LaWanda picked up her phone from the coffee table to peek at the time. “It’s time for us to start wrapping up, but before we close with prayer I want to summarize tonight’s lesson: the fourth fruit of the spirit—peace. When Jesus left for heaven he said, I leave with you my peace. I believe he said this to remind us that trouble would be a part of our journey. It’s inevitable; think about our current economy, the divorce rate, the statistics of incarceration and re-admittance into prisons, terrorist attacks and the list goes on and on. He knew there’d be trouble and therefore left a helper, which is the spirit of peace. This fruit, like the other eight, is a supernatural phenomenon that presents itself when we are troubled.
“Keep in mind that we have to choose it. The Word tells us to put on the fruits, which means we have to decide we want to employ them. In this case, if you need peace you must decide to call upon it. When there is trouble in your life or things that worry or concern you, you must decide that you won’t worry or waste in anxiety over it. Instead, you’re going to call on the spirit of peace. It’s a choice and one that you must declare and actively pursue. I will leave you with 2 Thessalonians 3:16, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.” Let’s bow our heads in prayer….”
She closed in prayer. After we said Amen in unison the ladies gathered back in the dining room where several of them packed food to go. I couldn’t blame them and was quite grateful that none of it went to waste. Boyd had really outdone himself that day. Before I had realized it, we somehow had gathered in the kitchen and started chatting.
“Whew! Everything was good tonight…the food and the Word! I’m sorry that I have to get home to my Jimmy and those three rough boys of mine. Rayna, this is a nice place you have here. We should come every week!” Tanya stretched out her arms and shrieked.
Now, I knew Tanya was married to an automobile repairman and had children because she often spoke about how overwhelmed she was with it all. I liked her and thought she was sweet and easygoing. She often shared her struggles, most of the time causing me to shiver at the details of her life because she seemed to put up with so much. They struggled financially though he worked like a dog and she stayed home with her youngest children.
“You always running out of here to those boys and husband of yours. You should relax and hang out a bit. Me and Lisa going to that jazz club over in Hawthorne. It’s a nice place to meet people,” Rhonda announced. She was always on the prowl for a man. And I didn’t know why she even suggested that to Tanya.
“Girl, I am married. I ain’t got no business hanging out in no bar with a whole bunch of single people! I got too much stuff to do at home,” Tanya protested.
“You don’t have to be looking for a man because you at a jazz club. It ain’t like you at a dance club. It’s nice and mellow,” Rhonda rolled her eyes, clearly affronted.
“Well, I’m willing to go! I’m tired of looking at the same men Sunday after Wednesday after Sunday after Wednesday. I was so happy when we started these groups! I would rather look at a whole bunch of women than look at the same men in that church!” Lisa growled causing us to burst out in laughter.
She was extremely petite, had to be no more than five feet and 110lbs wearing turquoise fitted jeans with a paisley shirt to match. She kept the same hairstyle; a bun in the back with a blunt cut bang. Lisa had a permanent scowl etched into her face. Rarely did I see her smile, but she was very outspoken. “I’m serious! Name one man in that church that’s single and desirable.”
Trying to muzzle her laughter, LaWanda defended, “There a several eligible bachelors in Holy Deliverance Tabernacle Church. You have Mark that plays the keys—” All the women blew air from their faces or made some type noises with their mouths in disagreement. “Okay. Paul the deacon and Greg the usher.” The crowd went up in roar.
“Yeah, right!” one yelled.
“Come again?” another demanded.
“Is she serious? Paul picks his boogers during service and Greg flirts with everybody that he ushers to a pew!” Yolanda screamed.