Read Online Saved Folk in the House by Sonnie Beverly - Free Book Online Page A

service. The boys thought the place was cool, but Jay thought that crazy language the congregation was speaking sounded spooky, and he couldn’t wait to leave. He didn’t even hear the Word as it went forth because by then he was sound asleep. He had developed the ability to sleep with his eyes open to avoid his mother’s nudges as a child.
    “I’m awake,” he said, alarmed when Zakia poked him because of an awesome revelation the pastor had just shared, which Jay had totally missed.
    When the invitation was given, Zakia was waiting for Jay to answer the altar call. He did not move. He looked at his watch.
How can he not go up there?
I want to go up there again.
She nudged him.
    “Quit it,” he snapped.
    Zakia didn’t understand why Jay wasn’t affected like she was. They had always been in accord. They were a team and flowed in perfect harmony. Even when they argued and disagreed, they always found a compromise. This one should have been easy. It was the real deal that spoke for itself. Why couldn’t Jay see it? As they walked to the car, she gave him the third degree.
    “Why didn’t you go up there?”
    “For what?”
    “Didn’t you like it?”
    “No.”
    “Why not?”
    “Zakia, save it. We’ll talk when we get home.”
    Nothing else was said on the drive home. When they got into the house, the boys went to their room to change clothes. As Jay and Zakia were in the master suite changing, he sensed her about to burst and decided to beat her to it.
    “What the heck kind of church is that, and what was all that crazy talk, like you come busting up in the house last week talking?” he yelled.
    “It’s our power, baby. It stopped that officer from giving me a ticket.”
    “Bull! You probably batted your eyes at him like you did at me, and that’s why he didn’t give you a ticket.”
    “Now you’re talking crazy.”
    “I’m serious. You think some crazy talk stopped a cop from giving you a ticket. Well, I think you sweet-talked your way out of it, but that’s all right: use what you got to get what you want.”
    “Come on, Jay, be serious.”
    “I am serious. Now, look, you promised that if I didn’t like it, you wouldn’t bother me about going anymore. I didn’t like it! Do you hear me? Now I expect you to keep your word and don’t ask me to go back,” he said with an adamant finality.
    Zakia didn’t know what to say, so she just grabbed her new Bible case with all of her material in it and went to the office downstairs to study the notes she had taken.
    Zakia could not stay away from Faith in the Word Christian Center. It seemed that every time the doors opened she was there, whether it was for weekly Bible study or just to visit the bookstore during the day. The people were so full of genuine love for God and hunger for the Word, which was exactly what she needed to fill her void. The more she filled it, the more it needed filling. She read and prayed and read and prayed. She studied like she was in school, comparing line upon line and precept upon precept. She was neglecting her family, her work, and her house, and when she did pay attention, all she talked about was the Word, but nobody wanted to hear it. This frustrated both her and those she tried to talk to. The Execs avoided her because she was absolutely no fun anymore.
    The Cowboys and Redskins were playing. The gang was at Zachary’s house to play cards and watch the game on the big screen. Zakia still tried to hang out with her friends, and when they played cards, she would shout “Hallelujah” when she got a good hand and “Thank You, Jesus” when she won. She didn’t realize that it made them uncomfortable. She didn’t want to be a hypocrite, but she learned that she couldn’t avoid those in darkness. She felt she needed to be around them so that her light could shine and draw them. After all, Jesus hung out with sinners.
    “Hey, look. ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’ You don’t have to