Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. –John 15:13
Jesus died for us, are we willing to live for Him?
Discussion Questions
1) And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:19. At the beginning of the story, Melinda loses her job. Considering this Scripture, how would you handle being fired from a job when you have a child to support? Discuss.
2) Deaconess Vivian Doreen Jenkins was concerned about being late to a meeting at the church. What are your thoughts about Melinda shedding tears of pain in front of her mother who left her alone at a time when she needed her most?
3) Sean had witnessed arguments between his parents. What effect do you think this has on a child?
4) Kevin claimed to have committed adultery with another woman because his wife kicked him out of the house. Even though he had cheated, Melinda begged him not to leave her, but he left anyway. How would you comfort a sister or friend if this had happened to them?
5) Melinda had been angry with God ever since her father died years ago, and then claimed to not believe in Him anymore. Do you think it is possible for a person to believe in God wholeheartedly, and the next day decide that they don’t? Why or why not? Discuss.
6) “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap,” Galatians 6:7. Kevin deceived Melinda when he first started dating Lisa and later found out that Lisa had deceived him about the paternity of her child. Discuss the law of sowing and reaping as it pertains to relationships.
7) Melinda learned the importance of healthy relationships. What are some signs that a relationship (platonic or romantic) is unhealthy? Discuss.
8) Melinda had decided that she was going to commit suicide, taking the very life God had graciously given to her. Do you think you would be able to recognize whether or not a person that you know very well was depressed and possibly contemplating suicide? If so, how could you help them?
9) “Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels,” Hebrews 13:2. Melinda encountered an angel whose name, Vita, means life. Have there been times in your life when you thought you had entertained an angel? Elaborate.
10) Melinda embraced a fresh start in life. She got a new job, a new house, custody of her only child, but most importantly a renewed relationship with the Lord. Discuss how God’s unwavering love made it all possible.
Books by Renée Allen McCoy
-Excerpts on the following pages-
Stand Alone Title
In the Presence of My Enemies
The True Love Novellas Series
The Christmas Beau (Now an Audiobook)
Single, Saved, & Searching
A Test of Faith (Forthcoming)
The Fiery Furnace Series
The Kiss of Judas
Confessions
The Eleventh Hour
Non-fiction
Soul Ties: Breaking Up with a Past That’s Killing Your Future
Short Story
Once Upon a Sunday
Anthology
A Time to Praise: A Christmas Anthology
(Miracle From on High)
The Kiss of Judas (The Fiery Furnace, Book 1)
Excerpt
I was running from the devil as fast as I could. My hair raced in the opposite direction; my feet floated like raging currents of an ocean. Desperate, petrified, jittery, strapped—something familiar snatched me back.
“Isaiah.” She loved calling my name with the sweetest voice I’ve ever known. Rendering me helpless, her femininity stifled my flow and tackled me to the ground. I knew from the moment we met, something just wasn’t right, yet I allowed my loins to act in place of my brain.
Her beauty struck me every time I laid eyes upon her; pimp slaps to my face, karate kicks to my heart. She presented herself as every woman, every woman indeed.
Justine’s eyelashes fluttered the sweet song of seduction. Her lips pouted the hymn of fornication. And the rest of her wanted me to partake of the forbidden fruit. Movies, dinner, nightcaps, intercourse—her marathon tested my stamina. I never had a chance. Our bodies intertwined as one recreating the effects of a Twizzler stick. She moaned my name, I groaned hers.
Justine grabbed my head in the heat of passion and marked her territory with scratches on my back. I winced a little, but didn’t want to disturb the groove. She’s my one and only. The woman I wanted to marry one day, the woman I wanted to carry my seed.
Her silhouette stirred up my desire, enticed my heart, and teased my thirst. Her beautiful hazel eyes lured me in. Excuse me—her beautiful hazel contacts lured me in. She presented me with every quality I asked for in a mate; perfection should have been her name.
I met this woman at a restaurant while I was having a Boys Night Out with my fellas. She was wearing an orange halter-top-tie-thing with a pair of jeans that accentuated her booming system. Her toes, oh her toes ... I’m a sucker for pedicures. Justine’s hair was in an up do that swung in opposite directions when she walked. Her strikingly smooth, ebony skin tone should have been featured in the latest issue of Jet magazine. She should have been a Beauty of the Week—captivating smile, alluring fragrance, reputable intelligence, and justifiable conceitedness.
The single candle lit above our heads represented the year we had been together. The pictures on the wall displayed our loyalty to one another … or at least they should have.
I peered up remembering what my best friend told me, and suddenly my desire for her left. The feeling of insecurity injected a glacier into my heart, but I still loved her. She had my soul and I prayed that I had hers…
Confessions (The Fiery Furnace, Book 2)
Excerpt
Exhaling through my insecurities, I shimmied off my dress pants and stockings and grabbed my red, satin housecoat from the bag. I eased open my bedroom door and called out, “Anybody home?” There was no answer, so I tossed the housecoat onto my bed.
I stood in my bra and panties as I reached for the extra bars of soap my mother had on the top shelf of the hallway closet. She’s shorter than I am, so I’ll never understand why she does this. I stood on my toes and stretched forward as far as I could when suddenly a male’s voice vibrated in my ear.
“I’ll get that for you.”
I froze, too frightened to turn around. I tried to move, but just couldn’t.
“I can wash your back.” He continued as liquor vaporized from his breath.
I turned around and without looking I kneed him in the groin.
“What is wrong with you?” Robert roared at me, doubling over in pain.
I scrambled, trying to cover myself with a towel from the second shelf of the closet. My back slammed against a wall as I gulped, struggling to slow my breathing. “I thought you were out of town.”
Clutching himself and grunting in pain, Robert shouted, “Well, I’m not! Who did you think I was … a burglar?”
I stared as he writhed in pain. “I … I…” My words just wouldn’t come.
Robert looked at me and then back towards the floor as he stood bent over. He grunted a while longer before straightening up to fling a bar of soap in my direction. I flinched as it landed several inches in front of me.
“Next time, look before you act.”
My eyes dropped to the floor as his steps diminished away from me.
I crawled into my bedroom and curled up in a corner, clinging to the towel. I pulled my thighs up to my chest and braced my forehead onto my knees. I thought it was all over…
The Eleventh Hour (The Fiery Furnace, Book 3)
Excerpt
Levi walked back into the room, sliding his phone back into his pant pocket. “I’m sorry ladies, but I have to go. Something’s happened.”
“What is it?” Ma questioned.
“One of my patients has passed.” He sighed, sorrowfully glancing away. “The family is asking for me.”
>
My heart softened. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay, but I have to get down there. I just feel bad for not being there with him. He wanted me to be there.”
I rested my hand over the front of my neck as a lump swelled in my throat. “I’m sorry,” I said, realizing what he had sacrificed to be here with me tonight. “If I had known …”
Levi pulled his coat from a nearby chair and shook his head at me. “It’s not your fault. That was my decision. I wanted to be here.” He then placed his hat onto his head and wiggled his fingers into a pair of fitted gloves.
“I’ll walk you to the door.” I dabbed the corners of my mouth with a beige linen napkin and stood.
“Thanks.” He gently smiled.
Levi kissed my mother on the cheek and thanked her for a lovely evening I thought was everything but that. Surprisingly, he took me by the hand as we walked toward the front door. As we stood in the foyer, hand in hand, I tried to gather words to explain my behavior. Levi must’ve ignored my attitude because as he prepared to leave for the night, he kissed me like it was the first time.
“Levi, I’m sorry about tonight. I shouldn’t have behaved the way I had. You did nothing wrong.”
He curiously peered at me. “Then what is it? You know you can talk to me.” Then he gently caressed my cheek.
I nervously cleared my throat. “There’s just so much going on with me, Levi.” With pain-filled eyes, I gazed at him. “You deserve someone better. After thinking about how good of a man you are, I just can’t drag you into this mess.”
“What are you talking about?” He squeezed my hands and then interlaced our fingers.
Troubled by my chaotic life I felt that I just didn’t deserve someone like him.
“Nia, are you still talking about the past?” Levi questioned.
I apprehensively nodded and slowly closed my eyes.
“Why dwell on it? There’s nothing you can do about it.” He touched my cheek, causing me to look up again, and repeated, “Nothing.”
“But Levi—”
He kissed me again and I became lost in his world.
“Just let me love you,” he softly whispered in my ear. We gazed at one another as he opened the door. “Just think about it and I’ll call you tomorrow.”
Levi disappeared into the night, carrying with him my heart.
I stood at the door breathless, eagerly anticipating tomorrow.
Soul Ties: Breaking Up with a Past
That’s Killing Your Future (Non-fiction title)
Excerpt
“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 12:4).
It is my sincere desire to share with others what I have learned. The damaging effects of Greek Lettered sororities and fraternities, Masonry, along with other subjects are discussed in the following pages. I aim to encourage readers with the testimonies included from dedicated Christians who openly share the Light of God with the world—not some generic god who is powerless in the face of the One true and living God.
At the end of each chapter (beginning with Chapter 2), you’ll find a self-examination question in addition to practical applications to help you discover areas in your life that may need repair. These things will assist you in becoming a healthier and more spiritually minded person.
Other topics covered include deliverance from the devastating affects of rape, molestation, promiscuity, bondage to drugs and other addictions, and domestic abuse. We are our brother’s keeper and should care enough about the next person to share what we’ve learned through Biblical insight and personal experience that line up with God’s Word.
It is not my intention to ignite discord. That is far from my motive. It is to simply share with others the caution that should be taken upon entering any relationship or association, whether with a potential mate or in joining a sorority, fraternity, or secret society that is inconsistent with one’s Christian faith. One day we will have to give an account to God for the things done in this life. We must be careful of the decisions we make because sometimes the consequences may have an eternal effect.
The contents of this book are in no way, shape, or form intended to condemn anyone. When I justly deserved to be cast out of God’s sight, the Lord was patient with me and I just want others to experience the freedom and mercy that I have. God knew my previous outlook was distorted and not as He would have it to be. In the past, my view was assuredly that of a carnal mind, but what a loving and forgiving God we serve!
This world, Earth as we know it, is only our temporary home and before I leave, I aim to do something meaningful with the life God has given me. Our experiences are not just our own. Our tests can become testimonies. It is my hope to help, even if that means only one person, to receive deliverance from damaging soul ties—deliverance that can only come through God.
In the Presence of My Enemies
Excerpt
Stirring from her sleep, Gwendolyn dragged the back of her hand across her dampened forehead. It had been a sultry summer’s day in northern Mississippi that mercilessly poured into the evening. Regardless of the elegant new negligée she wore crafted with sheer material, Gwendolyn fought off the notion that she may be having premature hot flashes. At the age of forty-four, she didn’t expect her body to go through such a change for at least another five years or so.
“Did you turn the air off?” Gwendolyn groggily questioned her comatose husband. “Ken, did you hear me?” She lightly nudged him in the side as her eyelids briefly fluttered, barely allowing enough time for the light from the dimmed corner lamp to penetrate her pupils. “It’s hot in here. Make sure the air didn’t go out.”
Kenneth groaned as he rolled over onto his side.
Spent from the day’s event of entertaining family and friends at their housewarming, they both drifted back off to sleep.
Abruptly, the quietness of the night was disturbed by a growing noise in the hallway.
Gwendolyn’s eyes shot open as she coughed uncontrollably.
“Oh no …” Kenneth’s sleep haze cleared as he jumped up from the bed and ran to the door.
With a loud howl, Kenneth snatched his hand from the scorching doorknob that instantly formed blisters on the tips of his fingers. The searing blood coursed through his veins as he hollered in pain. With sweat trickling down his flushed skin, Kenneth’s dread-filled eyes quickly surveyed the room. He searched for a towel, a jacket, a sock, anything that would protect his hands so they could escape the dark, smoky deathtrap.
Having spotted a glimmer of hope a few steps away, his pasty bare feet clamored across the hardwood floor. He hurriedly grabbed the decorative cloth runner from the dresser-top to pad his hand from the fiery handle. Just as he got within inches of the exit again, Kenneth watched in horror as an orange glow blazed from beneath the door. With defeat in his eyes, he glanced back at his wife who had fear in hers.
The Christmas Beau (The True Love Novellas, Book 1)
Excerpt
“Girl, don’t be no fool,” one of Charity’s longtime friends, Yolanda, said before she crammed an appetizer into her mouth.
Charity sighed as she picked at the cucumbers and tomatoes in her garden salad. She had since called Elisha and apologized for not making it to her book fair. Instead, she decided to go out to lunch with some friends she hadn’t seen in a while. Since talking with Milton this morning, she still had reservations about meeting him later in the evening.
“Don’t listen to her, girl,” another one of her high school friends, Renita, chimed in. “We were just kids back then. That was so long ago. But look at him today. He’s a college graduate, an officer in the military—”
“Decorated officer,” Charity corrected with a smile.
Yolanda rolled her eyes and shook her head as she reached for another boneless buffalo wing.
“Yes exactly, a decorated officer. And he’s come back home to get the woman he loves.” Renita smiled.
Yolanda mimicked a gagging motion with her finger in front of her mouth. “You two are living in la-la land. No man is going to come back for his supposed sweetheart,” she said with curled lips while her two friends looked on, “to start anything serious while he’s traveling the world over.” She sucked her teeth. “Get real.”
“What are you trying to say, Yolanda, that I’m not good enough?”
“Charity,” Yolanda started in a daunting tone, “I have dated plenty of guys in the military and some who work for Fortune 500 companies. And all they want to do is to play little childish games. Did it ever occur to you that maybe when we were kids back then,” she grimaced at Renita, “that all he wanted was a good time? Hence what I said, games.”
“You can’t believe that all guys are like that,” Renita challenged her.
“Hmmm, let’s see ….” Yolanda stared at the friend they referred to as the black Barbie doll with a soulful voice and said, “What happened to Jason?”
Renita abruptly closed her parted lips.
“Yeah, I thought so.” Yolanda smirked and then turned back to Charity. “All I’m saying is to watch yourself. You’ve saved yourself this long, don’t mess up now.”
Single, Saved, & Searching (The True Love Novellas, Book 2)
Excerpt
Strong, black, educated, and responsible—those are the characteristics Elisha would love to have in man, to name a few. Blinded to the world’s standard of beauty, he’d be resourceful enough to create his own. Stand as a model of independence, an example of strength, an advocate of loyalty, and a pillar of integrity.
As she stared at her boyfriend through squinted eyes, Elisha wondered if she was asking for too much. Her friend Gina had told her yes while her other friend, Tonia, had emphatically declared no. Caught up somewhere in the middle Elisha wondered, what does my man say? After a dismissive grunt, she knew that he’d say he possessed all of those qualities and then some. But in her eyes, that was far from the truth.
Chauncey McDaniel was strong in the sense that he bench pressed more than her and one of her girlfriend’s weight, but when it came to knowing God’s Word and standing up for Biblical principles, he fell short. He certainly was black, as dark as they came, but not as educated as she would like and certainly not responsible enough to introduce him to her parents. Chauncey’s family was rich and he pretty much had everything handed to him, but the wealth still didn’t comfort Elisha enough to completely abandon her values.
“Why are you so quiet?” Elisha asked, noticing that Chauncey hadn’t spoken three words to her since they got inside of one of his prized possessions, a red convertible Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet. “Did you have too much to drink?”
“If I had too much to drink, would you be on the passenger side? Don’t say stupid things that don’t make sense.” He callously shook his head.
“I don’t even know why I’m with you. All of sudden you’re a drunk. You never drank when we first started dating.” Elisha sucked her teeth. “Leave it up to you to ruin a perfectly good evening.” She cut her eyes away from him and with folded arms sunk down into the soft leather-trimmed heated seating.
Chauncey grunted under his breath and then tightened his lips again. Soon he took the last busy street before the secluded, residential road Elisha lived on. After he parked in front of her garage, the neighbors who lived next door were just pulling out of their driveway. Chauncey casually waved as did Elisha before the neighbors disappeared out of sight. Chauncey then carefully looked at the darkened house across the street that shared the wooded dead end as Elisha’s home.
“Are they out of town again?” he questioned, as they stood at the front of his car.
Elisha glanced back and then remembered, “Oh yeah, I told them that I’d turn the lights on for them tonight.” She reached inside of her handbag and began fidgeting with the keys on her ring, and then started down her driveway.
Chauncey grabbed her by the arm and yanked her back. “That can wait.” The force in his voice was tighter than the grip on her arm. “I told you that we’d talk at home.”
With slightly parted lips, Elisha’s gaze on him drifted down to the hand he held her with.
END OF EXCERPTS
About the Author
RENEE MCCOY (known to readers as Renée Allen McCoy) is a loving wife and mother, an author, but most importantly a devoted Christian. Having traveled to many parts of the world, today she, her husband, and their two children make Mississippi home. She maintains a newsletter, Straight Up, and a devotional blog, In His Name.
To date, she has penned nine books that include: The Fiery Furnace series (The Kiss of Judas, Confessions, and The Eleventh Hour), Soul Ties: Breaking Up with a Past That’s Killing Your Future (non-fiction), The Christmas Beau (The True Love Novellas, Book 1), In the Presence of My Enemies, Single, Saved, & Searching (The True Love Novellas, Book 2), Once Upon a Sunday (short story), and A Time to Praise: A Christmas Anthology (short story, Miracle From on High). Renée has also written for the world renowned pocket devotional, The Upper Room, both in digital and print, and has had work featured in Simple Grace, a Christian magazine.
With a heart to tell stories that will not only entertain, Renée hopes to enlighten readers to capture the message and power of God’s saving grace.
Feel free to visit her online at www.ReneeAllenMccoy.com for more information on her forthcoming release, A Test of Faith (The True Love Novellas, Book 3).
FaytheWorks is an independent Christian publishing company that produces fiction and non-fiction titles. Since its formation, the goal has been and will always remain to share Christ focused stories and testimonies with the world. With a solid foundation on the Holy Bible, the infallible Word of God, we believe that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Visit www.FaytheWorks.com for discounts and details on upcoming titles.
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