Marriage Development Presents: The Marriage Counselor (Session 1)

By Minister Perry S. L. Johnson

What happens when a counselor/preacher fights with adversity and hardship in his marriage? He has the God-given wisdom to help so many couples, but he can't even figure out a way to save his own marriage, and he is losing hope in God. How can a preacher go on preaching and how can a counselor continue to counsel couples when his own marriage is failing and being torn apart by the very one that he loves with all of his heart, mind, body, and spirit? Who does a counselor turn to when his marriage is headed for divorce and how does a man deal with a woman who clearly acts like she hates his very existence? What did he do to deserve this kind of verbal abuse from his first lady? Follow the first lady as she leads you to her own personal reasons why she feels the way that she feels about her husband the marriage counselor. See how one of the first lady's employees/best friend can hear the voice of God but still manages to be misled on how to go about finding what she has yearned for far too long which is love and see how her friend/coworker goes about trying to get the right man the wrong way. Jealousy, envy, love, lack of faith, deceit, adultery, sadness, hate, anger, bitterness, violence, and attempted murder you'll find in the stories of each of these characters. Their stories will have you up and down on an emotional roller coaster so get ready for a crazy ride.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645693949

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The Case of the Five-Year Engagement

Song of Solomon 8:7, Money Can’t Buy Love

8:07 a.m., Monday April 14, 2014

Plano, Texas

Jason Campbell’s Office

After Jason Campbell’s commute in morning traffic and during his long and tedious conversation with Mrs. Jordan, he’d finally arrived in the parking lot where he had his own practice/business counseling with couples and families on a weekly basis. Jason pulled his car into a parking space and parked right in front of a small sign that read:

"Reserved for

Dr. Jason L. Campbell

Relationship, Marriage, and Family Specialist."

While Jason sat in front of his office building talking, or rather listening to Mrs. Jordan on his cell phone, a delivery man named Harold Kingsley drove up in his delivery truck and parked right next to Jason’s vehicle.

Harold was about six feet tall, slim build and dark-skinned complexion. He always had a big nice smile, and he had this very loud distinctive laugh that you could hear even over a crowded room full of babbling people. Harold was a young man, handsome, and had a sort of boyish charm about him. He was also very nice, outgoing, and always well-mannered, willing to please and very good at his job delivering packages and dealing with customers on a daily basis (Psalms 34:5). Usually he wore his normal uniform that consisted of a light-blue shirt with a golden name tag pinned to it that read, Harold Kingsley. He wore black shorts that was slightly above his knees, and he also wore a dark-blue cap that he preferred to wear backward for some reason.

Harold stood up from his seat and opened a door that was within the cab of his truck and then he walked through the truck toward the back and opened the rear door. He grabbed his clipboard and placed it on top of a two-wheel dolly that had two medium-sized boxes strapped to it, then he lowered the dolly and boxes down to the ground and climbed out behind it. He then began to make his way toward the front door of Jason’s office building.

There inside of the office at the front desk sat Jason’s secretary, Alex Price who had her face buried into her computer. Alex was thirty-five years of age, standing five-seven with beautiful dark-brown skin and long black braided hair that reached down to the small of her back. On this day she wore a long yellow dress with yellow earrings that dangled from her ears and two matching yellow bracelets upon her wrist along with a yellow necklace that had a yellow medallion attached to its end to which she wore around her neck.

If you hadn’t figured it out by now yellow was Alex’s favorite color and usually anything that she wore was completely yellow or had a pop or splash of yellow somewhere within its design. Once you saw her bright and radiant smile sitting there wearing whatever yellow apparel and accessories she decided to wear for that day, no matter if it was cloudy or muggy outside, her appearance would instantly put you in the state of mind of a bright sunny day or a field full of freshly bloomed sunflowers. Her warm disposition and cheerful demeanor complemented her style of dress very well. She always gave off this feeling of comfort and relief to almost anyone in whom she greeted or came into contact with. Alex had this way about her that would take you out of whatever negative thought and feeling you were experiencing at the time, instantly changing a frowned face to a pleasant smile. With her witty charm she was good at putting your troubled heart at peace and giving you a feeling of ease and a mind of happiness (Psalms 45:7).

As Harold entered in through the front door, he quickly walked toward Alex’s desk with his dolly and boxes in tow. Hey, Miss. Alex. Harold smiled and politely said as he approached. I have a few boxes here for Mr. Campbell.

Alex pulled herself from the face of her computer screen and greeted Harold with a matching big smile and replied, Hey, Harold. Yes! Just put them right over there and I will make sure that he gets them when he comes in this morning. Alex pointed, directing Harold toward the corner next to Jason’s office where he could see them as he walked in. Thanks Harold, she said. Do I need to sign anything sir?

Yes, ma’am. If you don’t mind. Give me one second and let me set these down. As he lugged the boxes over by the door, he carefully sat them down and untied his strap from around them. He then placed his foot in between the dolly and a small pole that was attached to it and slid the dolly from up under it to release the boxes. Harold then took his clipboard from the very top of the boxes and walked back over to Alex’s desk rolling the dolly behind him. As Harold smiled, he pulled an ink pen from out his shirt pocket to give to Alex so that she could sign his paperwork saying that she’d received the boxes he’d just delivered.

Okay, Miss. Alex, if you would, please sign right here on the line for me, I will be on my way. Alex reached for the clipboard and his pen and then signed on the line just as Harold had asked, but the whole time while Alex was signing her name, Harold for some reason started to smile this huge unusual big smile down at her. He looked as though someone had just told him some hilarious joke or a funny secret that Alex was unaware of and he was about to crack up laughing any second.

Okay, that will do, Harold said. Thank you, Miss. Alex.

You are so welcome Harold. Alex said as she nodded her head and smiled. She gave Harold his clipboard and paperwork back and afterwards Harold just stood there with this big humongous grin upon his face never saying a word as she went back to typing on her computer. Thank you, Harold, and have a good day, Alex said as she continued to look down at her computer screen not really realizing that Harold was still standing there. After he’d seen that she was not going to look up from the computer Harold then held out his hand and abruptly cleared his throat hoping that it would catch Alex’s attention. Once she finally looked up and saw that for whatever reason he was still there and now with his hand held out like he wanted a tip or something, it then only took her a split second or two to realize what she’d done. She giggled a bit and said, Oh! I am so sorry, Harold. I didn’t mean to steal your pen again. Lord. I always seem to do that to you, don’t I? I apologize, Harold.

Harold’s private joke was finally revealed as he laughed while Alex embarrassingly handed him back his pen. It’s okay, Mrs. Alex. I’ve been coming here delivering packages to you and Mr. Campbell for a long while now, and between you and him, I have gotten used to it.

Once more Harold chuckled with his loud boisterous laugh while he collected his things and heading back in the direction of the door. Alex laughed as well because she understood his comment to be not only funny but also very true. Normally every time Harold would make a delivery there and depending on who received the delivery, he would always hand one of them his pen to sign with because neither of them ever seemed to have a one of their own. Alex always seemed to have a bunch of stuff on top of her desk and she never could find anything let alone a pen when she needed one. Both Jason and Alex would always forget that Harold’s pen wasn’t theirs to begin with. Jason was the worst of the pen thieves. After he would sign the paperwork and hand it back to Harold, Jason would just smile, and say to him, Thank you, Brother Harold. Have a blessed day., and while the pastor blessed and thanked Harold for his timely delivery, Jason would naturally slide the pen inside of his coat or pants pocket unaware that he was in the process of stealing Harold’s pen right in front of his face. As usual, Harold would have to remind him just like he had done with Alex, over and over again, to hand over his pen so that he could use it on the next delivery. And just like Alex, Jason would blush embarrassed by his own thievery and would have to quickly apologize for his kleptomaniac behavior.

Thanks again, Mrs. Alex. Harold said as he backed up with his dolly toward the exit.

You’re welcome, Harold., she smiled and said. Have a good day and be careful out there.

Yes, ma’am, I will. Harold then placed his back on the door to give it a nudge so that he could open it, but he didn’t notice that Jason was pulling at the door the same time that Harold was pushing it with his back. When Harold pushed, Jason pulled causing Harold to fall slightly backward out of the door and into Jason arms. Jason’s hands were occupied and full of stuff…not to mention his cell phone was still up to his ear and he was still talking with Mrs. Jordan.

Whoa! Jason yelled as Harold stumbled clumsily back into him. Alex put her hand over her mouth and chuckled watching Harold and Jason both struggling not to fall to the ground. Harold, trying to regain his footing, looked like a baby deer learning how to walk for the first time. To Alex, watching the two of them was a very funny scene. Actually, one of the funniest things that she’d seen all morning.

Once Jason was finally able to help Harold back to his upright position Harold humbly smiled and said, Sorry, Mr. Campbell. Are you okay?

No brother, I should be asking you if you are okay.

Yes sir. I am fine. Thank you.

Jason smiled and held the door open for him while Harold collected his things and once Harold was clear of the door, Jason closed the door behind him and walked inside. Alex was still laughing as Jason walked in.

Very funny, Alex. Very funny.

I am so sorry Mr. Campbell. I apologize.

Umm Hmm!, Jason said in response. After everything that happened Jason totally forgot that he was still on the phone with Mrs. Jordan who was now yelling and wondering what was going on and what was all the sudden commotion in Jason’s background.

No, Mrs. Jordan. No, ma’am. I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to the delivery man who just left my office and you see I opened the door and he fell bac— Mrs. Jordan interrupted Jason in mid-sentence, and then he replied, Yes, Mrs. Jordan. No, Mrs. Jordan…

Jason was of a dark chocolate-skinned complexion. He always kept his hair cut low but wavy. His gray-and-black-streaked goatee was cut and trimmed very fine, and he usually wore eyeglasses on his face so that he could see. Jason was thirty-nine years of age, five-nine, weighing one hundred and eighty-nine pounds, and though he didn’t work out as often as he’d liked, his physique and build was still very well-toned. He wore his normal casual dress wear that consisted of a white dress shirt, black necktie and khaki pants. One of his most favorite things that he absolutely loved to wear over his dress shirt and tie was his sweater vest which normally consisted of a different color every day. On this particular day, he decided to wear the color red which to him represented two things, love and sacrifice, meaning the love and blood sacrifice of Christ Jesus. For Jason, wearing sweater vests was almost like his signature or trademark, and even when he was preaching with all black on while wearing his clerical collar around his neck, everyone who knew Jason personally still recognized him particularly for his colored sweater vests. Jason was very laid-back, smart, intelligent, humbled, funny, and down-to-earth for a Pastor. In addition to that and most importantly, he was a fully devoted family man and a man of God.

As usual, when talking to Mrs. Jordan, Jason tried his best to remain patient with her, but she always had a knack for frustrating him to the point that after every conversation or what seemed more like an endless debate, it was almost routine for him to have to take about ten minutes or so to come back to himself and regain his sanity and spirituality. After doing a few Hail Mary’s and some slow and tranquil breathing techniques and exercises, he would close his eyes and end it by saying, Lord, help. This was one of his favorite things to say especially whenever he felt in distress or whenever he felt that someone was out of order and not in line with God.

Yes, Mrs. Jordan. Yes, I understand. Jason walked slowly toward Alex’s desk and then he began to slowly pace back and forth. It was obvious that whatever Mrs. Jordan was saying was really getting to him. Every emotion that she’d brought out of him clearly showed on his face and it continued to change with each word she said. One emotion that was undeniably noticeable was that Jason was beyond frustrated. Alex watched how his moods and facial expressions changed like the Texas weather or better yet, like a person diagnosed with bipolar disorder. First, he had a look of irritation, which quickly turned to a bothersome and annoyed look, and then that look soon changed to a look of concern which immediately changed to a very troubled and puzzling look.

Alex leaned in forward on the edge of her desk, put her hand on her chin, and smiled at Jason while listening to his conversation with Mrs. Jordan. She knew that whenever he had a conversation with Mrs. Jordan that she would soon annoy the counselor to a point that would almost take him out of his character. Alex never really saw him angry nor upset, and she never heard him curse before, at least not around her, but she knew that if anyone could make Jason go there, it would be Mrs. Jordan, so Alex listened and waited to see if that would be the day that Mrs. Jordan finally set him off causing him to lose all of his professionalism and civility.

Yes, Mrs. Jordan, I am still here. I am just listening to you sister. Go ahead with your question… No, Mrs. Jordan. No, you cannot just divorce your husband just because he cut you off from spending money. Yes, Mrs. Jordan, I understand that, but your husband just lost his job, and you now must spread his unemployment checks and savings out over a period of time at least until he finds a new job. Yes, Mrs. Jordan, he still loves you, but that doesn’t mean that—Mrs. Jordan just because he cut you off doesn’t mean that he—Mrs. Jordan! Mrs. Jordan! Mrs. Jordan, let me ask you a question, do you love your husband? Well, I ask because it sounds like you are more worried about the money and spending money than you are with saving your marriage from financial bankruptcy and ruin? No, Mrs. Jordan. I’m not saying that you are bankrupt, but what I am saying is that—No, that’s not what I’m saying, Mrs. Jordan. Look, I’ve counseled with you and your husband for a long time now, and I know that you are not a gold digger, but see, what the problem is, is that… Yes, Mrs. Jordan. No, Mrs. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan, let me ask you another question. Do you trust me? Okay, well, listen to me for a minute without interruption please. Your husband is trying to do what he thinks is best for your household, and I have to say that I really do agree with him on this. No, Mrs. Jordan, just because I am a man is not the reason that I agree with him. Mrs. Jordan, is he not the head of the household? Okay, with that being said, as the head he has to make decisions that will keep his household up and running, at least until he gets back to work and as his wife, it is your job to support him on his decisions no matter if you agree with his methods or not. Also, if you want your children to have a roof over their heads and food on the table until your husband is employed again, then my suggestion to you is that you really need to listen to your husband on this one. This is more important than your need to spend money, don’t you think, Mrs. Jordan? Yes, Mrs. Jordan. No, Mrs. Jordan. Do you understand where I am coming from on this, Mrs. Jordan? Okay good. So, this means that you will support your husband in his decision to budget what you both have saved together until he finds a new job, correct? You will think about it? Oh okay. Well I guess that is a start, but it is very important that you think long and hard about it, okay, Mrs. Jordan? The future of your marriage and your children’s future really depends on your decision either to support your husband and to be more understanding of this situation or to cause confusion, conflict and discord with your husband during this process. Okay, Mrs. Jordan. No problem, Mrs. Jordan. Have a good day, Mrs. Jordan. Bye, Mrs. Jordan (Proverbs 14:1).

Jason hung up the phone looking exhausted and totally drained and by the look on his face Alex could tell that he was still very much frustrated with Mrs. Jordan. For one, even though Mrs. Jordan said that she agreed and understood everything Jason had said, he knew her all too well and two, what he’d learned about Mrs. Jordan as well as men and women like her was that even after all of that talking, explaining and rationalizing that he had done she would deliberately do the total opposite of what he’d told her. So, in knowing this, after hanging up with her Jason held his head up toward the heavens, blew his breath and said,

Lord, help, (Isaiah 40:31).

After he’d finally finished his few seconds of meditation, he sighed a bit weakened by his conversation with Mrs. Jordan and as usual Alex handed him an aspirin and a bottle of water and said,

Your usual, Mr. Campbell, He nodded his head and took the aspirin from out of her hand and then Jason tilted his head back and put the aspirin in his mouth and guzzled down a big gulp of the water. Afterwards he gave out a huge gasp for air and then he said,

Thank you so much, Alex. Lord Jesus. Thank you for that. Once he had regained his breath after almost inhaling the whole entire twenty-ounce bottle of water in one take, Jason reached for the mail that sat on the corner end of Alex’s desk and then he began to thumb through it all as if he was expecting something particular.

I’m sorry. How are you doing this morning, Alex? Alex smiled and replied, I am doing just fine, Mr. Campbell. Thanks for asking.

With a confused look on his face Jason lifted his eyes up from the mail and said, Alex, what are you doing?

What do you mean, sir? Alex responded acting very nonchalant and casual while looking Jason directly in his face with that big goofy smile of hers.

I mean what’s up with all of this Mr. Campbell and sir stuff all of a sudden? Stop playing, Alex. Jason knew that Alex was always kidding and joking around, but Jason was never quite sure when she was serious or not. Why would she be calling him Mr. Campbell and saying sir instead of calling him Jason like she normally would, Jason wondered?

Alex then replied, I really just like saying Mr. Campbell, Mr. Campbell. It’s out of respect. I really look up to you. You know? Like a big brother. You know what I mean, Mr. Campbell, sir? Jason looked at her slant-eyed for a second, and in his hesitation to speak, he then smiled and said,

Well, you should look up to me like I am a big brother since I really am your big brother, lil sis, and tell me this, should I call you Mrs. Price, Mrs. Price, since we are being all formal and brand-new all of a sudden? Jason said sarcastically joking back with her.

No, Alex is fine. I don’t mind if you call me Alex, Mr. Campbell.

He looked at her and laughed. Alex, I don’t know what I am going to do with you. You are so silly.

Alex stood up from her chair, leaned over her desk toward Jason to straighten and tighten his tie and then said, Yes, sir, but you love me, and I am good at what I do for you.

Jason laughed again while slightly lifting up his neck to allow her to reposition and tighten his necktie correctly. Yes, you are good at what you do, Jason replied. And if I haven’t said it enough, I really thank you, lil sis, for all that you do around here. I don’t know what I would do without you.

Alex smiled with confidence and certainty and said, You’d probably roll up into a ball and just die. Or you’d probably have to shut this place down and sell it or something like that.

Jason laughed again and said, You may just be right. Alright, Alex, enough playing and joking around. Let’s get back to business. Hey, so Harold was here. Did he bring me a package or something this morning? I ordered a few items, and I have been waiting forever for them to be delivered. Also do I have any calls or appointments for this week?

Oh yeah, Alex replied. Harold just delivered those packages sitting right over there by your office door and let’s see… Alex sat back down in her seat and began rustling around through the mountain of folders and papers that she had piled up on her desk while she searched for her appointment book. Jason waited patiently, but as he looked at her desk, he began to shake his head at how disorganized her desk looked. Finally, she found the appointment book that was placed up under a stack of papers and her favorite coffee mug that read, Best Secretary in the World, which had left a coffee ring stain on the face of the book.

Sorry., she said while grabbing a napkin as she quickly wiped off as much of it as she could.

It’s okay, Alex, just tell me what appointments I have for this week. Jason said with a slight smile on his face. Okay. she said. She began to fumble and turn the pages of the book until she’d found what she was looking for. Okay. Here we go. Yes, sir, so far you do have an appointment with Frank and Donna Wright tomorrow at one p.m. and Wednesday and Thursday, unless someone else calls, you are pretty much free. Oh, and don’t forget that I will be out of the office Wednesday, so you will be on your own.

Yes, yes. I remember.

Okay, good. Will you be okay here?

Yes, Alex. I will be fine. Take care of your business. I’m good.

Okay. Well, if you’d like you have time to work on this Sunday’s sermon or you could take some much-needed time off for a few days or you could work on your marriage book that you have been working on. I know how much you like to make time to work on that before you get home. By the way, how is that book going so far?

Well, it’s going. I still have more work to do. It is a long and tedious journey when writing, especially when talking about marriage on a spiritual level, but yet and still I have to get it done. I am just hoping that I can reach many people with it because I feel that it will be really beneficial to those who are seeking guidance and want to know what God’s Word says for them to do before and after marriage.

I hear ya Pastor. I hear ya. What is the name of it again?

God’s Perfect Order for An Imperfect Marriage.

Oh yeah. That’s deep, big bro. God’s Perfect Order for An Imperfect Marriage. Well, you’ll get it together. I have faith in you. If anyone can reach the people regarding marriage, I know that it is you.

Aww! Thank you, lil sister. All right! So, what else do I have coming up?

Oh! Uh. Well, next week, you have quite a bit of appointments set up pretty much all day, every day. I also made a note here saying that your dry cleaning won’t be ready until later on this evening. There was some kind of mix up there, but I think that they got it straight. I’ll check on it again when they open later this morning. Oh, and a Pastor Kedrion Bailey, Senior of Unmerited Favor Christian Fellowship, called and said that he was free for counseling sometime next month if you and your—

Suddenly, while Alex was in the middle of telling him about his calls and appointments, there was a very loud thump against the wall which sounded like it had come from inside of Jason’s office. It was so loud and hard that it shook the wall which startled Jason causing him to jump and flinch with fear.

What was that? Jason yelled as he ducked looking around nervously. Alex dropped her head down and placed her hand on her head and pointed toward his office door. Oh! She said, I’m sorry. I actually forgot. That…would be them.

Them? Them who? Jason once again looked to see whether she was joking around again. Alex’s eyebrows raised as she blew her breath while reaching once again for the appointment book. She turned the page to the day’s date which was Monday, April fourteenth and then she pointed her finger down at two names that were written inside of it marked under Today’s A.M. Appointments. Jason squinted his eyes through his glasses while looking down at the appointment book, and his eyebrows instantly raised causing the wrinkles and lines in his forehead to crease up as he then realized who Alex meant by Them.

Oh! Them! he said, Oh! Yeah.

Obviously, Jason had forgotten about his early morning appointment, but unbeknownst to him they had shown up thirty minutes earlier than they’d originally set up for and since dealing with Mrs. Jordan and running into Harold on the way in, the appointment slipped his mind.

That’s them in my office bumping around like that?

Alex replied, Yes, sir. I couldn’t stop them, and you know how she can be. She just came right on in, went in your office walking all fast and stuff. And then she bumped my desk making all of my papers and folders slide off onto the floor. She didn’t even have the common decency to stop and turn around, and at least say excuse me or I’m sorry, can I help you pick that up or anything. I mean, she could have at least offered to help me pick all of it up. Dang! I know she saw what the heck she had done. Shoot! Alex started to get loud and angry, and the tone of her voice suddenly changed from professional to ghetto, and the more that she spoke you could tell that the Oak Cliff side of her was about to come out which was not a good thing to do in a place of business.

I started to snatch her ole’ stuck-up butt back over here and make her pick up my stuff. Ole’ dragon, dog faced, ugly lady. She is really lucky that I am a professional woman and a woman of God who has turned over a new leaf in life or else I would have jap-slapped her into next week. She just doesn’t know who she is messing with up in here because I will have her and that ole’ cheap sew in of hers… Oooo, Lord Jesus. Woo!

Alex suddenly stopped herself from talking while trying to calm her emotions before she had gotten herself worked up again. But she didn’t hesitate to whip her head around toward Jason’s office door so that she could give the lady one good mean, sneering eye roll hoping that the lady inside could somehow feel the sting of her anger coursing through the walls. Jason cleared his throat as Alex began to collect herself while trying to get back into secretary mode.

Her evil face changed from angry to her usual sunny smile and she said, But thank God that was the old me, I am a Christian now. A child of God. The Lord is my Shepherd, and he knows that I want to snatch that wig off of her head and—

Alex! Jason quietly yelled her name, stopping her from going any further what that.

Huh?, Alex replied. What? I’m sorry, big bro. You know me.

Yeah, I do, Alex, which is why I’m calling your name. Do we need to pray?

Yes, let’s do that., Alex said. She then bowed her head and closed her eyes and then she suddenly started waving her hands up in the air while shouting and praising God, acting as though she was praying and speaking in tongues.

"Yes! Thank you, God! Thank you, Jesus, for stopping me from killing one of Satan’s soldiers. Yes, Lord Jesus, even though she is dressed in Prada and black pumps with strap laces that would go great on my feet, Oh Lord, I know that you have a ram in the bush just waiting for me, Heavenly Father, when they go on sale this week at J.C. Penny’s. Jesus! Hallelujah, Jesus, thank you for keeping me in my right mind when she knocked over my papers, my dear Jesus. Because I was about to be insane in the membrane…insane in the brain for a minute there, but Father, only you offer direction and correction, correction and direction for killers like me and I thank you oh Lord for stopping me. And because you know that I carry a shank in my purse just in case I have to deal with fools like her, and I ain’t afraid to take care of my business up in here if need be, you still sent your holy angels, the baby Jesus and the grown thirty year old Jesus down from Heaven to stop me from my wicked ways, and I thank you for deliverance, Lord! Amen! Hallelujah, Jesus! Ha-sha, Bon-que-sha, Tanesha, Fun-que-shia!, Hey-hey! A-coma-onda-shunda! He-cometh-ona-honda! Amen, amen and amen. Woo! Okay, big brother. I’m good now. You were right. Praying helps out a