On This Rock

By Angela Findley

Pastors Daniel and Barbara Sinclair seem happy to their congregation and others in the Las Vegas valley. They have a growing mini-mega church, three thriving kids, and a comfortable lifestyle that most would envy. Reality is much different within the Sinclair household as they work through unforeseen situations. When tragedy strikes, secrets are revealed and the family is almost pushed to the brink of destruction. Just when the Sinclairs feel that the worst is behind them, one family member begins keeping a secret that may push them to the point of no return.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Nov 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9798986112015

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On This Rock

Copyright 2022 by Angela Findley.

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of the book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For information, address Your Personal Growth Umbrella LLC,

PO Box 753071, Las Vegas, NV 89136

Angela Findley book(s) may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use and she may be reached for speaking engagements. For information, please email at [e-mail] or [e-mail].

FIRST EDITION

Designed by Aerica Raven Van Dorn

ISBN: 979-8-98611-2-008

eBook ISBN: 979-8-98611-2-015

TO MY DAUGHTER TAYLOR

This is for you and because of you.

Thank you for support, encouragement, love

and help during this process

(especially when I had no idea what to do with IT issues😊)

Contents

1. Barbara

2. Daniel

3. genesis

4. BARBARA

5. BARBARA

6. DANIEL

7. SHEILA

8. DJ

9. DANIEL

10. DESTINY

11. BARBARA

12. EBONI

13. KENNEDY

14. BARBARA

15. DANIEL

16. DANIEL

17. GENESIS

18. BARBARA

19. BARBARA

20. DANIEL

21. DANIEL

22. DANIEL

23. BARBARA (I cried)

24. GINA

25. DANIEL

26. KENNEDY

27. SINCLAIR FAMILY THANKSGIVING

28. BARBARA

29. DANIEL

30. BARBARA

31. DANIEL

32. KENNEDY

33. BARBARA

34. DANIEL

35. DJ

36. GENESIS

37. KENNEDY

38. BARBARA

39. KENNEDY

40. T’WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS

41. DESTINY

42. BARBARA

43. MJ/THE ROCK

44. EPILOGUE

Barbara

I hated this car. It was too big and bulky, but Daniel was so dramatic about having a 1st Lady car, which to him was this long, oversized, gas guzzling, luxury Mercedes S Class Whatever. Even though I loved the shimmery paint job and dark gold interior, I hated that it looked so formal and stiff. If I had to have a 1st Lady car, why couldn’t I have a Benz sports sedan? It was still a nice car. But what I really wanted was a Dodge Charger. I know that was supposed to be a guy’s car, but I could girly it up. Plus, our kids were all grown, no need to transport them back and forth, well except our youngest Destiny, who would be turning 16 (sixteen) soon and requested a brand-new Tiffany blue convertible Lexus, which she was not getting under any circumstances. I did not understand people who drove convertibles in Las Vegas anyway. We only had two months of nice weather for it. We had nine months of heat and a month of cold, that is it. Anyway, I felt that getting a 16-year-old such a nice car that she didn’t earn, was too much. She would have a decent car, but not an $80, 000 car with no job to pay insurance, gas, or upkeep.

Destiny seemed liked she just tolerated me most of the time and it really hurt my feelings. It was obvious that she loved her dad more than me. When I would mention it to Dan, he would say that I was being overly sensitive and remind me that our 21-year-old twins, DJ and Eboni worshipped me, like I was some type of Goddess. I told him time and time again that he was being ridiculous but knew deep down he was right. The twins loved themselves some Momma. But for some reason Destiny didn’t even seem like she liked me, let alone loved me.

Destiny was just like her father with all his good looks. Although Daniel was 6’5, 250 pounds, so light he looked almost white, with blue/gray eyes, Destiny was the opposite as the runt of the family at only 5’6 and 120 pounds. Her smooth chestnut brown skin always stood out and her eyes were so dark they almost looked black. She was just beautiful, but she sometimes acted like she hated the way she looked. She was even at times jealous of her sisters’ look. Eboni looked like Dan gave birth to her. They had the same color eyes and skin, and she was sturdy at almost 6 feet tall. Eboni had long black lashes and big Diana Ross eyes which all the kids got from me, but for some reason Destiny’s lashes looked unnaturally long. All the kids got their sharp European features from their father’s side of the family. DJ was the only one to get my full lips. Daniel’s paternal and maternal grandparents were bi-racial. Dan was the only person that I knew or ever heard of that had two bi-racial grandmothers and grandfathers. This accounted for his skin tone and eye color. Destiny hated the fact that she was too short to be a runway model. A lady that owned a talent agency visited our church several times and told Destiny that she would be perfect for catalog modeling. Destiny looked at her like she had told her that she could model for pets. No thank you Destiny said insulted. I did not understand until later, when I found out that she felt that catalog modeling was not real modeling and for okay looking people only. If she could not do runway, why bother?

As I was pulling up to On This Rock, our church that has been growing over the years, I was still thinking about trading that boat of a car in for a Dodge Charger. It would be a girly/blingy Charger with shimmer and custom details, my twins ran out of the church to meet me. They both had frustrated looks on their faces, but they were still trying to smile to let me know that they were happy to see me. D.J. ran up and kissed me on the right cheek, while Eboni took the left one. Then they both started complaining that Mother Johns put them in charge of planning Destiny’s Sweet 16 birthday party instead of letting the church staff do it and that Destiny was already getting on their nerves. They both chuckled because even though Destiny did get on their nerves and everyone else’s for the record, they adored her, and they were part of the reason that she was so spoiled. Wait, what? I said. Then Eboni started explaining.

Mother Johns said that family should be planning family functions and that since you were already so busy, the older siblings should step up.

Oh, did she. I said with a smirk.

Momma! Eboni yelled out. We’re already busy with school, work, and chores, which Destiny seems to get away with not doing. Why can’t she plan her own over-the-top party?

I looked at her and laughed. She looked even more like Dan when she was irritated especially with her super short haircut, Although Dan is now completely bald. I hated that she cut her hair so short. I could care less about long hair, but hers was just too short. Eb, I’m sure it isn’t that bad.

No, it’s worse! DJ exclaimed looking like the male version of me. I sighed but let him continue to get everything out. You know how Destiny can be. Like the whole wide world is at her beck-and-call. She should have been the Jr. of the family because she is just like him.

DJ please, you’re being a little dramatic don’t you think? Just then he brushed one of his locs out of his face. Even though he looked more like me, with his ebony skin, big, wide set eyes, and super dark lashes, he got his 6’6 frame from his dad. But being just under 200 pounds helped him with his basketball game.

Mom, as your favorite son, you should know that I am far from dramatic. You also know that we cannot say no to Mother Johns, but Destiny needs to hear no. She wants us to rent out the Allegiant Stadium! Mom, it is not even finished! Is she serious?

Eboni busted out laughing so hard that tears were running down her face. Boy, you know we’re not even looking into that! She said between laughs and tears.

At this point I was laughing also. "Kids, you both know that Destiny goes overboard with everything. I’ll talk to her and MJ (Mother Johns nickname, that only I could use).

Thanks mom we love you. They both said as they were getting in their cars to leave relieved that I took that burden off their plates.

I walked through the main doors into the church greeting foyer and looked around the area. I noticed that the church was eerily quiet and empty. I saw a few church staff that kept the church clean and in order, but not the usual hustle and bustle on a Saturday before Sunday services. I said my typical Hi’s, how’s the family? etc. to a few people I encountered before entering my office.

I loved my office. It was large and decorated in emerald-green lushness. My plush green carpet matched the sanctuary’s décor and my black and white marble conference table for six had overstuffed chairs that matched the carpet. I had a white marble desk with an overstuffed green queen’s office chair. I also loved that my office was filled with various plants in all shades of green. I had a black thumb, I even killed a cactus once, so I wanted all fake plants to at least give them a fighting chance to live, but MJ would not hear of it. Honey she had said with her debutant voice It is unseemly for the female pastor to have fake plants, really, just downright tacky. I will make sure no plants die on my watch.

It seemed liked everything was under MJ’s watch. Not only the church, but my family as well. I loved her like a second mom and only mom since my mom passed away when I was eighteen and on my way to college. Even though I was technically an adult when my mom killed herself due to chronic depression, Mother Johns continued to raise me. She eventually loved Daniel like her own son and would put him in his place just the same. MJ was the only person in the world that Daniel truly feared. He loved her like a mom and hated disappointing her. I wished he had hated disappointing me.

Daniel had not done anything particularly disappointing in the last 22 years we’d been married. I don’t know why he was just a disappointment lately. On the surface, I really had no reason to feel the way I did. Yes, he had teased me about my belly getting rounder and softer, heck, I hated it too. No matter how much I exercised, it wouldn’t go away. I guess my late-night binging on sweets didn’t help. But those teasing’s had become more frequent. I could tell my weight gain really bothered him and I was bothered that he was bothered. I was kind of disappointed in the man he had become since the church really started growing in the last five years or so.

I looked at my gold-framed floor length mirror and critiqued myself for getting this belly. I don’t know what happened. I work out, I eat healthy (well 60% of the time due to my sweet tooth), and I even go to the churches exercise class when I can. I knew that some of it was due to aging and my depression medications. Not to mention the anxiety and a lot of stress since the church started growing. So basically the Holy Trinity of weight gain. I tried to snap out of it by telling myself that I am almost 50, have an overly busy schedule, have children, and wifely obligations. The twins are grown and thriving beautifully, so it is just mainly checking in with them here and there. But that Destiny, whew. She is more work than DJ and Eboni put together. I am constantly checking her grades, her social life and media, meeting with her teachers, and watching what she’s wearing out the house, and sometimes in the house when company is over. I love Destiny dearly and feel bad that when she was around nine or so, the church really started growing and demanded my attention, which left Destiny in the care of siblings and/or caregivers. I was starting to be so overwhelmed with my duties as an assistant pastor at that time that I can honestly say that I didn’t give her the attention that I should have. To make up for the guilt I had and the complete absence I’m sure she felt most of the time, when I did give her attention, I spoiled her with anything she wanted. Over the years Dan and I gave her the latest phones, tablets, clothes, shoes and when she turned 14, make up. I think Dan even gave and did things without my knowledge, because I did have a limit. However, Dan did not when it came to his baby