Bishop’s
throne before he’s ready.”
Taylor huffed, “Ma, someone’s going to have to take his throne if he can’t speak.”
Shaking her head and sighing as if the thought upset her, Mrs. Jabowski rested her hand on her chest and said, “Taylor, prayer
changes things.”
“Mrs. J, I agree.”
Taylor’s eyes darted in my direction, like she felt I was patronizing her mother in vain. She said, “Ma, you have to accept
the fact that the church may have to make some major organizational changes.”
“Not until I speak to my husband,” Mrs. J said humbly, and folded her arms.
I smiled at her, because that was what made her special. She knew how to be the wife of a powerful man. In spite of her husband’s
condition, she still looked at him as the leader, voice or no voice. She wasn’t moving until she received his nod of approval
and she knew that didn’t make her any less of a woman.
Taylor shook her head. “Ma, you can’t wait until then to start making decisions. That could be next week.”
I interjected, “I think it’s best that you should announce that he’s been hospitalized. Have Rev. Baker preach on Sunday and
deal with this next week. Can you imagine the hysteria that would surround your father losing his voice?”
Taylor smirked and appeared more resistant. Mrs. J nodded. “You’re right, Devin. You’re so right.” She sighed. “You know,
I prayed for you.”
Both Taylor and I frowned, confused by where she was going. She continued, “It’s always been Bishop’s hope that his son would
take his place when he was no longer able to.” She chuckled. “Being that we had all girls, we prayed so many nights that they
would marry men with a calling.”
I was silent, because I definitely had a calling, but it wasn’t ministry. My calling was to help communities, all communities.
My message was wider than what a church could hold.
She smiled. “Devin, you got ministry written all over you. You should stop fighting it.”
“Nah, that’s not me. I…” It felt like the opportune time to announce the election, but I changed my mind. “I have a lot of
growing to do and…”
I looked at Taylor, thinking she’d co-sign. She shrugged. My neck snapped back, trying to interpret her response. We’d discussed
this. In fact, she was the least religious person in her family. Certainly, she didn’t want to be married to a preacher.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Well, Devin. I’m not saying you’ve been called to preach, but I definitely think you have ministry
on you.”
What?
I thought for sure that she knew I had no plans of preaching, but the look in her eyes said she’d been praying with her parents.
Okay, I meet her dropping-it-like-it’s-hot at a party, we have a hot-steamy romance, I marry her, and now she wants me to
take over her father’s church. I looked at her again.
Who is this girl?
“Yeah, my ministry is to help people.” I looked deep into Mrs. J’s eyes and then into Taylor’s eyes. “That’s the ministry
you guys see. In fact, I plan to announce tomorrow that I’ve filed to run for Congress, District Four.”
Taylor snapped, “What the—” She stopped abruptly.
I shrugged, and Mrs. J looked at Taylor. “You didn’t know.”
Taylor’s eyes burned through me like torches. “Devin, what are you talking about? I thought you said—”
I nodded. “I know what I said. Congressman Grayford decided to retire two weeks ago and he called me himself. It was perfect
timing, and chances are it could be my only time.” I shrugged. “What was I supposed to do?”
“Talk to me. That’s what you were supposed to do.” Her voice was loud, piercing, obviously shocked and hurt.
I reached across the table to touch her. She snatched her arm back and got up from the table. I stood to follow her and Mrs.
J grabbed my arm. “Devin, have a seat. Let her calm down.”
I took a deep breath and contemplated if I should chase her.
throne before he’s ready.”
Taylor huffed, “Ma, someone’s going to have to take his throne if he can’t speak.”
Shaking her head and sighing as if the thought upset her, Mrs. Jabowski rested her hand on her chest and said, “Taylor, prayer
changes things.”
“Mrs. J, I agree.”
Taylor’s eyes darted in my direction, like she felt I was patronizing her mother in vain. She said, “Ma, you have to accept
the fact that the church may have to make some major organizational changes.”
“Not until I speak to my husband,” Mrs. J said humbly, and folded her arms.
I smiled at her, because that was what made her special. She knew how to be the wife of a powerful man. In spite of her husband’s
condition, she still looked at him as the leader, voice or no voice. She wasn’t moving until she received his nod of approval
and she knew that didn’t make her any less of a woman.
Taylor shook her head. “Ma, you can’t wait until then to start making decisions. That could be next week.”
I interjected, “I think it’s best that you should announce that he’s been hospitalized. Have Rev. Baker preach on Sunday and
deal with this next week. Can you imagine the hysteria that would surround your father losing his voice?”
Taylor smirked and appeared more resistant. Mrs. J nodded. “You’re right, Devin. You’re so right.” She sighed. “You know,
I prayed for you.”
Both Taylor and I frowned, confused by where she was going. She continued, “It’s always been Bishop’s hope that his son would
take his place when he was no longer able to.” She chuckled. “Being that we had all girls, we prayed so many nights that they
would marry men with a calling.”
I was silent, because I definitely had a calling, but it wasn’t ministry. My calling was to help communities, all communities.
My message was wider than what a church could hold.
She smiled. “Devin, you got ministry written all over you. You should stop fighting it.”
“Nah, that’s not me. I…” It felt like the opportune time to announce the election, but I changed my mind. “I have a lot of
growing to do and…”
I looked at Taylor, thinking she’d co-sign. She shrugged. My neck snapped back, trying to interpret her response. We’d discussed
this. In fact, she was the least religious person in her family. Certainly, she didn’t want to be married to a preacher.
Taylor rolled her eyes. “Well, Devin. I’m not saying you’ve been called to preach, but I definitely think you have ministry
on you.”
What?
I thought for sure that she knew I had no plans of preaching, but the look in her eyes said she’d been praying with her parents.
Okay, I meet her dropping-it-like-it’s-hot at a party, we have a hot-steamy romance, I marry her, and now she wants me to
take over her father’s church. I looked at her again.
Who is this girl?
“Yeah, my ministry is to help people.” I looked deep into Mrs. J’s eyes and then into Taylor’s eyes. “That’s the ministry
you guys see. In fact, I plan to announce tomorrow that I’ve filed to run for Congress, District Four.”
Taylor snapped, “What the—” She stopped abruptly.
I shrugged, and Mrs. J looked at Taylor. “You didn’t know.”
Taylor’s eyes burned through me like torches. “Devin, what are you talking about? I thought you said—”
I nodded. “I know what I said. Congressman Grayford decided to retire two weeks ago and he called me himself. It was perfect
timing, and chances are it could be my only time.” I shrugged. “What was I supposed to do?”
“Talk to me. That’s what you were supposed to do.” Her voice was loud, piercing, obviously shocked and hurt.
I reached across the table to touch her. She snatched her arm back and got up from the table. I stood to follow her and Mrs.
J grabbed my arm. “Devin, have a seat. Let her calm down.”
I took a deep breath and contemplated if I should chase her.
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