"No way, if your mother found out... she was crying most of the night, Aysha," he said. “Think about your mother.” "But I think that Evangelist Shell has some of the answers I need, Dad,"

While the congregation enthusiastically yelled, "Amen!" in unison, Mother quickly got up and went out the back door to the lobby of the church. I was disappointed but not surprised. The evangelist

As we walked slowly in from the church’s lobby, Dad craned his neck looking through the crowded pews for Larry. I knew that Dad had spotted him when a big smile washed over his face. Larry had been looking

"I really had fun,” I told her. “Thanks for the party, Mother, even though the “surprise” portion of the party might have taken a couple years off my life! It’s not every day that a group of people

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" the crowd of my friends and relatives roared loudly and jumped out from their hiding places as my mother and I walked through the front door! I screamed! I am quite sure that

As I sat there in the darkened kitchen waiting for Dad I got to thinking about my father’s words the day before. How he tried to make me understand that “experts” know how to do their jobs and are not

The pastor seemed to be almost as anxious to get out of there as I was. "If you have any other questions feel free to ask me!" the pastor said as he was putting on his jacket and reaching for

Unfortunately, as it turned out, the “conversation” that I would eventually wind up having with Pastor Shelton would prove to be unworthy of the anticipation I initially had for it. And, instead of answering

After dinner was one of my favorite times of the day. It was peaceful and quiet and we sat together in our large family room and we would just be ourselves and enjoy each other’s company. In the fall and

After church that evening at home, I really thought about what I had seen, how so many of the church members seemed to be bored and anxious to leave. Even though it was kind of funny at the time seeing

"Sit still, Aysha! And pay attention!" I heard those same words from my mother almost every Sunday of my life when we were at church. I guess I did start to fidget and look around sometimes,

Over the next few weeks I will post the story of Aysha Conora. This story is for parents who want their children to strive for more from Christianity. Here is a brief synopsis: Aysha Conora was a