Table Of ContentPraise for the uplifting novels of
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
I KNOW I’VE BEEN CHANGED
#1 Dallas Morning News bestseller
“Grabs you from the first page and never lets go…. One of the best reads of the
year. Bravo!”
—Victoria Christopher Murray “An excellent novel with a moral lesson to
boot…. Billingsley grows as a writer with each effort.”
—Zane, New York Times bestselling author “This emotionally charged novel
will not easily be forgotten.”
—Romantic Times (4½ stars, Gold Medal, Top Pick) “A compelling, heartfelt
story.”
—Booklist
LET THE CHURCH SAY AMEN
#1 Essence bestseller and Dallas Morning News bestseller
One of Library Journal’s Best Christian Books for 2004
“Billingsley infuses her text with just the right dose of humor to balance the
novel’s serious events…. Will appeal to fans of Michele Andrea Bowen’s
Second Sunday and Pat G’Orge-Walker’s Sister Betty! God’s Calling You
Again!”
—Library Journal (starred review) “Her community of very human saints will
win readers over with their humor and verve.”
—Booklist
“Amen to Let the Church Say Amen…. [A] well-written novel.”
—Indianapolis Recorder
Also by ReShonda Tate Billingsley
My Brother’s Keeper
Let the Church Say Amen
I Know I’ve Been Changed
Four Degrees of Heat
(with Brenda L. Thomas, Crystal Lacey Winslow and Rochelle Alers)
Have a Little Faith
(with Jacquelin Thomas, J. D. Mason and Sandra Kitt)
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either
are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.
Copyright © 2007 by ReShonda Tate Billingsley All rights reserved, including
the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For
information address Pocket Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue
of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available ISBN-10: 1-
4165-3876-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-41653876-9
POCKET and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Visit us on the World Wide Web:
http://www.SimonSays.com
For my grandmothers…the roots that have allowed me to grow
Acknowledgments
I am so blessed. And of course I have to first give praises to God, who
just keeps on blessing me and helps me achieve and realize things
others only dream about.
I look at how far I’ve come in this literary journey and I know that I
wouldn’t have done it without the love, support, and encouragement of my
husband, Dr. Miron Billingsley. Thank you for helping me realize my dream;
know that I’m right there as you work to realize yours.
To my babies…Mya Simone and Morgan Camille. I began this journey
when you were in the womb. Now, you are the fuel that keeps me moving along
this road. Know that everything I do—I do for you. If you could just learn to be
okay with people “taking Mommy’s books.” Mya, my proudest moment was
when you wrote your first book so you could be “just like Mommy.”
To my mother, Nancy…I’ve come a long way from the four-page letters that
I used to write to you in high school to express myself. Thank you for struggling
to give us a better life. You laid the foundation. I can’t wait until I can repay you
(I can hear you now—“I can’t wait for you to repay me, either.”).
Tanisha…more than ever, you and Mom helped me get this book done by
taking the girls so I could make it do what it do. Thank you for being a Jill-of-
all-trades. Keep pushing my books and you just might get that new car yet. (Why
is it when relatives think you’re doing all right, they want you to buy them
something major—a house, a car? Whatever happened to “Can you buy me a
new pair of shoes?”…But I digress.)
To two of my very best friends, Jaimi Canady and Raquelle Lewis…thank
you for always being there for me, supporting all of my dreams, and not
mistaking my lack of time for a lack of love. Jaimi, you told me you always felt
God had a higher calling for me. I’ve found it.
To Pat “Speed Writer” Tucker Wilson. I could spend the next ten pages
thanking you for all you’ve done for me…the hours and hours of conversations;
you keeping me grounded and sane with everything from the TV station to the
literary industry. There are very few people in this world I know I can call at the
drop of a dime about anything and they’re there. You’re one of them. I told you
your time was coming. Now do your thang.
To my wonderful, spectacular, fabulous, phenomenal, dynamic (former)
editor, Selena James (can you tell I have mad love for her?). Thank you so much
for nurturing me on this literary journey and listening with a straight face as I
brainstormed endless ideas that sometimes I know had you wanting to say, “Get
real.” To Brigitte Smith and Maggie Crawford, thank you so much for picking
up where Selena left off and working tirelessly to ensure that this would be the
best book it could be. Special thanks also to Louise Burke, Melissa Gram-stead,
and the sales team. And to everyone else at Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books,
thank you for believing in my work. The sky’s the limit.
You know I have to give a huge, huge thanks to my agent, Sara Camilli, who
is always looking out for me and believed in me way back when.
To my boys at the J-O-B, Fox 26 News: Ray Williams, Charles Hobson, Ray
Ramirez, Torrey Walker, Joe McGinty, Isiah Carey (check out his blog at
carey2.blogspot.com), Rodney Pearson, and Xavier Kirts. (Xavier, keep the faith
—your lotto numbers will come in.) To my spiritual/business advisor, “Deacon”
Todd Smith. Man, I can’t thank you enough for helping me keep my head up
when I felt beat down. You were there as I wrote this book, helping me to stay
focused on the bigger picture and to remember above all else, rely on God when
life gets you down. You are more than just a colleague. You’re a friend. See you
at Starbucks to broker those big deals.
To the real First Ladies who let me pick their brains and who talked to me
about how a “real woman of God” should act: Luela Walker (my First Lady),
Vonda Edwards, Mia Wright, Doris Childress, Doris Ratcliffe, and Kayla
Simmons.
To the ministers who provide inspiration (the good stuff) for my stories:
Rev. Harvey Walker (my pastor), Rev. Mark Edwards, Rev. Moses Woodruff,
Jr., Rev. Terrence Johnson, Rev. KirbyJon Caldwell, Rev. Robert Childress,
Bishop T. D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie Long, Rev. Remus Wright.
Thanks also to the authors who never hesitate to help a sister out: King “The
world ain’t ready for me” Jihad (keep your head up), Victoria Christopher
Murray, Nina Foxx, Norma Jarrett, Jacqueline Thomas, Sheila Dansby Harvey,
James Guittard, Carl Weber, Eric Pete, and Zane and the Strebor Family. Much
love also to the other ladies of Femme Fantastik (Lori, Carmen, Trisha, and
Wendy).
Now, let me get to the part that I know is going to get me in trouble because
I know I’ll leave someone out. But here goes…
Thanks so much, as always, to my sorors of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority,
Inc., especially the Houston area chapters, including my own—Mu Kappa
Omega—and my sister’s chapter, Chi Omicron Omega; and to my girls who
were there for me when I was making $5 an hour as an anchor in Port Arthur—
Kim Wright, Clemelia Richardson, Finisha Waits, Beverly Davis, Leslie
Mouton, and Trina McReynolds.
Also thanks to Deidre Lodrig, Angie Pickett Henderson, Carlos Canady,
Saki Indakwa, my former co-workers at Fox 26 News, and all my other friends
and family. To JeCaryous Johnson, Gary Guidry, and LaKeysha Jones at I’m
Ready Productions and Keith Davis and Deshawn Colbert at DMARS.
Thanks to the schools and churches that have already had me out and
allowed me to do what I do best—inspire and motivate young people; especially
Contemporary Learning Center; Madison, Kashmere, and Westside High
Schools; Christa McAuliffe Middle School; Klentzman Intermediate; Alief
Hastings, St. Luke’s, Brentwood, Brookhollow, Friendship West, New Birth,
Mt. Ararat, Mt. Horeb, and Higher Dimensions Baptist Churches; as well as
Windsor Village United Methodist Church and Ft. Bend Church.
Thanks also to all the book clubs and bookstores that have shown me mad,
mad love. Nnette’s Book Break; Go On Girl (Texas 1) (special thanks to Betty
for the Mimosa); Shades of You; Turning Pages (people are still raving about
my purse); Zora Neale Hurston; Kindred Spirits; Cover 2 Cover; Cush City; Tea
Rose (a bookclub with a butler—but then what else would I expect from women
of your caliber?); Coffee, Tea and Read; Bsure; Ladies of Expression; Nubian
Page Turners (you ladies definitely tell it like it is!); Pages Between Sistahs;
Sistahs in Spirit; Black Orchids; Gwen Furr and Wal-Mart store #872; My
Sisters & Me; Sistahs Who Are Reading; Mahogany Souls; and Kismet Book
Clubs.
I know my acknowledgments run a bit long, but when you’ve been blessed
to have so many wonderful people in your life…well, I just can’t make excuses
for letting them know they’re appreciated. (And if I forgot your name, you’re
still appreciated and you love me so much you won’t hold it against me, right
.)
Until next time, drop me a line and let me know what you think of the books.
Thanks for the love.
Peace.
ReShonda
Prologue
If looks could kill, Lester Adams would definitely be pushing up
daisies.
Rachel glared at her husband and silently played her mantra in her head: Do
not act a fool. You are a strong, mature woman who has left those childish ways
behind you. Whatever you do, do not act a fool.
That had been Rachel’s theme for the last five years, and had helped her out
of numerous situations. It wasn’t working today.
This fool must be on crack. Rachel inhaled deeply. “What did you just say?”
Lester got up and began his usual pacing as he tried to explain to his wife the
reasoning behind his decision.
“It’s not like this is something I just want to do on a whim,” he said.
Rachel massaged her temples. She had done so well at walking the straight
and narrow since she’d tied the knot. Marrying Lester had been the best decision
she had ever made. He kept her grounded. No, he wasn’t the most handsome
thing, but he loved her unconditionally, and that love had made her want to be a
