Randall pulled her into his arms and hugged her. “Amaryllis, everything you just confessed to, I already knew. You were forgiven a long time ago.”
It felt good to be in his arms again and this time, unadulterated. “Thanks, Black. I needed to hear that.”
“You're welcome, Precious.”
She looked up at him. “What did you call me?” Amaryllis asked stunned that he had referred to her by the nickname he'd given her.
“You'll always be Precious to me,” Randall smiled.
They looked at each other and held a smile, then Amaryllis pulled away. “I should be going. You need to get back to your session and Bridgette's outside waiting.”
She turned and walked toward the door. When she put her hand on the doorknob, Randall called out to her. “Precious, can I give you some advice before you go?”
“Sure, Black, what is it?”
“Now that you are a part of God's family, He wants to use you for His glory. Let Him do it. He's getting ready to turn your life upside down and inside out. It won't always feel good, but the outcome is well worth the growing pains. There are gonna be times when the enemy will come at you so strong that you won't know what hit you. But I promise you that if you keep your face in God's face, He'll protect you.
“Whatever is in your past should remain in your past. It doesn't matter what you did before you decided to trust God with your life. He's forgiven you and it's important that you forgive yourself, because if you don't do that, you'll always beat yourself up over what's in the past. Understand that God has started your life over with a clean slate, so live it to its fullest.”
Randall walked closer to Amaryllis and looked her in her eyes. “Beware of destiny preventers and dream killers. Folks are going to come to you and remind you of the things you used to do. Just know that they are working for the enemy and are trying to make you think that you're not worthy of God's love. No matter what anybody says or throws in your face, know in your heart that you are now a child of the King.
“And don't be afraid of trials. Learn to expect them because they will definitely come. It's how you handle them that makes all the difference. Remember that you have the power of the Holy Ghost to help you through anything. I encourage you to stay in the Word of God because it's your weapon. Make sure you read it daily. And lastly, never, ever, under any circumstances, underestimate how low the enemy will go to destroy you. He's smart and always on top of his game. He knows your weaknesses and will come at you from every angle. Stay alert at all times and never turn your back on him because he's not to be trusted. Remember to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Keep in mind that God protects you from all hurt, harm and danger. And tell yourself everyday that with God, you can make it through anything.”
Amaryllis was outdone. She felt like this was a sermon written just for her. She had come full circle. “Thanks, Black. Those words will stay with me forever.”
She walked out of the church and was going down the steps toward Bridgette's car when the church's neon sign lit up and she stopped to read it.
Holy Deliverance Baptist Church
Bishop Cordell Bryson,
Pastor
Minister/Elder Randall Loomis,
Assistant Pastor
Minister, Elder, Assistant Pastor?
Amaryllis was surprised and she wondered when Randall had been called into ministry. She turned around and saw Randall standing at the top of the church steps smiling at her.
She returned his smile, then walked down the church's steps and out of Randall's life with a determination to stay on the right path.
Readers' Group Guide Questions
1.
In the previous novel,
A Man's Worth
, Amaryllis was prejudiced against marriage. In this novel, how do you think seeing Randall and his new bride, affected Amaryllis?
2.
Amaryllis's father, Nicholas, had a strong dislike for her. Why?
3.
Why did Michelle dismiss their father's warnings about her sister?
4.
A sister's fiancé' is off limits. What do you think it was about James that made Amaryllis break this unspoken rule?
5.
Do you think James made a mistake when he presented Amaryllis with a rose the first time he met her? If so, why? If not, why?
6.
Amaryllis appeared before James in the nude. Against his pastor's advice, he chose not to trust in the love that Michelle had for him to tell her. If James had, in fact, shared with Michelle her sister's evil ways, do you think Michelle would have believed him?
7.
Nicholas had seen, with his own eyes, James's face in the puzzle. Why was he still protecting James?
8.
When the truth about what Amaryllis had done to James was revealed to Michelle, was it wrong for her to punch Amaryllis in the nose and send her packing?
9.
After all of the grief Amaryllis had caused her, why did Michelle sit at Amaryllis's death bed and pray her out of the coma?
10.
Why did Amaryllis confess to Randall all of her wrongdoings in their relationship?
Author Bio
Nikita Lynnette Nichols is the author of
None But The Righteous
and
A Man's Worth
. She makes her home in Naperville, Illinois, and is currently writing her next novel.
You can reach the author at:
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Amaryllis Copyright © 2009 Nikita Lynnette Nichols
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All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior consent of the Publisher, except brief quotes used in reviews.
ISBN: 978-1-6016-2658-5
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First Mass Market Printing May 2012
First Trade Paperback Printing April 2009
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This is a work of fiction. Any references or similarities to actual events, real people, living, or dead, or to real locales are intended to give the novel a sense of reality. Any similarity in other names, characters, places, and incidents is entirely coincidental.
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