RESERVE — Audiences who attended the January production of “If it Had Not Been for the Lord” laughed, cried and were moved by the tale of God’s redemption in troubled lives.

They also were left with several unanswered questions.

So playwright/director JaVon Butler, who wrote the original story, sat down and wrote a sequel which, she hopes, will tie up some of those loose ends.

Audiences will get a chance to find out as SeLah Productions offers two new stagings of “If it Had Not Been for the Lord” at 7 p.m. Aug. 26 and at 2 p.m. Aug. 27, and two new presentations of its sequel at 7 p.m. Aug. 27 and 3 p.m. Aug. 28, at St. John Theatre, 115 W. 4th St. in Reserve.

All productions will be preceded and followed by an Hour of Power, with singing, dancing and prayer “to set the mood and get people in the right spirit to receive the message,” Butler said.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door and may be purchased by calling 225-623-9449 or by visiting selahproductionsincorp.org.

A portion of the proceeds will go to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

Butler’s play, which is her 12th production, follows the Reed Family, Pastor Mark and his sons Joel and Antoine, who go through various trials and tribulations.

“It really is a play that teaches people how to get out of their messes in life,” Butler said. “It doesn’t just tell you how to do it, it shows you how to do it so that you can become a better person. That’s why we call it life-changing. We want to continue to give out the message that God can restore. No matter what we’ve done in life, we’re always given another chance.

In the original production, it was The Pastor (Troy Cooper) who got into the mess, in large part thanks to the sassy and devious Sister Victoria (Sara Cooper).

“In the old production, I faced infidelity, adultery, betrayal of a spouse,” Troy Cooper said. “In the sequel it’s a little bit of a clearing up of the situation, but still I find myself being the butt of what I’ve done. I’m trying to make amends but, you know how it is, you still have to suffer the consequences.”

It was that story that left audiences hanging, Butler said.

“He was redeemed in the last play, but the audience wasn’t happy with that,” Butler said. “So that pushed me to a sequel, the response. I said I can’t ignore it.”

Butler said the sequel continues the Pastor’s story, “but with a twist that’s going to blow everybody out of the water.”

The sequel also turns some attention to Joel (Kaelan Levy), who faces his own tests.

“I think it’s one of those things that can really uplift you,” Levy said. “The last time we did it, a lot of people were like, ‘Man, I went through that.’ It’s real. It’s not fake.”

Sabrina Riley, who plays Star and delivers the opening monologues of the show, said everyone will be able to relate to the story.

“I think everybody can see a piece of themselves or someone they know,” she said. “I find that, even in practice, I’m like, ‘Whoa, I lived that’ or ‘my best friend’s going through that. It really helps motivate people that there is restoration despite the choices and mistakes we make in our life.”

Sara Cooper said audiences had very strong reactions to her character.

“She’s the instigator, the antagonist,” she said. “I had a lot of interaction from the audience. They said stuff back. It was a surprise. I could hear things being said. I could tell that the audience was very engaged. It actually made me get into character more. It was like it was almost real.”

Sara Cooper said there are a lot of twists in the story and audiences will be riveted.

“My own mom, she said she had to go to the bathroom and she didn’t want to get up because she didn’t want to miss anything,” Cooper said.