Everybody Say Amen (22 page)
Read Everybody Say Amen Online
Authors: Reshonda Tate Billingsley
Tags: #Fiction, #General, #Literary, #Romance
“T
he Lord is good all the time…”
“And all the time the Lord is good,” the congregation chanted after Lester. He had delivered a powerful sermon. Rachel had actually paid attention to most of it. She was on cloud nine as she watched her husband. Jordan and Nia had halfway behaved themselves, too. This was definitely a good day!
Simon was there, holding Brenda’s hand. Rachel had to admit they looked good together. She had even hugged Brenda when they entered church.
Jonathan and Chase, David and D. J., and even Sister Morgan and the Good Girlz were here, making this day all the more special. For the first time since she could remember, Rachel actually felt at home at Zion Hill.
“Everybody say amen.”
“Amen!” the congregation sang in unison.
Lester nodded toward Birdie Mae and she made her way up to the front.
“Giving honor to God, Pastor and First Lady, members and friends. It is my pleasure to stand before you today to present our first lady with a token of our appreciation for her service to Zion Hill. I know it hasn’t been easy. We haven’t always agreed—Lord knows I still don’t understand why we need no steppers—but the young ’uns seem to like it, so I guess Sister Adams, you knew what you were doing.” She smiled at Rachel.
Rachel warmly returned the gesture. She was still having a hard time believing the members were actually recognizing her in a First Lady Appreciation Ceremony. They’d sung her favorite songs. The youth had recited a poem and performed a skit. And Camille, Angel, Alexis, and Jasmine had presented her with a beautiful statue.
Deacon Baird walked up to Birdie Mae and handed her a huge bag. “On behalf of your family here at Zion Hill, we’d like to present you with this,” Birdie Mae said as she held the bag out.
Rachel smiled and struggled to fight back tears as she made her way to the front. She hugged Birdie Mae, something she never in a million years ever thought she’d be doing. She then pulled the item out of the bag. It was shaped like a large picture. She pulled the wrapping paper off and her breath was taken away. It was a beautiful portrait of her, Lester, and the kids. There was a small gold plate at the bottom that read “Our First Family.”
The church clapped, oooohed, and ahhhhed. Several members were teary-eyed as they stood.
“Thank you all so much,” Rachel said, stepping to the microphone. “On behalf of my husband and my beautiful children, thank you.”
Rachel was just about to return to her seat when Lester motioned for her to come to the podium. She leaned the picture against the wall, walked up to her husband, and stood next to him, facing the congregation. “I know it’s time to go, but before we do, I needed to say a few things. As you all know, we have weathered some storms these last few months,” Lester began.
“Amen,” a couple of people replied.
“You ain’t never lied,” someone else added.
“But our God is an awesome God,” Lester continued.
“That he is,” Sister Hicks shouted.
Lester smiled as he took Rachel’s hand. “Not only did He save my wife’s life, twice, but He brought us back together and planted himself firmly at the center of our marriage.”
“That’s the way it should be!” someone shouted.
“That’s why my wife and I feel blessed to share some joyous news with you,” he continued. Rachel smiled at her husband. No, she’d never feel about him the way she’d felt about Bobby. But she’d finally realized that wasn’t a bad thing.
Her love with Bobby had been an obsessive love, an unhealthy love. Her love with Lester was that agape love they talked about in First Corinthians. The kind that weathers the storms, the kind that proves that no matter what, with God at the center of your relationship, you can get through anything.
Rachel loved the glow on her husband’s face. He was so excited as he prepared to share their news.
“Church, as you know we have two wonderful children.” He motioned toward Jordan and Nia. “Well, now, the Lord is about to bless us with another one. Hallelujah, I’m about to be a daddy. Rachel is expecting a little one. Everybody say amen!”
Rachel smiled as she hugged her husband and “amens” chorused throughout the sanctuary. She had just pulled herself away when she looked out and saw Mary stand up and loudly proclaim, “Well, well, well. The first lady is pregnant. What do you know. Guess what? So am I. Lester, I guess you ’bout to be a daddy twice.” She flashed a huge smile.
Lester’s eyes grew wide. Rachel felt her knees grow weak and the last thing she remembered hearing was Sister Hicks shaking her head and saying, “Lawd have mercy, will the drama ever end?”
Everybody
Say
Amen
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
Reading Group Guide
I
n this sequel to
Let the Church Say Amen
, the lovable yet troubled Jackson family is eight years older but hasn’t lost its penchant for drama. Oldest son David is off drugs and trying to pull his life together, but a visit from his ex-girlfriend brings shocking news that will change his life forever. Younger brother Jonathan is locked in a heated custody battle with his ex-wife, who is still struggling to come to terms with Jonathan’s sexuality. Family patriarch Simon, now retired and still shaken by his wife’s passing, slowly wades into the dating pool. At the center of the novel is tempestuous daughter Rachel Jackson, who has (mostly) tamed her wild ways and settled into marriage with the newly appointed reverend of Zion Hill, Lester Adams. Although Rachel is a reluctant first lady, she plunges into her job with aplomb, debating with self-righteous church elders and forming a group for troubled teenagers. But when her first love Bobby confesses a surprising secret, Rachel’s commitments to her family and her church are severely threatened.
- We learn at the beginning of the novel that Rachel has changed a great deal over the last few years. Her mantra is, “You are a strong, mature woman who has left those childish ways behind you. Whatever you do, do not act a fool.” How do the events of her past continue to affect her life? How do our past experiences continue to shape us, even if we try to forget them?
- It is apparent that throughout the course of the novel Jordan has behavioral problems. Why might Jordan have been acting out? How are the children in this novel affected by the actions of their parents and other family members?
- Did you think Angela’s family’s reaction to Jonathan’s homosexuality was realistic? How do you think you or others you know would react in Angela’s situation?
- Simon tells Rachel, “You don’t treat that man like you should…I know you didn’t agree with your mother’s philosophy that the man should be in charge of the household, but can you at least make him
feel
like he is?” Do you agree with Simon? In your experience, what is most important in making a relationship work? - Discuss Rachel. Did you sympathize with her? If you read the first book about the Jackson family,
Let the Church Say Amen
, do you feel differently about her after reading
Everybody Say Amen
? - What did you think of Bobby? Could you understand his behavior? Do you think he should have forgiven Rachel when he first learned of her affair? Do you think he wronged Shante?
- Rachel admits that in the past she attempted to physically harm Shante and stop her marriage, and Bobby admits that he never loved Shante as much as he loved Rachel. What did you think about Shante’s decision to set Lester up? Could you understand her point of view?
- Near the end of the novel Twyla tells Rachel, “They say you reap what you sow. Maybe it just took yours a little while to come back to you.” Where else does this theme appear in the novel? Do you believe this is true?
- Did you agree with Rachel’s choice to return to Lester? Do you think she was able to genuinely forgive him? If not, do you think she should have given in to her feelings for Bobby?
- What do you think about the end of the book? Does it change your opinion of the choice Rachel made to return to Lester? Do you think Mary was telling the truth? What do you think will happen next?
- How is forgiveness an important theme in this novel? Consider the relationships between Tawny and David, Angela and Jonathan, and Rachel and Bobby.
- Could you relate to any character more than the others? Did you feel that any character was the novel’s moral center?
From the suspenseful way this novel ends, it seems that we might not have heard the last of the Jackson family. Are you working on another sequel?
I know this may sound crazy, but the characters in my books talk to me and tell me when they’re ready to continue their story. So far, Rachel hasn’t told me she’s ready to let the world know what happened from here. But if I know Rachel, I’m sure she will.
How did you come up with these characters? Are they based on people you know? Rachel is a very realistic and multi-faceted character. How did you approach writing her?
Everyone wants to know who Rachel is. She’s your best friend, sister, cousin, the girl down the street or even (gasp) you. (Although most people will never admit it. But tell the truth, you or someone you know has thought about pulling one of her dirty tricks before.) Rachel was a combination of people I know and my very active imagination. I wrote about her as if I were a friend simply telling her story.
What was it like to revisit these characters in a new book? Had you always intended to write a sequel to
Let the Church Say Amen
?
No, I didn’t intend on writing a sequel. But again Rachel told me she had matured and she wanted people to see the new side, to show a woman can actually turn around her crazy childish ways. The readers also demanded a sequel. They wanted to know more and as a writer, I felt a responsibility to give that to them.
Do you sympathize most with any of your characters?
I actually feel for Rachel because she was a young girl looking for love in all the wrong places, and when she found it she didn’t know how to appreciate it. I also sympathize with Jonathan because I can only imagine what it’s like to carry the burden he did.
You have written a successful inspirational series for teenagers. Do you prefer writing for teenagers or adults?
I enjoy both, actually. Writing for teenagers allows me to introduce young people to reading and helps them to develop a love for reading. By only complaint about writing for teenagers is that I’ve found I’m not as hip as I thought as I was. (Hey, in my world, people still say ‘da bomb.’) I love my adult stories because that’s what I read and my adult fans are the ones who made my career what it is.
There is a lot of empathy in this book, even between characters who don’t understand each other at all. Do you feel that you’re a particularly empathetic and forgiving person in your own life? Which authors have most inspired you in your life and your writing?
I’m very empathetic. My family says sometimes too much so. And I definitely think it’s reflected in my life and my writing. Because I read a lot, there are so many authors who have inspired me, but the one who spurred my desire to share my stories was Maya Angelou.
What are you currently reading?
My next Good Girlz book!
What role does the church play in your life? Has it always been an important element of your life?
Actually, I was raised in the church and my foundation is built on faith. So that is reflected in my writing.
How did you used to balance your journalism career, writing career, and your family? Was your goal always to write fiction full-time? Do you ever miss being in the newsroom?
I’m a firm believer in utilizing every spare moment, from dictating on a tape recorder at a stoplight or writing notes at the doctor’s office. I manage to do it all by not sitting around idly. I believe every moment you spend talking about how you don’t have time to do something could be used doing something. I never actually expected to become a full-time writer because I enjoyed the newsroom so much but God had other plans. Now, while I miss the news business a bit, I feel like I’ve realized my true life calling as a writer.
You were extremely successful in self-publishing your early books. Would you recommend self-publishing for up-and-coming authors?
Absolutely, I truly believe you should let no one but you and God determine your destiny. If you’re sitting waiting for a publisher or agent to validate your talents, your story may never be told, you could be waiting forever. Self-publishing allows you the opportunity to share your work with the world. But I have to encourage those who are considering it, give it your all. Put out a professional product. Treat it as a mainstream piece of work and everything else will fall into place.
- Have a potluck dinner and bring your favorite home-cooked Sunday dinner dishes. Find any recipe you need at http://www.foodnetwork.com, from savory main courses to delectable desserts.
- In the spirit of Rachel’s work with teenage girls, organize a volunteer day. Check out http://www.volunteermatch.org or http://www.volunteersolutions.org for ideas.
- Learn more about the author at http://www.reshonda tatebillingsley.com and www.myspace.com/reshonda_tate_ billingsley. Look for upcoming tour dates!