Practicing What You Preach

by Vanessa Davis Griggs

For the month of December, Marcus and I spent even more time together. We talked a lot on the phone. We were developing strong feelings for each other. So strong, we both found ourselves wrestling with how to keep our vows not to cross the line sexually.

  I called Angela Gabriel, now Underwood.

  “Mrs. Underwood,” I began, trying to disguise my voice, “how are you today?”

  “I’m fine, Melissa,” Angela said.

  “Rats, I hate Caller ID sometimes. You can’t call people without them knowing who’s on the line.”

  Angela laughed. “The thing about all of these new technologies that’s good but can be bad is how they make us not think the way we used to. We don’t remember phone numbers anymore. They’re programmed into our phone and we just press a button to call. Either that or we have to look the number up,” Angela said.

  “Girl, you know, you’re right. The SIM card in my cell phone went out last year, and I couldn’t even remember my own mother’s and brother’s cell phone numbers. It was too funny.”

  “Thanks for reminding me of that. I need to write down the numbers I have programmed into my cell phone as well as the ones that have come in on my Caller ID. I don’t erase some incoming numbers I want to call again. I just press a button and it makes the call for me,” Angela said. “So what’s going on with you?”

  Angela and I had spoken from time to time. We had not been friends before the wedding, but afterward, we seemed to have developed a nice little friendship. Part of the reason, I believe, was because of Arletha Brown. I was one person she could bounce her thoughts and feelings off about her. She had told Brent everything after she learned Arletha had attended their wedding and reception. Brent had offered to hire someone to investigate Arletha Brown if Angela wanted him to. That’s what happens when you marry a guy whose family is rolling in dough.

  Brent sure did love Angela. I could see that the first time I saw them together. With some couples, you get the sense they’re merely comfortable with the relationship, but real passion is not there. Not so with Brent and Angela. You could tell they were madly in love. I had never asked, but I believed they had kept themselves chaste until their marriage. You can never tell what people are doing behind closed doors, but I just felt they were committed to doing things God’s way.

  Angela had wondered whether she should pursue learning more about Arletha Brown, just to put to bed—one way or the other—whether Arletha was who Angela thought she was. She had asked what I thought about it since I was aware of what was going on. I stuck to my original thoughts that she should just leave it alone. I couldn’t see an old woman who seemed to be without anyone in her life at this stage not embracing a family member if this were the case. Especially a family member like Angela.

  “I think you should pray about that,” I had said. “I believe nobody can keep God’s will from happening. If this woman really is your grandmother and it’s God’s desire that you know it, I trust things will work out in the end.”

  Angela didn’t seem convinced that she should sit back and do nothing. “God still desires for us to do our part,” Angela said. “But I will continue to pray on it. I don’t feel right having Brent pay someone to investigate her, though. That just seems wrong,” Angela said. “No matter how strongly I feel about knowing.”

  I agreed. It’s one thing to search for your grandmother independently. It’s quite another thing to have someone investigated. Whatever Arletha Brown may have wanted hidden was her business. No one had a right to invade her privacy. I told Angela as much.

  “What’s going on with me?” I repeated Angela’s question since my mind had wandered off thinking about her and Brent and Arletha Brown. “I already told you that Marcus and I are dating now.”

  “Yes,” Angela said without trying to hide her excitement. “I think that’s a great example of how God works out a thing. Who would have guessed that our wedding planner and the best man at our wedding would be dating some two months later?”

  “And he is so nice, Angela. I am serious. We’ve been talking seriously for about a month now. I know you and Brent dated for a while before you walked down the aisle.”

  Angela started giggling. “And you want to know what you need to do to keep things holy?”

  “Yes!” I said, my voice exploding the word. “You’ve probably guessed that I’m not a virgin. After I broke up with Cass, I rededicated my life to Christ and vowed to keep myself until I married. That is much easier said than done.”

  I thought of what I might be leading her to believe and quickly moved to clarify. “Not that Marcus has been trying to go there. He hasn’t. He’s a minister, and he’s truly committed to keeping himself as well.”

  “Oh, you don’t have to explain things to me. Brent and I have both been there. We may be spiritual, but we’re all walking around in a suit of flesh. That flesh can raise its head and want to take over. That’s why the Bible tells us not to walk in the flesh but to walk in the spirit.”

  I sighed hard. “So, how do we do that? How did you and Brent do that?”

  “Brent and I made a choice. We both knew what we desired. That meant when one of us might have been weak, the other one had to be strong enough to pull back and leave if necessary. You talk about praying without ceasing—there were certain times when Brent and I were together that he and I were both praying at the same time. You have to take your mind off what your flesh is saying and put your mind on what God is saying. There’s truly a blessing for you if you’ll not be weary in well-doing and if you faint not.”

  “So far, it hasn’t gotten too bad. My mind has wandered a few times, and that’s when I find myself with thoughts I know I don’t need to have when it comes to him.”

  “Strongholds,” Angela said. “That’s why you have to cast down those thoughts when they try to exalt themselves against what you know God has said on the subject.”

  “With you and Brent, it looks like it was a lot easier,” I said.

  “Can I let you in on a little secret?” Angela said. “Back in June, when we had about four months to go, Brent and I were struggling like nobody’s business. It got so bad, we went to Pastor Landris and asked him to secretly marry us.”

  “You two were married before the ceremony you just had in October?” I shook my head and smiled.

  “No, we didn’t get married, but we were about to. We didn’t go through with it for various reasons. One being all that Pastor Landris was dealing with at the time we were about to do it. I just want you to know that I know where you’re coming from. But I also want you to know you can do this. You just need to recognize this is still spiritual warfare. Satan would like nothing more than to see you fail in this area. That way he can beat you over the head with it. Don’t give Satan room to sneak in. Recognize Satan’s tactics, then move, with prayer and God’s Word, to cut off his access.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “Thank you for not trying to be all religious with me. So many folks want to act like they are perfect and have never had these types of struggles. Then when we, who are trying to walk the walk, need someone to talk to about our struggles, we feel unworthy to get counsel and try to fight this battle alone. Your telling me how hard it was for you and Brent, even though to us on the outside who didn’t see your struggles it looked easy, really helps me right now.”

  “I’ll tell you who helped me a lot. Johnnie Mae Landris. She is such a down-to-earth person, both she and Pastor Landris. They are examples of how I believe God wants us to be with each other. They’re not trying to beat people down. They are more into helping to lift people up,” Angela said. “That’s how I want to be in my walk with God. Someone who is not a stumbling block to others but a stepping-stone that leads to a higher and greater relationship with the Lord. Do I miss it sometimes in my own life? Yes. Can I go to God and ask for forgiveness? Absolutely. Will He forgive me for my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness when I go to Him and confess, then ask for forgiveness? Without a doubt.”

  I
nodded to myself. “That’s good. That’s a Word for me. Thank you again.”

  When I hung up with Angela, I knelt down and prayed. I wanted to be better. I wanted to live right. I needed the Holy Spirit to guide me now more than ever. Marcus was different from any man I’d ever dated. Things were moving fast with us. And because he was a preacher, I suspected we might not have a long dating period. Especially since he told me the other night it really was better to marry than to burn.

  “It’s important that we practice what we preach,” Marcus had said. “And that doesn’t only apply to preachers. It goes for Christians in general. We can talk a good talk. It’s time out for merely quoting all the right things. As followers of Christ, we need to practice what we preach.”

  He then went into his little mini-sermon he liked to play just for me.

  “If you need peace in your life, then stop sowing discord. Start walking in peace, and start practicing what you preach. If you need joy, then walk in joy and start practicing what you preach. Are you in need of a financial blessing? Then stop speaking lack all the time and start practicing what you preach. You say you’re the head and not the tail? Then start practicing what you preach. You’re blessed going in and blessed coming out, then start practicing what you preach. Oh, so you’re more than a conqueror? Then start practicing what you preach. You tell us God’s grace is sufficient, then you need to start—”

  “Practicing what you preach!” I said as I began to laugh. “The joy of the Lord is my strength. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. I am above only and not beneath. My God shall supply all of my needs according to His riches in glory. I am a child of the King. I will delight myself in the Lord and He will give me the desires of my heart. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. No matter what’s going on in my life, no matter who may come against me, no matter what people say about me, from this day forward, I will practice what I preach!”

  Marcus laughed. “Hey, we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice, practice, we’re talking about practice,” he said as he’d done before, mimicking something Allen Iverson of the Philadelphia 76ers had said once during an interview when he was being criticized for not having shown up for practice. “We’re talking about practice. But you know…practice does make perfect. And God has called us to perfect our faith.”

  “Amen,” I said.

  Marcus had such a profound way of making me laugh while making me feel so good inside.

  Chapter 27

  The burden of the valley of vision. What aileth thee now, that thou art wholly gone up to the housetops?

  —Isaiah 22:1

  “Angel, hi,” Johnnie Mae said when she answered the phone. “Isn’t that something? I was just thinking about you. So how is everything, Mrs. Married Lady?”

  “Oh, it’s still great! Better than I ever imagined it could be,” Angela said. “Brent is absolutely the best husband around.”

  “Well, now I don’t know about all that. You know I think I have the best husband around. But we’ll not go there today. I’ll let you have yours.”

  Angela smiled. It was the beginning of December. She worked at the church as Johnnie Mae’s executive assistant. Both of them had decided to take some time off from working. Johnnie Mae was taking off to spend more time with her children—soon-to-be seven-year-old Princess Rose, and almost-six-month-old Isaiah.

  Angela had taken time for her wedding, honeymoon, and then to be a wife to her new husband. Angela planned to go back to work the first of January.

  Johnnie Mae wasn’t sure when she would kick things back into full gear. Having pushed herself for years when it came to working outside the home, she was enjoying the work associated with being exclusively a wife and mother.

  Angela had just finished praying about what she should do concerning her grandmother when she thought to call Johnnie Mae. Angela wondered if it was even possible her grandmother was still alive. Whether she was alive or not, she wanted to know what had happened to her. And Angela now had a name: Arletha Williams.

  It was funny. Before this new information fell in her lap, she really hadn’t given her grandmother a second thought. She missed having her mother around early on, but her beloved great-grandmother, Pearl, had more than made her feel loved. Throughout her childhood, she had really lacked nothing of importance. It was only since Gayle had told her Arletha might be her grandmother that she had begun to let it take up residence in her mind and her waking thoughts.

  Brent had noticed something was bothering her. That’s why he offered to hire an investigator. The more Angela thought about it, the more she saw how ridiculous she was allowing this to become.

  So, Angela told Johnnie Mae all that had transpired. How her cousin Gayle had told her what her great-grandmother had said to her. How Gayle had met a woman who just happened to mention a woman she’d briefly rented a room from in Birmingham with that exact first name.

  “I mean, what are the chances that my grandmother’s name would be Arletha and my cousin, Gayle, would meet a woman in Asheville, North Carolina, who had known a woman in Birmingham named Arletha?” Angela said.

  Johnnie Mae was quiet for a few seconds. “Arletha, Arletha. Why does that name sound familiar?” She repeated the name again. “Arletha.”

  “Maybe she’s been to the church before, other than for my wedding, of course,” Angela said. “The woman here in Alabama is Arletha Brown.”

  “And you say she came to your wedding?” Johnnie Mae asked.

  “Yes. It’s sort of a long story, but long story short, Gayle called this Arletha here before she came down for my wedding. The woman denied she knew anything regarding what Gayle was talking about. After I heard about it, I wanted to talk to her myself. When I tried, we learned the number had been disconnected. That should have been the end of it.” Angela took a swallow of her bottled water.

  “It turns out my wedding planner knew an Arletha in her old neighborhood. We went to her house. She still lived there. I told her who I was and what I suspected, that she might be my grandmother. She denied it was even possible. I didn’t believe her. She put us out. I sent her an invitation to my wedding. She showed up but didn’t speak to me or let me know that she was there. In fact, she came to the reception but not through the receiving line. I went on my honeymoon not knowing this woman had ever shown up—”

  “Which was probably a good thing,” Johnnie Mae said.

  “Which was probably a good thing,” Angela agreed. “Brent and I had a wonderful time. We were doing fine. I was looking through the guest book from the wedding when I spotted where Arletha Brown had signed. I called Gayle to see if she knew she had been there. She confessed to seeing her but hadn’t said anything to me because she thought I needed to leave it alone. The woman had said she wasn’t who we thought she was, so Gayle said we needed to respect that and drop it.”

  “The woman your cousin said told her about Arletha, is it possible her name is Memory?”

  Angela thought for a second. “I’m not sure. I didn’t ask Gayle who told her. I just know that Gayle worked for Sarah Fleming in Asheville, North Carolina, and I only found that out a few days before my wedding. You do know Sarah died while you were in the hospital—”

  Johnnie Mae stopped her. “Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Your cousin was working for Sarah Fleming? She was working for the woman I originally came to Asheville to find when I ended up meeting you. It truly is a small world. Arletha? Arletha? I believe Memory was the one who mentioned Arletha’s name. Memory is Lena Patterson’s mother, Sarah’s daughter. You remember Lena Patterson and Theresa Jordan? Only it’s Lena Jordan now since she married her high school sweetheart Bishop Richard Jordan, and Theresa Greene who married Maurice Greene.”

  “I remember,” Angela said. “I just didn’t ask Gayle for the name of the woman who told her about Arletha. I’ll call and ask her. She did tell me she was an in-home nurse to Sarah Fleming. It seems Sarah also left Gayle enough money to be able
to take off a few months without having to worry about finances. Could it be that Sarah’s daughter, Memory, was the one who told Gayle about Arletha?”

  “It sounds like it to me. I know Memory was living here with a woman who put her out.”

  Angela began to shake a little. All of this was really starting to get to her. “Johnnie Mae, would you mind if I came over? I need to see you in person.”

  “No, I don’t mind. Come on over. I would love to see you. It’s been awhile.”

  Angela called Brent on his cell phone and told him she was going to visit Johnnie Mae for a little while. He was on his way home from the church where both he and Angela were employed.

  “Baby, are you all right?” Brent asked. “You sound a little funny.”

  Angela smiled, thankful that Brent paid such close attention to her that he knew when something was a little off. “I’m fine,” she said. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get back home.”

  Angela arrived at Johnnie Mae’s house. She hugged Princess Rose, who had come down from her room to greet her and then just as quickly had gone back up to her room. Angela held Isaiah and finished feeding him his favorite baby food, Hawaiian Delight, while Johnnie Mae went up to her room to find something.

  Isaiah was such a happy child. Except for his smaller than normal size, attributed to his being born prematurely, you never would have been able to look at him and tell that he’d had such a rough start upon his entrance into this world. Angela was giving him a bottle when he fell asleep.

  Johnnie Mae came back into the den. “He’s asleep?” she said as she smiled lovingly at him. She set a cigar box sealed with gray tape on the coffee table that was also an aquarium containing exotic fish inside of it. She carefully took Isaiah out of Angela’s arms and placed him in a swinglike bassinet located in the den.

  Angela looked at the cigar box. She remembered it well. Right before she died, her great-grandmother had asked her to give it to Johnnie Mae, which she’d done.