"And now abide faith, hope and love; these three, but the greatest of these is love."
(1 Corinthians 13:13)
Love. Perhaps the most cliched and misunderstood aspect of human existence. Mysterious. Elusive. Can it be defined? What is true love, and where can it be found?
The Bible declares that God is love, and that apart from Him one cannot experience it in its fullest sense. Sadly, many women in our society are reared and socialized to believe that their completion can only be found in another fallible human being. Until one is complete in Christ, the individual's search for integrity ends up in heartache and failure.
The Greatest of These communicates this message to today's generation using real issues, real characters, and offers real answers from the Word of God.
Independence Day, 1992. Josephine "Cherie" Petion is nineteen and all alone in the world... save her cousin-in-law Quentin "Peach" Rice, twenty-two. Raised together but separated for years, they meet again in Atlanta after the death of their guardians. Since Cherie needs a place to stay, and Quentin has a five-year old son, Malcolm, who adores her, they agree to live together. Despite protests from almost everyone they know, the arrangement seems to work at first.
Cherie's strong faith in God helps her to cope with the losses in her life. However, like many of her situation and generation, she often rationalizes wrongdoing under the premise of "what's right for you may not necessarily be right for me". She can with a semi-clear conscience lead little Malcolm to Christ and sleep with her boyfriend Archer Threat. However, as summer becomes autumn, she begins to realize that all is not well. She is less than ecstatic when Archer proposes, even though she accepts. Even the discovery of a half-brother and other relatives is not enough to fill an inexplicable void. The clarion call of the musical talents within her lie dormant as she searches for her heart's desire.
On the other hand, Quentin has no respect at all for God or Christians. A "preacher's kid", he saw the man he looked upon as father brought to shame and grief by those closest to him. Like the infamous prodigal, Quentin takes his inheritance of material and intrinsic wealth and runs. His mad dash takes him in and out of trouble as a teenager and through four years in the Marines. He thinks he has arrived, with a well-paying job, a girlfriend (Priscilla Clark) who is as well-bred as she is wealthy, even wealthier parents, and attainable goals of being an artist and architect. Even the responsibility of fatherhood is lifted from his shoulders somewhat by Cherie... and the sudden return of Malcolm's mother (Quiana Minter-Reid) in early November of that year. Through the innocence of his son, and Cherie’s unconditional friendship, Quentin starts to wonder if he isn't missing something in life.
As late autumn becomes winter, the friendship between Cherie and Quentin gels.
And then on New Year's Eve, they kiss it good-bye.
1993 begins with Cherie seeking counsel from her pastors, Phillip and Angelique Glispie, and Quentin in the middle of an aesthetic rut. Quiana returns to town on a flying visit, and in the midst of it Cherie takes her pastor's advice and moves in with her best friend (Nicole Ferguson) and her roommate (Janet Henry).
A few weeks later, Quentin finds out that he may be HIV positive and gets the scare of his life. Cherie is equally frightened when she finds out that she is pregnant with Archer's child. When she miscarries a short time later, she is broken... and decides to start doing things God's way. Not so Quentin. When his test results turn out positive and Quiana decides to fight him for custody of their son, he contemplates suicide. Instead, he tries to rearrange his entire life by changing jobs, being civil to his parents, and being slightly more concerned with his son's welfare. After rededicating her faith, Cherie is embraced by the growing, vital New Philadelphia Ministries Baptist Church.
Cherie unearths her musical acumen and fuses it into the upcoming recording of A Chord, a contemporary gospel choir made up of young adults from the church and community. Meanwhile, she prays for God to heal her him... and a short time later, Quentin finds out that his test results were botched.
Both Quentin and Cherie soon find themselves in a period of preparation. Cherie plunges into the A Chord album project and the other ministries of the church, making new friends such as Nakai Hughes, the Battle family, and Claude Jackson. Quentin, determined not to lose his son, prepares for his child custody battle. Then Cherie learns of Quentin's disregard and neglect of Malcolm, and almost decides not to testify... almost. Quentin ends up winning custody of Malcolm, and an HIV-positive Quiana returns home.
The A Chord concert is a huge success, and Cherie is used by God greatly in it. She is caught in a whirl of revival and becomes even closer to her church family, especially Nakai and Claude. However, "storm clouds are gathering". And because Cherie's personal relationship with Jesus Christ is not as strong as her public one, she is unprepared.
Surprisingly, few of those closest to Quentin and Cherie suspect what is going on. Even though Cherie continues full force in the ministry, and even leads Claude to believe that she cares for him, the change in Quentin's lifestyle is drastic. By June, they are dating secretly. By the beginning of July, they are headed into dangerous waters. As Quentin has no moral obligations to do otherwise, Cherie makes feeble attempts to stop the inevitable. But to no avail.
In the midst of a mammoth Fourth of July family reunion, Quentin and Cherie "make love"... and are discovered. Scandalizing everyone.
By the end of the summer, the fallout has subsided. They both try to make a chaste relationship work, a gargantuan task. Torn by guilt, Cherie repents and is reconciled to the Lord... and this time, something happens. She begins to pray daily. She wants to spend time in God's presence. She devours the Word. As A Chord's album is released and the group tours with other gospel artists, she witnesses to Quiana successfully. However, she can't give her whole heart to the ministry or to the Lord because a large portion of her heart is occupied. Taken.
Unknowingly, Quentin's outlook is changing. He refuses handouts from his parents. He finally takes an active role in his son's life. Burning with ambition, he begins to make plans for the future.
Still, Quentin is frustrated with the limits that Cherie has imposed on their relationship. He doesn't understand why "she's able to give so much to a God she can't touch or see while keeping so much of herself" from him. He is also jealous of her newfound success... and her close friendship with Claude Jackson.
To convince Quentin that she does love him, Cherie breaks her own rule on Thanksgiving. But it creates such a rift between them that Quentin becomes anxious about losing her. He makes plans to propose to Cherie on Christmas Eve, her twenty-first birthday.
In spite of her fears and feelings, Cherie refuses. For after searching all over, with the help of her friends' prayers, Cherie Petion realizes that her heart's desire was there all along.
And Cherie leaves the arms of her friend, her cousin, and her lover for the everlasting ones of Jesus Christ.
The Greatest of These, with its theme of true love, is intended to be the second book in a trilogy aimed at singles, women, African-Americans, and young adults 16-35.
Back To The Greatest of These Main Page
