LIV

LORD, HOW OFTEN SHOULD SOMEONE SIN AGAINST ME AND I FORGIVE THEM? 7 TIMES? JESUS SAID TO HIM, I SAY NOT 7 TIMES, BUT 70 X 7 TIMES.

(MATTHEW 18:21, 22)

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

My dad pulled me aside with a look of anguish on his face as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I shouldn’t have had you do this interview.”

“What do you mean? Why?”

“For one thing, I don’t like you discussing ‘Fifty Shades of Grey.’”

“Dad, if anything, this discussion with the Griffin’s is only gonna make me less inclined to read something like that.”

“You mean you’re somewhat inclined to read something like that?”

“No, not at all,” I laughed. “I’m just saying.”

My dad and I went back and forth for a couple minutes. I had been in the midst of an interview with Jack and Jill. They were a couple whose marriage had survived a long love triangle. I must have reassured Dad that the graphic content would remain at ethical levels, because we resumed recording.

“Jill,” I began. “You were saying that if you hadn’t developed a habit of reading sexually explicit books, you don’t believe you ever would have entered into an adulterous relationship. Would you mind explaining?”

“Not at all,” she replied, even though she seemed stiff and uncomfortable as she forced a smile. “I had never really been the flirtatious type. I had never been the type to dress all that sexy. But even the year before my affair with Will began, I had started to wear tighter and more revealing clothes.”

“Jack,” I said. “Did you notice these changes in Jill during this period?”

“Well, like they say, hindsight is 20/20,” Jack said with a forced chuckle. “I noticed, but I actually liked what I was seeing. During the time she was indulging her secret hobby, she was also exercising like never before. Our intimate life increased to the frequency that it was when we were newlyweds. Even when she was in the midst of her affair, I was somewhat oblivious. Once again, in hindsight, I was in denial. I choked up her behavior to feeling healthy, rather than, um, feeling amorous.”

“So, how long was it after you started working for Will before the affair began?” I asked Jill.

“It was probably three or four months before we were physical for the first time,” she replied. “But flirtations began right away. It was subtle at first. He would simply compliment my looks and I would thank him with a sultry smile. Then his compliments slowly became more suggestive.

“He would verbally admire specific body parts. Instead of discouraging him, I would giggle, smile seductively, or even make my own suggestive comment. Then he began touching and groping. The me from a year previous would have slapped him and quit on the spot. But the new, naughty me encouraged him by rubbing up against him instead. It wasn’t long after the touching began before we kissed for the first time. Once we kissed we, ah, what’s a tactful way to put this?”

“There isn’t one,” Jack said somberly as he stared at the table, and I could see his jaw muscles tighten.

“I think we get the point,” I said, laughing uneasily. “So how long was the affair a secret, and what brought it out into the open?”

There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. Keep in mind we were recording an interview. So a few seconds felt like a few minutes for me as the hostess. I was about to say ‘I am sorry if that was too blatant of a question’ when Jill thankfully spoke.

“It was secretive for about three years, because we were careful and not as frequent as you might imagine,” Jill said quietly. “We weren’t alone often, but we always waited until we were. But then we eventually began to get reckless. There was even an illicit thrill with being careless. But then we got caught by Will’s wife in an extremely compromising position, and it all came crashing down.”

Jill took a deep breath and sighed. She began to stare off into the distance and appeared to be holding back tears.

“Jill woke me up at three in the morning very distraught,” Jack said. “She was crying and her mascara was smeared around her eyes. At first I thought there had been an accident, or somebody had died. Then I spotted her purse on the nightstand. I saw a foot of her pantyhose dangling out and I instantly knew what was going on. I was actually relieved because I knew that whatever happened to make Jill so upset, it meant her affair must be over.”

“So you actually did know Jill was having an affair with Will?” I asked.

Jack sucked in a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. “I did and I didn’t. I had plenty of clues to indicate she was. But I was also in denial. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt.”

“Can you tell us some of the clues, or is that too personal?” I asked.

“The biggest clue was on the days she closed at the bar. In the beginning, she would get home about 2:30 am. Then it became 3:00, then 3:30 and 4:00. Also, I discovered her books of erotica in a drawer. I figured if she was reading about sexual adventure, she was probably partaking of her own.”

“Did you ever think about confronting her?” I asked.

“No, I have occasionally looked at porn, so I couldn’t very well chastise her for reading it.”

“Actually, I meant confronting her about the affair,” I said, hoping I wasn’t blushing.

“Oh, sure I did. Yet I didn’t want to appear the jealous husband.”

“Can you explain why you actually felt relieved when you pretty much had it confirmed that your wife was romantically involved with another man?”

“Well, like I said, because it also appeared to be over. Then through her sobbing, she confessed everything. Even details I didn’t really want to hear.”

“How did you react to her confession?”

“He couldn’t have been more loving,” Jill whimpered. “He hugged me, told me he forgave me, told me he wanted to get our marriage back on track. He wiped my tears. We even made love.”

“But if I’m doing my math correctly, this wasn’t the end of the ménage a’ trois, was it?”

“No,” they said in unison, both shaking their heads.

“So how long did the reconciliation last before the affair resumed?” I asked.

“A few months,” Jack said. “We were even going to marriage counseling.”

“What happened?”

“I was still in love with Will,” Jill said, and then looked apologetically at Jack. “And absence made the heart grow fonder for both Will and me. I also missed the illicit thrill of our, um, escapades. The lust and desire was like some kind of drug.

“Then Will and his wife separated after she filed for divorce. He wanted me to move in with him. Even though I still loved Jack, what I had with Will was newer and fresher. Well, that’s the way I saw it at the time. So, I did the hardest thing I ever had to do in my life. I told Jack I was leaving him. It ended up being the biggest mistake of my life. I’m so sorry, Jack.”

Jill began sobbing. Jack rubbed her back. and I looked at my dad. He whirled his hand to keep recording. I thought about shaking my head, but looked at Jill. It appeared to be a brief shower of tears.

“Jack,” I said gently. “Would you mind telling us how you responded to this?”

“I was devastated,” he replied somberly. “I was never much of a drinker. But within the hour of her saying her last goodbye, I headed to the store to buy a bottle of Jack Daniels. My mantra was get drunk, get divorced. Get drunk, get divorced. Then a song by Sting came on the radio. He sang that if you love somebody, set them free. Free, free, set them free. Free, free, set them free.”

I almost started laughing at the unmelodious way he spoke the lyrics. But I had it under control until I looked at my dad. His head was bowed and his shoulders were jiggling. I looked away quickly as I clenched my stomach to hold in a burst of laughter. I spoke abruptly to avert my mind and to stop Jack from speaking anymore lyrics.

“So did this song have a profound affect on you?” I asked.

“It did,” he replied. “I realized I still loved Jill despite her treatment of me. I knew she still loved me, and that the woman that married me was still there deep down in her heart. I thought maybe if she lives with him for a while, she’ll see that the grass isn’t necessarily greener on the other side.”

“If I would have only known,” Jill said sadly as she shook her head.

“So instead of getting a bottle of whiskey,” Jack continued. “I decided to go see a guy I met through work. Billy Bob Booker is his name, and he experienced his fiancée’ leaving him for another man. He too forgave her, and took her back.”

“Yes, I read his story in the e-book by Johnathan Embers,” I said.

“Right, Billy Bob Booker and the Hooker,” Jack replied, nodding. “Just think. If his fiancée’ hadn’t left him for another man, Willa, the hooker, might never have come to the Lord.”

“Amen,” I responded, as Jill replied with an amen of her own. “So did his story and friendship inspire you?”

“It did. It showed me anything is possible. I also decided that I would not be the one to dissolve our marriage. I also decided that I would remain faithful to my wedding vows, even if my wife hadn’t.”

Jill hung her head in shame. I felt bad for her, yet I had no words of comfort in the moment. I needed to just proceed with the interview.

“Jill, I noticed you said if you had only known when Jack mentioned he was waiting to take you back,” I said. “What did you mean?”

“Within a month of living with Will, I knew I had made a terrible mistake,” Jill replied. “Not that I was necessarily miserable. But it wasn’t like living with Jack. Maybe I should say I simply liked living with Jack better. Before I lived with Will, I idealized him. But my fantasies didn’t live up to realities.”

“So why didn’t you repent and ask Jack to take you back?” I asked.

“Well, Sevenia, I had already badly hurt Jack by the initial affair,” Jill said. “But Jack found it in his heart to forgive me. When I actually left him to shack up with Will, I figured I had completely burned the bridge back to him. Even when I considered approaching him, I felt too ashamed.”

“Okay, so now you two are quite reconciled,” I said with a smile. “So what happened?”

“Well,” Jack grinned. “For the next three years I went to church with Billy Bob Booker. I didn’t date or hook up with other women. I grew up in a  nominally Christian household, but for the first time in my life I became spiritually reborn. As hard as Jill’s infidelity was to accept, it taught me to depend on God rather than another person. Until Jill left me, I didn’t realize how dependent I was on her for my happiness and contentment.”

“How about you, Jill?” I inquired. “Tell us about the previous three years and your reconciliation with Jack.”

“It wasn’t worth it,” she said emphatically and sadly as she shook her head. “It was bad enough hurting Jack to satisfy my lusts of the flesh. What I stupidly didn’t anticipate was how negatively our kids responded to my behavior. Although I still managed to maintain a relationship with them, their disappointment and disrespect was palpable.

“Anyhow, Will ended up proposing as we were enjoying a romantic get away,” Jill said and then glanced uneasily at Jack. “I was caught up in the moment and happily said yes. During the three years I lived with Will, he only asked if I filed for divorce a couple times. After I accepted his proposal, he insisted I file within the week.

“In the days after accepting Will’s marriage offer, I was beyond regretful. Not only for saying yes, but for leaving a good man three years earlier for a cheat and a selfish slob. Don’t get me wrong. Will had his charms, I wouldn’t have fallen for him if he didn’t. I guess it took almost ruining my life to see that Jack was a diamond and Will was cubic zirconia.”

Jack smiled and humbly bowed his head.

“Okay, so how did you two reconcile then?”

“Our son called me with the news that Jill and Will were engaged,” Jack said and then sighed. “Not long after I talked to him, Jill called and asked if she could come and see me. I told her of course, and thought, well, this is it. She’s coming to present me with divorce papers or something.

“When she arrived on my doorstep, she took my breath away. Her hair was held back with a clip, just the way I liked it, and she was in a dress she used to wear to church back when our kids were little. I invited her in and we exchanged awkward small talk for about five minutes. Then I couldn’t stand it anymore. I asked her if she had something for me to sign or anything. She got wide eyed and almost looked frightened. That’s when she threw me a curve.”

Jill giggled. “I told him that I hadn’t filed for divorce yet. He asked me why I wanted to see him then. I told him that before I filed, I wanted to ask him why he had never filed. He told me he always held out hope that I would come back to him. I asked him if he meant even now after three years. Without hesitation, he said even now after three years.”

Jill pinched the bridge of her nose and began to whimper. Jack rubbed her back, and she put her face in her hands and cried.

“I wanted to make love with him right then,” Jill said. “But he told me I needed to end things with Will first. So I went back to what I considered home for three years and threw Will a curve. I told him I had changed my mind. I gave him his ring back. I also told him Jack took me back.

“He threw a fit! We argued, and he almost hit me. This told me all I needed to know about the only two romantic partners in my life. Jack never even raised his voice due to my shenanigans. Yes, I knew I hurt him and he was disappointed. This hurt me too, but not enough to stop my selfish desires. Yet he forgave me! I then went back to what I had called home for more than twenty years, and that’s where I plan to stay until death do us part.”

“Jesus said in Matthew 6:14,” Jack said. “That if you forgive people their trespasses, your heavenly father will forgive yours. Without the love and forgiveness of God in my heart, my love and forgiveness for Jill wouldn’t have existed. Therefore I wouldn’t be experiencing this fresh start.”

Jill wiped a tear before she spoke. “If Jack wouldn’t have exhibited this extreme act of love, patience, and forgiveness, I wouldn’t be experiencing my own spiritual revival right now. I would have ended up yoked with a man that was my legal husband, but not truly my spiritual husband. Or even an okay husband if he was tempted to hit me. Thank God his Son intervened in Jack’s life! And as a ripple effect, mine as well as our kids!”

“Amen!” my dad and I said at the same time.

LIII

BUT I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT WHOSOEVER LOOKS ON A WOMAN (MAN) TO LUST AFTER HER (HIM) HAS COMMITTED ADULTRY WITH HER (HIM) ALREADY IN HIS HEART.

(MATTHEW 5:28)

SEVEN SALLIE (FATHER OF SEVENIA SALLIE GIRL PROPHETESS)

“Dad!” my daughter had said a week ago, running an exasperated hand through her short auburn hair before putting fists on her hips. But a little smile played at her lips and her big lovely emerald eyes twinkled. “It would be nice if you would have asked me first. What if I don’t like doing this interview stuff for your podcast?”

“But you do, don’t you?”

“Well yeah, sort of,” she shrugged. “But it would have been courteous to talk to me before you announce something regarding me to your audience.”

“But I got a text from Jack while your interview was recording. He and his wife Jill would be willing to share their testimony on how their marriage went from nearly ending to becoming revived in a powerful way. They just renewed their wedding vows last week on their 25^th anniversary.”

“Wow, it does sound interesting,” Sevenia said. “I didn’t even know Jack Griffin was married. His wife’s name is Jill? Like Jack and Jill went up the hill?”

“To fetch a pail of Chili,” I said nodding.

“What? Don’t you mean water? Then Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after.”

“This little ditty quite literally happened to their marriage,” I told Sevenia. “You just have to change some of the wording.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, Jack will explain. It has to do with a restaurant his wife went to work for and the guy that she fell love with.”

“Okay. Obviously, I know Jack. He’s been at Cotton Creek Cove fellowship ever since I’ve been going. But have I ever met his wife Jill?”

“I don’t know, have you?” I asked. “She’s been coming with him the last few weeks.”

“That woman he’s been coming with is his wife? I thought she was his sister.”

“Yeah, they do sort of look alike. Brown hair, brown eyes, narrow noses, thin lips.”

Seven days later I eyed my daughter as I prepared to record another interview. She talked with Jack and Jill. As often happened, affection for her swelled in my heart. She was so mature, wholesome, and had a way of putting people at ease. Her being part of my podcast was already boosting ratings.

“Are you all ready?” I asked. My daughter and Jill sat six feet across from each other at a table and Jack sat back and in between them, facing me. As I gazed at the ladies profiles, I decided to tease a little. My asking if they were ready had put a frightened look into Jill’s eyes. “Did you ladies decide to dress alike for the photos later?”

The three laughed. Then Jill and Sevenia look at each other, realizing that their light blue blouses looked similar. They were also wearing what I sometimes thought of as sort of a uniform for women who belong to our fellowship. Women tended to wear dresses on Sabbath, but long denim skirts otherwise. It wasn’t a rule or anything. But more women than not seemed to prefer this attire.

They also were both wearing navy tights. But Jill wore blue flat shoes while my daughter wore black converse sneakers. It was cool for early October, and it was the first I’d seen Sevenia in tights since May. It was a sad sign that summer was over.

I began the podcast by welcoming Sevenia back and introducing our guests to the audience. I explained that by calling the interview, the Seven Year Switch, it had nothing to do with my name. Rather, it signified the seven year period that a third party was involved in Jack and Jill’s legal marriage. With their marriage on the brink of ending, it suddenly and quickly turned around. I turned it over to my daughter to extract the details.

“We were talking about the famous Jack and Jill ditty before we got started here,” Sevenia said with a giggle. “Jack, would you explain the significance of the wording change you implemented. It would be a good way to get your story rolling.”

“Sure,” Jack replied and then cleared his throat. “Seven years ago, Jill and I had both gotten home late and we didn’t feel like making any supper. We lived in a small town, and I recalled having recently run into an old friend and former co-worker, Will. He told me he had opened a bar and grill in a neighboring town six miles away. The place was called Willie’s Chili and More Bar and Grill. I suggested we have supper there.”

“The town is kind of hilly, and after parking, you need to climb about dozen stairs or walk around on a ramp to get to the entrance. So we had a burger and a bowl of chili. Since it was late, we ended up being the last customers to finish eating. My old friend came over to sit at our table to ask us how our meal was and to catch up a little.”

“So this Will or Willie,” Sevenia said to Jill. “Is he the man you, ah…”

“Yes,” Jill interrupted quickly, followed with a nervous laugh. “Until that night, I hadn’t seen Will in years. It had been around ten years previous that he worked with Will. I had only met him a few times, but the irony is that I didn’t like him at all back then. Sure he was good looking, but I found him disgusting. He was a big blonde rowdy redneck. He always had a big wad of tobacco in his mouth and didn’t seem to be able to complete a sentence without a swear word. He was the type of guy that whistled at women passing by construction sites.”

“Was that the type of work you guys did back then?” Sevenia asked Jack.

“Still do, I’ve been a carpenter my whole life,” Jack replied.

“Okay. So Jill, you said you didn’t like Will back then, what had changed?” Sevenia asked.

“I guess the first thing I noticed was he aged well,” she replied. “For a big man approaching fifty, he still had more muscle than fat. He still had most of his hair and it was now a distinguished silver. But most importantly, he seemed to have matured. He seemed more sophisticated.”

“He also flattered Jill,” Jack interjected with a frown. “He mentioned she was pretty and fit.”

“That was after you suggested I work for him,” Jill replied, with a seemingly forced smile.

I felt myself go rigid. Was this interview, barely under way, about to go sideways? Was this interview going to cause their reconciliating to go the other way? I simply thought their story was inspiring. Thankfully, my smart girl kept them on the right path.

“Jack, I’m curious now,” Sevenia said. “Tell us your ditty.”

Jack and Jill looked at each other and chuckled. I felt myself relax a little.

“Just a little more background before the ditty,” Jack said with a sigh. “Jill’s right, I suggested that maybe she should waitress for Will. He had mentioned that he was hurting for help. Jill had worked part time at the county as a clerk, but due to budget cuts, she got let go. Before and just after we married she had waitressed for a couple years. She was hesitant with my suggestion, but that’s when Will said that with her good looks, she’d make nice tips.”

“But I was concerned about being on my feet for long periods of time,” Jill explained. “I remembered being exhausted when I was nineteen. How would I be at forty something? That’s when Will said I looked really fit to him. He also told me to please give it a try, and I could quit anytime, no hard feelings. Then we shook on it.”

“Right about that time, I excused myself to use the restroom,” Jack said. “When I came out, I didn’t like the way they were looking at each other, all googly eyed. Then I had gotten a text from a guy that worked for me. He said he was sick and wouldn’t be in the next day. As I was texting back, Will’s phone rang behind the bar. As he went to answer it, I noticed Jill didn’t take her eyes off of him. I thought, uh oh, what did I just do? Then I laughed to myself thinking, Jill’s never given me a reason not to trust her.”

“I’ll admit it,” Jill interjected. “It’s part of the healing process. I was smitten with Will. I didn’t believe then that I would ever actually cheat on Jack, but I was trusting to myself. When Jesus said that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery in his heart (Matthew 5:28). It doesn’t just apply to men. But with women, it’s more in the mind, the feelings.”

Jill and Sevenia both chuckled politely. My daughter opened her mouth to proceed with the interview, but Jack spoke.

“So the ditty,” He said with a sigh. “When Jill actually left me and moved in with Will, I wrote her a letter. I recalled that first meeting when we went for that fateful late supper. So I concluded  the letter with a P.S. It was a little poem. Jack and Jill went up the hill to fetch a bowl of chili. Jack turned around, and then he frowned, because he saw that Jill had eyes for Willie.”

“So Jill,” Sevenia said. “You mentioned the warning Jesus gave in the book of Matthew, yet you also mentioned trusting to yourself. Can you explain?”

“I’ll try,” Jill chuckled nervously. “Jack and I were both raised in religious homes. We both grew up in the same church. We were married in this church, and we were both virgins when we married. Well, I mean, technically. But until I left Jack for Will, we attended church regularly.”

I noticed Jack blush when his wife informed the audience about their level of being chaste when they married.

“We had two kids, and I was a stay at home mom until both our children were in school full time. I ended up getting a part time job with the county as a clerk. Over the years my prayer life and devotional life slowly dwindled. About a year before I started waitressing at Willie’s Chili, I was let go by the county. I ended up at a temp service. At one of the offices I worked at, I met and became friends with someone who raved about the book Fifty Shades of Grey.

“When she offered to loan me her copy, I had resisted at first. Up to that point in my life, I had mostly just read Christian fiction for recreational reading. To make a long story short, I gave it a try, and I couldn’t put it down. I was curious, tantalized and intrigued. All three in the trilogy had been out by then and within two weeks I had them all read.

“Just to be clear. I’m not into BDSM. Yet reading about it aroused me on some level. I went in search for something similar. I found myself at a used bookstore. The only other person there besides myself was a middle aged woman who was the cashier. I told her what I was looking for, and she led me to a small section labeled erotica.

“I spent the next hour reading the backs of twenty or thirty novels of erotic fiction as well as supposedly true stories. I purchased about a half dozen that intrigued me the most. I’m ashamed to say that I became addicted to erotica.

“Girl porn was the main reason for my downfall. Jack was a wonderful husband and father, we had a great marriage. But if it weren’t for my fascination with tantalizing sexual stories, I don’t believe I ever would have entered into an affair. Like it says in the book of James. Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.” (James 1:14).

“Then when lust has conceived,” Jack said mechanically. “It brings forth sin. And when sin is finished it brings forth death.” (Verse 15).

Jill began sobbing hysterically.

“I’m sorry, Jill. I didn’t mean it that way,” Jack said soothingly. Then he spoke something into her ear and patted her back. She kissed his check, but then only sobbed the harder. Sevenia put an arm around her and looked at me. I whirled my hand to keep recording. Sevenia scowled and shook her head. I nodded and we took a break.

LII

FOR WE WRESTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD, BUT AGAINST PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, AGAINST THE RULERS OF THE DARKNESS OF THIS WORLD, AGAINST SPIRITUAL WICKEDNESS IN HIGH PLACES

(EPHESIANS 6:12)

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” my dad said with an old English accent. We had just taken a break in recording the interview I was doing with Lexi. She needed a drink of water and a few minutes to collect her bearings.

“What?” Lexi and I said in unison.

“Oh, nothing,” my dad replied, looking slightly surprised. “Lexi had just been saying her deliverance was both the best and worst time of her life. That old quote just popped into my fertile brain.”

“I know what your brain was fertilized with,” Lexi said laughing.

“I said fertile, not fertilized,” my dad said with both a grin and a scowl. “Anyway, are you guys ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Lexi replied.

“So, Lexi,” I began, and then continued as gently as possible. “At one point during your deliverance, in a fit of rage, you started to choke your sister. Can you tell us what was going through your mind at that time?”

“My mind was in such chaos, so much is so confused in my memory,” she replied as she shook her head. “I’m totally sorry, but I can’t tell you why I choked my sister. I remember having an unreasonable feeling of jealous anger toward her. Then I blacked out and went into an extremely vivid dream state.

“In this dream state, first I saw the real Satan. Not the malevolent, mythical portrayal with horns, all red, and a pitchfork. But the real dark force that appears as an angel of light from 2 Corinthians 11:14. Verse 15 also tells us that Satan’s ministers will be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. If someone is going to poison someone., the poison is usually mixed with something good.

“I believe these dark forces preach self-help fluff in thousands of churches. They preach legalism through tradition and politics in thousands of other churches. In our societal culture it preaches freedom and fun through rebellion in sex, drugs, music, and other entertainment.

“So after that I saw Jesus before the crucifixion, praying and sweating as it were great drops of blood. He was in anguish over His mission to save sinners from eternal death. A death I was in that moment facing. Then I saw Jesus on the cross, bloody and beaten.

“As I beheld Him, He looked at me with such love, compassion, and forgiveness. In that moment I gave my heart, mind, and soul to Him. The demons that possessed me fled and I was consumed by bright light for about ten seconds. The first thing I saw when my vison cleared was my little sister. She was looking at me with the same love and compassion our Lord had been looking at me with in the vision.”

Lexi sniffed, gasped, and then tried unsuccessfully to choke back a sob.

“It’s okay, Lex,” I said softly, but I think my sympathetic words caused her weeping to intensify. I looked at my dad. To my surprise, he pinched the bridge of his nose as he bowed his head. I assume he was attempting to hold back tears of his own. Yet he spun his hand in a circular motion, indicating to keep recording.

“I’m sorry,” she said with a final sniff. Thankfully after only twenty seconds. “I kind of lost it there.”

“That’s completely understandable,” I said.

“It’s just I‘ve seen so many broken people,” she said with a quivering lower lip. “Especially in my former profession as an exotic dancer. The sad thing is Jesus is right there for the taking. Yet most people don’t look for Him. They don’t see Him.”

“Because He doesn’t force an entrance into anyone’s life,” I said. “He stands at the door and knocks. (Revelation 3:20). It’s up to us to let Him in.”

“God promises that if we ask, it will be given to us,” Lexi said quoting Matthew 7:7. “If we seek we will find, if we knock it will be opened.”

“Right,” I agreed. “He continues the promise with verse 8 with everyone that asks receives.”

“Proverbs 8:35 tells us that whoever finds God, finds life,” Lexi said. “In Jeremiah 29:13 the Lord says you shall seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart.”

I felt myself well up with love for my sister in Christ. I had seen pictures of her when she was known as sexy Lexi. She appeared so hard and mean looking. Now she overflowed with love for the Lord and her fellow man.

“Lexi, you’ve been such an inspiration for me over the last two years,” I told her. “It’s a privilege to call you my Christian sister.”

“Thank you, I feel privileged as well,” she said with a sweet smile as she wiped a tear from her eye. “You’ve been such a blessing to me, Sevenia. Nobody has taught me about primitive Godliness like you.”

“That’s kind of you to say, Lex, thank you. And thank you for doing this interview with me.”

“Thank you for making me feel so comfortable when I talked about difficult things.”

I looked at my dad, and he gave us a thumbs up. He began talking and my gaze returned to Lexi. Then when my dad spoke, my head snapped back to him.

“Next week join us as Sevenia interviews a couple that nearly divorced due to a love triangle. Find out how their marriage not only survived, but how they became spiritually revived in the process.”

This was news to me!

LI

PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST THE WILES OF THE DEVIL.

EPHESIANS 6:11

SEVEN SALLIE (FATHER OF SEVENIA GIRL PROPHETESS)

“Daddy, what do you think you’re doing?” my daughter asked me with a whisper, but her teeth clenched. She had been about to sit back down and continue the interview with Lexi on the occult. But before she sat, she had taken a couple quick steps toward me and clutched my arm.

“What do you mean?” I asked dumbly.

“You know what I mean,” she replied as she looked at my phone, which was still recording a video. She grabbed it from my hand, pursed her lips, and pushed stop. “Shame on you.”

“Sorry, I just did it reflexively. It’s not like I’m gonna post it or anything.”

“Well, watch it or you’re grounded,” she said with a mischievous grin.

I grinned  back and pulled her in for a hug. I kissed her forehead and ruffled her short, mildly spiky, auburn hair. It occurred to me that she had never even been under consideration to be grounded. I needed to thank God more often for blessing me with a saintly daughter.

“What’s going on?” Lexi asked.

“Just exchanging some instructions with dear old dad,” Sevenia said.

“Hey, watch the old part,” I said. “I’m not even forty yet.”

“Pretty close,” my daughter said with a wink.

“Oh wow,” Lexi said. “I thought you were like 43 or 44.”

“Gee thanks.”

“Oh, no, I mean like, I thought you looked great for your age. But aren’t you and Brock the same age? I guess I keep thinking you and he are twins rather than you and that Six fella.”

“Six and I are several months older than Brock.”

“So he’s not in his forties, he looks like it,” Lexi joked.

“Too many fights, I guess,” I replied. “And too many years in the Florida sun. Anyway, are you two ready to resume?”

“Yes,” they replied in unison.

I didn’t know if I was. Lexi mentioning my brother got me wondering how he was. Plus I couldn’t stop thinking about the upcoming Bible study in a couple days. It sounded like both Zella as well as Salena would be there. Like never before, I didn’t understand my feelings for either woman. I was distracted. Then Lexi snapped me out of it with her testimony regarding her sisters.

“When Jezebel fully intended to kill our little sister in a satanic ritual, it opened my eyes like never before to her true colors. I was technically a member of her organization, even though I didn’t take it as serious as most. I went to the cops. But after what had transpired with the attempted gang rape on Amy, and the role I had played in it, they did not take me seriously at all.

“Thankfully, Brock, Dirk, and Bentley Bonnano came to the rescue. Poor Bentley ended up losing his life in the mission to save my little sister,” Lexi wiped at a tear and her lower lip trembled as she continued. “Right there is a sobering example of the ripple effect of sins we take so casually.”

Lexi choked on a sob and pinched the bridge of her nose. I could tell she was truly sorry for her sins. Sevenia gave her a moment to collect herself. I hoped the viewers took note of the love and compassion in my beautiful daughter’s eyes as she prodded Lexi on.

“What did you mean by ripple effect?” Sevenia asked.

“Well, if I wouldn’t have sicked those guys on Amy, the police might have taken my warnings more seriously. Therefore Bentley Bonnano would still be alive.”

“You had mentioned your eyes being opened like never before on true colors,” Sevenia said. “What did you mean?”

“Up to that point, I had resented Amy and admired Jezebel,” she replied. “You see, Amy was mostly raised by her father’s parents, whereas Jezebel and I were raised amongst the revolving door of men in our mother’s life. Many of whom felt inclined to attempt inappropriate things with little girls. I credited this as the reason Amy was wholesome and her two twisted sisters were the opposite.”

“But now that I know Amy better, I can see in hindsight that she didn’t exactly grow up in a bed of roses. Her dad was killed in Iraq when she was still little. Then as a teenager she was pretty much a caretaker for her cranky grandfather. This kept her from experiencing typical teenage girl stuff. Yet it also helped keep her wholesome. The responsibility and what not.”

“What exactly caused you to admire your older sister, but then have your eyes become opened?” Sevenia asked.

“Like I kind of mentioned before, some of our mother’s boyfriends were apparently pedophiles. Yet I noticed after initially showing interest in Jezebel, they steered clear of her and focused on me. When I asked how she did it, she told me that people tend to steer clear of crazy Satanists. Then she explained.

“At the time I had consulted her on the problem, our mother had brought the biggest, meanest, most pathetic creature into our home thus far. When he tried to get Jezebel to preform a sex act on him, she bugged out her eyes, waggled her tongue, and made a hideous screech. Then she bared her teeth, chomped down hard, and asked him to repeat what he wanted her to do. He said if she did that, he’d slap her across the house and back. Then she showed him a switch blade knife and told him he better be a light sleeper.

“He then called her a crazy female dog and said he would turn his attention to her sister, meaning me. She then told him he would have a hard time doing that with a slit throat and being newly castrated. It explained why he not only left me alone, but also didn’t stick around our dysfunctional home very long.

“From that day forward, my older sister was my hero. Even though I didn’t take her dark theology all that serious, I respected and admired her. I thought she was tough, smart, and worldly wise. But then she talked about how a virgin sacrifice would complete her violation of all the commandments of God. I suspected that she meant our youngest sister, Amy.

“That was when the first tiny glimmer of light penetrated my own dark mind. I was appalled at the thought of Amy being killed in a ritual sacrifice. Yet at the same time I had plans to make her a porn star. That’s how twisted the human condition can get.”

“You said the first glimmer of light,” Sevenia said. “By first, I assume there were more glimmers of light or maybe it expanded.”

“This is where it gets tricky,” Lexi laughed without humor. “So thanks to me, Amy almost gets raped. Then not much later, she gets kidnapped by Jezebel’s cult. Then she barely escapes being murdered in a ritual sacrifice. In the aftermath, Jezebel was no longer my hero. But gradually, my little sister became my new hero.

“You see, for all my life I had hated Christians and Christianity. I thought of them all as hypocrites, phonies and people that simply needed to be in a herd. The preachers seemed to be begging for money, even though they wore thousand dollar suits.

“Then I began observing Amy and her Cotton Creek Cove church members. It was different than most churches. They seemed Amish, but without, or maybe I should say with, modern conveniences. I wanted what they had. But something else was also happening. When I tried to, I, um, I, I…”

“When you tried to come to the light, you were controlled by demons,” my daughter interjected solemnly, yet soothingly.

“Exactly! It was like I had a split personality. There was this side of me that was slowly learning about the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And there was this other side that was consumed with hatred, cynicism, and just plain selfishness. It was like the fire I had against Christianity before, against humanity in general,  was suddenly doused with gasoline. I didn’t understand it and I couldn’t escape from it.”

“Yes, but you did!” Sevenia said. “Yet so many people, without necessarily being demon possessed, can’t seem to escape demon oppression,” Sevenia said.

“Yes,” Lexi replied meekly.

“Praise God!” my daughter enthused.

“The need to put on the whole armor of God is very real,” Lexi said emphatically. “And don’t be deceived. If you are a church going Christian and don’t have, not just the armor, but THE WHOLE ARMOR, the demons are happy to just leave you alone. If you’re not all in, you’re serving their purpose, not God’s. If anyone knows we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places, it’s me.” (Ephesians 6:11, 12).

“Lex,” Sevenia said softly. “What was it like when you were being delivered from the demons? I mean when you were laid out on that bed writhing and choking your sister?”

“Stop!” she barked, and then sighed heavily. She bowed her head and pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. It’s just that that moment in time was both the best and worst of my life.”

“That’s okay, we don’t need to go there,” my daughter told her gently.

I knew it would be better to have Sevenia interview her rather than me. “Let me ask…”

“No,” Lexi said, lifting her head, her eyes blazing with intensity.

I was at her deliverance. Her countenance was similar, but now there was a huge difference. Back then, her eyes looked supernaturally crazed. Now they were filled with righteous indignation. “No, I have to do this. I need to tell what my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ did for me!”

L

NOW THE SPIRIT SPEAKS EXPRESSLY, THAT IN THE LATTER TIMES SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, GIVING HEED TO SEDUCING SPIRITS, AND DOCTRINES OF DEVILS

! TIMOTHY 4:1

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

“I’m really sorry about earlier, Lex,” my dad said as Lexi and I sat and prepared to do an interview for my dad’s podcast. He was referring to the intro music he used to begin his podcast. ‘Hells Bells,’ by the rock band AC DC, which caused Lexi major discomfort.

“I’m sorry for freaking out like I did,” she replied. “It’s just that I try to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:5). Even though you didn’t actually play the words, you see, the music still triggers them in my head.”

“Well, I should have known better,” my dad said. “You weren’t the first to point out that it’s an evil song. You just came across in the most powerful way.”

“It’s okay, I should have known better myself,” Lexi said with a shrug.

“What do you mean?” my dad frowned.

“Well, I’ve known that you have a history to be smarmy and fickle,” Lexi said with another casual shrug.

“Gee, tell me what you really think,” my dad replied, laughing without humor.

“I just did,” Lexi said matter of fact and slightly impatient.

I felt my toes curl. I was the middle person between two people known for abrasive personalities. Word had it that after Lexi’s conversion, she was truthful to the core. That’s a good thing. However, instead of exercising discretion and keeping certain things to herself, she tended to always speak her mind. She also was inclined to mild volatility. But she was not only a fairly new Christian, but a formerly demon possessed new Christian. She was still beginning to grow in grace.

I noticed my dad’s mouth begin to open again, and I cut him off. “Time out. Don’t sweat the small stuff, it’s all small stuff. Let’s just get the interview started.”

Moments later the new music played. Lexi smiled at my dad and gave him a thumbs up. He smiled back and returned a thumbs up. The music faded out, and my dad told his audience about Lexi’s demon possession ordeal, her involvement in the occult, and then explained that his daughter was about to interview her.

“I should clarify,” Lexi began. “Although I’ll be speaking about various spiritual dangers, it will be more of a testimony rather than as an expert on the occult. But that’s the point. I simply dabbled with the occult, and it led me to almost lose my mind and soul.”

“Are there any key components you can tell us about that put you on that dangerous road?” I asked.

“Oh my, where to begin?” Lexi said with a nervous laugh. “I guess I’ll start with one of the biggest deceptions. It’s a growing plague within both Christian churches as well as occult organizations. That’s the concept that the devil doesn’t really exist.”

“Wow,” I blurted. “I knew that was becoming a belief in new age Christianity. But how is it possible to be a devil worshipper and not believe in the devil?”

“A large percentage of Satanists actually claim to be atheists,” Lexi explained. “They are simply angry or disgruntled with religionists. Or wink, wink, they are profit seeking. So in the name of music, protest, or art, they do the opposite and worship the devil. I have read this about both Anton Levey, the founder of the Church of Satan, and the rock singer Marilyn Manson.”

“Strange,” I replied.

“Another element for some occultists is the hedonistic lifestyle. The erotic, self-indulgent aspect.”

“So, what drew you into it?” I asked.

“I would have to say,” she said, looking at the ceiling in contemplation. “That my first memory of seeking the dark side was playing with a Ouija board with my sister.”

“I’m good friends with your sister Amy,” I said laughing. “It wasn’t her, was it?”

“Oh, heavens no,” Lexi replied with a chuckled. “I have two sisters. One’s older and one’s younger. Amy, the younger one, is like an angel. If it weren’t for her, I would probably still be steeped in a life of sin and degradation. Maybe even dead. My sister Jezebel is like, well, a fallen angel.”

“Isn’t it true that your sister Jezebel tried to kill your sister Amy in a ritual sacrifice?”

“Completely true,” she replied. “As a matter of fact, you can read about it in Johnathan Embers e-book, ‘Knight Storm.’ My younger sister’s ordeal with my older sister was actually the first thing to kick me in the rear concerning spiritual matters.”

“Tell us about it.”

“First, I have a confession,” she said. “Before Amy’s ordeal with our oldest sister, she had lived with me for a few months. She was a cute, subtly sexy, and virginal seventeen year old at the time. I had big plans to get her into adult entertainment. I thought she had potential to become one of the biggest porn stars in the country.”

“Why her and not yourself?” I asked.

“Amy was like the perfect girl next door. Cute and with a naturally great figure. Both great legs, and a nice rack. Oops, sorry if that was crude. But as for me, I have enhanced boobs, regrettably so, and I was more of a gaudy hot. That type is a dime a dozen. However, my ticket to prime time porn money was snatched from my grasp.”

“I didn’t know porn was in prime time,” I said without really thinking.

“I was just saying. But girl, have you ever seen porn?” Lexi asked in such a way that I couldn’t tell if she was serious or mocking.

“I haven’t.”

“At all?”

“No.”

“Have you ever seen a naked man?”

“Lexi!” I replied blushing.

“Well, have you?” she asked with such deadpan seriousness that I felt comfortable replying.

“Only in a medical book,” I replied, trying not to whisper as my face had to be flushing crimson.

She looked at me with wonder. I looked at my dad who stared back at me wide eyed. I turned my gaze back to Lexi as my mouth seemed frozen.

“You are truly a blessed child of God,” she said happily with love in her tear rimmed eyes. “Thank God you haven’t experienced a minute of my life.”

I was surprised by her words and felt so much love for Lexi. I was still groping for something to say when she saved me.

“Anyway,” Lexi continued. “Somebody who’s now a dear friend of mine and her husband rescued my sister from my clutches. Destiny Knight-Storm and her husband Brock took her in.”

“However, Amy ended up returning to my place at a time when she thought I wouldn’t be there to retrieve some of her things. I happened to show up with four pretty rough male acquaintances. I told them to go have a little fun with her. I tell myself that I just wanted them to scare her. But I was in such a dark place that I don’t really know what I was thinking. I was just so filled with hatred and vengeance.”

“Anyway, it was late at night. She escaped, but the four guys gave chase and caught her. They were just about to gang rape her when a brave young man that was out for a late night run spotted them and interrupted their lustful fun. He attacked the four men by himself, and although badly beaten, he held them off long enough for help to arrive. The thing I most admired about his actions was that he had no idea that there were men in the vicinity looking for Amy that saw the commotion.”

“That story is also in the book you mentioned by Johnathan Embers.” I said.

“Yes, it is.”

“Let’s go back to your very first dabbling with the dark side. You mentioned playing with a Ouija board. How old were you?” I asked.

“Eight or nine.”

“That’s pretty young. What do remember about it?”

“Sorry, but my recollection of what actually transpired is pretty vague. I just remember my sister asking some dead person questions, and the little gizmo we had our fingers on seeming to move. I don’t remember the specifics of what was asked, but I remember feeling both afraid and exhilarated.”

“How often did you play with a Ouija board?”

“That was my only time. Shortly after that, my sister went to live with her father for a while. My two sisters and I have the same mother, but we all have different fathers. The next time I was around my older sister, she was into Tarot cards.”

“So did you dabble with that too?”

“No, but she did readings for me. It was during one of these when she predicted I was destined to be a dancer and in the spotlight. I was so dense that when I became an exotic dancer, I marveled that Jezebel had predicted it when I was only thirteen. At the time she told me that, I was thinking along the lines of ballet or something. But I guess doing stretches on a pole isn’t far off, right?” Lexi chuckled without humor and dabbed at a stray tear.

“In hindsight,” she continued. “It wasn’t a big stretch to predict that a poor, dumb, attractive teenager who was already dressing sexy and was sexually active would become a stripper.”

“So would you say that your sister’s influence played the biggest role in becoming involved with the occult?”

She looked at the ceiling again in contemplation. “Yes and no. Without my interest in secular music, I don’t think I would have been interested in my sister’s cult involvement.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, marveling at my great interviewing technique. Not!

“Because I had a feeling my sister was a loose canon,” she replied. “But rock stars were my idols. I remember watching Marilyn Manson in concert ripping pages out of the Bible and mockingly using the pages as toilet paper. I thought at the time, wow he gets it. So does my sister!”

Lexi stopped, pinched the bridge of her nose, and bowed her head. Being the brilliant offspring of a famous broadcast personality, I said, “Ah… Lex, are…”

“People don’t get it!” Lexi wailed and then shouted. “These cultural icons that act like they know everything just because they’re famous. Just because a large percentage of sheep follow them. They’re arrogant idiots! Pride comes before the fall.

“Think about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane! He didn’t die because of the physical torture of the cross, you fools! They didn’t break His legs because He was already dead. Crucifixion was meant to last for days. He died because of the mental anguish of dying for our sins! He carried the weight of all of our sins! He couldn’t see beyond the portals of the tomb!”

Lexi began sobbing frantically. “All of my sins! He died for all of my sins which are too many to count!” Then she clutched her head and toppled to the floor.

“It’s okay, Lex,” I said soothingly.

“I still make so many mistakes,” she whimpered. “Like wigging out at your dad over the music.”

“There was nothing wrong with that,” I said. “My dad shouldn’t have been starting his so called Christian program with an evil song.”

“I’m so weak,” she whispered.

“For when I’m weak, then am I strong,” I replied. (2 Corinthians 12:10).

“But I keep rubbing people the wrong way. I keep coming off as a crazy person.”

“We’re all flawed, Sweetie. I can tell you are trying to follow God and do the right thing. If people aren’t mature enough, patient enough, or secure enough to handle your personality, so be it.”

“So I’m okay then?” She asked meekly.

I went to the floor and knelt next to her and cupped her face in my hands. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:1) And that’s what I see you doing, Lex.”

“I love you, Sevenia,” she whimpered.

“I love you too, Lex,” I replied as we hugged.

Over her shoulder, I saw my dad filming us. I frowned at him. Lord help me to obey the fifth commandment!

XLIX

ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCE OF EVIL

(1 THESSALONIANS 5:22)

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

“Are you ready, Sweet Pea?” my dad asked after he kissed the top of my head and then ruffled my short nest of unintentionally spiky, naturally auburn hair.

“Sure,” I giggled.

“How about you, Lex?” he asked our companion in his studio.

“Aren’t you gonna kiss me on top of my head, too?” Lexi Gomez asked with a slightly seductive, yet serious tone. I saw my dad try to conceal the stunned expression that came onto his face. Then Lexi laughed, and a relieved look washed over my father’s face before he chuckled along with her.

“I’m just kidding,” Lexi said happily. “Yeah, I’m ready as I’ll ever be. I guess.”

I first met the former exotic dancer known as Sexy Lexi two years ago. It was shortly after she was delivered from demon possession that we became friends. Her ordeal was the final straw in my dad’s own hesitation to follow Christ fully. As frightening as the experience was for him, he said her transformation was beautiful and miraculous. It was also a blaring alarm that awoke him to the facts of spiritual realities. He said it was like witnessing when Jesus casted out demons, and the delivered was clothed and sitting in his right mind. (Mark 5:15).

Although Lexi experienced an amazing deliverance, it didn’t free her from being human. She still had immense struggles and temptations. After giving birth to a healthy baby boy more than a year ago, she had suffered from postpartum depression. She also still had an abrasive personality. As she and I settled into my dad’s studio to do an interview, her aggressive nature was on display before we even got started.

My dad is a podcaster and broadcaster, mostly known for his former show, The Seven Sallie Showdown. At one time he had millions of listeners and social media followers. For a long time, his topics were culture events, along with political and religious corruption. He was often crude, obnoxious, and mean spirited.

After his conversion, my dad’s personal character changed, as did his approach to his broadcast subjects. Crude was replaced with kind, obnoxious with patience, mean spirited with spiritually instructive. He rapidly lost his fan base, causing his partners to dump and replace him.

So he began again with his own podcast. He called it, The Seven Sallie Lowdown. But human beings tend to prefer the carnal over spiritual. Although over the last two years he had gained new followers, it was a fraction of his heyday. Yet I had never seen my daddy more content.

There was one hold over from the old days that he still had kept. It was his introductory theme song. Whereas Rush Limbaugh’s signature start to his broadcast was The Pretender’s song ‘My City Was Gone’, my dad’s was ‘Hells Bells’ by some hard rock band named after an electric current. AC DC, I believe they’re called.

To me it was dark, so I never cared for it. Yet I didn’t pay it much attention. I know it did create controversy when my dad’s topic became more spiritual and Christian based. Yet my dad simply explained it away as it was just music. He said he saw nothing evil with guitars and drums. He proclaimed that after the haunting church bells, sinister guitar play, and progressive drums, he faded out and began talking before the singing began. Something was about to happen that would cause him to change his introductory music forever.

The interview I was about to do with Lexi had to do with the dangers of dabbling with the occult, and how dark forces have permeated our culture and entertainment. Our session was thankfully going to be prerecorded. Because as soon as my dad’s theme song began to play, things quickly went awry. As soon as the first gong of the church bell rang, I noticed a stunned look Lexi’s face. Then when the guitar began, she bolted up from her chair.

“Stop!” she barked. My dad spilled and spit up the sparkling water he had been sipping.

“Lexi, what’s wrong?” my dad asked with a concerned look on his face.

“What are you doing?” she asked. Her expression revealed both disgust and confusion.

“We’re starting the broadcast, I thought you were ready.”

“I mean that music,” she barked as she haphazardly pointed at the sound board.

“It’s introductory. It will fade out after a minute and I’ll start talking. Then I’ll…”

“It’s evil!”

“Um, well, It’s just the music. I fade out several seconds before any singing begins.”

The drums began and the song picked up speed. Lexi slapped her hands over her ears and a squeak emanated from her throat. My dad stopped the song.

“It’s gonna be in my head,” she croaked, on the verge of tears.

“I don’t understand,” my dad said with spread arms. “It’s just music.”

“I’m gonna get ya, Satan get ya,” Lexi said desperately.

“Huh?” my dad replied.

“It’s part of the lyrics,” she said as tears now ran down her cheeks. “I’m not going back there. Lord help me!

“It’s okay, Sweetie,” I said, reflexively doing a Destiny imitation as I put my arm around Lexi. She put her arms around me and whimpered. It was so pitiful that I began to cry myself, and I didn’t even fully understand what was going on. My dad stared dumbfounded at us.

“I need my sister,” Lexi said with a quivering lower lip. This once hardened, worldly woman now seemed so childlike and vulnerable. “I can’t do this right now.”

“That’s okay. I’ll call Amy,” I told her.

“Okay,” she said meekly. Then she hugged me so tight I struggled to get to my phone. But I managed, and Amy said to come right over.

Lexi and her younger half sister Amy had become extremely close over the last two years. Amy had been instrumental during Lexi’s demon possession ordeal. A year or two before that, Lexi had put Amy in a situation where she was almost gang raped. Yet Amy not only forgave her, but now helped her get her life together. Johnathan Ember’s tells of this twisted situation in his e-book ‘Knight Storm.’

“Do you want me to drive you?” I asked Lexi as I walked her to her car.

“No, I’ll be fine,” she said as she put a hand on my forearm and winced. Her long dark ponytail had flopped around to her front side, and she began to stroke it with both hands. Her intense brown eyes looked sorrowful. “I’m so embarrassed. It’s just, well, I have occasional nightmares about my old life and that song just, it just set me off I guess. Plus I was really nervous about our interview. I like to keep my old life out of my mind as much as possible.”

“Lex, you don’t have to do this interview,” I said softly.

“No, I want to,” she said insistently. “I need to warn people about the dangers of the occult. I think I just didn’t have enough time to get my head around doing this project. I should have counseled and prayed with Amy in the first place. Nobody understands me like her. Tell your dad I’m sorry. Maybe I could come back later today even.”

“You just take care, Sweetie,” I said. “And don’t feel pressured to do this interview thing, okay?”

“Okay,” she said with a forced smile.

I prayed with her, and then I returned to my dad. He was praying with an open Bible in front of him. He got up when he heard me enter the studio. He had a stricken look on his face.

“Daddy, are you all right?”

“How could I be so stupid?”

I didn’t say anything. I just gazed at him sympathetically.

“I used to love it when religious people complained about my intro song when I was on The Showdown. Then when I started The Lowdown, I got even more complaints, even though I had a fraction of the listeners. I just found it annoying, all the complainers, busybodies and legalists. Then Lexi’s reaction, especially given her background. It was, well, it was…”

“A wake up call?” I asked mildly.

“More like a fire alarm actually,” he said and then chuckled without humor. Then he picked up a post it note with his chicken scratches on it. “I looked up the lyrics. Here are a few that stuck out to me. Won’t take no prisoners, won’t spare no lives. Nobody’s put up a fight. Got my bell, gonna take you to hell. Here’s the part Lexi quoted. I’m gonna get you, Satan get you, hells bells. Here’s a couple more lines. I’ll give you black sensations up and down your spine. If you’re into evil, you’re a friend of mine. If goods to the left, I’m sticking to the right.”

“So are you changing it then?”

“Yes, I’m never using it again.”

“What are you gonna do?”

“Well, after Captain Kirk became the latest to rebuke me for using it, I found a song I liked and had it in reserve. I’m ashamed to admit, if it hadn’t been for Lexi, I probably wouldn’t have considered it.”

“What’s your new song?”

“Boom by POD.”

I nodded.

“Have you heard of it?”

I shook my head. He played it. I nodded. “Yeah, I’ve heard it before. They’re a Christian band, aren’t they?”

He nodded.

“So, when did Pastor Samson rebuke you?”

“A few weeks ago.”

“What’d he say?”

“He told me a lot of people he respected, had expressed concern about my intro music. He said he knew nothing about hard rock music other than he didn’t personally like it. I told him what I had told you and Lexi. I fade the music out before any lyrics start. He said to beware, music is powerful and that the music could trigger the lyrics in peoples minds. Then he said to please pray over it.”

“Did you?”

“No,” he said quietly as my typically bold father meekly hung his head.

“I Thessalonians 5:22 says to abstain from all appearance of evil,” I said softly.

“I know,” he nodded solemnly. “I was also thinking about Romans 14:13 instructing not to put a stumbling block or occasion to fall in a brother or sister’s way.”

My phone chirped, as if on cue, with a text from Lexi. She wanted to come back and do our interview. She said she was sorry for bailing, and being so weak and wimping out. I called her and told her that when we are weak we become strong (2 Corinthians 12:10), of course,  through the power of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I also told her that my dad had changed his intro song permanently because of her influence. I told her he had changed it to ‘Boom’ by POD. She blurted a praise God so loud it startled me. But in a wonderful way!

XLIII

KEEP THY HEART WITH ALL DILIGENCE; FOR OUT OF IT ARE THE ISSUES OF LIFE

(PROVERBS 4:23)

SEVEN SALLIE (FATHER OF SEVENIA SALLIE GIRL PROPHETESS)

“I have a headache,” my brother Six declared. “I’m gonna take an aspirin and lay down on your bed.”

I immediately knew what he was up to. The two way mirror that was in my closet that looked into my study. I had been about to invite Salena, my former girlfriend of almost twenty years ago, into my home. She was also a woman that was pregnant with my twin brother’s child. My brother was a man who felt himself not good enough for Salena. At least as he sorted out his troubled life.

“Hi,” Salena said meekly when I opened the door. She had forced a smile onto her lovely face. Her big dark brown eyes looked sad. Her long black hair was piled in a bun behind her head. A loose strand ran along her jaw. Even after all these years, her beauty still gave me a jolt.

“Hi,” I said with a warm smile.

“Sorry to just show up,” she said with a sigh. “I needed to get away and I needed to see you.”

I frowned. She needed to see me? Since we became reacquainted a couple years ago, we had established a solid friendship. But I didn’t think it was so tight that she would drive three hours to see me. Her need couldn’t be romantic. I thought I made it clear that wasn’t going to happen. Or did I?

She and I exchanged small talk as I brewed us some relaxing herbal tea. As I led her to my study, I felt a sense of betrayal toward Salena knowing that my brother would be eves dropping. Yet I also thought it might be the only chance to bring Six to his senses and begin working on reestablishing a relationship with the woman he had impregnated.

Six had also became reacquainted with Salena two years previously. They then began to see each other weekly for “Bible studies.” I believe their studies were genuine, yet something else transpired between them that was carnal rather than spiritual.

Salena was very religious and a devout Christian. When she and I dated, we were never intimate because we were saving that for marriage. Then she broke up with me to marry a man old enough to be her grandfather. He was the wealthiest member of her church and took care of her very poor family. Jealousy had almost consumed me at the time. Yet I understood her difficult dilemma. Sort of.

I’m ashamed to admit it, but it was the residue from the green eyed monster that kept me from rekindling what we had after she found herself a widow. I still loved her. I still found her incredibly attractive. But I could not stand the thought of that sweet, beautiful, wholesome teenager losing her virginity to a man in his fifties. I don’t care if they did exchange marriage vows first.

Salena’s marriage produced three children. A girl and two boys. Her daughter and my daughter met at a family gathering. I ended up impregnating Salena’s cousin, and we married. Our girls were approximately the same age. The pair became inseparable best friends after meeting at a family gathering more than a decade after their births.

Then at the age of only fifteen, Salena’s daughter Anna died from leukemia. Less than two months later, my ex-wife died. It was a devastating duel blow for my sweet Sevenia. Her broken heart, shattered mine. The only good thing was that she came to live with me as a result. Life is indeed a strange mix of good and bad.

“So,” I said cheerily and hoped she wouldn’t detect tension in my voice after I glanced at the mirror as we sat down. “To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? Why do you need to see me?”

Salena eased into her chair. She must have been five or six months along and was wearing a maternity dress. She kicked off her low heeled pumps in like manner to my daughter kicking off her shoes, and she crossed one leg over the other. Her toenails were painted candy apple red and perfectly matched her long fingernails. Even pregnant and depressed, she was still elegant and beautiful.

“I patched things up with Salena,” she said.

I frowned. “I didn’t know you two had any discord.”

“Figures she wouldn’t tell you about it,” Salena said with a sentimental smile. “The last time we were together, she and I had a major disagreement over some spiritual, biblical matters. It occurred to me after much prayer, study, and consideration, that she was in the right. So, I apologized, and, not surprisingly, she readily forgave me.”

“Wow, so this disagreement was of such a manner, you needed to ask forgiveness?”

“I behaved impatiently and angrily, as opposed to Sevenia’s typical, non-teenager like, patient manner. I think I knew she was in the right, but I was too proud to admit it.”

“I see,” I said, as I then wondered why she needed to see me rather than Sevenia.

“I want your blessing to stay here for a while.”

“Here?” I asked dumbly. “Well, of course, but Six is currently staying in the spare bedroom. We could set you up with Sevenia in her room. You could have her bed and I know she would be glad to sleep in her sleeping bag.”

“No, no,” she laughed. “What I mean is would you mind if I stayed a few weeks in this area, and checked out your church and studied with Sevenia. I’ve become intrigued with what she has repeatedly referred to as primitive Godliness. I thought that is what I have always had. But Sevenia’s gentle persuasions convinced me that I have been following a lot of tradition along with my Bible.”

“I see, like Jesus said, In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matthew 15:9).

“Yeah,” she said with a sentimental smile. Probably thinking of the spiritual conversations we had when we were in love many moons ago.

“Once again,” I replied with throat clearing cough, “You are still welcome to stay here.”

“You say Six is staying here?” she asked with a solemn frown.

“He is.”

“He told me he was only going to stay here over night and then go to Florida. So he is still here?”

“He is.”

“I see,” she replied with a frown. “Has he gone somewhere?”

“He told me he wasn’t feeling well, and he is recuperating in another room.”

“Oh my,” she said as she put her hands to her checks. “Is it okay that I’m here?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” I replied. “He knows we’re friends. He’s also well aware that you are expecting his child.”

“Yeah, I know,” she sighed. “But he lost a lot of respect for me when I gave into sexual temptation with him. Understandably so. I mean we had well over a year of Bible studies as platonic friends. Then in one hour of weakness, I prove to be a hypocrite and a harlot. You see, after Anna died, I had started drinking a glass of wine every evening to help me deal with the grief of her death. Over time, one became two, two became three.

“Then Six showed up unexpected one day, and it happened to be on Anna’s birthday. I had had a whole bottle of wine. He joined me in quaffing a second. He got me laughing the way you used to. He replaced my loneliness and heartache with desire. My inhibitions were lowered, my standards clouded, and I kissed him back when he attempted to kiss me. One thing led to another, and…”

Salena waved her hands over the human being growing in her womb.

“It takes two to tango,” I replied, and then glanced angrily at the mirror.  “I always thought my brother to be a stand up guy. I’m stunned he took advantage of you in such a way.”

“Oh no, Seven,” Salena said as she touched my arm. “I’m in no way blaming your brother. It’s my own fault. In all honesty, it was his similarities to you that caused me to give in to him. Obviously, you two aren’t identical twins. But he was behaving in such a way that it seemed like you. When we were in the midst of passion, I even said your name rather than his. Even in my state of inebriation, it was so embarrassing!”

She blushed and smiled shyly, yet seductively. I felt my toes curl knowing that my brother was watching and listening.

“I’ve never stopped loving you, Seven,” she continued with a nervous intensity in her gaze. “I died inside breaking up with you to marry someone else. But my dad no longer had to work twelve hour days roofing. My mother no longer had to clean motel rooms. My siblings no longer wore secondhand clothes that didn’t fit right, and they all went to college fully paid.”

“I’ve never stopped loving you too, Salena,” my mouth said before my brain could stop it. This had been a regular occurrence through out my life. Our eyes were locked and the same chemistry we had when we were eighteen sizzled between us. I thought of my sort of girlfriend, Zella LaStella, and looked away from Salena.

“Well,” Salena sighed and stood. “I guess I better go.”

“Go where?” I asked as I also stood. “Are you driving back to Minnesota?”

“Oh, no, I have room at the Marriot tonight.”

“Where are your boys?” I asked, referring to her two teenage sons.

She sighed, and sat back down wearily. “They are going to be living with my parents for a while, maybe even permanently. They need a father figure in their lives and it will do them well helping my parents on their hobby farm. They both had begun to rebel after Anna died. Then when they found out I was pregnant out of wedlock, they ended up despising me. They…”

Salena began to cry. I reflexively came out of my chair and went to one knee in front of her. I tilted her chin up to look at me and spoke softly. “This too shall pass. I went a couple years with Sevenia not talking to me. Now we’re as close as a father and daughter can be.”

“But her anger had been based on lies,” she sobbed. “My children’s anger is based on my own sins and hypocrisy.”

“If Brit would have never confessed her lies, the lies would have been a reality to Sevenia. You may be going through a valley of darkness right now, but one day there will be light.”

I smiled reassuringly and gently brushed the wisp of hair off of her jaw. Our eyes locked again. Her eyes glistened with tears, but once again that pure love from our teenage romance shone in them. Was it shining in mine?

It must have been because the next thing I knew her lips were on mine. It was both strange and new, yet old and wonderfully familiar. I couldn’t help kissing her back and letting it linger. I heard a thump from behind the wall and reeled back.

“I’m sorry,” Salena said breathlessly.

“No, no, it’s quite alright,” I stammered. “It’s just, well, you know my friend Zella. My friend that’s a girl. I’ve been intending to ask her to marry me.”

“I see,” Salena said.

There was another thump and a scrap from behind the wall.

“What’s that?” Salena asked.

“Oh, I think Six might be getting up from his nap.”

“I better go,” Salena said as she quickly rose and rapidly walked from the room.

I caught up to her at the front door and snatched her hand. “Salena, wait.”

“I feel like a fool,” she moaned.

“Don’t,” I said, giving her a reassuring smile. “I’m really glad you are here. Salena will be tickled.”

She smiled sadly and nodded. “Six won’t be.”

“Let’s have a hug,” I said lightheartedly.

She went on tip toe and we embraced. The ease of our nostalgic kiss was gone. The hug was stiff and awkward as her pregnant belly pushed against my stomach. I walked her to her car. I invited her to supper, but she declined.

When I went back inside, Six was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at walnut top in a trance. He looked up at me and smirked. “That was quite a kiss you and your old friend shared.”

I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. “Indeed it was. A surprise trip down memory lane.”

“Well, now you know the main reason I can’t be with Salena,” he said with reluctance. “I seduced her by letting her pretend I was you.”

All I could do was nod.

“So,” he drawled. “You’re going to ask Zella to marry you?”

“No, I mean, I don’t know.”

“I’m leaving,” Six said. “I’m taking off for Florida in the morning.”

“What about your Bible studies with Sevenia?”

“What, you really think I want to study with her and Salena?”

“You used to study with Salena all the time.”

“Yeah, before I got her drunk and knocked her up.”

“Study separately. I’ll study with you.”

“Some other time, little bro. Right now I need time on the beach. A lot of time on the beach.”

I just nodded.

“By the way,” he said pointing at me. “Feel free to pursue Salena cuz she and I aren’t happening.”

“Neither is she and me,” I said boldly.

“Little brother,” he laughed. “If you could have seen the way you two looked at each other. The way you two kissed. You would be a fool to not yoke back up with her.”

“Oh yeah, with your bun in her oven?”

“Get over yourself. I thought your religion was about selflessness. You need to put aside pride and jealousy. This life, this world is far from perfect. Look at Brock and Destiny. She’s a former porn star.  Even though she’s a devout Christian now, thousands of guys are probably still looking at her films online. She was also the maid of honor for Brock  when he and the cop chick were marrying.”

“She was? I thought Nora Medora didn’t like her.”

He shrugged. “Read about it in Johnathan Ember’s e-book ‘Knight Storm.’”

“But I’m in love with Zella, I think.”

“Maybe so, but I think I understand your situation even though I’m a reprobate. Do you want to know what I think from where I sit?”

“Sure.”

“Say yes I do, sir.”

I laughed. “Yes I do, sir.”

“I think you are hesitant to be more serious with Zella because she hasn’t fully embraced your faith. I think you were hesitant to get next to Salena because you didn’t embrace her fire and brimstone faith. Now that she’s showing interest in your interpretation, you two end up kissing for the first time since you were teenagers.”

“She kissed me!” I protested.

“You didn’t exactly shove her away,” Six chuckled. “As a matter of fact, you kissed her back.”

“She’s pregnant with your baby, not mine,” I said.

“Well, you’d be a better father to your niece or nephew than me. Plus what she said was true. I was able to seduce her because I was reminding her of you. That hurts my ego to admit, but it is what it is. This may make you angry, but it broke her heart as much as yours when she ended your relationship back in the day. But she was putting her family first. Her marriage to the old fart gave her family much better lives.”

“I don’t mean this to sound bitter,” I said calmly. “But I always viewed her marriage as a form of prostitution. She didn’t love that man when they married. She wasn’t attracted to him.”

“I know by the time he died she loved him,” Six said and shrugged. “I know we may not like or understand what she did. But we also don’t know what it’s like to be a family of poor immigrants.”

Six and I talked for awhile longer. Then he decided he felt so uptight and restless, he wanted to leave for Florida post haste. A half hour after Six left, Sevenia arrived home.

“Where’s Uncle Six?” my daughter asked cheerily. “I hope he doesn’t mind being part of a group study on Bible prophecy. Destiny has two girls that want to study, one of them being the girl we just rescued. Salena also called and wants to study. Isn’t that great? And guess who else I just talked to who wants to join us? Zella LaStella.”

“Zella,” I replied dumbly.

“I think you know her,” she said with a big grin and a wink.

XLVII

SEARCH ME, O GOD, AND KNOW MY HEART; TRY ME, AND KNOW MY THOUGHTS

PSALM 139:23

SEVEN SALLIE (FATHER OF SEVENIA SALLIE GIRL PROPHETESS)

“She’s quite a girl,” my twin brother Six said with a sigh and then took a sip of coffee as we watched my daughter get into her car. She was off to help Destiny Knight-Storm with a hard case. Some stripper had tried to kill herself and was now on the run from an abusive boyfriend.

Six and Seven are actually our legal names, albeit middle. Six’s given first name is Simon, and mine is Sebastian. Both of our names might as well have been reversed. I can’t remember the last time someone called us by our first names in a serious manner. Maybe an aunt, or our cousin Brock occasionally does out of jest.

“She grew up fast,” I said.

“I think she might have been born grown up,” Six said and took another sip of coffee. “Having a conversation with her, I feel like I’m the younger one.”

“I know the feeling,” I replied and laughed. I recalled how not even a half hour ago, she caught me eves dropping on her and my brother as I was using a two way mirror in my closet. She scolded me and said we would talk about it later. It felt completely like a parental reversal. The mirth left my face and I winced. “Listen, Six, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Okay,” he said casually as he sipped more coffee. “Shoot.”

“I, um…” I began and then paused as we stared at each other.

“You um what?” Six asked.

“Why don’t I just show you.”

I led my brother to my bedroom. I opened the closet door and waved a hand.

“Is that a window in your closet?” he asked with a frown. He stepped up close and looked. He turned around with a fierce scowl. He stepped toward me and shoved me hard in the chest with both hands. “You spied on Sevenia and me?”

I raised my hands in surrender. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed heavily, and bowed his head as his shoulders slumped.

“Sorry,” I said quietly.

“You’re sorry!” he barked, raising his head with his eyes shooting angry lasers into mine. “What right do you have listening in on a private conversation?”

“I don’t,” I replied meekly. (A soft answers turns away wrath Proverbs 15:1). “You know, when it came out that you and Charlotte had an open marriage, I felt protective of Sevenia.”

“What, like I might molest her or something?” he asked bitterly.

“No, no, I just wanted to know what was being said. What my innocent little girl might being hearing.”

Six grunted, slapped a hand to his forehead, and sat down hard on the corner of my bed.

“Come on, Six. I’m not gonna tell anyone.”

“Yeah, right! You’re a professional blabber mouth!”

“Oh, like I’d say anything on my podcast.”

He arched an angry eyebrow at me.

“Or anyone else,” I said. “I promise.”

We had a long moment of awkward silence. Six sat completely still and somber.

“Listen, Six, I know you are uncomfortable having me know your secrets. I…”

“Do you!” He interrupted. “Despite how acceptance of alternative lifestyles has progressed in our culture, I never wanted to be out of the closet. I loved the secret Charlotte and I had. I got off on the fact that the world thought she was a beautiful woman. I don’t know how most bisexual men think, but for me, Charlotte was a dream come true. Even though I fell in love with Salena, and Charlotte and I talked of divorce. One of the main reasons, I, I…”

Six groaned and put his face in his hands.

“Look, Six, just like Sevenia told you. Knowing your secrets makes me feel closer to you.”

“Yeah, right,” he said, looking up and glaring at me, his right hand curled in a fist. “Why do I believe your daughter, but not you?”

“What do you mean?” I asked dumbly.

“If you have to ask,” he replied with a defeated tone.

I considered, not for the first time, how I might appear to family and old friends. Party animal, sarcastic, jokester, troublemaker, as a teenager. Married know it all holy roller in my early twenties. Divorced, boozehound, back sliding skirt chaser by the time I turned thirty. A multimillion followed broadcaster who exposed dirt and corruption on everyone.

Now I was a recommitted Christian as I rapidly approached forty. I still had a podcast, but I had lost a large percentage of listeners because I was no longer “sensational.” So I was still a wordsmith for a living, yet I groped for the right words to say to my own twin brother.

“Listen, Six, nobody will know your secret but Sevenia and me, I promise,” I said with a stammer.

“Yeah, well, what about Charlotte’s murder case? What if the detectives and medical examiner reveal to the media the truth of Charlotte? After all my twin brother is famous.”

“Not so much anymore,” I replied. “I lost most of my followers when I changed my format two years ago.”

Six snorted and shook his head. “You’re still not getting it. I guess, if the rest comes out, it doesn’t really even matter. According to your religion, I’m lost anyway.”

“That’s not true,” I barked. “My religion is always about hope. If you’re truly trying to follow Jesus, he will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 ). Also, He that began a good work in you will finish it (Philippians 1:6 ).

“Oh yeah, little brother,” my twin who was born first barked back even louder. “You are such a (profanity) hypocrite! You even have broadcast to millions, albeit in a subtle way, your escapades. Now my secrets are, are…”

Six put his face in his hands and groaned.

“You’re right, I am a hypocrite,” I said. “Or I was, I hope.”

He slowly lifted his head and looked at me. “What?”

“My sins are far worse than yours,” I said boldly. But then I quoted a Bible text that was more powerful about confidence in God. “Let us come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

My brother looked at me with a stunned expression. “Are you just saying that to sell me?”

“The only thing I’m trying to sell you is the way, the truth, and the life,” I said. (John 14:6) “And that’s Jesus Christ, the only way to salvation. The only path out of this dismal planet of death.”

We stared at each other for a long awkward moment.

“So you’re not judging me?” Six asked.

“Me?” I asked incredulous. “How can I possibly judge you, big bro? I’ve been the chiefest among sinners.”

“Wow,” he said quietly. “You really have changed.”

“What do you mean?” I asked with a frown.

“I mean, we’re not just brothers, we’re twins. I know what you are really like. When you became a religious zealot when we were, what, twenty, I wanted to shoot you. You were so incredibly annoying. But now you’re, ah, you’re, well, you’re actually like your daughter.”

“What’s my daughter like?” I asked, even though I knew any Christian father would love to see the Christ like character I see in my daughter. But as her father, I might be bias. I have been the most arrogant of men in my lifetime. I’m beyond humbled to claim my sweet Sevenia as the fruit of my loins. But I wanted to hear what my, and I say this gently, hedonistic twin brother had to say about her.

“She blows my mind,” he said softly. “She’s so sweet, wholesome and innocent. Yet she seems to have the wisdom of a grandmother.”

“So you think I have the wisdom of a grandmother?” I asked lightheartedly with raised, hopeful eyebrows. He started laughing and I immediately followed. Then he quickly switched to sobbing.

“I’m such a,” he began, and then listed a string of profanities. Then finished with, “I miss Charlotte so much.”

I put my arms around him and pulled him into myself. “I love you brother.”

When he finished crying, he looked at me in a daze. “Who are you?”

“Seven Sallie, the one who grabbed your heel as we left the womb. Like Jacob and Esau.”

“Who?” he asked with a frown.

“You know, from the Bible book Genesis.”

“Oh yeah, Jacob’s the father of Joseph. The dude with the coat of many colors.”

“Right.”

“It’s kind of funny. I’ve met countless Jacob’s in my life,” my brother said. “But never an Esau.”

“Me neither. Yet Jacob had his own faults. But he persevered. Then we have the story of Jacob’s ladder.”

“But wait a minute,” Six said with a scowl. “I’m Esau in this scenario.”

“You don’t have to be,” I said cheerfully. “This is the modern era. Either good times or the end times are around the corner.”

We both laughed, and then my phone chirped with a new text right when I was about to explain to my brother why we might be close to the second coming of Christ. It was from my first love of almost two decades ago, and my brother’s recent fling who was pregnant with his child.

“Why the consternation on thy face?” my brother asked jovially.

“Salena’s in my driveway.”

The mirth left my brother’s face as he swiped at a lazy tear and glared at me. “Did you invite her here?”

“No, No!” I said, and then winced. “But she has called me numerous times. She’s distraught Six. She’s having trouble with her teenage boys, she’s pregnant, and for some insane reason, she’s worried about you.”

“God help me,” Six said as he hung his head. He groaned and he put his face in his hands.

“Hey, you’re learning to pray,” I said happily.

He looked up at me incredulous, laughed and then hugged me fiercely. “I love you, little brother!”

XLVI

THOU WILL KEEP HIM IN PERFECT PEACE, WHOSE MIND IS STAYED ON THEE

(ISAIAH 26:3)

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

My brain whirled with chaotic thoughts as I drove to the Storm residence. It reeled from the heavy conversations with my Uncle Six about his murdered wife and their hedonistic lifestyle. Now Destiny wanted me to accompany her and Brock to see a young lady named Talia.

She was a stripper, or maybe, I guess, a former stripper now. Destiny had been ministering with Talia for months. It seems she had attempted suicide and was hiding from an abusive boyfriend. I had only met her once, but apparently she wanted to see me. I prayed and put Isaiah 26:3 into practice.

“Hey, kiddo,” Brock greeted as he let me into their house. “Is everything alright?”

“Yeah,” I said, a little surprised. “Why do you ask?”

“Oh nothing, you just seem a little distressed.”

I forced a smile and shrugged.

“Hey, do you know what you call a grizzly with no teeth?” he asked.

“What?”

“A gummy bear.”

I laughed, and then for some reason felt like crying. Before I did, I hugged him. “I love you, Uncle Brock.”

“Well, I love you too, Sweet Pea,” he replied as he gently patted my back. “Thanks for coming with us.”

Brock isn’t really my uncle, but he’s my dad’s cousin. The weird thing is, he looks more like my dad than my dad’s twin brother. Only Brock is much bigger, burlier, and rougher looking than my dad. Except his eyes. Brock’s light brown eyes are warm and calm while my dad’s eyes tend to be serious and intense.

“I’m glad to,” I replied. “But I don’t really understand why Talia wants me to come. I only met her once.”

“In all honesty, it’s Dee.”

“Huh?”

“Dee wants your Godly atmosphere in situations like this.”

“She does? What about her own? She has led so many troubled girls to Christ.”

“But you’re the girl prophetess,” he grinned as he spread his massive zero fat arms.

“It makes me feel uncomfortable when people call me that.”

“You’re just being humble.”

“But Dee is one of my mentors.”

“You’re one of hers.”

“What! I’m only seventeen.”

“Seventeen going on,” Brock said and looked at the ceiling as he rolled a hand. “Well, a much older age wisdom wise.”

“Wisdom wise?” I replied with a frown, and then smiled. “Thank you though.”

“Hi, Sweetie,” Destiny blurted as she galloped down the stairs of their old farmhouse. She gave me a fierce hug and kissed my forehead. I hugged her back, realizing I would do anything for this woman. What Brock just told me made me feel both humbled and honored. “Ready to roll?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I replied meekly. “I guess.”

“Let’s pray first,” Destiny said and the three of us bowed our heads.

I would have felt uncomfortable driving into the neighborhood where Talia was staying with a girlfriend if Brock weren’t with us. The address Destiny was given was the top half of a rundown duplex. Talia opened the door and greeted us with a timid smile. Her hair was dyed jet black, and she had a big bandage around her right wrist. The room smelled like cigarettes, coffee, and sausage. We sat around a greasy kitchen table and Talia explained her situation.

“I didn’t actually try to kill myself,” she said with a tired sigh. “Chad, my boyfriend, was trying to pimp me out. This creepy old rich guy was on his way over to our place to have sex with me. If I tried to leave, he would have beat me. If I stayed and refused to go to bed with his Jon, he would have beat me. In desperation I slashed my wrist. I tried to balance my cuts between not enough to kill me and enough to have to go to the hospital. He’s still going to beat me when he finds me, but at least I bought some time to possibly get away.”

“Come stay with me and my husband,” Destiny said as an order. “We’ll help you get away from this abusive boyfriend and start a new life for yourself.”

“You don’t understand. Chad will find me eventually. He’s a big, mean guy. He won’t take my disloyalty lightly. I can’t put you guys at risk.”

“You haven’t met my husband, have you?” Destiny asked.

“I don’t believe so.”

“He used to be a high paid bodyguard. Come to the door with me, Sweetie.”

Destiny called Brock on her phone. The three of us went to the door. Brock got out of his car and ran up to us urgently. “What’s up?”

“Oh, yeah, um, Chad is almost as big as your boy, but not ripped like him.” Talia said.

“Plus my guy is a martial artist and he has guns.”

Brock frowned. “What’s going on?”

“Honey, have you met Talia?” Destiny asked her husband.

“I don’t believe so.”

Destiny made introductions.

“Honey, Talia is on the run from an abusive boyfriend. Would you mind if she stayed with us until we get her life situated so she can have a fresh start?”

“Of course not,” Brock replied as he gave Talia a friendly smile. “Do what you have to do. Talia, trust me, it wouldn’t be the first time Dee had someone in your situation stay with us. If you’re at our place, no one will hurt you. ”

“We’ll help her gather up her things then,” Destiny said happily with a clap of her hands.

“I’ll be back to help you carry stuff down,” Brock said. “But I need to call Captain Kirk back. We were in the middle of a conversation when you called me.”

Talia watched Brock in awe as he walked back to the car with the grace and power of a lion.

“Is he for real?” Talia inquired.

“What do you mean?” Destiny asked.

“Well, he’s built like The Rock, but he speaks more like he’s Mr. Rogers.”

Destiny laughed. “I’ve never heard anyone compare Brock to Mr. Rogers, but I see your point.”

“Does he have the, um, meanness in him to handle someone like Chad? I mean if it came to a confrontation.”

“Oh, trust me. When there’s danger, Brock has a switch. I wouldn’t call it meanness though. Confidence maybe, or aggression.”

Destiny proceeded to tell Talia how Brock had saved her from being raped and possibly murdered. Then she told her how they became reacquainted a decade later and eventually fell in love. (Their story is documented in the e-book by Johnathan Embers called ‘Knight Storm.’)

“So he’s never hit you?” Talia asked with a puzzled expression.

Destiny looked stunned for a second, and then a look of warmth appeared in her eyes. “No, never! I’ve never even thought once he might even be capable of doing me harm. Just the opposite. Brock’s always made me feel safe.”

“That’s the way it should be,” Talia said quietly as she quickly swiped at tear.

“And I hope he makes you feel safe during your stay with us, Sweetie,” Destiny said with a gentle smile.

Although I didn’t feel like I contributed much to rescuing Talia, a powerful lesson was driven home to me. It was witnessing just how much Destiny and Brock were a team. How much their love for each other and mutual love for God strengthened their souls.

I had been tempted to discouragement. I was still having flash backs to my attempted rape just a few months ago. Today as my mind spun taking in Talia’s situation, and before that being my Uncle Six’s confidant, I kept longing to be at Cottonwood Creek. Listening to the rippling water and talking with Branch as we watched the sunset.

I had been so wishy washy with Branch, and he had been so patient, never pressuring me. People call me a girl prophetess simply because I’m wholesome and have an interest in Bible prophesy, especially the books of Daniel and Revelation, along with religious history. Yet pride can be insidious. All the time I thought that I should be independent and that I don’t need a partner in life because it might impede me from doing all I can to minister to others was arrogant. Yes, to be solo in ministry might be right for some, but I was discovering maybe not for me.

“Lord, I’m sorry,” I whispered as I sat in my car after exiting the Storm residence. “Help me to be emptied of self. Please give me wisdom and direction.”

I took a deep breath and sighed. I opened my Bible. I could not count the times the Lord has shown me something I needed for the moment as I opened his Word. In seconds, Ecclesiastes 4:9 seemed to jump out of the page at me. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.

After pondering this verse for a minute, I turned to Genesis chapter 2 knowing what I would find. My eyes went to verse 18. ‘The Lord God said, it is not Good that man should be alone.’

“Me neither,” I croaked as I texted Branch. I had my own chance at having a Brock Storm and I was blowing it!

I grinned from ear to ear when I read his reply two minutes later.

‘I’d love to meet you at Cottonwood Creek.’

XLV

FOR WITH WHAT JUDGEMENT YE JUDGE, YE SHALL BE JUDGED

(MATTHEW 7:1)

SEVENIA SALLIE (GIRL PROPHETESS)

“Maybe I shouldn’t have burdened you with this,” Uncle Six said, causing me to jump and my eyes fly open.

 He had stepped out of my dad’s study room with a phone call, saying it would only take a minute. I assumed that meant five or ten minutes, but it must have only taken thirty seconds. I had actually relished the opportunity of a few minutes to get my head around my uncle’s revelation that he was bisexual and my Aunt Charlotte was transsexual.

“No, Uncle Six,” I said shaking my head. I crossed one leg over the other and smoothed my skirt. “Like I said before, it makes me feel even closer to you knowing we can talk about this stuff. Please continue. You were telling me that you and your boyfriend went to dinner and you met Aunt Charlotte for the first time.”

I noticed he winced when I said you and your boyfriend. He corrected me. “Former, sort of boyfriend.”

“Right,” I replied as I recalled him also telling me he couldn’t get comfortable being romantic with another man. “So go ahead with your story.”

“So Jesse tells me that Charlotte and I were perfect for each other. He said that believe it or not, as smoking hot female she looked, Charlotte was a male between her legs. Also, nobody in the Twin Cities knew that Charlotte used to be Charles. Her dream was to live as a woman with nobody knowing her secret. And if we were together, I could remain a closeted bisexual.

“When Charlotte and I met, her mostly complete transition was new to her. Although she received a lot of male attention, she was hesitant to date because she was so afraid that what was actually under her skirt might be discovered. She also didn’t know how to divulge her secret before a prospective date, or if things started to get serious. She feared how she would tell a heterosexual man that she actually had, you know.”

I nodded.

“So Jesse told her about me and she wanted him to introduce us,” he continued. “Hence having dinner at the restaurant where she worked. We went out for a few drinks after she got off that night. We clicked like you wouldn’t believe. It also turned out that she had a second job working part time at a funeral home owned by the same funeral home where I was apprenticing. But different locations. It just seemed like we were meant to be. We ended up spending the night together and have been together ever since.”

“So how did the fact that she had, a, um, you know,” I asked awkwardly. “How did that get her killed?”

“Oh yeah, our open marriage,” Uncle Six said, followed by a heavy sigh. “It wasn’t what most people probably think. It only occurred maybe once a year on average.”

“Only,” I said sarcastically and instantly regretted it. I gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“You’re fine,” he said with a lighthearted chuckle. “So after we had been together a little over a year, we got married and she really  gained confidence as a woman.”

I felt like I was in the twilight zone. I simply couldn’t get my head around Aunt Charley, secretly being Uncle Charley. It was simply bizarre to me. I’m not being judgmental when I say this. This news did not change how much I loved her. It’s just that not even once in the years I had known Aunt Charlotte did I ever think, gee, I wonder if Aunt Charlotte was born a boy.

“She was still waitressing part time back then,” Uncle Six continued. “And one day she was telling me that a prominent player on the Minnesota Vikings had come in and sat in her section three Mondays in a row. She had Mondays and Tuesdays off from the funeral business. I then told her that the wife of our boss made a pass at me. That’s when our arrangement began. I suggested she fool around with the football player if I could defile our bosses wife. We both agreed that going forward, we could fool around with other people on occasion, as long as it was a one-time fling. No more than twice.”

“Wasn’t she afraid of getting found out?” I asked.

“Well, she was pretty confident by then,” he replied. “Plus, she didn’t go all the way. She would just, you know, fool around. She would…”

“I see,” I interrupted because I really didn’t want to see or hear my uncle describe sex acts. “I get the point. Please continue with why she was murdered.”

“Now, to make a long story short. Fast forward to two years ago. I started seeing Salena. At first it was to see if I could seduce her, but we really clicked as friends and I actually enjoyed studying the Bible with her. Charlotte misunderstood Salena and me, and she became jealous even though I promised her that we weren’t having sex. We started to fight a lot every time I planned an encounter with Salena.”

“Were you guys actually gonna divorce?” I asked.

“I don’t know,” he shrugged. “I was confused. In some ways I’m even more confused now. But anyhow, I guess to retaliate, she began to regularly see the guy who ended up killing her. Anyway, he found out she wasn’t all woman if you catch my drift, and he was also homophobic. I think you know the rest.”

“So that’s why he killed her?” I asked with a dazed expression. “It wasn’t over jealousy at being dumped. It was because he found out he’d been fooling around with a shemale. Is it okay to use that term?”

“It is with me,” he shrugged.

“I don’t want to unnecessarily offend,” I replied. “These days if you call something immoral, it might be considered a hate crime. Like my dad always says on his podcast. The majority of people with coexist bumper stickers should have a qualifier sticker that says, but you need to agree with MY views.”

“So you think being a shemale is immoral, I take it?”

“For me it would be.”

“But not for me?”

“To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is a sin,” I replied. (James 4:17).

“So if I don’t see it as sin, it’s not sin then,” he said.

“Be careful, Dear Uncle, to neglect to seek God in the first place is as dangerous to your soul as seeking and ignoring.”

“What if I don’t buy into a supposed Holy book that was written two thousand years ago?”

“Uncle Six, if you read the Word of God and then ignore what it teaches, that’s between you and God. I don’t want to appear like I’m being judgmental, but let’s take your marital arrangement for example. Even if a couple agree it’s okay to see other people, that doesn’t change the fact that it is adultery. However, due to your mutual agreement, it didn’t seem to cause the hurt and bitterness the sin of infidelity often does. Until recently that is.”

Uncle six winced at my bluntness, and I was about to apologize when he became testy. “Fair point. But are you gonna tell me it’s a sin for a person to take female hormones?”

“Uncle Six,” I said softly. “I have nothing but love and sympathy that Aunt Charley was, um, uncomfortable being male. Yet I believe if she would have taken her issue to God rather than a person or persons, she might have done things differently.”

“How do you know she didn’t?” He challenged with hostility in his eyes.

“I don’t,” I replied meekly. “And that’s precisely why we are not to judge.”

“How does a saint like you understand what it’s like to deal with real, powerful sexual desire?” My uncle asked angrily.

“How do you know I don’t?” I replied calmly. “Seems judging can go both ways. No pun intended.”

My uncle frowned and then asked. “Have you and Branch…?”

“No! Not until we’re married.”

“So you are gonna marry him one day?”

“No! I mean, I don’t know.”

“Have you kissed him?”

“Yes.”

“Deeply?”

“Yes, a couple, maybe a few times,” I stammered.

“Any touching?”

“Uncle Six!” I replied as I felt myself blush and my rear end start to rise off of my chair. “No. As a  matter of fact, we decided to not do anymore, um, kissing even. I mean other than quick pecks hello and goodbye. But then we stopped doing that when I decided, well, I mean, right now we are platonic friends with the possibility of more one day. That is after we get married. I mean if we get married.”

“I see,” he said, eyeing me skeptically. “So you’re gonna tell me you had powerful desires to have sex with him?”

“I did,” I replied boldly, even though I felt my face’s color deepen some more and my toes curl.

“Forgive me for doubting the strength of the power drawing you, dear niece, to fornicate.”

“Are you saying your temptations are stronger than mine?”

“Possibly, I believe that is so,” he said with a satisfied glint in his eyes.

“That’s not fair.”

“It isn’t?” he asked heatedly, and then sort of altered the subject. “You Bible thumpers hate gay marriage and a woman’s right to choose what they can do with their bodies.”

“Our bodies are the members of Christ and the temple of the Holy Ghost. We’re to glorify God in our bodies.” (See 1 Corinthians 6:15-20).

“But I’ve always been able to do what I want with my body,” Uncle Six said cynically.

“Yes, of course, due to free will. God wants service out of love. He’s not going to force you to choose between your penis and Him. You have to decide for yourself. Choose this day who you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)

My Uncle looked absolutely stunned at me using the technical term for male genitalia. We both stared at each other for a long uncomfortable moment before I finally spoke again.

“To truly follow the Bible requires discipline. Disciple is actually a derivative of discipline. When you’re disciplined in God’s word, this brings righteousness. And unrighteous people are often disturbed by righteous people. The main reason Jesus, GOD WHO WALKED THE EARTH! Was tortured and murdered! Was because people, mostly religious leaders, were threatened by His Holiness.”

He snorted and shook his head. “Bunch of hypocrites.”

“Uncle Six,” I said quietly as tears started flowing down my cheeks. “The Holy Bible is where we find salvation, the church is just a by-product. I know you are cynical with the hypocrisy of religionists, I am as well. To a large extent you are correct. Just as religionists put Christ to death, religionists will attack God’s remnant people before He comes back.”

“But you’re the most religious person I’ve ever met,” he laughed sarcastically, but not bitterly. “So your own kind is gonna put you yourself to death?”

“Yes,” I said simply, and gave him time to ponder my answer.

I thought of the chaos of the 2020 pandemic and both sides of political lines. The racial injustice problems. How quickly people fell into obeying what the authorities told them with covid 19 . I’m not saying they shouldn’t have. Quarantining and wearing masks didn’t cause disobedience to God. But when the day arrives when the powers that be require you worship, or pretend to worship in a certain way, they have overstepped their boundaries. Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth doesn’t force worship, how dare man!

“How?” He asked after a minute.

“Prophecy tells us that there will come a day when people on earth will not be able to buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast. In that time you will either have the mark of the beast or the seal of God.”

“You’re talking about the tribulation after the rapture, right?”

“The rapture is a false doctrine, you won’t even find it in the Bible,” I said.

“So what about your Pastor and the book I just read? How do I know that’s not false doctrine?”

“For one thing, his teaching about the war in heaven and the fallen state of mankind is admittedly theory and speculation. The rapture is taught as a fact. When you compare the rapture to a thorough examination of prophecy, it’s not even a good theory.”

“You’re starting to convince me,” my uncle said. “So, let’s put my past to rest for now and focus on the future.”

“Great, let’s get out our Bibles.”

My phone rang and caller id told me it was Destiny. I let it go to voice mail, but she immediately called again. I answered.

“Hi, Sweetie. Are you busy?” Destiny asked with a quiver in her voice.

“I was about to have a Bible study with Uncle Six, why?”

“Can you postpone it?”

This had to be important. Dee would never, ever ask me to postpone a Bible study with Uncle Six if it wasn’t.