All You

By Jour'nae

Lori is in love with a man she doesn't know. A friendly wager gets her to reveal her feelings, but she could never have predicted how this small decision would change everything. Will Lori be able to navigate the twists and turns of her new path?

Meanwhile, Lori's friends and church members have problems of their own. Abusive partners, lascivious secrets, sexual identity, and many other problems that only God can fix.

Can they hold out for the Lord to answer their prayers, or will time get the best of them all?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 7, 2024
• ISBN: 9798889439578

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All You

Jourand#39;nae

ISBN 979-8-88943-955-4 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88943-957-8 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Jour’nae

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

To my daughters who have shown me great support, Trustcia, Indeara, Micajah, Cogdell, mom loves you.

This book is dedicated and inspired by Harold Willis.

Acknowledgments

Perfect Gamble

Connections

My Life

Nobody's Business

Some Boy

How Much Can This Man Bear?

Laugh on Me

Promises

Envy in the Air

Relationship with Jesus Christ

New Things

Time's Up

Well Spoken

Blessed

Do You Want to Know God?

About the Author

To my daughters who have shown me great support, Trustcia, Indeara, Micajah, Cogdell, mom loves you.

This book is dedicated and inspired by Harold Willis.

Acknowledgments

To the Lord Jesus Christ who is the reason I am able to do anything, I thank you, Lord, for leading and loving me despite of me.

Thank you to all who have supported me in anyway.

Perfect Gamble

It started as a simple joke. Who could get the handsome young man first? Lori and Nettle would fight to impress a man who sat in front of them at church—a man that neither of the women knew. They had seen him in service a few times, but this day he was the highlight of their conversation.

Nettle swore she had known him from her neighborhood, ranting that she had known him first; but that did not matter because Lori had already claimed him as her husband. Yes, claiming some man as your husband would seem far-fetched, but she was confident. This was a confidence that Lori's parents always taught her, that God would give her the desires of her heart. And her heart desired the high yellow pretty boy who wore dreads and stood five feet seven. She could tell that he was one in a million, and every girl in town knew it.

But after watching him for a few Sundays, she learned that he was a flirt unconsciously, treating every woman he came in contact with as if she was the only one that mattered. Lori knew she had a challenge on her hands, but she was determined to win the bet and make a joke into reality.

Lori knew that Nettle had no chance at getting the young man for herself because they were the complete opposite of each other. Lori was flawed. She hated wearing makeup, which most men liked, but she liked her freckled face, joker smile, and full lips. She didn't care what anyone said or thought and would change it all for a chance with her future. She was not going to allow Nettle to have what was hers.

Her name, Nettle, told her story—the story of a continuous home-wrecker and snake, a young full breasted, tight jeans, and heels type of woman, compared to Lori's obese one-hundred-and-fifty-pound frame. Lori was convinced that she had no booty; she wore clothing twice her size. But regardless of Nettle's and Lori's looks, Lori would not allow her mind to forget that she was a prize that would be won for her internal and not her external appearance. She learned a long time ago that these things did not make you who you were.

In the past, Nettle had only confirmed that her every plan for a relationship had failed, and she was left with tears and no ring. Lori knew it was her time—her time to win because he was different.

After nine months of secretly watching and praying over the man, today was the day. She had watched every move he made and each time, discovered something new. She could not think of a better place to confront her true love than at church, she thought.

The church that sat on the corner of Blake St in Elyria, Ohio, filled the air with praise every Sunday morning. The foundation of the church was based in gold with white trimming. It was a solid brick building with a full basement with many rooms for extra church activities. There were a few rooms for Sunday school and children's church. There was a nice size room set aside for the weekly breakfast and any other luncheons. The speakers were placed in every corner of every room so that no matter where you were in the church, you could hear the service. The church windows were laced with angels and doves. The sanctuary was covered with purple seating cloths to match the purple cloth cover hanging on the cross at the front of the church. There were chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, bringing a nice amount of light into the church. The church was welcoming, and the pastor would preach a rich message while standing behind his glass podium each Sunday.

Lori looked around the church, admiring the beauty God had provided. Believing that Nettle was out of the way, she figured, now would be the perfect time to get her emotions off her chest. But before she could think another thought, she saw Nettle approaching. Falling for her plan, Lori distracted Nettle, telling her that she had to go to the restroom, and that she would meet her in the car.

The joke was going too far, and Lori needed to make a move before Nettle did. Lori quickly scanned the room and found him standing at the back of the church as he did each Sunday with a military crease in his pants. She stood five-three in height in a line that he used to usher each member from the sanctuary with a handshake. Lori noticed his matching shoes complemented his navy blue suit jacket he wore earlier in the service. She thought he looked good in anything he wore. When he saw that she was next in line, he admired her dark brown skin and full body figure, and he smiled; and as she approached him, he reached out to shake Lori's hand as she expected he would.

Looking into his hazel eyes, Lori asked, My name is Lori. What's your name?

My name is Daniel, he said with a smile that made his small but luscious lips along with the dimple in his left cheek even more appealing.

I like you, she said.

I like you too, he said, thinking that God's Word teaches him to love his fellow brothers and sisters and how beautiful her blue eyes and long brown hair was. Lori could tell he was just being friendly.

No! You don't understand. I like you, like you, Lori confessed as she raised her gold eyebrows because this was the one Sunday that she decided to wear a little bit of makeup.

Daniel seemed as if he was trying to avoid what Lori had just expressed to him. Are these your children? Daniel asked.

Yes, all three of them, Lori confirmed as if she had a cheerleading team worth of children standing next to her.

You look too young to have three children.

How old are you? asked Daniel.

I am twenty-three, she said.

Well, I'm twenty, Daniel responded.

You look good for an old man,—laughing—I never would have guessed I was older than you, she said.

Are you telling the truth about your age? Daniel asked.

What reason would I have to lie? she said.

Daniel gave Lori a look as if Lori may have been lying.

He squeezed her hand a little, confirming that the conversation was over and pulled his hand away from her, which Lori had been holding the entire time they were talking. Daniel acted like Lori had said something terribly wrong. She smiled, confirming that all this time of unspoken words lead up to the fact that he was shy. At least she thought he was.

Well, I have to go. It looks like I'm holding up the line. What felt like an eternity of conversation to Lori only turned out to be a few seconds long, but it was enough to make her day. I will see you later. Lori smiled and walked off with her children.

Nettle was waiting right outside the church doors; she had come out of another door and heard the entire conversation. Even beyond her caramel skin, Lori could see Nettle was red; she was angry.

I thought I told you I would meet you in the car, Lori said in an annoyed tone.

Don't think you slick, Lori. You ain't got uhm yet. He gonna be mine. Betz believ, Nettle stated.

Don't worry, Nettle. You don't have to keep coming to church wearing your flawless makeup but hiding the real you because you want to win the bet. Start coming to know God. What God has for me is just for me, and Daniel is my husband, said Lori.

How you even know his name is Daniel? I didn't hear him mention his name.

Don't worry about that. Just know that I know. Looks like I am working a little faster than you are, Lori snapped while laughing. You should have been listening a little harder, and maybe you would have learned something.

As they both walked to her car, she thought about what she saw and liked in Daniel. She admired that he was taller than her with a football player's physique, yet he seemed kind and polite. His hand was warm, and his skin was smooth. She enjoyed every second she spent with him as if it were the first time she laid eyes on him. Occasionally, he had spoken to Lori, never realizing the true passion she felt for him. He certainly didn't respond the way she had expected him to. It made her wonder what he thought of their short conversation and if the feelings were mutual.

Throughout the next couple of weeks, the weather had been sunny, sometimes as high as seventy degrees. This gave her the opportunity to show off a little bit of what God blessed her with at any and all church events. Lori wasn't too into heels, but for Daniel, she would do anything to be noticed by him. She tried to make sure that every time she stepped into the church or in any area that she thought Daniel might be, she was presentable.

Lori had watched Daniel and told everyone she came across in the church, the world, and anyone who was anyone that Daniel would one day be her husband and this opened the door for how to find out more about him. She had watched him praise God like no other man she had ever seen. It seemed to her as if he could pray the whole nation into salvation. It was evident he studied because he spoke the Word a lot of times from memory, pronouncing things clearly and with power. Lori loved his spirit and wanted what he had. Lori went to God in prayer daily in those weeks of investigating Daniel.

Lord, the Most High God, I thank you for the opportunity to meet such a remarkable man. I thank you for all you have allowed me to see and experience. I come before you, Lord, asking that whatever you have placed in Daniel's heart that you release that same spirit in me. Lord, I trust and believe you will build me up for what I am asking for if I appear to not be ready. Lord, you know me better than I know myself, so I know you will only put on me what I can bear. I thank you in advance for what you are going to do in my life. Lord, I also would like to know Daniel as a friend. I would love to be someone he could confide in. Lord, if it is your will, please capture his heart to also want to know me. In Jesus's name, I pray. Amen.

Connections

There had been a touch of rain the day before, but you couldn't tell because today the sun was fully beaming. The clouds were wiped away, and the sky was clear. Unfortunately, the weather did not describe Lori's feelings, and so many things were running through her head on a daily basis. Daniel had not said anything to Lori since she told him how she felt. The silent treatment he was giving her was making her feel bad. She started to feel as if she had made a mistake by telling him that she liked him although at the same time, her heart yearned for him daily, and she could no longer keep it in. She wanted him to express his love in the same way she