The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Caught
Page 34
“Flo, the rest of us can help too,” Adele said. “But before we pray for Florida, how ’bout you, Avis? Your girl still in the shelter? ”
Avis nodded, her face a shade of sadness I hadn’t seen before this whole mess with Rochelle and Dexter. “She’s trying to get an order of protection. And working with a lawyer to get Dexter out of the house again so she and Conny can move back in. But . . .” She shrugged. “It’s always harder if you’re the one who left.”
“And you and Peter? ” I asked. Yeah, right, Jodi, just barge on in where angels fear to tread. “How’s all this affecting you guys? ”
Avis turned her head away, looking somewhere beyond the walls of the boxy waiting room. “We’re . . . working on it. We did agree to invite Rochelle and Conny to come stay a week at Christmas.” She shuddered. “Just couldn’t let my babies stay in a shelter over Christmas.”
So we gathered up a few more prayer requests, laid hands on Florida and Avis, and began to pray. Nony’s prayer came straight out of Isaiah 61, the same scripture that meant so much at our last meeting: “Oh God,You came to free the captives and the prisoners, and bring good news to the poor. You have promised to all of us who grieve and mourn that there will be a time of the Lord’s favor!”
“Yes, yes, Jesus!” Florida cried.
“You have promised a crown of beauty to replace the ashes of our lives! To give us joy instead of mourning, and garments of praise instead of a spirit of heaviness! Oh, thank You! Thank You, gracious God!” A chorus of ragged praise joined Nony’s prayer. Nony herself seemed overcome by the scripture she’d just prayed and couldn’t speak.
The door of the waiting room opened, then shut. “So quiet you are,” Ruth said dryly. “They can’t hear you on the first floor yet.”
She still looked pregnant, though nowhere near as big as she’d been before the twins were born. But she was beaming. “As long as you’re thanking the Big Guy Upstairs? —see, Yo-Yo, you’ve got me saying it now; irreverent she is—might as well add one more. If all goes well this week? We might be able to bring the babies home next weekend.”
Ruth’s eyes sparkled like the Christmas lights that decorated the nurse’s station down the hallway. If this were a movie, I thought, this is where the background music would swell and take over the scene. But Ruth wasn’t done.
“Home,” she said again. “Home in time for Hanukkah.”
THE FIRST DAY OF HANUKKAH, the Jewish Festival of Lights, was the last day of school before winter vacation. I had a couple of Jewish children in my classroom, so I asked Jessica Cohen and Caleb Levy to tell us about Hanukkah. They stood in front of the class and fidgeted.
“Um, we light a candle for eight nights—” Jessica began.
“No, first tell ’em how it got started,” Caleb hissed.
“No, you.”
“OK.” Caleb lifted his chin. “We celebrate Hanukkah to remember the rededication of the holy temple in Jerusalem back in—well, I forget the date, but a man named Judas Maccabee and his little army defeated the big Greek army that had ruined the temple.My dad says the victorious Jews wanted to light the menorah candlestick as a sign that God was back in His temple, but they could only find a little bit of oil, enough for one day. But by a miracle, the oil kept the menorah burning for eight whole days! That’s why we—”
“That’s why we light a new candle each night for eight days,” Jessica finished. “And eat latkes and play games and get little presents. It’s fun. I like Hanukkah.”
Ruth seemed to think it was special that the twins were coming home on Hanukkah. Well, we should make it special. And Caleb’s little report gave me an idea . . .
WE STILL HADN’T HAD ANY SNOW TO SPEAK OF—an inch one day, gone the next—but the temperature was consistently below freezing now. Denny picked up Ben and Ruth and took them to the hospital to bring the twins home Saturday afternoon. That gave us Yada Yadas time to arrive at the Garfields’ home with our baby presents and Welcome Home signs and rehearse our parts.
We set the Garfields’ menorah on a little table so it would shine out the front window when lit. Then we waited . . . and waited. Yo-Yo peeked through the drapes in front of the living room window. “It’s already dark. How long does it take to—oh, I think I see ’em. Yep, it’s your car, Jodi.”
“Turn out the lights! And open the drapes. OK, now light the Shamash—that middle candle.Who’s got the matches—Stu? ” I felt a little smug about my newfound knowledge. The Shamash was the ninth candle in the middle of the menorah, the one that lit all the other candles.
But as Stu lit that single candle,my throat caught with a sudden revelation: the Shamash was like Jesus. Jesus, the Light of the World!—the One who lights up our lives and brings us out of that subtle darkness where we so easily fall prey to Satan’s deceptions. Oh Jesus! I almost felt like crying. Thank You for Your light! For the truth that sets us free!
“Shh, shh,” Yo-Yo hissed. We waited in the darkness. Car doors slammed. Footsteps. Then we heard Ruth say, “Ben Garfield! You left the Shamash burning! What, you want to burn the house down and leave us homeless? ”
Stifled giggles rippled through the living room. A key turned in the lock. The door opened. Yo-Yo waited two seconds, then flipped on the light.
“Surprise!” we yelled. “Welcome home!”
Ruth, eyes big, fanned herself. “You want I should have a heart attack? ”
“Keep it down, keep it down, will ya? ” Ben, carrying a baby carrier with one of the twins swaddled in blankets, shook his head, but I caught a little grin as he shrugged off his coat and helped Ruth off with hers.
“We’ve come to light the Hanukkah candles with you,” I said. “This is the second night, so we get to light two candles—one for each twin.Who was born first? ”
“Ladies first!” Ruth passed the bundle in her arms to me. “Here. You want to hold Havah, the oldest? ” She tossed a teasing grin at Ben. “Then I can light the candle.”
Did I want to hold her! I was so mesmerized by that pink little face I almost forgot what we had planned to do until I heard my Yada Yada sisters begin reciting the prayer I’d found on the Internet to accompany the lighting of the first candle:
“Blessed are You, oh Lord, our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with His commandments and has commanded us to kindle the Hanukkah light.” Faces in all shades of skin color grinned as Ruth lit the first candle with the Shamash . “Blessed are You, oh Lord, our God, King of the universe, who wrought miracles for our forefathers, in those days at this season. Blessed are You, oh Lord, our God, King of the universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season!”
“And we thank You, Father God, for precious Havah,” I added, pulling the blanket down so all could see the little face, her mouth making sucking motions in her sleep, “who is another miracle You have given to Ruth and Ben in this special season.” I looked at Ben. “You want to light the second candle? ”
Ben handed little Isaac to Denny, who looked startled and then bewildered, as if he couldn’t remember how to hold a baby. Then his face lit up with an aha. Tucking Isaac’s feet under his arm, he held the baby’s head in his right hand, like a football. He looked at me and grinned.
The group again repeated the Hanukkah prayer. Denny took his cue and added, “And thank You, Lord God, for Isaac, this second miracle, healthy and whole—”
“Yes! Thank ya, Jesus!” Florida said.
“I thank You, too, Jesus,” said a growly voice. Ben suddenly had to blow his nose.
I looked up, startled. Had Ben Garfield actually said, “Thank You, Jesus” ?
“—and we thank You for the light they have brought into our lives,” Denny finished. “Bless them! And make these children a blessing to all who know them.”
Someone—I think it was Adele—started to sing, “This little light of mine! I’m gonna let it shine! . . .”
Probably not a traditional Hanukkah song, but it seemed appropriate right
then. I looked at the faces of my Yada Yada sisters perched everywhere in the compact living room. Oh yes, Lord Jesus, we need Your light to shine in some very dark places.
As if reading my mind, Florida added her own verse. “Let it shine at the juvie jail—”
The rest of us jumped in lustily. “We’re gonna let it shine! ”
“Let it shine at Manna House—” Edesa gave Avis a squeeze.
“We’re gonna let it shine!”
“Let it shine for Becky and Andy—” Yo-Yo put in.
“We’re gonna let it shine!”
“Let it shine for Uptown–New Morning Church—”
“We’re gonna let it shine!”
The tiny girl in my arms squirmed and made a mewing sound as more verses were added—for Mark and Nony, Hoshi’s friend Sara, all our children . . .My heart filled with thanksgiving. Thank You, Lord, for precious Havah and Isaac, Your sign of hope, of Life and Laughter. And then the final words filled the house . . .
“Let it shine! . . . let it shine! . . . let it shine!”
Book Club Questions
1. Chanda George is caught up in the glitter of her sudden wealth. (OK, ’fess up! Most of us have fantasized about Publishers Clearing House showing up on our doorstep with TV cameras and a big check—or a rich uncle naming us sole heir.) What would you do with the money if you had such a windfall? Why do you think sudden wealth is not God’s usual way of meeting our needs?
2. Is Chanda the only Yada Yada who struggles with money issues? Who else does, and why? What money issues loom largest for you?
3. How do you react to Peter Douglass (Avis’s new husband) telling Rochelle (Avis’s married daughter) that she can’t keep running home? If you were Avis, what would you do in that situation? How would you feel?
4. The issue of domestic abuse is large in our society.Why do you think women like Rochelle keep returning to abusive spouses? In what way might some Christian teachings create confusion about how to respond? What Christian teachings would be most helpful?
5. Do you know a kid like Chris Hickman—talented and has lots of potential, but making poor choices, lacking vision, and heading down a path from which there might be no return? Is this kid on your daily prayer list? How might praying for him or her change you?
6. If you’ve put up with Jodi through all five books, in what ways do you see her growing from “good girl” to a real Christian woman? In what areas does she still get caught in Old Jodi responses? What “old responses” catch up with you?
7. Discuss the lemonade stand incident. How could something that seemed so positive have an ugly downside? What was the trap Jodi fell into? Have you ever felt “shut out” (like Denny did) in a relationship? If you are married, in what ways does this common trap play out in your own marriage?
8. What lies did Ricardo Enriques believe that caught him up in illegal dog fighting? Who are the people God used in his life, and how did each one contribute to Ricardo’s redemption? Has God ever saved you “by the skin of your teeth” from the consequences of a huge mistake? (If so, take time to do some serious praising!)
9. What presumptions did both Ruth and Ben Garfield bring to their surprise, late-in-life pregnancy? How did these presumptions create misunderstanding and miscommunication? What common presumptions lead to misunderstanding and miscommunication in your own family? What can you do about it?
10. Uptown Community Church and New Morning Christian Church have taken the plunge and merged their congregations. What do you think the benefits of such a merger could be? What might be the pitfalls, in spite of good intentions? Does this fictional merger seem too idealistic? Just plain foolish? Wouldn’t be interested? Give you hope? Challenge you?
11. Read John 8:31–32 in several translations.What are the conditions for “knowing the truth” ? How does God’s truth make us free? What does this scripture mean to you? What is one way you can apply this scripture to your own life situation?
12. When Becky is offered a job at Bagel Bakery but would have to work Sundays (Little Andy’s visitation day), she struggles with “half-answered prayers.” What about you? Has God answered some of your prayers only “halfway” ? Share some prayer journeys and what God has shown you (or not!) along the way.
13. The Yada Yadas had a “house blessing” for both Florida’s and Chanda’s new homes. Have you ever experienced a house blessing? In what way might it be significant for you and your home—or the home of someone else in your book club?
14. When Stu finally decided to suck up the courage to visit her parents at Thanksgiving, n spite of years of no contact, she said, “If I don’t invest anything in my relationship with my parents, it’s going to die.” Are there relationships in your family that are withering and about to die from neglect? What are the obstacles to investing in these relationships? Can you pray together about this?
For more information about The Yada Yada Prayer Group novels
or to contact author Neta Jackson,
go to www.daveneta.com.
Find out how the Yada Yada Story begins . . .
I almost didn’t go to the Chicago Women’s Conference—after all, being thrown together with 500 strangers wasn’t exactly my “comfort zone.” But I would be rooming with my boss, Avis, and I hoped that I might make a friend or two.
When Avis and I were assigned to a prayer group of 12 women, I wasn’t sure what to think. There was Flo, an outspoken ex-drug addict; Ruth, a Messianic Jew who could smother-mother you to death; and Yo-Yo, who wasn’t even a Christian! Not to mention women from Jamaica, Honduras, South Africa—practically a mini United Nations.We certainly didn’t have much in common.
But something happened that weekend to make us realize we had to hang together. So “the Yada Yada Prayer Group” decided to keep praying for each other via e-mail. Our personal struggles and requests soon got too intense for cyberspace, so we decided to meet together every other Sunday night.
Talk about a rock tumbler!—knocking off each other’s rough edges, learning to laugh and cry along the way. But when I faced the biggest crisis of my life, God used my newfound girlfriends to help teach me—Jodi Baxter, longtime Christian “good girl” —
what it means to be just a sinner saved by grace.
THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP
isbn 1-59145-074-8
AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD
BOOK 2
When they get shaken up, The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down
I had never felt so violated! The Yada Yada Prayer Group was “gettin’ down” with God in prayer and praise one night when a heroin-crazed woman barged into my house, demanded our valuables and threatened us with a 10-inch knife—a knife that drew blood.
We wondered if we’d ever get back to normal after this terrifying experience. I assumed we would (although “normal” doesn’t usually describe the 12 of us mismatched women anyway). After all, we’d been through a lot already as spiritual sisters. This was just one more hurdle to conquer, right?
But then a well-meaning gesture suddenly incited a backlash of anger in the group, forcing us to confront generations of racial division, pain and distrust—and stretching our friendships to the limit. Initially I thought, Surely I, Jodi “Good Girl” Baxter, am not responsible for other people’s sins—am I? But a shocking confrontation in my third-grade classroom forced me to face my own accountability, and God used the Yada Yada Prayer Group (and my own husband, of all people) to show me what true forgiveness really is.
THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP GETS DOWN
isbn 1-59145-151-5
AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD
BOOK 3
God gives the
Yada Yadas a
crash-course in
forgiveness
After all that we Yadas have been through in the past eight months, I told God I could sure use a little “dull and boring” in the new year! That was before Ms. Perfect herself—Leslie “Stu” Stewart—moved upstairs in the same two-flat a
s us Baxters. And before Delores Enriques’ son wanted to throw my Amanda a party for her 15th birthday, Mexican style. And before Avis—our Avis—started being courted by a man we don’t even know!
I guess I should have realized that with 11 Yada sisters as diverse as a bag of Jelly Bellies, life would always be unpredictable. At least Bandana Woman, who held up our Yada Yada Prayer Group at knifepoint last fall, was safely locked up in prison . . . or so I thought. We visited her, like the Bible says; even sent her something for Christmas. But then she ends up back in our face. I mean, how far is forgiveness supposed to go?
All I know is that the longer we Yadas pray together, the more real things are getting, not only with each other but with God. Dull and boring? Not a chance.
THE YADA YADA PRAYER GROUP GETS REAL
isbn 1-59145-152-3
AVAILABLE WHEREVER BOOKS ARE SOLD
BOOK 4
The Yada Yadas got tight in the
past year, but they’re about to
learn the real meaning of
togetherness
We’d done it: we’d taken a mismatched, diverse group of women and cobbled together a prayer group that really worked for all of us. Now that spring was here, we were celebrating our one-year anniversary—and a wedding, an early parole and two baptisms in the lake! Everything was feeling pretty great. But it’s when we’re in our comfort zone that we’re most likely to let our guard down.Without warning, lots of little things seemed to become big problems. With a white supremacy hate group targeting a local university, our very diversity almost became a liability. It took a vicious attack on Nony’s husband to make us see that we had to get tough—and fight back together.