Church Folk - Michele Andrea Bowen [74]
"But one night I was laying in bed, face drenched with tears, and I got up and went and sat in Jarvis's favorite chair and just started talking to Jesus. Church, I talked to Jesus like I'm talking to you."
One of the women ushers raised her hands and said, "Chile, that is the only way you can really talk to Jesus."
Mrs. Jarvis dropped Theophilus's hand to wipe at the tears that were streaming down her face. Her voice broke when she said, "I was mad at the Lord and told Him that, too. Said, 'Jesus, I know we all have our crosses to bear but this cross is just too much for me. And You said Your burdens were light. Well then, Jesus, if that really is so, why haven't you come through for me and lifted the burden of this pain and sorrow off of my shoulders?' And then, church, you know what I did?
"Church, I got up out that chair and shook my hand up at the Lord. And I said, 'Jesus, I can't take no more. And, Lord, right now, I don't want to take no more. I can't stand this pain and I want to die. I want you to put me out of my misery and just take me now. Just let the life come out of me and throw this old body down on the floor and let me die.'
"And then, church, I threw my own self on the floor— bumped my head pretty bad, too—and waited to be dead."
The same usher called out, "Chile, you sho' was in some bad shape, throwing your self all on the floor like that."
"Yes, church, I just stayed on that floor like that, waiting to die, hurting so bad, and mad at the Lord. And, church, do you know what my God did? Church, first, the Lord let me sleep. Put me in a deep sleep until the next morning. And when I woke up, the Lord just whispered to me, 'Callie, it ain't your time to go. You had sixty-five years of love, good lovin', and sweet memories. You been blessed with the kind of love I wish all of My children had. Callie, you understand down to the bone what so many only get a glimpse of in their entire lives. Callie, you have a calling while you still here. I want you to teach My children about this kind of love and where it really comes from—Me. All of that love you have for Zechariah got to be shared in this way. And when it get rough, I will comfort you in the way that I know you need comforting.'
"And, church, the Lord gave me that comfort at that very moment. He anointed me and blessed me with the ability to close my eyes and see my sweet Jarvis just like he was sitting right here in front of me. And he gave me a miracle. Made it so I can always close my eyes and hear Jarvis's voice, remember it, just like he standing there when I need to.
"So, church, I stand here today to tell you that God is real. And if you will trust in Him and come to Him with all your troubles, even when you mad at the Lord, He will deliver. He will deliver you. I am a living testimony of that."
She raised her hands high in the air and just started praising God. The spiritual fire radiating from her was so powerful it began to spread out. Theophilus reached out to hug her and felt that fire run all up and down his body, making him cry and thank the Lord for his own blessings. And he wasn't the only one affected—the whole church seemed in tune with the testimony, shouting and praying and crying, sensing the presence of the Lord in their midst.
When the moment finally passed and everyone calmed down, Theophilus dispatched the ushers to collect the morning offering. As they began to circulate through the congregation, he decided it was time to address the gossip that had sprung up the moment Essie had arrived that morning and had spread like wildfire by the time the service began.
"Church, I just want to say something about my wife this morning—about that new purple Cadillac she drove to church. I been hearing little bits and pieces about what you all are thinking and saying and just know in my heart that I need to deal with it before we all leave today.
"First of all, you should know that I