

The congregation let out a few chuckles and laughter at their pastor’s humor.

“But I can’t take it for granted that everyone in this place knows Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior,” Pastor continued, “so I can’t end service without first making an altar call.”

The pastor nodded to Maeyl in the sound booth, which was his signal to put on music conducive for altar call. After doing so, Maeyl exited the sound booth and stood in the aisle. Most of the ministers and leaders at New Day were women. Just in case some additional male assistance was needed during altar call, Maeyl always made sure he was close by, especially if Sister Perrin went up for prayer. She always seemed to fall out in the Spirit if Pastor just looked at her, let alone prayed for her.

Sister Perrin weighed all of three hundred pounds dry. So if she’d danced in the spirit and worked up a sweat, no telling how much she weighed. And Lord have mercy on the poor saints assigned to catch her before she hit the ground.

Tamarra had once overheard a couple of teens in the bathroom laughing and comparing Sister Perrin falling out in the Spirit to a bowling ball rolling down the aisle, hitting every last pin for a strike. After reminding the two teens that God didn’t like ugly, and once the girls were out of earshot, Tamarra had to muffle a few chuckles of her own.

Tamarra, knowing Maeyl’s regimen, looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, while trying not to admire his smooth bronze skin. But it was hard to ignore the features of the six foot tall, bald, goatee sporting man. Afterward, she thanked God for putting such a wonderful man in her life. They’d been through a lot in the time they’d been a couple, including a couple of break ups and make ups. They had faith that as long as they kept God first in their relationship, He would see them through a holy matrimony and a happily ever after. After all, He was in the process of doing it for Paige and her fiancé, Blake, so surely He’d do it for them.

“If there is anyone under the sound of my voice who wants to be saved today, who needs to be saved today, please make your way down to the altar,” the pastor requested as a hand-holding couple made their way down to the altar. “Praise God. Do we have anyone else? Don’t be embarrassed. This is not the time nor the season to be embarrassed. Planes are falling out of the sky. Boats are sinking. Animals are attacking. Fires are burning. Lightning is striking folks down. Tomorrow is not promised. Will you be ready? Come now. Come get ready.”

The pastor looked around to see if anyone else was making their way down to the altar. When no one stood, Pastor looked among the congregation and said, “Pray, saints. This is a matter of life and death. Intercessors, intercede. Pray, for the Spir. . .