“I need y’all to listen to me in this church here this morning,” I heard Kyle say as I took a seat in the first pew on the balcony. “You must be still in order to receive the blessing the Lord God Almighty wants to give you. You must listen to his call and be prepared to answer when the time comes.”
I looked out over the ledge to see Kyle standing in front of a packed congregation. You would’ve thought it was Easter Sunday the way people were crowded into the church like sardines. Even the choir pews were filled to capacity. From old to young, each row was overflowing with smiling people. Hands were waving in the air, Bibles were being held high, and everyone looked so blessed, so happy to be there, so happy to hear Kyle.
“And he wants to give it to you, saints. I know it’s hard to believe for some of you. You’re going through what you’re going through and sometimes it seems like there’s no end in sight. No one who cares. No one to give you a hand. But I need to remind you that, alleluia, our God is the Alpha and Omega. He’s an awesome God. A way-out-of-no-way maker. He can pull you through. He’s the one who cares. He’s the hand you need. He wants to give you everlasting life in his kingdom and it doesn’t matter who you are,” Kyle said, pounding on the pulpit. “You just have to believe and give your life to him.”
Kyle was a tall man, but he looked even taller from where I was sitting. Maybe it was the loud voice booming through the speakers, maybe it was the long cream-colored robe he was wearing, maybe it was the first row that was packed with women eyeing him just a little too hard—either way, Kyle looked better than ever from the balcony.
“I said, he wants to give it to you,” he went on. Two women in the front row jumped to their feet and cheered “alleluia” like high school cheerleaders. Another woman, dressed in a red suit (that was just a little too tight) jumped out of her seat and started dancing like she had the Holy Ghost…only she didn’t. It looked more like a striptease, and a bad one. One of the ushers ran up the aisle and pulled her to the back of the church. I couldn’t believe what I was watching. These women were practically purring like cats at Kyle—while he was preaching.
“Don’t worry about where you’ve been or what you’ve been through—God knows. And guess what? He still loves you. He still wants to give you his hand. You just have to open your heart to receive it,” Kyle said. Everyone in the church stood up and began to shout a chorus of “amens” and “alleluias.” Kyle took his seat at the altar and the choir began to sing my favorite song, “Order My Steps.”
Kyle sang along and looked through the church with all of the admiration and love of a father. He looked so at peace, it was clear that he was exactly where he was supposed to be in life. He was doing exactly what he was supposed to do, what he was made to do. My heart smiled for him. I hoped he would always be that happy.
The women in the front row smiled whenever he looked in their direction and went on to primp their hair or fix their makeup when he looked away. The little girl was right, you could see everything from the balcony. I guess that’s why God lives in the sky.
About a half hour after Kyle said it would be, the service was finally over. My hair was sweating out from praising and my feet were swelling in the Jimmy Choos. But I didn’t mind. Kyle was a master of the word. He ignited each word that came out of his mouth with so much passion and light
that you couldn’t help but be moved. You had to shout “alleluia” and thank God for everything he’d done for you. And while I was sure my pinky toes would fall off when I took the shoes off, I felt rejuvenated leaving the church. And I knew I’d be back.
“You came!” Kyle said when I finally made my way down the church steps after the service.
“Yeah, I came to see you preach, as promised.” I smiled.
“Well, that’s really something, Ms. Troy,” Kyle said.
The striptease woman in the red suit walked over waving her hands like she hadn’t just seen Kyle in the church. “Pastor Hall, that was a moving service,” she said, looking like she was asking Kyle if he wanted a lap dance.
“Well, thank you, Sister Glover, but you say that every week,” Kyle replied innocently.
“Well, you move me every week,” the woman said, and the double meaning was obvious. I wanted to turn around and give her a hug—she was clearly on her last leg, trying to get Kyle’s attention, but he wouldn’t budge.
“Oh, where are my manners?” Kyle said. “Sister Glover, this is Troy Smith. Ms. Smith is a friend of mine visiting our church.” The woman shot her eyes at me like he’d introduced me as Lucifer himself. Then a phony smile washed over her face.
“Hi,” she said. “Nice you came.”
“Hello,” I managed, smiling just enough to let her know I was on to her.
“I was just about to invite Troy over to the hall to eat with us,” Kyle said.
“Oh, no, I couldn’t,” I replied. “I have to get back home, Kyle—I mean, Pastor.”
“We understand if you can’t come,” the woman said with a frown. “Maybe next time.”
“Oh, come on, Troy.” Kyle bumped me. “Just for one moment.” The woman stepped back and looked at me. She smiled, but Bitch, go home and never come back. Kyle is mine was written all over her face.
“I guess I could for just a minute.” I looked at her. I was up for the competition. “If you insist, Pastor,” I said, grinning.
“You’ve made my day,” Kyle said as if the Holy Ghost ship had just landed in front of the church.
“Mine too,” Sister Glover muttered under her breath, turning and heading toward the back of the church.
“Kyle, these women are a trip,” I whispered when she’d disappeared around the corner. “They’re throwing themselves at you.”
“It does get crazy, Troy, but I have one calling here.” Kyle smiled at a woman walking by. “And that’s spreading the message of the Lord God. I don’t get involved with women who are confused about that.” He smiled. “No late-night Bible study for me. I serve one master and he isn’t in my pants.” We both laughed. “Really. You have to separate the two.”
“I guess so.”
“Well, I guess I’ll see you in the hall for dinner?” Kyle went on, “I have to speak to a few more people out here before I head over.” He pointed to the long line of people behind me who were waiting to talk to him.