Faith Wish by James Bennett Read Free Book Online Page A

needed to see Brother Jackson again, even if it wasn’t in the tabernacle setting. If she was grounded, she wouldn’t be allowed to go, and he was leaving on Friday. When she was born again, he’d stood at the center of it, like he was the midwife of it, somehow. Her tabernacle experience had been like a celestial concert, with Brother Jackson serving as the conductor of its orchestra. She had heard angels singing.
    She found the forest preserve again, but not before she’d taken a couple of wrong turns. It seemed much different in the daylight. The shelter was actually part of a larger complex of buildings; there was a long dining hall made of wood siding, with shutters roped back. Anne-Marie could hear some banging pots and pans and some women talking in loud voices from inside.
    It seemed unlikely that such a place could even be here. She knew that upscale suburbs and brutal traffic were only a few hundred yards away in any direction. This complex of crude and simple buildings felt like an oasis in the desert. It was buffered by so many oak and maple trees along such dense rolling acreage, its secluded status seemed sacred. This place was in the world, but not of the world.
    Two geese flew over, loud honkers and big ones. They brought sudden, unwelcome thoughts about her term paper. Anne-Marie dismissed the thoughts; she felt nervous, not knowing where to look, and not knowing what she might say to Brother Jackson even if she found him. In fact, she had to remind herself that he might not even be here this time of day.
    Near the clump of maple trees behind some of the cabins were pole sheds that looked like maintenance buildings. She headed that way. Behind one of the sheds, she found him working on the mowing deck of a Ford tractor. He was prying with a large screwdriver; some socket wrenches were scattered close at hand. He was wearing a pair of faded blue jeans but no shirt. As soon as he noticed her standing there, he looked up with a smile. “Hello, Sister.”
    Anne-Marie blushed. “Hello,” was all she could think to say.
    â€œCan I help you?”
    Now what ? “I went to one of your praise meetings a couple of weeks ago.”
    â€œDid it bless you?”
    â€œYes,” Anne-Marie replied quickly, “it did.”
    â€œPraise God, okay?”
    â€œIt was the first time I’d ever been to a tabernacle meeting. I guess I just wanted to introduce myself.”
    â€œSo now you’re introducing yourself. What’s your name?”
    â€œAnne-Marie Morgan. My friend Brooke brought me.” She wondered how stupid that sounded. Like Brother Jackson would know who her friends were.
    â€œPraise God. I’m sure the Lord will bless her for it. Are you saved, Anne-Marie?”
    She lowered her eyes. The conversation seemed like it was accelerating. “I’m not sure,” she mumbled. “I think so now.” She was quick to add, “I love the way you preach.”
    He smiled with glorious teeth, white and straight, before he pushed the brown hair out of his eyes. “Thank you, Sister, but we don’t preach. What we do is share the Spirit. Preaching sermons is for the standard-brand churches.”
    His magnetism wasn’t limited to the way he spoke in front of a group. He was so easy to talk to. “I think I know what you mean. My parents wouldn’t approve of praise meetings.”
    Brother Jackson didn’t lose his smile. “No surprise in that, Anne-Marie. What we do is much too bold for people who like their church life respectable and lukewarm. But tell me, what do you approve of?”
    â€œI’d like to receive the gifts of the Spirit,” she answered. “My friend Sara Curtis speaks in tongues.”
    â€œAnd do you want the gift of tongues?”
    â€œJust some gift of the Spirit,” she answered quickly. “It wouldn’t have to be tongues, Brother Jackson. Up until a few weeks ago, I