Delilah by Shelia M Goss
Chapter One Excerpt

Delilah couldn’t believe her luck. She had seen him on television, and when William Trusts, her boss, asked her to find out as much as she could about Samson, she knew it was a sign for her to attend his church. She had fallen in love with the local television evangelist as soon as she saw him walk across the stage live on TV.

He had swagger like the rapper Jay-Z and good looks that mimicked Denzel Washington’s, except Samson’s skin was lighter. With his naturally wavy jet-black hair, fair skin, and thick mustache, Samson was an immediate turn on. Despite their situation, Delilah didn’t want to think the man she watched weekly had any flaws. She had met too many men who disappointed her time after time. In her mind, Samson was perfect.

William, on the other hand, believed that every man had a skeleton in his closet. He offered Delilah financial security if she took on the task of finding out Samson’s Achilles’ heel. Once she agreed to do so, she started attending Samson’s church and had quickly become part of several of the ministries, most notably the singles’ group and Pastor’s Aide committee. She originally joined Peaceful Rest for the wrong reasons, but through her interactions with other church members and learning more about God and Christ because of Samson’s teachings, she renewed her relationship with God.

God was the last thing on her mind right now, however, as Samson stirred beside her. She felt his leg brush against her. “Good morning,” Delilah said.

Samson didn’t respond right away. “I’m sorry about last night,” he said with remorse.

“Why are you apologizing? Nothing happened that we both didn’t want to happen,” she assured him.

He sat up in bed, making sure the comforter covered his lower body. “I’m not a drinker, and I should have told you so when you insisted I drink the glass of wine.”

“Like I told you, it had little alcohol in it,” Delilah lied. She knew the sweet taste of the wine masked its potent effect. She would have to thank her friend, Keisha, for the bottle later. 

He rubbed his temples. “I have a lot to repent for.”

“The Good Book says it’s okay to drink in moderation,” Delilah said as she moved closer to him in the bed.

“The Lord frowns on fornication. And what we did last night, well, it just wasn’t right.” Samson pushed her away. 

Delilah felt embarrassed. She slipped her naked body under the comforter. Samson reached to the side of the bed for his clothes. “I think I better get going.”

“You can wash up in there.” Delilah pointed toward the master bathroom connected to her bedroom.

He barely said thanks before she saw him walk in the bathroom and close the door.

Delilah frowned because it seemed her plan had backfired. She hoped he could look past last night. They had become so close, and she didn’t want to think about going back to a life without him. She grabbed her pink satin robe from a nearby chair and put it on before sitting back on the bed. A few minutes later, Samson walked out of the bathroom fully dressed and looking refreshed.

“In light of what happened, I think we should keep our distance,” Samson said.

“But . . . it was bound to happen. We have chemistry. We’re meant to be together,” Delilah responded.

Samson hung his head before looking back up. “Delilah, you’re a sweet woman, and any man would be blessed to have you in his life. But you must be forgetting—I’m already spoken for. I’m getting married in two weeks, and this shouldn’t have happened.”

Just the thought of Samson’s fiancée, Julia Rivers, put Delilah in a foul mood. “Whatever, Samson. I thought you were different. Now I see you’re just like the rest of the men out there. You got what you want—now just leave.” Delilah turned her back to him.

Samson walked up to where she sat. “Delilah, don’t be like that. What we did was wrong. You know it, and I know it. Let’s just end this as friends.” He reached out with both hands to hold her hand.

 Delilah became livid and pushed his hands away. “I have enough friends.”

“I’m sorry.  Let me know what I can do to make it better,” Samson said.

Delilah gave him the silent treatment and wouldn’t look him in the face. Samson stood and waited, but a minute later he said, “Just tell me what I can do to make it up to you, and I will. I’m so sorry I let it get to this. Will you forgive me?”

Delilah looked him directly in the eyes. “Ask God to forgive you, but as for me, I need you to leave now!”

DELILAH BY SHELIA M GOSS

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Yolanda Adams has ministered to me through her beautiful voice but now she’s using the written word to reach out to us all. Below is information about her new book: Points of Power.

Over five million listeners tune in to hear Yolanda Adams’s Points of Power, a segment in her daily radio show that inspires people by applying biblical truths to present-day realities. In her first book, Yolanda Adams transfers that winning segment into a reader’s delight. In this highly accessible manual for daily living, she shares stories from her and others’s personal experiences, showing readers how to access God’s love and grace in their modern world and troubles. By revealing how Yolanda and other human beings have transcended the world’s difficulties, POINTS OF POWER empowers readers to face trouble with confidence in the God who never fails.

Enter for a chance to win a copy of Points of Power by Yolanda Adams.

If you’re already signed up to my mailing list, I just need you to LEAVE A COMMENT on this blog post. (Last month some people won but didn’t respond to the request for their address so I had to choose alternate winners. So please make sure you use the correct email when leaving comments.)

If you’re NOT on my mailing list, to enter, just sign up AND leave a comment on this post to let me know you’re interested in the Points of Power contest. To sign up, click or paste the following link: http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=498262

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Several winners will be chosen at random.

To read an excerpt from the book, click below:

Contest open to US residents only. Contest ends at 11:59 p.m. January 24, 2010. Void where prohibited by law. The winners will be notified via email. If the winner hasn’t responded within 48 hours of the initial email with their shipping address, the next name pulled will be the winner.

Sheila Jackson and Shelia Goss

She has a gentle spirit and she’s genuine. I’m proud to showcase her today as she releases her brand new book – Through the Eyes of God.

Through The Eyes of God, exposes the people and places —community, family, friends, and workplace— that are responsible for causing feelings of unworthiness, self-hatred, and an identity crisis in those that are seeking acceptance and love. It gives healing to the overall person —mind, body, and soul. It is universal, in that it crosses all socioeconomic backgrounds, races, classes and genders; because we all have struggled at some point in our lives with the need to be validated by others.

Excerpt from Through the Eyes of God

If you would just take a moment out of your busy schedule to watch

and observe the people that you come in contact with from day to day, you

might see that many of them are suffering from depression, an identity

crisis, and/or weight issues. You do not have to be a psychologist to realize

that something has gone terribly wrong in the world in which you live.

More than ever, people are confused as to who they are and what is considered

to be beautiful. Even the television shows and magazines are consumed

with issues of this nature. You see what the world wants you to see

and feel about yourself. You have been programmed and brainwashed into

the world’s system of beauty.

Drug addicts and alcoholics in Hollywood are setting false examples of

what real beauty is, when in reality, most of them are not happy with who

they are. If they were, rehabilitation centers would not be accepting them at

an alarming rate.

We have allowed celebrities who are breaking the law, driving drunk,

having babies out of wedlock, engaging in high profile infidelity, pill popping,

and getting intoxicated to set the standards of beauty for us. Has

anyone taken notice? These are the things that are captivating our young

impressionable kids. They are growing up in a society that cares more about

their rib cages showing through their skin than looking healthy and fit.

These are the images that our children are being exposed to everyday, and

we wonder why they are dying to be thin, hip, and cool. What they see

when they are looking at their favorite celebrities are those who are starving

themselves with unsuccessful fad diets or causing themselves to vomit so

they can fit into a size zero.

Society has become overly obsessed with self-image until it has resulted

in people taking extreme measures to be perfect and to meet standards that

are unobtainable. In the past, it appeared as though women were the only

ones that struggled with a low self-image, but today men are quickly following

the trail behind them.

MORE ABOUT SHEILA JACKSON

Sheila L. Jackson is the author of The Enemy Within and Through the Eyes of God . Sheila has penned many articles, such as: Only the Strong Survive, Count it all Joy, and Suffering in Silence. She lives in Shreveport, Louisiana with her husband, Timothy and two daughters, Brittany and Amber. Mrs. Jackson is an anointed speaker, teacher, and writer that utilize her gifts to meet the need of others. She serves as a Missionary in her church and community— carrying the Word of God to those in need of spiritual soul food.  Website: www.sheilaljackson2.com