Free My Father's Gift by Mary M Hall-Rayford

“mutual interests.”  Once inside her office, Pastor Thomas, a full-figured, middle-aged Amazonian, didn’t hesitate to control the meeting.
    “Welcome, please have a seat,” she said while pointing to the chair in front of her desk.  “I’m glad to meet you.  I’m surprised that we haven’t met before now.  I wish this meeting could have taken place under different circumstances.”  She sat down a bit ceremoniously in her chair, leaning back.
    “Thank you,” said Pastor Gibson seating himself.  “Different  circumstances?”
    “Well, yes.  You see, Cal has told me about this mysterious conversation he supposedly heard from God regarding one of your ministers.  Sister Everett, I believe.  Anyway, I’ve cautioned him about thinking he’s heard God say things He really hasn’t said.  After all, the devil can talk to us, too, and usually does when we’re vulnerable.  I chalked it up to them both fasting and imagining what they heard.  I hope that you did the same thing, if Sister Everett talked to you.” She was looking at him over the rim of her glasses.
    “Well, actually I didn’t.” Pastor Gibson was cautious as he spoke.  “I told Sister Everett that if in fact this was of God, then He would see to it that it worked and if not, it wouldn’t.  I trust her judgment and I know she knows the voice of the Lord.” He sat back in the chair with his fingers entwined, staring back at her pensively.
    “Minister Recinoire knows the voice of the Lord as well.  After all, he does stand in the office of a prophet,” she haughtily admonished him.
    “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.  It seems to me that we have two people who know the voice of the Lord, but don’t know how to act upon it.  I don’t know about you, but I need Sister Everett to stay at my church.  She’s a very talented and anointed young lady, and she has quite a following.  I’d hate for her to leave, which I know she would if she married someone who wasn’t a member of our church,” Pastor Gibson explained.
    “I suppose that’s true.  Minister Recinoire can also be quite a drawing card.  I know he’s expressed to me that there’s a pastoral calling on both their lives, so maybe they would leave both churches to pastor together.  I’m not ready for that to happen.  I’ve got a few things for him to do here and if he were to leave now, this church would be in a mess.”  Her concession was wrapped with defensiveness.
    “I understand totally.  So what do you propose that we do about this situation?”
    “Honestly?  Keep them where we can keep an eye on them and control what they do.  That’s my plan.  What do you plan to do?”
    “I can do the same, but how do you plan to accomplish that?”
    “Well, Minister Recinoire has a great deal of confidence in what I say and he trusts me.  So as long as I can convince him he didn’t hear anything and keep him away from her, he’ll be right here.” Her smugness was as sickening as a regurgitated Chinese dinner.
    “All right.  I guess I’ll have to keep her busy so she won’t have time to think about this.  I don’t dare tell her she didn’t hear what she heard.  She would know that something was not right.  She has quite a full schedule for the rest of the year, so keeping them apart should not pose too much of a problem.  I have already asked her to take care of planning some programs at the church, so she will be very busy.”  As he spoke, Pastor Gibson felt a check in his spirit that made him ponder the wisdom of what they were planning.
    “Well, it seems to me that the problem is solved.  By the way, I don’t think it would be a good idea if they knew that we had this conversation.  Thank you for coming and keep in touch.” Pastor Thomas stood up, dismissing Pastor Gibson.
    “You’re absolutely right.  Thank you for taking the time to see me.  I can see myself out.”
    They shook hands and Pastor Gibson walked slowly out of the