PODCAST: Whyte House Family Spoken Novels #374: “All the Bishop’s Children II” – Chapter 14

Welcome to the Whyte House Family Spoken Novels podcast episode #374. Today we are reading chapter 14 of the novel “All the Bishop’s Children Book 2” by Daniel Whyte III with Meriqua Whyte.

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“Tell Mom you gave me a ride home,” DJ said after Ella dropped him off at his house. “By the way, when are you going to teach me how to drive?”

“You’re still a little young. But I’ll teach you soon as long as it’s okay with your parents. Come over any time,” Ella said. “I’m home most evenings.”

After Ella drove off, DJ went inside the house and headed for the kitchen. He took a plate out of the cabinet and pulled the oven door open. He peered inside the warm oven to find two large trays of crispy fried chicken legs and thighs. There was a roast with diced carrots and potato wedges in the roasting pan. Collard greens with ham hock were in a tall pot on the stove. The cornbread was still in the rectangular baking pan. Three packages of dinner rolls were on top of the counter still in their package.

DJ placed a generous serving of each item on his plate. He was pouring himself a tall glass of lemonade when his mother, grandmother, and siblings entered the front door.

“DJ, are you here? Ella told me she dropped you off,” Rosalind called out as she kicked her shoes off. “I got to get out of these heels and give my feet a break. You girls go take those dresses off and put on something more comfortable. Here, Jessica, take my shoes back to the room and bring my blue house shoes. Bring the other pair for Mother. Mother, you sit down. Ella and Mildred will help me. I hear them coming now along with the others.”

“Hey, everyone,” DJ said walking out of the kitchen.

“You mean to tell me you couldn’t wait?” Rosalind said.

“No, ma’am. The food will be gone by the time all of your guests get theirs. Could you please save me a slice of the cake?” DJ said matter-of-factly. He headed in the direction of his room.

“Where are you going?” Rosalind asked.

“To my room,” DJ said. “Please, Mom. I like to eat in my room.”

“I’ll let you go this time,” Rosalind said with a smile. “But you need to eat in here with everyone else from now on.”

DJ hurried to his room as the church folks started coming in. I just don’t like these church people always coming over here eating up all our food. Some of them need to look in the mirror before they sit down to eat because they could sure lose some weight, he thought. He pushed the door up with his foot, set his plate down on the bed, and then locked the door. He turned the volume on his television up loud enough for the noise of the football game to drown out the laughing and talking coming from the living room.

As DJ reclined on his bed eating, his mind wandered to his encounter with Mother Matilda and her sister, Martha. He had often wondered about the things they did in the church. He knew of married preachers, deacons, and even one of the sons of a preacher, who had girlfriends in the church who oftentimes got pregnant out of wedlock. And he saw some deacons who couldn’t wait to get out the church door to light up a cigarette on the church steps. Not to mention the arguing between his parents, the Bishop and First Lady of the church.

I don’t know if this is how church folk are supposed to be behaving. I don’t know if this is how saved folk are supposed to be acting. What does it mean to be saved? Saved from what? Saved to what? DJ thought. Am I saved because I’m baptized? Am I saved because I’m the son of a preacher, a Bishop? Am I saved because I go to church each Sunday, even if I’m forced to go? This is so confusing. Lord, please show me the light.

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Thank you for joining us for this episode of Whyte House Family stories. You may purchase a copy of this novel and any other Christian fiction books read on this podcast from Amazon.com.

Now, dear listener, please know that God—the divine Author of all things—wants to write a great story with your life as well. But first you must give Him the pen by trusting Him with the life He gave you and surrendering your heart to Jesus Christ as Savior. Here is how:

1. Accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Ecclesiastes 7:20: “For there is not a just man upon earth that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Romans 3:23 reads: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

2. Accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

3. Accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” The Bible says in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

4. Accept the fact that you cannot do anything to save yourself! The Bible states in Ephesians 2: 8, 9: “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is a gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

5. Accept the fact that God loves you more than you love yourself, and that He wants to save you from hell. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

6. With these facts in mind, please repent of your sins, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and pray and ask Him to come into your heart and save you this very moment. The Bible states in the book of Romans 10:9, 13: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Dear friend, if you are willing to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation, please pray with me this simple prayer: Heavenly Father, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

May God bless you until next time.