A Million Blessings Read online

  Pastor began shaking his head. “I can’t support you in this move or encourage you,” he said, “because I don’t think it’s the right time. It’s not right in the spiritual realm and it’s not right in the practical realm. Look, you don’t have a church building and you don’t have any members.”

  “And your hearts are not right,” Vickie tossed in. “I had no idea you two held us in such low esteem. You need to work out the issues you have with us before you try to start your own church. You want to build it on a sound foundation. Right now, your foundation is pure sand.”

  Sandra opened her mouth to tell First Lady Vickie about sand, but Andrew stopped her with a tight squeeze on her thigh.

  “We have the money to buy a building,” he said, ignoring Vickie’s words. “And we’re trusting God to bring the members.”

  Pastor McCorry shook his head. “I don’t know what else we can say.”

  Andrew stood and Sandra stood with him. “I don’t think there’s anything left to say. We appreciate all you’ve done for us.” Andrew extended his hand. “I hope we can part friends and brothers. I could benefit from your counsel as we move forward with the new church.”

  Pastor McCorry shook Andrew’s hand. “If you can’t take my counsel now, Andrew, I don’t see any point in seeking it later. We’ll always be here if you need us, but we can’t help you with this church of yours.”

  “I’m sorry you feel that way, Pastor,” Sandra said. Though she wasn’t really feeling it, she leaned in and gave him a hug. “Thanks for everything. You’ve been a good pastor to us.” She glanced at Vickie, but couldn’t bring herself to hug her.

  “Even though I know you won’t come,” Andrew said, “we’ll invite you to our opening service. You’re a doubter like Thomas in the Bible. You’re going to have to see to believe. Well, we’re going to make believers of both of you.”

  Feeling proud of her husband, Sandra took his hand and followed him out of the McCorry home.

  Chapter 7

  Andrew stood in the back of the ballroom he and Sandra had reserved for the dinner that was now in progress. This meal was about much more than food, though. Andrew had considered the things Pastor McCorry had said and knew he was right. He couldn’t take Kevin Costner’s “If you build it, they will come” approach if he wanted the new church to be a success. He had the money for a building and he believed that God would send members, but he needed a leadership team to help him and Sandra build the ministry. The two of them had discussed their options and decided to ask five couples in leadership at Praise City to join with them in their new ministry, which they were calling Showers of Blessings.

  They knew Pastor wouldn’t like their stealing members from Praise City, but what else could they do? They needed folks they knew and trusted and who knew and trusted them. They also needed folks who believed in their vision. So their first step had been to invite twelve couples and their children to a backyard barbecue. The five couples having dinner with them tonight were the couples from the barbecue that had shown the most enthusiasm and support after hearing their plans. Tonight he and Sandra were taking it to the next level. These were the five couples they wanted with them in Showers of Blessings. Now he had to sell them on the idea.

  Sandra looked up from her conversation with Monica Ray and saw him. She waved him back to the table. When he joined them, she leaned over and said, “Everybody has dessert. When are you going to speak?”

  “I guess now’s the time,” he said. He stood and tapped his fork against his glass to get everybody’s attention. “The evening is not over, but I wanted you to know how much Sandra and I have enjoyed your fellowship tonight.”

  A bunch of “thank you”s came from the gathered couples.

  “While you’re finishing your desserts, I’d like to talk to you some more about Showers of Blessings. We’re excited about the path God is leading us on, but, like Moses when he was leading the Israelites, we’re going to need help.” He paused, taking the time to make eye contact with each couple. “We’ve invited you here tonight to ask you to take part in this vision and join the Showers of Blessings leadership team.”

  Sandra came and stood next to him. “Because we always want to be honest with you,” she said, “we want to confess that last week’s cookout was your interview. As Andrew said, we want folks with us who believe in the vision God has given us. Your response to our news last week showed us that you were believers. We want you with us, if you want to be with us.”

  “We’ll understand if you turn us down,” Andrew added, “and there’ll be no hard feelings. This has to be right for all of us. If you don’t feel it’s right for you, then I have to believe that it’s not what God wants for you. It’s that simple.”

  Then Andrew went around the table telling everybody what their positions would be. The Moores would serve as associate pastors of Christian Education; the Thomases, associate pastors of Music and Praise; the Salleys, Youth Pastors; and the Rays, associate pastors of Outreach. The Wilsons would serve as Assistant Pastors and be their closest advisors.

  “That’s it,” Andrew said, after he informed the couples of their proposed duties. “Do you have any questions?”

  Jacob Wilson posed the first question. “Starting a new church takes a lot of time and effort, Andrew, and we all have full-time jobs. How much of a commitment are you expecting from us?”

  Andrew turned to Sandra and chuckled. “How could you let me forget the most important point?” She just shook her head. He turned back to the group. “These will be full-time positions. We’re asking you to take a leap of faith with us and we’re prepared to compensate you. Because the Lord has blessed us financially beyond what we could have asked, we want to share that with you. Therefore, we’re offering each of you five-year guaranteed contracts at three times your current salary and twice the benefits.”

  Murmurs went around the room.

  “That’s generous,” Gloria Moore said.

  “Very generous,” her husband echoed.

  “Any other questions?” Andrew asked.

  “I’ve never been involved in the formation of a new congregation,” George Salley said. “I want to join you but I’m not sure I have the skills.”

  “You have the heart,” Sandra said. “You can be trained in the rest.”

  “In fact,” Andrew said, “we’ve planned a four-week retreat in Hawaii for next month. It’ll be a time of teaching and learning, prayer and fasting, and fun and fellowship. We have to be a closely knit team if we’re going to achieve this vision.”

  “Hawaii!” Jackie Thomas called out. “Sign us up now!”

  Everybody laughed at Jackie’s enthusiasm.

  “What about a building?” Michael Ray asked. “Where will we be meeting?”

  “We’ll have to find a building,” Andrew said. “We’ve found five properties that could work but we wanted to get you all on board before we made a final decision.” He glanced around the table. “I’m not asking for a commitment tonight. I know you need some time to consider what’s best for your families. Your contracts will be delivered to your homes tomorrow so you can review them as you make your decision. We don’t want to put pressure on you, but we need your answer within the next two weeks. The sooner the better.”

  Chapter 8

  Sandra stood on the lanai of the Waikiki bungalow her husband had rented for their retreat, looking beyond the soothing blue ocean. Despair settled around her when she should have been at her happiest. Her children were sleeping soundly in their rooms. Their leadership team was installed in identical bungalows down the beach. Her parents were in the bungalow next door. Everything was going as she and Andrew had planned. Except she hadn’t planned on the casino nestled on the grounds of their resort.

  Andrew was doing so well that she hadn’t given much thought to his problem. She’d been too busy working with him to build the ministry. They’d gotten their team together and found a building. From what she could see, Andrew didn’t have t
he time or the inclination to gamble. He was totally committed to the ministry. Stop torturing yourself, she said silently. He’s not going to start gambling again.

  She was beginning to believe she was right until that afternoon when the group had decided they wanted to spend the evening in the casino. She’d tried to talk them out of it to no avail. So now she stood here on the lanai while her husband dressed for his night out, without her.

  She turned when she heard him cross the threshold onto the lanai. “Don’t go, Andrew. You can make an excuse.”

  He came to her and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Stop worrying. Everything will be fine. I’ll be fine.”

  “You have a problem, Andrew. Twice we almost lost everything because of it. I can’t live through a third time.”

  He sighed. “There’s not going to be a third time. I’ve got it under control. We’re just going out to have a little fun.”

  She tried another tact. “Do you think it’s appropriate for the pastor and leadership team of Showers of Blessings to be hanging out in a casino?”

  He leaned back against the railing. “You don’t lose your faith because you walk into a casino, Sandra. Showers of Blessings is not going to have any Christian litmus test, other than the Bible. I thought you wanted us to be different from Praise City, with all its do’s and don’ts.”

  Andrew had an answer for everything, just as he always did. “That’s not the issue,” she said. “The issue is that you have a gambling problem and you shouldn’t be in a casino.”

  He checked his watch, a new Rolex, and then moved away from the railing. “Come with me,” he said. “Even your parents are coming. You’ll have fun and you can keep an eye on me.”

  Sandra shook her head. “I can’t.”

  He kissed her forehead. “I won’t stay out too late,” he said. And then he left her standing alone on the lanai.

  Sandra turned back to the ocean, wiping at the tears that now rolled down her cheeks. They had everything and she was afraid they were going to lose it. How could Andrew even take the chance? Didn’t he realize the severity of his gambling problem? It wasn’t something that he could get over by the sheer force of his will. He’d tried. And failed. Twice.

  Sandra turned when she heard the door open, her heart growing light. Thank God, she thought, Andrew had changed his mind and decided to stay home.

  “Sandra,” her mother’s voice called. “Where are you?”

  Sandra’s heart sank. “I’m out on the lanai, Mom.” She wiped her tears away and prayed her mother wouldn’t be able to tell she’d been crying.

  “I just saw Andrew,” Ida said when she joined her. “He said you were staying in because you weren’t feeling well. What’s wrong?”

  “Just tired, Mom. Nothing to worry about.”

  Her mother came closer, studied her face. “You’ve been crying. What’s wrong, Sandra?”

  Sandra took a deep breath, debating how much to tell her mother. “I’m worried about Andrew.”

  “Ahh,” her mother said, “because he’s going to the casino.”

  “Bingo!”

  “He hasn’t gotten help, has he?”

  Sandra shook her head. “With the money and the new church, I thought everything would work itself out. He promised me that the lottery would be the last time.”

  “Lottery?” her mother asked. “What are you talking about?”

  Sandra debated lying to her mother, but quickly decided she needed to unburden herself. “Andrew didn’t get an inheritance, Mom. When all was lost, he bought two lottery tickets and we won. Twenty million dollars.”

  Her mother dropped down in a wicker chaise. “You won the lottery?”

  Sandra nodded.

  “Why did you lie about where the money came from?”

  “Because we were ashamed. With Andrew being a minister in a church that preached regularly on the evils of gambling, including playing the lottery, how could we explain our winnings to the pastor and the congregation?”

  “So you came up with this elaborate lie?”

  Sandra hated the look of disappointment in her mother’s eyes. “We’re doing good things with the money, Mom. Showers of Blessings is going to be a blessing to a lot of people.”

  Ida shook her head. “You’re deceiving yourself, Sandra. How can it be a blessing when it’s based on a lie? How can it be a blessing when Andrew’s vice is its foundation?”

  Her mother was voicing all the concerns Sandra had willfully pushed out of her mind. “God knows our hearts,” she said. “That’s what matters.”

  “What matters is that you’re lying on a daily basis,” her mother corrected. “Doesn’t that bother you?”

  Sandra sat on the chaise next to her mother. “But we’re lying so that people will be helped. How many people do you think would go to a church founded with lottery money?”

  Her mother shook her head. “A lot of people, I’d guess. Sure, some folks might be skeptical about a pastor who plays the lottery, but telling the truth would have given you and Andrew an opening to talk about how gambling had damaged your family.”

  Sandra knew her mother was right, but it was too late for her and Andrew to make that choice. They had to stick with the road they had chosen. That is, unless Andrew blew it by going back to his old ways. “Are you going to tell Dad?” she asked.

  “I know I should, but I won’t. I think you should, though.”

  “I can’t,” Sandra said. “I just can’t.”

  Her mother got up and kissed her on her cheek. “I’ll just wait until the day you can. You’re a stronger woman than you think, Sandra. I hope you believe that one day.”

  Sandra watched her mother leave the lanai. While she knew the older woman had a point, Sandra had more pressing issues. She had to keep her family together and her husband in line. With a sigh, she left the lanai and headed to their bedroom to dress. She’d call for a sitter and then she’d join her husband in the casino. If he wouldn’t help himself, it was her duty to help him.

  Chapter 9

  A month after leaving Hawaii, Andrew sat in his office at the new church, the phone to his ear, twirling a gold pen through his fingers. “Fifty thousand,” he told his bookie. “And don’t call me again. I’ll make contact with you from here on out.”

  Andrew hung up the phone, feeling a bit guilty. He’d told Sandra and God that he’d give up gambling after the lottery, but he hadn’t been able to do it. He’d tried, but he’d been sucked right back into it while helping his father-in-law search for a horse farm. Not only had they found a farm, he’d found a love for horses, not riding them like his children, but betting on them.

  Then that trip to Hawaii had given him a chance to get back in the casino. It was a familiar place, and he’d found himself sneaking off to play a few games when Sandra was otherwise occupied. He had a problem, he knew, but fortunately he had money to lose. At least he wasn’t as bad as basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, who lost half a million dollars in a casino. He wasn’t that crazy.

  His intercom buzzed and he pressed the answer button. “Pastor,” his secretary said, “you have a visitor who doesn’t have an appointment. His name is Luther Williams. He says that he knows you from Praise City.”

  Though the name didn’t ring a bell with him, Andrew knew this was an opportunity to win over a Praise City member. He checked his watch. “I have a few minutes before my next meeting. Send him on in.” Andrew stood, as he always did, when someone entered his office. He almost dropped back down in his chair when he saw who Luther Williams was. This was the guy he’d seen outside the convenience store the day he’d bought the lottery tickets. What did he want?

  Luther moved easily to the desk and extended his hand. “Thanks for taking the time to talk to me, Pastor,” he said. “I knew you’d be busy getting the new church started and all, but I decided to try my luck. It must be my lucky day, huh?”

  Andrew motioned Luther to the chair in front of his desk. The man’s use of the wo
rds luck and lucky seemed to have some added emphasis but maybe he was reading more into the man’s words than was warranted. “Well, it’s good to see you again, Luther. What can I do for you today?” he asked.

  Luther leaned forward in his chair. “The wife and I are thinking about moving our membership over here with you. We’re going through a rough time since I got laid off, and the folks at Praise City don’t seem willing or able to help. I’m hoping your church will take care of its members better.”

  Andrew’s ears were alert for any kind of threat, but he didn’t hear one. “Of course, we’ll take care of our members. That’s one of the purposes of the church.”

  “That’s the way I see it, too,” Luther said. “It’s nice to know that some pastors believe in the church blessing the members rather than the other way around all the time.”

  “Well, I don’t know about other churches, but here at Showers of Blessings things will be different. We’ve been blessed and we’re going to bless others.”

  Luther nodded. “I guess ‘Showers of Blessings—a place to bless and be blessed’ is more than a motto.”

  “It certainly is,” Andrew said, wondering where the conversation was going.

  “Well, it sure does seem like you’ve been blessed a lot since I saw you that day at the convenience store. It’s like you hit the lottery, but not the real lottery ’cos I know you preachers are against the lottery, you know what I mean?”

  Andrew nodded. He definitely knew what the man meant. Obviously, Luther had seen those lottery tickets in his hand that day. What did he want? “I know what you mean,” Andrew said. “And I look forward to having you and your wife here at Showers of Blessings. We take care of our own.”

  Luther stood up. “I’m glad to hear it. The wife and I will be here on Sunday. We’re not asking for a handout, Pastor, but we could use a little help with the mortgage. It’s tough with just one salary.”