The Retreat. Dijorn Moss

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      Dedication

      To my father:

       who never accepted anything

       less than my very best.

      To my mother:

       who always reminded me to enjoy life

       because you only live it once.

      To my wife and muse, Trinea:

       you remind me that without love,

       everything we do would be in vain.

      And in loving memory of Reggie Dottson:

       a great man who will never be forgotten.

      Acknowledgments

      Thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for blessing me to write this story. It has been a remarkable journey both mentally and spiritually. To my Uncle Richard and my Aunt Denise, you guys were instrumental in my spiritual growth. Thank you for always being willing to go the extra mile for family. I thank God for my awesome team of readers: Wanda Camp-bell, Mark Porrovecchio, and Dawn Gibson. You guys have pushed me to deliver my best work, and as a result, I am a much better writer. To my mentors: Scott Sublett, Ethel Walker, and Floyd Salas, God gave me the gift and you guys gave me the instructions on how to use it. And I cannot forget my editor, Joylynn Jossel. Thank you again for this opportunity to write for Urban Christian. Thank you for always seeing ways in which my writing can become better. To my uncles Jeryle and Julius, you guys are the epitome of conquerors. Sistahs in Conversations book club, you ladies are amazing, and I am grateful for all of your hard work. To my grandmother, Ruth Jonice, you continue to personify strength. To my grandparents in Miami, Nana and Grandpa Moss, I love you guys. I consider myself blessed to have two great stepparents in David and Elainna; thank you guys for all of your love and support. To City of Refuge, Bible Way Christian Center, and Alondra Church of Christ, thank you for being great church homes, both past and present. To the men who labor tirelessly for the will of God, I see you. Your efforts are not in vain and this book is for you guys. Finally, to you, the reader, thank you for taking this journey with me. I love you, and may God bless you!

      What are people saying about The Retreat?

      “The Retreat is a realistic and comical look into the hearts of men. Dijorn Moss masterfully dispels the myth that men don’t have issues and guides them to a breakthrough.”

      —Wanda B. Campbell, author of Illusions

      “The Retreat is an interesting, entertaining and intriguing story. I am so glad to read a refreshing story like The Retreat literally because of its welcoming change by a man’s point of view. You wrote a believable tale using captivating, everyday men.”

      —Shelia E. Lipsey, author of My Son’s Wife

      “Soul stirring! Finally, a story about men by a man. Dijorn Moss has developed memorable characters facing tough situations whose journeys all lead them to God’s truth. He has easily earned his place as one of Christian fiction’s best storytellers.”

      —Rhonda McKnight, author of Secrets and Lies

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Chapter Seventeen

      Chapter Eighteen

      Chapter Nineteen

      Chapter Twenty

      Chapter Twenty-one

      Chapter Twenty-two

      Chapter Twenty-three

      Chapter Twenty-four

      Chapter Twenty-five

      Chapter Twenty-six

      Chapter Twenty-seven

      Chapter Twenty-eight

      Chapter Twenty-nine

      Chapter Thirty

      Chapter Thirty-one

      Chapter Thirty-two

      Chapter Thirty-three

      Epilogue

      Reader’s Group Guide Questions

      Urban Christian His Glory Book Club!

      Prologue

      No matter how much the congregation of Greater Anointing Christian Center danced and shouted, when Bishop Dawkins approached the pulpit in his traditional black robe, everyone within the 2,500-seat sanctuary pushed the noise level higher. Standing there, taking the celebration in, it seemed as if there wasn’t a pulpit big enough to balance his six-and-a-half-foot frame.

      A former college basketball player, Bishop Dawkins leaned in with his left elbow on the pulpit as he held a microphone in his hand. His right hand scratched his white beard as his hazel eyes peered out into the vastness of the crowd. The choir positioned behind Pastor Dawkins took their seats. The musicians to the right of him started to phase out their play.

      “It’s marvelous that in spite of all that we go through in our lives, we can come together and show God that He is still number one in our lives,” Pastor Dawkins said.

      The congregation responded with a shower of “Amen’s.” It was a largely, and frustratingly, feminine chorus. Low male membership was a common problem in most pre-dominantly African СКАЧАТЬ