Strongholds

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

  Fatima started to cry again. “I’m so glad I came today. I called yesterday to get an appointment with Pastor Landris. When they told me the waiting time, a month, I didn’t know what to do. Then she said there were others on staff I could talk to as early as the next day. I started to tell her I would just wait or to forget about it altogether. But then I remembered what Pastor Landris told us about a month ago regarding God’s desire to meet the needs of the people. That God could do that through anyone. It’s not just one certain one. I know God loves me. When she started telling me the people who were available, I felt in my heart I wanted to talk with a woman about this. I’m not putting the men down, but I just prayed God would send me to a woman who might really be able to minister to me and help me.”

  Fatima sipped some more water. “When she spoke your name, I knew I definitely didn’t want to talk to you.”

  “Really,” Johnnie Mae said with a smile.

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I felt like you were capable and you would be really good. I just didn’t know if I wanted to tell the pastor’s wife that I’ve been messing around with a married man. You know?”

  “I know.”

  “But God spoke to me and said for me to make the appointment with you,” Fatima said. “I was still a bit apprehensive. That’s why I got here so early. I was so nervous. Then I walked in on you praying, and I knew God had me come here on this day to talk with you.”

  “I’m glad I’m here as well.” Johnnie Mae touched her stomach. “Sorry. My baby just kicked pretty hard there.”

  Fatima laughed. “Do you think your baby was telling you to tell me to hurry up so the two of you can get out of here?”

  Johnnie Mae laughed a little. “I think I just need to stand up for a second to stretch.” She glanced at her watch. They had been talking for almost an hour and a half now.

  Fatima saw her glance at her watch. “Do you need to go? Have I exceeded my allotted time? I’m already feeling much better.”

  “No, no, no. We’re fine. I was just looking at my watch to see how much ground we’ve covered and the amount of time.” Johnnie Mae placed her hand behind her back and arched it. “You can talk if my standing up doesn’t bother you. I just need to take a little pressure off from sitting down.”

  “Your standing doesn’t bother me. I just don’t want to keep you too long.”

  “I’m fine. Really I am. Please, go on with your story.”

  “There’s not a whole lot left to tell. He was standing there with this beautiful cake. He had sent me all those flowers and that dress. But the greatest thing of all: he not only remembered my birthday, but he showed up for the first time in the three years we’ve been together, on my actual birthday. And he wanted to give me the whole day. Just me and him. For the first time ever, I would get an entire, uninterrupted day and night with him. That had to mean I meant something special to him…that he loved me, right?”

  Johnnie Mae smiled and waited. “So what happened?”

  “What happened? Well, he told me to go change into that stunning dress he’d bought me. We were going outside the city limits so we could go out in public and have a romantic time together without having to look over our shoulders. We were going to come back to my house later that night, and I don’t have to tell you what was planned to top the night off. And he would get up early in the middle of the morning, before the sun could break the day, and get back home to his wife and family without her ever being the wiser.” Fatima started to cry again. She grabbed up a handful of tissues and tried to plug the holes that seemed to be pouring tears now.

  “It’s okay. Get it all out. Let the Holy Spirit purge you. Just let it all out.”

  “I took the dress, headed up the stairs for my best birthday in years. And I suddenly stopped midway on the staircase. I turned around and looked at him. I mean, I really looked at him. And I heard the Spirit of the Lord say: ‘That’s not love, and that’s not my best for you.’ Then the Spirit said: ‘I would never do something like this to someone I love. This is not of me. I have better waiting for you.’ And I knew that man standing there didn’t truly love me. Not really. Love doesn’t hurt like that. I know that now. But I also knew from having read the scriptures profusely over these past few months, how much God loved me and what love really felt like. And it didn’t feel like that.” Fatima stood up just as Johnnie Mae sat down. She leaned on the back of her chair.

  “So, I walked back down those stairs. He was looking at me like I had lost my mind. And I gave him back that beautiful dress with all its tags still intact. I walked over to where the flowers sat, and I combined them into the one vase. It wasn’t as pretty that way, but it would be easier for him to carry. And I said to him: ‘I think your wife will appreciate these.’ Well, of course, he didn’t appreciate me saying that. But I told him I already had a date for my birthday with someone who truly loved me. And that I wouldn’t dare disappoint or disrespect the love shown me by continuing on with him. If he wasn’t married, it might be a different matter altogether. But he was. If his marriage wasn’t working out, it wasn’t my problem to solve or to try and make things better for him. That’s between the two of them. It was an A and B conversation, and I was C’ing my way out of it.” Fatima sat back down and stared into nothingness as she continued to speak.

  “I opened my front door. I didn’t say another word. And I let him walk out of my life. I then realized my stronghold was finally being broken. I was no longer being held captive. Does it still hurt? Yes. Like I can’t tell you how much. But for now, I’m working on me and being a better me. I realized I needed to become the woman I want my wonderful husband to be married to. And I’ve decided not to wait until my husband gets here to become that woman. I’m going to already be her when he finally does show up.”

  Johnnie Mae leaned over and pulled Fatima into a hug. “That was so good. That was so good.”

  Fatima sat up straight after the embrace. “And you know what? Until I sat here with you today, I didn’t realize those words were even inside me. I was holding all this in, but you said for me to get it out. Satan was torturing me because deep down, I felt he had something to hold over me. But being here with you like this, feeling the love of God the way I believe God intends for Christians to be with those who are hurting…you have no idea how much you have ministered to me this day. The scriptures I’ve been reading over these months, meditating on day and night—today, they became alive for me!”

  Johnnie Mae wiped away a tear that had started a journey down her own face. “Romans eight-one says, ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ Yes. Oh, yes. God is good. And I thank Him right now for showing me how He would have me to be with His people. Now, Fatima, the scripture says, I believe it’s in James…hold on a second.”

  Johnnie Mae opened the Bible that sat on the table and flipped the pages. “Yes, it’s James five-sixteen: ‘Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.’ I believe that, and we will pray together in just a moment. But I just scanned the rest of this chapter, and it says in verse seventeen, ‘Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.’ Just look at what God will do when we pray earnestly and fervently. Verse eighteen: ‘And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.’ Nineteen: ‘Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him’ twenty: ‘Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.’ And this…this, Fatima, is what you and I will do.”

  Johnnie Mae smiled. “We will pray it doesn’t rain, in the sense of your feelings for this man, and we will pray that God will open up the heaven for it to rain, which is to say God will send y
ou the man who will treat you the way you should be treated and love you the way Christ loves the church. Don’t you settle. Do you hear me? Don’t settle for anything less than God’s best. And one day, before you know it, the earth,” Johnnie Mae touched her stomach when she felt the baby kick, “will bring forth you fruit.”

  Fatima laughed. “I can actually feel the joy of the Lord,” she said. “I really do.”

  “Now,” Johnnie Mae said as she turned her chair squarely in front of Fatima, “I do have one Word God just placed on my heart to tell you: ‘Fatima Adams—Go, and sin no more.’ Now, what say you and I have that prayer?”

  They bowed their heads and fervently and reverently prayed.

  Fatima and Johnnie Mae walked out of the conference room.

  “Thank you so much,” Fatima said as she hugged Johnnie Mae again. “I feel, for the first time in a long time, free.”

  “Well, you know what they say: ‘Whom the Son sets free…’”

  “‘Is free indeed,’” Fatima said, finishing the sentence. “I feel so different. It’s like I’m in expectancy or something.”

  “Sort of like me,” Johnnie Mae said as she looked down at her expanding waistline. “One thing about expecting: you know something has to happen soon.”

  “That’s the truth. When is your due date?”

  “August fourteenth.”

  “Are you tired yet?”

  “A little. But it’s been a good pregnancy. I didn’t have a lot of morning sickness. Some…but not a lot. And of course, Pastor Landris has taken such great care of me. I’ve gotten to indulge in a few things I usually try to stay away from, like chocolate cake.”

  Fatima moaned. “Aaah, you too? That’s one of my weaknesses as well: chocolate cake. And I’m talking the fudge, rich, dark, glistening, semisweet chocolate kind, not the confectioner’s sugar, shortening or butter mixed with cocoa kind.”

  “Oh, you know it. Now look what you’ve gone and done. Made me hungry.” Johnnie Mae glanced at her watch. “Well, it’s eleven forty-five, almost lunchtime. I could stop by and see if Pastor Landris is available for lunch today. Or if he’s not and you want, we could go grab a bite.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me. I hope Pastor Landris can go with you, though, especially since I held you longer than my allotted time. You just don’t know how much I appreciate you for allowing me that extra hour or so. God is so good. And I don’t intend to disappoint Him or let Him down in any way if I can help it.”

  Johnnie Mae reached inside of her purse and pulled out a gold, metallic case. “Here’s my card,” she said, handing her one of her business cards. “If you need me, call or e-mail me.”

  “Thanks. But you’ve done so much; you really don’t have to do this. You truly are a jewel.” Fatima was about to put the card in her purse when it slipped out of her fingers and fluttered to the floor.

  “I got it,” a male voice said, quickly bending down and retrieving the card for her. He promptly handed it back to Fatima. “Here you are.”

  “Thanks,” Fatima said.

  “You’re Fatima Adams, aren’t you?” the man asked as he looked, now standing close to her.

  She eyed him with a quizzical look. “Yes.”

  “I didn’t realize that was you standing here. We went through new members’ class together, and we both attended that Hearing and Knowing God’s Voice Bible study at the end of last year. Remember? I’m Trent Howard.”

  Fatima smiled. “Yeah, your face does look familiar.”

  “I’m sure you probably don’t remember me. I’m usually pretty low-key. Kind of a fade in the background, behind the scenes sort of guy. I don’t make a lot of noise.”

  “Trent is truly a blessing to the ministry,” Johnnie Mae said. “I’m Johnnie Mae Landris, the pastor’s wife.” She held out her hand.

  “Oh, yes, ma’am, everybody knows who you are!” He shook her hand. “I’ve met you before, but not like this. I’m sure you meet so many people it’s hard to remember all of them. It’s good to see you again, Sister Landris,” Trent said.

  Johnnie Mae took out her phone after it made a short tone. She looked at the screen. “Trent is the one who is responsible for developing and maintaining the church’s Web site,” Johnnie Mae said with a smile as she looked at the screen on her phone. “Pastor Landris can’t say enough about this young man. So Trent, Fatima and I were just about to go to lunch, but I just got a text message from Pastor Landris asking me if I can possibly have lunch with him. I suppose he must have gotten a break. I feel bad now because I just told Fatima we could go grab a bite to eat. Looks like I’m going to have to stand her up.”

  “Well, Sister Landris, I was just on my way to get something to eat myself. Fatima, if you don’t mind hanging out with me, I would love to have the company. That’s only if you’d like to, of course.”

  Johnnie Mae looked at Fatima and smiled. “Oh that would be perfect.” Johnnie Mae started making various expressions with her eyes at Fatima as she continued to smile. “But, Trent, I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble or mess anything up with your girlfriend by putting you on the spot like this.”

  “Oh, I’m not dating anyone at the moment.”

  “Not dating anyone? You must be kidding me. A tall, fine-looking, God-fearing young man like you with all your talents, plus your dedication to the work of the Lord, and you don’t have women practically knocking down your door?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m just keeping myself busy until the right woman does come along,” Trent said.

  “You and Fatima look to be around the same age, maybe a few years difference. About how old are you, Trent? That’s if you don’t mind me asking.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind. I’m thirty-three.”

  “Thirty-three,” Johnnie Mae said, putting emphasis on each syllable. “Oh, I remember those days when I was in my thirties. Only, I was a pure workaholic back then. I’m sure you and Fatima have lots in common you can talk about, though. Don’t you think so, Fatima?”

  Fatima slowly shook her head and wriggled her mouth to keep her impending laugh from bursting forth, then nodded. “Oh, I’m sure we probably do, Sister Landris.”

  “Oh, please now. Both of you, call me Johnnie Mae. We’re all God’s children here.” Johnnie Mae put her cell phone back inside her purse and smiled. “Well, I’m off. Have fun, you two!”

  “We will,” Fatima said. “You and Pastor Landris have a great time, too.”

  “Yes, yes. I’m sure we will,” Johnnie Mae said as she walked off with a grin.

  “Is there any particular thing you have a taste for?” Trent asked Fatima.

  “Chinese sounds good,” Fatima said.

  “Perfect. If you like, you’re welcome to ride with me,” Trent said. “There’s one close by, about ten minutes or so.”

  “How about I just follow you in my car?” Fatima said.

  “Oh, yeah. Sure.”

  Fatima looked at him. “And maybe the next time, should there be a next time, you can do the driving.”

  Trent lifted his head a little higher and cocked it to the side as he smiled and nodded. “That would be great. Yeah. That would be great.”

  Chapter 32

  Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members one of another.

  —Ephesians 4:25

  Johnnie Mae sat in her husband’s office. “Thank you for lunch, Pastor Landris.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Landris and soon-to-be-baby Landris,” Pastor Landris said.

  Johnnie Mae shook her head. “You are so silly.”

  “I am not. I think it’s just a case of”—he lowered his voice’s pitch—“the love bug.”

  “Well, men aren’t supposed to act like that,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “Says who?”

  “Says most of the books, most of the TV shows, most of the movies, and most men themselves.”

  “Well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I get all my truths and information
on how to act and what to believe from the Word of God,” Pastor Landris said.

  “Always so spiritual.” Johnnie Mae shook her head. “God must really love me.”

  “Why do you say that?” Pastor Landris leaned forward and gazed into her eyes.

  “Of all the men out there, He thought so much of me, He gave me you.”

  “Sorry, but you are in error. According to the Word of God, He gave you me.”

  Johnnie Mae squinted her eyes a little as she smiled. “Oh, is that right? Now why does it sound like you’re about to make a male chauvinist statement right about here?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m just telling you what the Bible says. If you have problems with it, then take your concerns up with the Lord. Proverbs eighteen-twenty-two states, and I quote, ‘Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.’ Sounds like the man is the one who finds the wife, so I found you and I found a good thing. Ecclesiastes nine-nine says, ‘Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity…’ Not that I’m vain, not anymore anyway. But I am told in the scriptures to live joyfully with the wife whom I love all the days of my life, and I plan to do just that. I’m not even going to quote Ephesians five-twenty-eight and five-thirty-three to you because you already know what those scriptures say regarding loving my wife like my own self.”

  “You’re such a show-off,” Johnnie Mae said, smiling.

  “Yeah, well, I’m your show-off.”

  There was a knock at the door. “Excuse me, Pastor Landris, Johnnie Mae.”

  “Yes, Sherry.”

  “I don’t mean to interrupt.”