Pound Foolish (Windy City Neighbors Book 4) by Neta Jackson, Dave Jackson Page A

interested, more interested than ever.
         As they made their way out of the balcony and down to the lobby, Greg turned back to her. “If you’ll pick up the kids, I’ll get the coffee and cocoa and meet you at one of the booths.”
         Nicole nodded and headed toward the children’s church.
         If only she could feel more comfortable about the focus of Greg’s passion. She wanted to trust him as the spiritual head of their family, but the more enthusiastic he became over this new direction Pastor Hanson’s teaching had taken, the more she struggled to respect his spirituality. It seemed so . . . so self-centered, and she found herself comparing it to what she’d been taught in the church she’d grown up in. Sure, they’d had pledge Sundays and took special offerings for visiting missionaries. And there’d been the big capital drive to remodel the church basement into new classrooms, but no one ever offered an incentive. And yet there was that verse in Malachi that seemed to promise overflowing blessings to those who tithed faithfully.
         She’d have to think about that, but she wasn’t ready to swallow all Pastor Hanson had been saying.
         Now where were the kids? They were supposed meet her right inside the door.
     
     

Chapter 6
     
     
    Greg had to wait in line to get out of the church parking lot, but as soon they were driving east on Touhy Avenue toward home, he said, “Got an idea.” When Nicole didn’t say anything, he glanced over to see if she was listening. “Nikki?”
         “Yes. What idea?”
         “Actually, it wasn’t so much my idea as a vision from the Lord, I think. Came to me during church.” When she didn’t ask what it was, he glanced her way again. She was still staring straight ahead, a small frown on her face. “Pastor Hanson’s message inspired it. Wasn’t it powerful? So clear how we’re heirs of God’s promise to Abraham!”
         “Yes, but . . .”
         “But what?”
         “I don’t know. Pastor Hanson applied that promise to our material prosperity, but to me, it didn’t seem like that was what the apostle Paul was talking about.”
         “What? God made Abraham a very wealthy man, didn’t he? I mean . . .” Did he have to preach the message all over again?
         “Well, you’re right. Abraham became rich. No question about that, but . . .” She sighed deeply. “Pastor Hanson read that verse in Galatians, but it actually seems to be talking about receiving the promise of the Holy Spirit. And he skipped over some verses in the same chapter that talked about Christ being Abraham’s true heir.” She opened her Bible and flipped through the pages. “Here, he skipped this verse entirely. ‘The Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.’ That seems pretty clear to me.”
         Irritation tightened Greg’s throat. Why did Nicole have to disagree with everything? “Maybe it’s the translation. Your Bible’s the NIV, and the pastor was reading from the New King James. Besides, doesn’t the Bible also say somewhere that we’re ‘joint heirs with Christ’?”
         Nicole was quiet. He gave her a sideways glance. Had he convinced her or just shut her down? Either way, he felt frustrated. If God had given him a vision this morning, why wasn’t she eager to hear about it rather than debate details from the pastor’s sermon? “Well, I’m for cashing in on whatever God has for us even if you’re not.”
         She sighed deeply. “It’s not that, Greg. It’s just . . .”
         He waited, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel as they sat at a stoplight. “Just what?”
         “I don’t know, it’s this emphasis the pastor’s been on for the last few weeks, it seems so self-centered. Like it’s all about me. What’s in it for me? Me, me, me. That doesn’t sound