Lord, All I Want is to be Saved

“Beatrice!” Rick said in a suspicious tone of voice, “James will probably serve at least three to six months in jail for assaulting you while you are pregnant and domestic violence.” Beatrice said, “Good!  Maybe I can have my baby in peace, and by the time he gets out I will be ready to go back home!”  He said cunningly, “you don’t have to go to court because the State is handling the case.” He said to her because he knew she didn’t understand the court system.  “Good, I hope you are right because I am too sore to leave out of this house.”  “Girl, I know the system like you know your bible!”  They laugh, he thought he was funny but she was laughing at his ignorance.

Headline news, “Man Beats His Wife because She Refuses to Iron Bed sheets.”  Beatrice reads the small town newspaper and said, “oh my God!  Now everyone knows the Strong family is living a double life!  How can I look the Pastor and the Saints in the face knowing they know the truth about the violence in our life?”  She lays the paper down on the table and walk upstairs to her bedroom.  She kneed down on her knees and began to pray.  “Father God in the name of Jesus forgive me for everything. Father, it is not my intentions to make a mockery out of Christianity! I should have exposed that fighting and controlling demon James brought into our life the first time I saw the signs! Father, I am just as guilty as he is trying to hide our sins! But you said in Romans 14:16 not to let my goods be evil spoken of.  In other words, I thought that scripture meant don’t let anyone know what is going on in our life; I feared it would hinder someone from Christ.  Because of that misconception I have made some major problems for others and myself. Please forgive me and give me the strength to face the Saints, to ask them for forgiveness.  From this day on I will be honest with you and myself.  I will step back and let you take complete control of this foolishness and allow you to make a change in this entire household!  Amen.”  She stands up and lay across the bed exhausted and before she knew it she was asleep.

“Mama, mama, wake up, there some people downstairs from church waiting to see you,” Wanee said.  Beatrice stands up half-asleep and asks, “who are downstairs?” “I don’t know, just some women I see you talking to at church.”  Beatrice walks into the bathroom and washes her face with cold water so she could look fresh.  The swelling has disappeared. She thought looking at her scares, “there is nothing much I can do to hide those!  Well Jesus, let get this over with; you know they are here because they have read the newspaper.”  She walked to the top of the stairs and takes a deep breath and said, “Here I go!” 

“Hello Sister Brooklynn and Sister Delaney.”  “Hello Sister Strong, we came because we read the incident in the paper and we wanted to see if there anyway we could assist you?”  Sister Strong said to herself, “these are some honest women.”  “Thank you, I am doing fine, the doctor told me to get some rest and that is what I was doing when you arrived.  But I am very glad you came because it shows me you really care about my welfare.”  “Sister Strong, we both are divorcees, we understand what you are going through,” Sister Brooklynn said in a concern tone of voice. Beatrice looked at both of them and said, “Really!” “What did the church say about you all getting a divorce?”  “We were ridiculed but in the end it was inevitable,” said Sister Delaney.  “Yes said Sister Brooklynn, for a long time I could feel the difference in some of the saint’s attitude towards me, but I just left it up to God, because only he knows what goes on behind closed doors.  I waited for my relief from him and I step out of that control foolishness by faith!”  Sister Delaney said, “amen Sister Brooklynn!

“But you two sisters are leaders in the church; and the Bishop didn’t take your positions away?”  Beatrice asked stun.  “No, said Sister Delaney, I don’t really know whether the Pastor told the Bishop or not! Pastor is a wise man, he knew what we were dealing with therefore, and he didn’t advise us to get a divorce nor did he advise us to stay in it.”  “In other words, Beatrice added, the Pastor turned his head from the whole matter.”  “Well, I guess you can say that,” said Sister Brooklynn. “Ohhh! Said Beatrice that’s very interesting.” “Now, Sister Beatrice don’t get any ideas,” said Sister Brooklynn.  “We are not here to convince you to divorce your husband!”  “That’s right, said Sister Delaney that is not our intentions, we are here to support you and your children while Brother Strong is away that’s all!”

  Beatrice looks at them and starts to laugh trying to change the subject, “y’all should have seen that brother when he left here, I’d whip him so, th