Good to Me (24 page)

“Iesha,” she read aloud. “Greek origin. Means woman; life; fertile; goddess, literally means female side of God.” She looked
up at him. “Thank you. All of this time I thought Iesha just meant girl from the ’hood. Now I know what my name means. I wonder
how they come up with these things.”

“When I asked them to look up your name, it showed this neat diagram of how your name derived from the word ‘Jesus.’ The male
derivatives were Joshua and Isaiah, and Iesha is the female translation. I was floored. My prayer has always been for God
to send Himself to me in a woman.”

She held her hand up to her heart. “Oh, that’s so sweet. And you believe that’s me?”

“I believe that.”

She laughed and jokingly said, “Boy, you gone make me marry you.”

“When?”

“Shoot, I’d marry you tomorrow, if you’d ask.” When she saw his expression, she changed her response. “I was just kidding.
That was a jokey joke.”

“I know.” He looked at his watch. “We’d better get finished before you lose your job and I lose my business.”

“Your business?”

“Yes.” As if he remembered something he said, “Oh that’s right, you never looked at the business card I gave you, did you?
I own Delivery Direct.” He chuckled. “That’s why I was encouraging you to call my boss and tell him I was sleeping on the
job. I wanted you to call me.”

“That’s great.”

“God has blessed it for four years and counting.”

They had to pry themselves away from the table. The only way they could do it was to make plans for dinner.

Charity was glad to find the office empty this morning. She had been meaning to do this ever since she heard the rumor about
Present Day closing. She reached in her purse and took out her vial of oil. “Lord,” she began to pray. “In the name of Jesus,
I consecrate this place to You.” With the oil on her fingertip, she drew a cross on the frame of the entry door. “Your name
dwells here and Your Word says that if I pray unto You from this place, You will hear and answer me.” She moved about the
suite anointing whatever she felt inspired to touch. She anointed Iesha’s desk and chair, every door, her own office, and
finally, Harmony’s office. She realized that she had never been in Harmony’s office before. The door was always closed and
she never had a reason to visit. “I’ll make this real quick,” she promised. “Harmony will never know.”

Her mouth fell open when she walked in. African woodwork on the walls, a big totem pole in one corner, a yin and yang symbol
hanging on the door. She hoped that decorative piece on Harmony’s desk was not a real crystal ball. She anointed the desk
and the chair. When she went to touch Harmony’s bookcase, she noticed books on hypnosis, healing power of meditation, and
several self-help books. “Satan, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. You are a deceiver and a mocker of the power of God. You
have been made a spectacle of over two thousand years ago and are disarmed. You have no power. Get out of here, you liar.”
She prayed in tongues and set her hand to touch the bookcase when she felt someone come into the room. She stopped praying
and turned to find Harmony. Even though she was no longer praying, she could feel the flow of prayer still churning within
her.

“Did I miss something?” Harmony asked coolly.

“No, I just blessed the whole office suite and your office was last. Everything’s all blessed and consecrated.”

Harmony walked over to her desk. She took a Kleenex and wiped away the oily cross and set her belongings down. “It was that
way before you came in here.”

Charity’s heart was beating fast but she refused to fear. “Yes, but now that I’ve been here, God’s anointing can flow freely.”

“God is love and love is God. There is nothing that can stop the energetic flow of love.”

“Harmony, one of the many reasons I recruited you to work with me is because you are one of the wisest women I know. But when
Iesha told me that you’ve been reading horoscopes and New Age books, sanctifying this office became a priority for me. I’m
afraid for you, Harmony, because you’ve allowed Satan to deceive you.”

“Perfect love drives out fear, Charity. Since fear is of the devil, I’d say you’re the one he’s trying to sift.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. You’ve never used Scripture out of its context. Something’s going on with you, Harmony.” She
surveyed the office again. “Look at this,” she pointed to the African woodwork on the walls. “You don’t know what this is,
where it came from, and what spirits it has attached to it.”

“I use it as a point of contact to bless my ancestors.”

“Come on, Harmony, you’re smarter than that. I know you got that from one of those self-help books. You know we don’t believe
in communicating with the dead. Sit down, Harmony, and let’s talk this out.”

Charity relaxed when Harmony did as she suggested. “Those New Age books twist the Word of God and pervert what we believe
in. Karma, energy, reincarnation, mind control… all of that mess is perversion of the Gospel.”

“Karma is real, Charity. Even the Bible tells you that what you reap, you sow.”

“Yes it does, but it doesn’t attribute the outcome to energy of the universe. It puts the responsibility solely on us.”

“That’s right. That’s exactly what I’ve learned through my study of everyday miracles, that we choose our own destinies.”

Lord, please help me minister to her
. “Harmony, you know that our lives are predestined. God knew us before we were even formed in the womb.”

Harmony scratched her head. “Hmmmm.”

“You know that’s right. This New Age mess takes a little bit of Scripture and twists it. All of their principles sound good
and it’s easy for a Christian to be drawn into it. Like they teach a lot of mind control. Everything’s mind over matter. You’re
only poor because you think you are or you’re so afraid of lack, you close yourself off from the flow of money. They teach
that you overcome situations by working to change your attitude and mentality. That’s very close to what the Bible teaches,
‘as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.’ The only difference is they attribute psychological success to the individual,
promoting self-sufficiency. The Word tells us that the only way to renew our minds is by the Word of God, so that when we
experience success, we attribute it to God.”

Harmony looked like she was still thinking.

“This totem pole, this crystal ball, these yin and yang symbols… They make for good decorations, but they’re all idols.
For some people, these things are their gods and they follow their system of doing things. Our God is not inanimate nor is
He energy, He is a Spirit.”

Charity could see that Harmony was tearing up.

Charity continued to minister to her. “And we know that He is a forgiving God. So, if you are ready, I will pray with you
and ask for His forgiveness.”

Harmony nodded.

“Father God, I thank You for the opportunity to minister to my sister and Your daughter, Harmony. Thank You for being a God
who is slow to anger and quick to love. Thank You for recognizing we are but clay. Find pleasure in the fact that Harmony
wanted to know You in a deeper way, but forgive her for going about it wrongly. Lord, I plead the blood of Jesus over her
right now. For the blood blots out transgressions and cleanses from all unrighteousness. Your Word says that You are faithful
and just in removing our sins as far as the east is from the west. We thank You for remembering Your promises. Satan, you
are rebuked in the name of Jesus. We have on the whole armor of God and are standing strong ready to resist you should you
return with this temptation again. You are a defeated foe and a liar. For majesty, power, glory, and victory belong only to
the true and living God, forever and ever. It is in Jesus’ name we pray this prayer. Amen.”

Harmony dried her face with tissues. “Thank you so much. I’m so sorry for—”

“The Bible tells us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh, but after
the Spirit,” Charity said. “But, Harmony, listen carefully, the only way you can walk after the Spirit is if you are born
again. I know you say that you are a Christian, but it’s much more than believing in God. It’s having a real relationship
with His Son, Jesus Christ. I would like to pray the prayer of salvation with you.”

When Harmony nodded, Charity talked with her about 1 John 1:9, saying, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to
forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Then, just as she had done with Iesha last Monday, she led
Harmony in the prayer of salvation.

“Thank you,” Harmony said when Charity finished. Harmony looked around her office. “I see I have some cleaning to do. Do you
have time to help me get rid of some stuff?”

JOSEPH CHECKED HIS PHONE CREDITS
to see how many calls he could make. He knew he should have about ten, but assuming and knowing were two different things.
He sighed in relief to find that he had nine left for the remainder of the month. That was plenty. He’d call his sister tonight,
and his mother later in the week. He couldn’t wait to find out if his sister went to Minister Charity Phillips’s church. He
was so excited and anxious that he had to dial the phone number two times to get it right. His excitement went through the
roof when he heard his sister’s voice on the other end.

“Hey, sis.”

“Joseph, are you ready for this?”

“What? You got to meet her?”

“Boy, God is all in this. Do you hear me?”

“Tell me, girl. What?” he laughed with anticipation.

“Minister Charity Phillips is the bomb. Joe, she is beautiful, she is smart, she is so sweet. Everything about her is perfect.
You should see her house. Uhhhh, her son is so cute. And church services were off the hook.”

“Wow! You went to her house?”

“You’re gone have to call me back after this. It’s too much to tell in fifteen minutes. Remember I used to sell makeup? Well,
her pastor’s wife used to host Mary Kay parties for me. So I know them. Anyway, by recommendation of Pastor King, she invited
me to dinner at her house. She can cook, too. She is so perfect. She is everything you want in a wife.”

“Amen, I receive that. What did you tell her about me?”

“I told her everything. How you had never been in any trouble, how we were raised in a Christian home… I told her everything.”

“How did she act? Did she say anything?”

“She was mainly listening. I showed her pictures of all of us—Momma, Daddy, everybody. She said you was fine.”

He blushed. “She did? Oh man. This is unreal. God, get me out of here.”

“He will, He’s honoring your faith.”

“Lord, I wonder where God is going to send me when I get out. Back to Virginia or Charlotte. I can’t wait to see how all of
this is going to pan out. Tell me more about my wife. How did she carry herself? What did she have on? What did she smell
like? Does she look like that picture in the magazine I sent to you? Give me all the details.”

“She looks even better in person. She said that picture in the magazine was two years old. Her hair is longer now. Her skin
is so smooth. The girl is flawless. And she’s an itty bitty little thing too. She’s small and petite, like Jada Pinkett Smith.”

“Lord, have mercy.”

“She had on this bad bright yellow and navy blue suit, with some navy heels. Smoking! She changed clothes when we got to her
house. She just put on a pair of leggings and a shirt. I couldn’t believe how down to earth she is.”

“I wonder why she ain’t married again. Is she dating anyone?”

“I don’t know,” Sharon whined. “If you believe that she is your wife, you better be glad she ain’t married.”

“I’m praying that she will visit me. I sent her a visiting form. Oh man, that’s our first beep. I’mma call you back. Don’t
go to bed. You know I have to wait fifteen minutes before I can call you back.”

“I’ll be up. I got to tell you about her son, Xavier. Joseph, he’s so cute. He speaks so properly. He—”

He slammed the phone down after their call was automatically disconnected. What a day it would be when he could enjoy an unlimited
phone conversation. His joy could not be contained. He pondered every word Sharon spoke about her. He stuck his chest out
and held his head up when he remembered that she said he was fine. He couldn’t decide how he wanted to process what had just
happened—if he should go to his room and talk to God, or go to the common area and talk to the boys. “God first,” he reminded
himself. He poured out his heart before God and went back to get a second dose from Sharon.

“Sis, God is so good. I just know that she is my wife. I can feel it.”

“Shoot, if I were a man, I’d marry her myself. But let me tell you about Xavier. He is six and he looks just like her. She
said he looks like his daddy. Joe, he is soooo cute. He calls me Ms. Sharon.”

“I can see him in my spirit. I know we’ll get along just fine. You never did tell me how she carries herself.”

“I don’t know. What do you mean?”

“Like is she ghetto fabulous? Is she prissy?”

“Oh, no. She’s… both. Like she’s very feminine and soft, but she laughs, tells jokes, and she was even sitting on the
floor. Now, at church, you can tell she’s a minister. She’s got that glow about her, but at home, she’s a straight-up sistergirl.”

“What does she drive? What does her house look like? Girl, you holding out. Give me something I can see.”

“She drives a brand-new Explorer. Black. Eddie Bauer edition. And her house is phat. You can tell by the street name—Symphony
Woods Lane. It’s huge. Every room is a different color, not in a tacky way. It’s very creative. Did I tell you she can cook?
The girl made some lasagna that was so good, I was licking my fingers.”

“This was not supposed to happen.”

“What?”

“I was not supposed to fall in love until I was on the other side of the fence.”

“Well, God’s ways and thoughts are higher than ours. You prayed for a wife and you got one.”

“I’m going on about liking her, I wonder if she’ll like me?”