David scrutinized his reflection in the mirror Sunday morning. His barber had given him a precision haircut and lined his goatee. Grinning from ear to ear, he still couldn’t believe how he lucked out with Valerie on Friday night.
How ironic that he broke his own first date rule on Valentine’s Day with a chance meeting.
Hopefully after morning worship, she would join him for dinner—her choice—even if it was pizza again. David paused in his reminiscing to perfect the knot in his necktie. Satisfied with the outcome, he resumed his musing.
Valerie didn’t turn up her nose when he recruited her to serve, even though she wasn’t dressed for the part in her heels and off-white dress. Despite putting her on the spot, the sister gave her all-in-all, as if she had been on board from the beginning—until she went missing. Still, it was hard not to recognize her selfless spirit, which to him was priceless.
Her eyes were bright all evening except when he made the initial introduction of Christian and Joy. A wounded expression flashed across her face like lightning, then disappeared. Before he could ask what was wrong, Valerie vanished to change her shoes. Her legs looked great in them, to him, while she worked the room.
Honestly, he was surprised she lasted that long in those heels. David snickered. He even slowed his pace to accommodate her fashion statement—gorgeous.
After slipping on his black suit jacket, David nodded his approval. With his Bible in hand, he left and detoured by the Andersen warehouse where it took longer than expected to find an audio Security Dog in the product vault.
Once his mission was accomplished, David drove to Salvation is Free Church and parked in his familiar spot. He reached in the backseat for the box and his Bible. As David strolled to the entrance, he greeted everyone in his path with “Praise the Lord” and “Good morning”.
David planned to invite himself to where Valerie sat, but she was nowhere in sight. His heart sank from disappointment, but he wasn’t discouraged. Maybe she was running late. Since the sermon hadn’t begun, he claimed a random spot, so he would have a bird’s-eye view for when she did arrive.
In the pew, David knelt and gave God thanks for allowing him to come into His sanctuary and for his chance meeting on Valentine’s Day. By the time praise and worship had concluded, Valerie still was a no-show.
What could have possibly happened between Friday and Sunday to make her miss church? David wondered, concerned. Moving to the section where his family, including the newly-engaged couple, was camped out, David tried to get his mind off the reason for Valerie’s absence. Unfortunately, the more he attempted to zero in on the message, the more the devil taunted him to search for her.
“Hallelujah!” Someone shouted near his ear, causing him to snap to attention like a naughty student or soldier. David blinked and stared at the pulpit.
“Valentine’s Day might be over,” Pastor Peyton said, “but God expects us to still love our neighbor, brothers, sisters, children, wives… The Bible says in John 15:13: ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ Love is the reason God ransomed Himself on the cross. Love is what kept Jesus there. Put someone else’s needs before yours today. Make a sacrifice of love…”
Pastor Peyton preached until he shamed David into rebuking his wayward thoughts. He couldn’t continue coming to church and having thoughts of Valerie distract him.
Pastor Peyton barely took a breath as he ended his sermon and extended the altar call. “This is the part of the service where the message never changes or expires, and that’s God would love to save you. Jesus is on call 24/7 to minister to your battle wounds from the enemy. Won’t you come today? Switch sides. Repent, which means to confess your sins to God. There is no burden too heavy for Him to take from you.”
He motioned for the congregation to stand. “Peter says in Acts 2:38 to be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of your sins. Acts 4:12 states salvation is only in Jesus’ name.” A few started to make their way to the altar. The pastor bobbed his head. “That’s right, come on. We have ministers ready to baptize you and workers ready to pray for you that God would fill you with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Salvation is free, but to live sanctified will cost you something.”
Bowing his head, David focused on praying for the sick, the hurting, the lost, and others. It was by the grace of God that he was saved today, considering he didn’t always want God directing his path years earlier.
As the choir began to sing, “Somebody Prayed for Me,” God’s supernatural presence filled the sanctuary. The Spirit began to propel folks to the altar. David opened his eyes to see Christian had his arms stretched out worshipping God and his fiancée, Joy, was rejoicing.
David clapped his hands in praise as others hurried to the altar. The Power stirred until the baptismal candidates who had changed into white garments reappeared.
With a voice of authority, one of the ministers in the pool shouted, “Our dear brothers and sisters, upon the confession of your faith and the confidence that we have in the blessed Word of God, concerning His death, burial, and grand resurrection, we now indeed baptize you all in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. And God will fill you with the Holy Ghost. The evidence will come speaking in other tongues of a heavenly language.”
The congregation went wild after each candidate’s cleansing—submerged under water and pulled to the surface—until a second wave of anointing descended upon all in the sanctuary.
“I know there’s nothing like a Holy Ghost party because a Holy Ghost party don’t stop,” Pastor Peyton said, wiping the sweat off his forehead. “But let’s prepare to give God our tithes, offerings, and then I’ll give the benediction.”
Once they were dismissed, David’s family filed out of the pew. The saints around them were kissing, hugging, and shaking hands. Everyone was recharged. David was glad he hadn’t missed the spiritual depth of the service.
“Is anyone coming over to the house for dinner?” Dorcas, his mother, asked her sons, looking hopefully. As empty-nesters, it was no secret she and his father, Kenneth, welcomed company anytime—scheduled or unannounced. That’s why they eagerly embraced their ready-made grandchildren-to-be from Joy.
“Is there enough for six?” Christian teased and hugged their mother.
“I already have chocolate pudding made for those babies. You bring them on.” Dorcas winked at Joy, then she turned to her other sons.
At the very moment that David was about to commit, he saw a woman who appeared to be Valerie, leaving the balcony. “Ah, I’ll have to pass this time.” David kissed his mother’s cheek, nodded at the others, and hurried in that direction, not allowing anybody to detain him.
“Valerie?” he called when he was close enough not to shout.
As she turned around, her eyes darted from person to person until they met his. Closing the distance, David towered over her and grinned. “Hi.”
“Brother David.” She returned his smile as if she was breathless. “Praise the Lord! Wasn’t it a wonderful service? I feel spiritually rejuvenated.”
“Yeah.” He chuckled, fascinated by her smile. “Me, too.” He soaked in her beauty as he was jostled closer to her. Valerie looked as pretty as ever in a gold coatdress. Instead of her hair flowing, she had it pinned up, showcasing her facial features, including his favorite—the beauty mole above her shapely lips. Aware of the bottleneck forming because people, like them, were standing in the pathway to the door, David nudged her near a corner.
“I missed seeing you in your usual seat today,” he said, lowering his voice.
“Really?” Valerie seemed surprised.
“Umm-hmm.” He nodded and handed her the box.
Frowning, she accepted it. “What is it?”
“A Security Dog. I told you on Friday I wanted you to have one.”
“Oh.” She blushed. “I really wasn’t holding you to that, but thank you.” Valerie gave him a smile that glowed, fading out their background.
“If you don’t have any plans for the afternoon, I would like to take you out to dinner.”
Instead of her eyes dancing with excitement, Valerie’s lips were forming the perfect “o.” He knew she wasn’t about to turn him down. People didn’t usually turn down a free meal, a woman especially.
She shrugged and gave him a cute pout that he wanted to match with his bigger one. “It’s my day to visit Sister Edith.”
“Your day?”
“I’m on the sick and shut-in committee. Twice a month, I make house calls to the saints after service and share the Sunday message,” she explained, fumbling with her coat.
David took it from her. “Turn around,” he softly ordered as he helped guide her arms through the sleeves. Her hair smelled fresh. He stopped himself from taking a deeper whiff.
Clearing his mind, David waited until she faced him again. “Which Sister Edith are you going to see?” He had forgotten about the low-key ministries at SFC.
“Smith… Sister Edith Smith.”
“Yes, that Sister Edith.” David snickered. He and his brothers had known her since they were children. Whenever one of them was sick, his mother would call Sister Edie Smith to galvanize the prayer warriors. The elderly woman had been active in the prayer band for many years. “I haven’t seen her in a long time. Do you mind if I tag along?”
Valerie paused in slipping on her gloves. She searched his face with an expression that read, “Really?” Then her warm smile enchanted him. “I think Sister Edith would welcome the company.”
What about you? David wanted to ask as he escorted her out the door.