Give God Space to Be God!

Tayo glanced up in near irritation as his younger sister sighed for the hundredth time in what had to be just five minutes. ‘Want to talk about it?’

He’d noticed she’d been morose and moody since she returned from her visit with her friends. She’d spent the Eid-el-Fitri public holiday catching up with them and generally having fun, or that was what he thought she must have done, but these sighs said otherwise.
She glanced up at him and shook her head. ‘Just keep praying for me.’

Tayo’s eyebrows flew up in silent alarm. That was not good. He placed his phone on the centre console and faced her squarely. ‘Just how bad is this situation?’

She rolled her eyes and eyed him in what he knew was irritation, but he couldn’t care less. At least, she was acting more like herself. ‘I never said it was bad.’

He sat back. ‘You didn’t have to. So, what exactly is the problem? What am I supposed to be praying about?’

She sighed again and Tayo could vouch he was close to throwing something at someone. Could she just stop sighing? It was doing him in.
‘Can you just stop sighing and talk already?’ He gritted behind clenched teeth.

She looked like she was about to sigh again but thankfully, she held it in. ‘You know that job interview at UAC Foods?’

Tayo didn’t have to think hard. The memory of her calling him the day she got invited for an interview was still fresh in his mind. She was beside herself with joy. ‘Yea, what about it? Didn’t they say they were going to get back to you?’

She shook her head as she looked down and fiddled with her fingers. ‘Well, you know how these things work.’

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. How what works? What was she saying? ‘No, I don’t. I’m afraid you’ll have to explain.’ He watched her purse her lips and added, ‘Madam, don’t you go silent on me. What are you talking about? Did you get a rejection?’

She gave him what looked like a stink eye, but it lacked the usual spirit. It was still some attitude though, so, he’d manage it. ‘I never said anything about a rejection but with the way things are going, I might have as well gotten one.’

Tayo cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her as he stroked his beards. He knew what was going on in that beautiful brain lodged in his sister’s head. He was a job seeker once, too. ‘The interview was only a few days ago, Dolapo. Don’t stress it. Just pray and trust.’

She scoffed. ‘That’s easy for you to say. You’re not the one in the waiting room.’

He smiled despite her irritation. He knew this feeling all too well. ‘True, but I sure do know how it feels. But I must ask, does this have something to do with your visit to your friends?’ She pursed her lips again as that look of hesitation crossed over her features. He certainly had his answer. It did have something to do with the visit. Then he added just to get her talking again. ‘It was the twins you were visiting with, ba?’

She sighed and nodded. ‘Yes, and a cousin of theirs was also one of the interviewees. He got a job offer the day before the Eid break began.’ Another sigh.

Tayo smiled at her forlorn expression and went to sit beside her. ‘Hey, Pumpkin!’

‘Yah! Stop calling me that!’ She loved to use the Korean version of “Hey”. Said it had more spunk than the English word.

He wrapped one arm around her back and spoke in low tones. ‘I know you won’t believe me, but I know how you feel right now. I was a job seeker too, once upon a time, remember? However, you can’t let someone else’s report kill your faith.’

‘How do you mean? It’s over. They’ve made their selection. Now, I have to go back to waddling in the pool of job openings and wondering when something fitting will come along again.’

‘Just because your friends said their cousin got an offer, you completely forgot the interviewers gave you their word that whatever the result, they’ll get back to you. Have you heard from them?’

She shook her head in the negative. ‘Not a peep.’

‘Then why have you thrown in the towel already? It’s not over until it is actually over. Just before the visit, you were full of faith and had such confidence in God that you would have this job and just one random piece of info and all that confidence seeped out of you faster than gas can spread through a ballroom. If this is yours, you’ll have it because I know you gave it your best, but you must trust God and give Him space to be God. Only then can He do what you have asked.’

She swallowed and shook her head. ‘I truly want to keep trusting but I’m afraid of keeping my hopes up only to get slapped with another rejection. I feel like if things are looking like they might turn out sour, then, I might as well brace myself for the impact.’

‘Well, my dear, you can’t eat your cake and have it. You can’t be trusting God for a miracle and still brace yourself for a rejection. Yes, I know that it is a possibility that God might not want this job for you, but your joy and solid confidence in that kind of eventuality is that it means He has something better for you.’

She nodded her head vigorously in assent to his point as she swallowed hard again. He knew she was working hard to keep her emotions in check, and he was mighty proud of the temperate young woman she was becoming.

‘When you trust God for the best, you dare not prepare for the worst. You expect what you have requested because God is not a man that disappoints. If you get a rejection, it’s not a failure for you, rather, it’s a promise of something better to come.
‘Just think of my story, for instance.’ He said as he pointed at his chest with the hand that was not around her back. ‘I scoured everywhere for a good-paying job but could barely cater for myself, even with two gruelling jobs. Then I took that Spirit-inspired leap and started small with my firm. Unimaginable connections were made and before I could say, “Jack Robinson”, I was getting referrals to kings and princes. It was then I realised that none of those rejections was to break me or kill my faith, rather, they just weren’t part of God’s grand plan for me. That’s the way it works when we put our faith exclusively in God.’ Tayo watched as she took his words in, but he wasn’t done yet.
‘When you’re waiting on God for a miracle, you’re doing it with full cognizance of who He is and what He can do, keeping in mind that what He cannot do does not exist. So, you have full confidence that however it works out, God is at the helm of affairs, and He will make things beautiful in His own time.’

One tear dropped and she wiped it with the back of her hand, quickly, as she replied. ‘But it’s not always easy. I find myself doubting and worrying and second-guessing. I know I ought not to do that, but I can’t help it.’

Tayo patted her shoulder. ‘Of course, you can. ‘What triggers doubt? Of course, it’s the thoughts that what you have asked might not come to you. But that’s a mix of the devil’s tactic and our errant minds. You simply must fight back with the weapon of the saints. The Bible said in Revelation chapter twelve verse eleven that they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony.’
He picked a Bible among the pair that had been placed on each other after their family devotion earlier in the day and waved it before her eyes. ‘Pumpkin, the word of our testimony is this sure word of prophecy, the holy scriptures. Forever, this word is settled in heaven and God exalts it more than He does His name. This word commands answers and when accompanied with the name of Jesus, there’s nothing heaven will not release for our comfort.’

As Tayo spoke, he marvelled at how the gloom that had settled over her expression since the previous day gradually lifted and the usual life and liveliness that characterized her lovely eyes came back.

He continued, ‘The word of God is that when we ask anything in the name of Jesus, we should believe that we have it and we shall receive it. Throw this back at the devil or your traitorous mind whenever it’s making you see impossibilities even after you’ve prayed. The Word says we have this confidence that when we pray, He hears us; and it means after we have prayed, we can go ahead and trust that what we have asked, we will certainly receive. Shikena! After that, drink water and rest!’

A small laugh bubbled out of her lips at his finishing line and Tayo couldn’t hold back a small one, himself. It was so beautiful and almost unbelievable what the Holy Spirit could do through the Word. Peace settled in his being as she dabbed at some residual tears that had been shining in her eyes earlier and he got a sure word of prophecy in his spirit-man that she would get the job. He didn’t say a word, though. He needed her to work her faith and win by herself. It would take her far beyond even getting a job.

‘Thanks, egbon, for this. God bless you. I feel revived, jeez!’

He smiled and shook his head at her. ‘Does that mean I can finally talk to Adun without having to deal with your hundred sighs per minute?’

She rolled her eyes at him. ‘Do you think it’s cool to rub it in my face that you have someone to call “Adun” while I don’t?’

He smirked smugly. ‘Please, if I don’t rub it in your face, in whose face would I rub it? That’s how others also rubbed it in my face, my dear, it’s my time to shine.’

She gave him the stink eye as she stood up to leave the living room. ‘You’re the most annoying big brother in the world, just so you know.’

He laughed out loud as she walked away. ‘Well, thanks for letting me know I have the potential to get into the Guinness Book of Record. Ose dear.’

He heard her cluck her tongue and stuck his out at her retreating back.

********************

Dear reader,

It might not be easy, but if you will trust God’s omnipotence and give Him space to be God, by placing absolute, undivided faith in Him, He’s able to and will do exceeding abundantly above all you can ask or think. Grace to trust is released unto you in Jesus name, Amen.

From Spirit Pen (on thespiritpen.com)

‘Yo, sis!’ Josh hailed as I walked into my parents’ house around seven o’clock on Friday evening after a tough workday and a gruesome ordeal with Lagos traffic. Lagos traffic on a normal day is no joke, but Lagos traffic from the island to the suburbs on a weekend is even worse. It was usually as if everyone lived in the suburbs but worked on the island, and they were all going to their respective homes, at the same time, on Fridays, for a reprieve from the week’s hustle.

I slouched in exhaustion as I flung my handbag on one sofa and sunk my tired weight into another. I glanced through tired half-shut eyelids at my twin who had an impossible combo of concern and amusement on his face. The dude had always been weird like that. ‘Wipe that annoying look off your face, it’s increasing my stress level.’ I mumbled.

Josh bellowed in laughter inciting a bubble of tired laughter from my throat too. With a sigh, I smiled and cuddled more comfortably on the chair. It felt good to be home. It had been almost a month if not more. Apart from the fact that there was always extra work to catch up on, on the weekends, I seldom came home to my parents’ place in the suburbs because the mere thought of the traffic was always enough reason for me to rethink. When Josh said he was going to be in Lagos this weekend, however, not even the traffic could stop me. Amazingly too, I didn’t have any carryover of work – a rare occurrence. Josh was running his Master’s at the University of Ibadan and worked concurrently at an insurance firm there.

‘You know, if I knew being apart from you would make me miss you this much, I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to get out of your hair.’ Josh said with an indulgent smile.

‘Hey! Is someone getting cheesy?’ I teased, kicking his shin lightly with mine from my seat not far away from his.

He returned my smile and shrugged, ‘Happens to the best of us.’ Then he took his laptop on which he had been typing steadily off his legs and turned to me. ‘You know what you need?’

‘What?’ I asked, smiling because I knew what was coming.

‘A warm shower.’ I totally saw that coming. Josh was the average annoying sibling, but he was super sweet whenever he felt like it.

‘I made Amala and Efo riro, your favorite.’ I jerked up from my half-lying position. It was from shock. My jaws dropped and I blinked uncontrollably.

‘Since when?’ I asked, narrowing my eyes at him, once I got control of them.

‘Haba! Don’t be dramatic. I wasn’t that bad before. You reacted just like mum did when she walked in on me preparing the meal. She said to film your reaction when I tell you I cooked. Y’all are just overreacting.’ Josh whined.

I laughed. I bet mum must have wanted to stay back and make sure Josh did not burn down the house, but couldn’t because of the weekly pastor’s meeting she had to attend in church with dad. ‘Yes, you were bad. No, terrible. You were terrible.’ I argued.

‘My boiled water was quite nice, and you know that.’ He retorted and laughter bubbled strongly from my lips. He joined me with a chuckle and commented, ‘It feels nice to hear that laughter that sounds so much like mine. You don’t know how hard it was to convince people that my laugh is nowhere as boisterous as yours. No one would believe a girl could produce a laugh similar to mine. I have to record it when next you laugh.’

‘I know, these things called genes, ehn? Plus spending nine full months in the same confinement with another person does that to you.’ Josh rolled his eyes at me. ‘But wait, Amala and Efo riro. Seriously, you have to tell me, since when? Dude, you could barely steam rice without causing a mishap. And I’m talking as recently as last year December. It’s been how long since then, three months? Four?’ I asked wanting to hear how the transformation happened.

Josh folded his arms across his wide midriff and leaned back as he said, ‘Four and a half, madam. And well, I’ve been going steady with my cooking lessons since the start of the year.’

‘Wawu! Wonders will never cease.’ I clapped my hand thrice and hiked my eyebrows in disbelief. Then I mirrored his posture and asked, ‘So, what happened to you?’

With a sigh and a smile, I didn’t always see on his face - a dreamy smile birthed from deep pleasure, my brother said, ‘Well, the right persons happened to me.’

‘Whoa!’ I exclaimed as I jerked forward on the chair, eyes wide and my mouth open wide in perfect ‘o’.

‘Wait, madam! Stop getting ahead of yourself. I said "the right persons" not "person". Always-’ He was saying with a grin when I cut him off with a flick of my wrist.

‘Baba, don’t get me started jare! It was yesterday they gave birth to me, abi? See, men don’t wear dreamy faraway looks with big grins when they’re talking about random people or even random women for that matter. You might as well have said “the one” happened to you. It means, at least one of these persons is the right woman. So, was that why you came home?’

‘Partly,’ he said, shrugging and smiling.

Click here to read the full story: ‘Yo, sis!’ Josh hailed as I walked into my parents’ house around seven o’clock on Friday evening after a tough workday and a gruesome ordeal with Lagos traffic. Lagos traffic on a normal day is no joke, but Lagos traffic from the island to the suburbs on a weekend is even worse. It was usually as if everyone lived in the suburbs but worked on the island, and they were all going to their respective homes, at the same time, on Fridays, for a reprieve from the week’s hustle.

I slouched in exhaustion as I flung my handbag on one sofa and sunk my tired weight into another. I glanced through tired half-shut eyelids at my twin who had an impossible combo of concern and amusement on his face. The dude had always been weird like that. ‘Wipe that annoying look off your face, it’s increasing my stress level.’ I mumbled.

Josh bellowed in laughter inciting a bubble of tired laughter from my throat too. With a sigh, I smiled and cuddled more comfortably on the chair. It felt good to be home. It had been almost a month if not more. Apart from the fact that there was always extra work to catch up on, on the weekends, I seldom came home to my parents’ place in the suburbs because the mere thought of the traffic was always enough reason for me to rethink. When Josh said he was going to be in Lagos this weekend, however, not even the traffic could stop me. Amazingly too, I didn’t have any carryover of work – a rare occurrence. Josh was running his Master’s at the University of Ibadan and worked concurrently at an insurance firm there.

‘You know, if I knew being apart from you would make me miss you this much, I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to get out of your hair.’ Josh said with an indulgent smile.

‘Hey! Is someone getting cheesy?’ I teased, kicking his shin lightly with mine from my seat not far away from his.

He returned my smile and shrugged, ‘Happens to the best of us.’ Then he took his laptop on which he had been typing steadily off his legs and turned to me. ‘You know what you need?’

‘What?’ I asked, smiling because I knew what was coming.

‘A warm shower.’ I totally saw that coming. Josh was the average annoying sibling, but he was super sweet whenever he felt like it.

‘I made Amala and Efo riro, your favorite.’ I jerked up from my half-lying position. It was from shock. My jaws dropped and I blinked uncontrollably.

‘Since when?’ I asked, narrowing my eyes at him, once I got control of them.

‘Haba! Don’t be dramatic. I wasn’t that bad before. You reacted just like mum did when she walked in on me preparing the meal. She said to film your reaction when I tell you I cooked. Y’all are just overreacting.’ Josh whined.

I laughed. I bet mum must have wanted to stay back and make sure Josh did not burn down the house, but couldn’t because of the weekly pastor’s meeting she had to attend in church with dad. ‘Yes, you were bad. No, terrible. You were terrible.’ I argued.

‘My boiled water was quite nice, and you know that.’ He retorted and laughter bubbled strongly from my lips. He joined me with a chuckle and commented, ‘It feels nice to hear that laughter that sounds so much like mine. You don’t know how hard it was to convince people that my laugh is nowhere as boisterous as yours. No one would believe a girl could produce a laugh similar to mine. I have to record it when next you laugh.’

‘I know, these things called genes, ehn? Plus spending nine full months in the same confinement with another person does that to you.’ Josh rolled his eyes at me. ‘But wait, Amala and Efo riro. Seriously, you have to tell me, since when? Dude, you could barely steam rice without causing a mishap. And I’m talking as recently as last year December. It’s been how long since then, three months? Four?’ I asked wanting to hear how the transformation happened.

Josh folded his arms across his wide midriff and leaned back as he said, ‘Four and a half, madam. And well, I’ve been going steady with my cooking lessons since the start of the year.’

‘Wawu! Wonders will never cease.’ I clapped my hand thrice and hiked my eyebrows in disbelief. Then I mirrored his posture and asked, ‘So, what happened to you?’

With a sigh and a smile, I didn’t always see on his face - a dreamy smile birthed from deep pleasure, my brother said, ‘Well, the right persons happened to me.’

‘Whoa!’ I exclaimed as I jerked forward on the chair, eyes wide and my mouth open wide in perfect ‘o’.

‘Wait, madam! Stop getting ahead of yourself. I said "the right persons" not "person". Always-’ He was saying with a grin when I cut him off with a flick of my wrist.

‘Baba, don’t get me started jare! It was yesterday they gave birth to me, abi? See, men don’t wear dreamy faraway looks with big grins when they’re talking about random people or even random women for that matter. You might as well have said “the one” happened to you. It means, at least one of these persons is the right woman. So, was that why you came home?’

‘Partly,’ he said, shrugging and smiling.

Click here to read the full story: ‘Yo, sis!’ Josh hailed as I walked into my parents’ house around seven o’clock on Friday evening after a tough workday and a gruesome ordeal with Lagos traffic. Lagos traffic on a normal day is no joke, but Lagos traffic from the island to the suburbs on a weekend is even worse. It was usually as if everyone lived in the suburbs but worked on the island, and they were all going to their respective homes, at the same time, on Fridays, for a reprieve from the week’s hustle.

I slouched in exhaustion as I flung my handbag on one sofa and sunk my tired weight into another. I glanced through tired half-shut eyelids at my twin who had an impossible combo of concern and amusement on his face. The dude had always been weird like that. ‘Wipe that annoying look off your face, it’s increasing my stress level.’ I mumbled.

Josh bellowed in laughter inciting a bubble of tired laughter from my throat too. With a sigh, I smiled and cuddled more comfortably on the chair. It felt good to be home. It had been almost a month if not more. Apart from the fact that there was always extra work to catch up on, on the weekends, I seldom came home to my parents’ place in the suburbs because the mere thought of the traffic was always enough reason for me to rethink. When Josh said he was going to be in Lagos this weekend, however, not even the traffic could stop me. Amazingly too, I didn’t have any carryover of work – a rare occurrence. Josh was running his Master’s at the University of Ibadan and worked concurrently at an insurance firm there.

‘You know, if I knew being apart from you would make me miss you this much, I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to get out of your hair.’ Josh said with an indulgent smile.

‘Hey! Is someone getting cheesy?’ I teased, kicking his shin lightly with mine from my seat not far away from his.

He returned my smile and shrugged, ‘Happens to the best of us.’ Then he took his laptop on which he had been typing steadily off his legs and turned to me. ‘You know what you need?’

‘What?’ I asked, smiling because I knew what was coming.

‘A warm shower.’ I totally saw that coming. Josh was the average annoying sibling, but he was super sweet whenever he felt like it.

‘I made Amala and Efo riro, your favorite.’ I jerked up from my half-lying position. It was from shock. My jaws dropped and I blinked uncontrollably.

‘Since when?’ I asked, narrowing my eyes at him, once I got control of them.

‘Haba! Don’t be dramatic. I wasn’t that bad before. You reacted just like mum did when she walked in on me preparing the meal. She said to film your reaction when I tell you I cooked. Y’all are just overreacting.’ Josh whined.

I laughed. I bet mum must have wanted to stay back and make sure Josh did not burn down the house, but couldn’t because of the weekly pastor’s meeting she had to attend in church with dad. ‘Yes, you were bad. No, terrible. You were terrible.’ I argued.

‘My boiled water was quite nice, and you know that.’ He retorted and laughter bubbled strongly from my lips. He joined me with a chuckle and commented, ‘It feels nice to hear that laughter that sounds so much like mine. You don’t know how hard it was to convince people that my laugh is nowhere as boisterous as yours. No one would believe a girl could produce a laugh similar to mine. I have to record it when next you laugh.’

‘I know, these things called genes, ehn? Plus spending nine full months in the same confinement with another person does that to you.’ Josh rolled his eyes at me. ‘But wait, Amala and Efo riro. Seriously, you have to tell me, since when? Dude, you could barely steam rice without causing a mishap. And I’m talking as recently as last year December. It’s been how long since then, three months? Four?’ I asked wanting to hear how the transformation happened.

Josh folded his arms across his wide midriff and leaned back as he said, ‘Four and a half, madam. And well, I’ve been going steady with my cooking lessons since the start of the year.’

‘Wawu! Wonders will never cease.’ I clapped my hand thrice and hiked my eyebrows in disbelief. Then I mirrored his posture and asked, ‘So, what happened to you?’

With a sigh and a smile, I didn’t always see on his face - a dreamy smile birthed from deep pleasure, my brother said, ‘Well, the right persons happened to me.’

‘Whoa!’ I exclaimed as I jerked forward on the chair, eyes wide and my mouth open wide in perfect ‘o’.

‘Wait, madam! Stop getting ahead of yourself. I said "the right persons" not "person". Always-’ He was saying with a grin when I cut him off with a flick of my wrist.

‘Baba, don’t get me started jare! It was yesterday they gave birth to me, abi? See, men don’t wear dreamy faraway looks with big grins when they’re talking about random people or even random women for that matter. You might as well have said “the one” happened to you. It means, at least one of these persons is the right woman. So, was that why you came home?’

‘Partly,’ he said, shrugging and smiling.

Click here to read the full story: https://thespiritpen.com/when-the-right-person-happens/
Source: Thespiritpen.com

I’LL PUT YOU IN FRONT – A SHORT STORY BY JOY A. ADEWUMI

'Hi, Victoria. We looked through your portfolio and pitch and we appreciate your interest in working with us, but your level of experience and expertise is not what we require at this time. Heck! What does that even mean?!' Vic whined as she tossed her phone on her bed in frustration! Why did this keep happening? Each time she applied for these contracts, she always prayed, but somehow they never worked out! What else did she have to do? Didn't prayer solve all things?

Experience? She had more experience than many other creatives in her niche and they had no problems landing juicy gigs! Expertise? Heck! She was good at what she did. Really good. She'd even trained some very successful people, so that certainly wasn’t why she was rejected!

Each time she applied to one call for designers or the other, she ended up facing rejections in many different forms. At this point, she was sure she knew every single form by which a rejection letter could be drafted.

Tears stung her eyes and she shook her head vigorously. She wasn't going to cry. Many great people had faced worse before their big breaks. She was tough, she could do this! She was going to go right back online and search for more calls. She wasn't going to let this rejection pull her down.

With a bravado she wasn't quite feeling, she stretched across the bed to pick her phone.

Why not take a breather?[/i]

What? A breather? A breather wasn’t what she needed right now. A breather was a bad idea. If she took that advice, she would only slide into depression and maybe give up.

[i]Calm down and talk to God.

Talk to God? Of course, she talked to God. Every chance she got as a matter of fact. She'd probably bent His ears with her pleas on this particular issue.

Opening her Chrome browser, she was going to enter in a string of search keywords but restlessness took over her form.

Not giving up is great, but sometimes, when nothing seems to be working, you should ask questions.

Questions? How did that factor into anything? Was she supposed to ask God why she kept facing rejections? Wasn't it obvious that He was taking her through a process and testing her ability to handle her moments of failure and rejection? What else could there be?

Just talk to God.

At this clear prompting, Alexis dropped her phone and blinked, not sure what to say. She opened her mouth a couple of times and closed them not sure the questions she was about to ask were okay. They sounded more like allegations than questions and that was honestly how she felt. If the Holy Spirit really wanted her to talk to God, He would have to help out here.

Just talk.

Accuse God? Question Him? Blame Him? That didn't feel right. However, nothing else came from the Holy Spirit and Alex realised she would just have to talk.

With a deep sigh and a weird rush of emotions she blurted, 'God, why? I don't know. I mean, I just don't get it! Why do I keep getting rejected? I have experience. I have honed my skills, I keep honing them, so why? People who are not half as experienced as I am land amazing contracts and each time, it takes all I've got to smile at them and congratulate them. I thought it was you checking to see how I handled failure and rejection but apparently, something else is wrong.' At this point, the tears she fought to hold at bay broke forth like a dam and she just let out her misery.

'Each time I bid for a job, I commit my ways into Your hands and ask that You bless then, but each of those times I come back defeated. Yet, I was bent on being strong in faith but I don’t know how much more of this I can take. I'm not sure my morale can handle much more. It doesn't help that those I trained are far up ahead of me. I am tired. What do I do? Is there something I'm doing wrong? Is there some hidden sin working against me? Am I-'

Check your phone...

Click the link below to finish reading Vic's story:
https://thespiritpen.com/ill-put-you-in-front-a-short-story/

Source: thespiritpen.com

‘Prisca, come, did you hear the gist?’ I overhead Mimi’s voice from the other side of the door as I let myself into my room where she was visiting with my roommate, Prisca. As I walked in, both heads turned to me and Mimi chirped, ‘ehn-ehn, it’s even better that you’re here too.’

I gave her a sidelong look that screamed, “What did you hear again?”

‘Welcome,’ Prisca greeted as she laughed at my expression while Mimi twisted her mouth and said, ‘Ehn, welcome! Sha come and sit down. Apparently neither of you has heard the latest.’

I shook my head at her and replied, ‘Me, I have to pray first, so that the Holy Spirit can guide my contribution to your gist.’ Prisca chuckled again, shaking her head at our exchange.

Barely had I sat down with them than Mimi launch into her gist.
‘So, there’s big news about one Senior Pastor at Glory of Heaven Church!’ I groaned as I threw my head back while Prisca got into another laughing fit.

‘So this pastor, Mimi, what did he do? Did he raise the dead under the anointing or were there a million converts recorded at his crusade?’ I asked with my lips twisted to one side.

‘Ah ah! What is it now? If you don’t want to hear the gist, kindly excuse us. What is your own sef?’ Mimi retorted. I could see her ire rising and I smiled as I conceded.

‘Oya, sorry. Ma binu (Don’t be offended). I won’t say a word again till you’re done with your gist.’

‘You had better.’ She replied.

‘So as I was saying, this pastor was rumored to have collected money from a couple for a miracle prayer for the fruit of the womb, and then he drugged and slept with the woman during a one-on-one prayer meeting with her.’

Same old, same old, I opened my mouth to say just that when surprisingly, Prisca cocked her head at me and wiggled her brows. I shut it promptly. If Mimi noticed the interaction, she didn’t say a word.

‘I don’t get it. If she was drugged, how did the story get out?’ Unexpectedly, it was Prisca who asked. I didn’t think she was going to get serious with the conversation. Usually, she preferred to be the one who lightened the mood and balanced things between Mimi and I. She did however look particularly interested. So, I sat up and listened more objectively.

‘Good question, Prisca.’ Mimi replied as she wagged one index finger excitedly at Prisca. ‘The woman wasn’t the one who broke the story. It was the Pastor’s secretary.’

‘Wawu!’ I exclaimed, I didn’t see that twist coming.

‘And why would she?’ Prisca asked again without batting an eyelash. What was wrong with her? This felt like it was already more than a gist to her. Mimi was probably excited about releasing all the facts that she didn’t realise Prisca’s uncharacteristic interest.

‘Reportedly, they had a falling out and she decided to come out with a release of all his terrible deeds she was privy to. This particular story about the woman he drugged took the front row.’ I watched Prisca’s features, wanting to get a hint of what was going on in her head.

‘That’s interesting, you know? She was privy to a rape incident and she came out with the news only after she had a falling out with the perpetrator. Does she know this could pass for aiding and abetting?’ Was this Prisca the law student, or Prisca the someone-else? She looked too vested. And how had Mimi not noticed that she was being interrogated?

‘According to her, she wasn’t exactly privy to it. It was actually a scene she chanced upon on a day she shouldn’t have been at work. She probably feared for her job and even maybe her life, who knows?’ Mimi shrugged.

Prisca scoffed, ‘How convenient. Apparently, seeing as she has now come out with the story, she doesn’t fear for those things anymore. And the woman, the alleged victim of this rape, has she come out to corroborate the secretary’s story?’

Mimi arched her brows at Prisca like the latter just spoke Portuguese. Then she turned to me and asked, ‘Where dem from bring this one?’ Then she turned back to Prisca and asked, ‘If you were the one, would you step out? And what if she is in fact with child now? Did you even listen to yourself? Corroborate ko, collaborate ni.’ Prisca rolled her eyes and I chuckled lightly.

Then she asked, ‘So, except her word against the pastor’s, what else does this woman have to prove her claims?’

At this point, Mimi sighed placing one palm atop the other wrist as she replied, ‘Madam, don’t think I did not notice that you’ve been interrogating me like someone in a witness box since morning. I did. And up until now, I indulged you because I like breaking gist. Right now however, I’m beginning to feel attacked.’ I smiled slightly. So she did notice.

Then I added, ‘That’s true though, Prisca. You look kind of vested in this thing like it’s your personal business. How far?’

Prisca shook her head as though disagreeing with us and asked me, ‘You nko? What do you think about the whole thing?’ So now she wanted me to talk. How convenient for her too.

‘See, stuff like this is old news in Nigeria. Every other week, we hear of one Pastor or the other committing one atrocity or the other and as much of an aberration as it is, I’m afraid we have grown used to it. News like this stand a fifty-fifty chance of being cooked up or for real. And I’m sorry I can’t call a verdict except I see solid, indisputable evidence to prove which of the two is true.
‘What I however don’t agree with is the fact that everyone will get talking about it and before you know what’s happening, there will be several versions of the story. Then even if the man is found in fact innocent, his reputation is probably ruined forever, because people love bad news more than the good and will not share the correction to the rumor like they shared the rumor. It’s after all the bad one that sells. And even if he is guilty, we have just given the accusers and critics of our faith something to run their mouth on. So your turn, what’s your deal?’ I asked as I crossed my arms across my midriff.

Mimi mirrored my posture and added, ‘Yes, you apparently have an interest beyond the ordinary in this gist. So, how far?’

Prisca sighed as she rubbed a palm down her throat, a mannerism she had whenever she was uncomfortable or nervous, and she looked both at the moment.
‘Last year, we had an issue in my church back at home. We had a chorister who had been in the church for about a decade and was unmarried in her late thirties. One day, her mum barged into my Dad’s office and demanded he did something about her daughter’s plight.’

‘Shuu!’ Mimi exclaimed as she spread out her hands, ‘na your papa dey dash husband?’ I chuckled despite the gravity of the situation. Prisca's dad was an assistant G.O at the church her family attended and he led their headquarters at the FCT. Obviously, Mimi’s comment worked wonders as Prisca produced the closest thing to a smile since Mimi began narrating her gist.

‘When my dad tried to reason with her, telling her that he wasn’t a matchmaker and he trusted God to bring the right man to her daughter, at the right time, it fell on deaf ears. She threatened to go to the gossip blogs with rumors about my dad on how he sleeps with the choristers in our church and render them unmarriageable.'

'Haba!' Mimi exclaimed.

'That's sheer evil! Who does that!?' I demanded.

Prisca scoffed softly and replied, 'Apparently, the woman under discussion does.' Then she continued after rubbing a hand down her face.
‘We prayed hard about the issue and then called the chorister in question to ask her about her take on the issue. The lady was shocked to say the least. She had no idea her mum visited or that the woman issued any threats. She even went on to tell my dad and the church's leadership that she was in fact engaged to be married and she had planned to take her fiancé to see her mum the next day. Can you imagine that?'

'Wawu!' I exclaimed, eyes wide.

'Lobatan!' Mimi interjected too as she threw her hands up in the air. Ever-dramatic.

'She said she had decided to wait till the guy popped the question before she took him to her mother. This she said was because though it was nothing spiritual, she was convinced her mum was the cause of her issue. From her negativity to her overbearing attitude towards every man she introduced, her mother always succeeded in running the guys off.’ I shook my head while Mimi sighed deeply beside me.

‘She was fed up with the issue and that was why throughout the 18 months she courted her fiancé, she didn't say a peep about him to her mum. At the end of the day, no one could blame the poor lady; apparently, her mum was the problem, not her. Anyway, miraculously, that solved the problem and we all moved on. Since then however, except I see solid evidence like you said, Kitan, I don't believe rumors about pastors committing atrocities. I just imagine they got blackmailed like my dad was.'

We all sighed after she finished her narrative and then I added, 'And even if you didn't even have this experience, I don't believe Mimi would have been so enthusiastic about sharing the news had it been a pastor in our campus fellowship.'

'What did I do again bayii?' Mimi whined.

'No one is saying you did anything. Kitan is just saying the closer you are to the alleged culprit of a rumor, the less impersonal you are about discussing it or spreading it for that matter.' Prisca explained and Mimi scratched her neck sheepishly at that point.

'The truth is we all like gist, but it borders on ungodliness when the gist we love discussing centres on someone else's downfall or misfortune. To us, it just might be some random news, but to the victims, whether they're religious leaders or celebrities, they probably can't step out of their houses for the shame and humiliation.' I said.

'So, in essence, what we are saying is that when the gist we have is something that is probably turning someone else's life upside down, we should be emotionally intelligent and Christ-like enough and know better than to contribute to its spread. After all, the fewer the people discussing a gist, the less viral it goes. And it starts with us.' Prisca added.

'Wo (See), you guys are right jare. There's a fine line between backbiting and gisting. Besides, the Bible did say we would give account of every idle word we speak, and if many of these gists are not idle, I don't know what is.' Mimi agreed and I smiled at Prisca who returned my smile.

'And there are a thousand and one positive gists out there that no one is talking about. So we can never run out of gists, what matters is the kind of gists we are gisting.'

We all laughed and then Mimi readjusted herself on the bed as she asked, 'Ehn-ehn! Talking about positive gists, have you seen Pastor Lazarus's proposal video? Oh my word! It was legit lit! I was just smiling throughout like mumu.'

Both Prisca and I doubled over in laughter as Prisca said, 'Hmmnn... Won de! (They have come!)' My laughing fit only came harder and I had to grab unto my stomach for dear life.

THE END

Source: thespiritpen.com
Visit thespiritpen.com to read beautiful and Spirit-inspired stories like THE GIST!

Yours truly,
The Girl With the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!

SpiritPen:


REDEEEMED- Episode 1

'Oshey! Baddest!' The crowd in my living-room-turned-party-den hollered as I filled six small glasses halfway with the chilled content from a cocktail shaker..

'Go Skinny! Go Skinny! Go Skinny!' They chanted as I gulped down glass after glass with only a deep breath between each. The delicious flavour of the daring cocktail burst on my taste buds but that pleasure was soon followed with an intense burning sensation as my insides caught fire, but the chants kept me going asI had a reputation to keep up.

I had many nicknames, depending on the crowd or the show I was pulling off. Today, it's Skinny, because here with me are the closest guys I roll with in this hood. A bunch of them have known me since Uni and since I've always been skinny and lanky, they'd dubbed me that name.

Tomorrow, it might be CJ, short for Cullen Jones, one of the best black swimmers of all time. That's if I was pulling this off in a club where they all knew me as the guy who could swim in alcohol and not drown under the influence.

As I downed the last cup, I could barely pry open my tightly-shut eyes. I felt the room turn upside down and then downside up over and over, despite the fact that my eyes were shut and the whole of my insides protested. My head swam in a sea of oblivion and felt as though it would split into two.

Before I could say Jack Robinson, I got a regurgitative feeling and I knew I was about to lose the alcohol, every meal I've had that day alongside my intestines in a heave of vomit.

The fish had outdone himself this time! What was it that I'd mixed again?

I pushed my protesting body in the general direction of the bathroom, and hit way too many bodies, objects and walls on the short trip there.

I heard a couple of chuckles too. Maybe from those who were not too drunk and wasted to discover that the guy they'd just been hailing was on his way to regurgitative hell.

Crazy fellas!

I had barely gotten to the toilet than my body give in and I heaved out the first stream of vomit!

'What the-' A hard baritone bellowed! But my stomach heaved again and my heave drowned out the curse word he must have let out.

‘Eew! What on earth! A female voice followed with a very pissed groan.

My eyes were yet to cooperate, so I couldn't understand the reason the stupid bloke and his girl had to scream my splitting head off. Because of their outburst, my already-banging head felt like a bomb that was about to detonate. I wanted to die!

It was after all not my fault that they were playing "seven minutes in heaven" when my body reacted to the abominable cocktail that had visited it. Besides, last I checked, this was my flipping house!

Just as my body was about to give way and collapse on the slippery and foul smelling floor, my body heaved again and I wretched out another stream of vomit, feeling worse than before, if that was even possible.

Rough hands pushed me off as I heard the door shut noisily, but this time my head simply couldn't withstand the assault of the noise. Even with my eyes shut, I felt a thick fogginess take over and I gladly welcomed it.

I would take it any day over this feeling of near-death!

**********************

My eyes pried open, and I shut them immediately with a groan. Why did I have to pass out facing the window of all places?!

Between my hangover and the impossible brightness streaming through the window, my head felt like it would combust into smithereens! Hangover was a ruthless jerk!

I tried turning my body away from the direction of the brightness, but the crick in my neck made it impossible. I let out a croak that didn't sound anything like my voice at the sensation of the pain and wondered how on earth I was supposed to get up and out of the stinky bathroom if I couldn't move my neck or feel any of my limbs for that matter!

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door and before I could answer, I heard the creak as it opened, grating on my sensitive nerves and threatening to blow up my hung-over head. I made a mental note to tell the maintenance guy to lubricate it soon. The sound of the creaking door was closely followed by a squeal and a shocked shout of, 'Holy Tobias!'

Mrs Ike, my cleaning lady! Just what time was it? She never came in till well into the afternoon. Did that mean it was afternoon already? It probably meant I had passed out in this uncomfortable position for almost half of a the day. Little wonder I couldn't feel my body! But by the way, was Tobias supposed to be a holy somebody?

Morning, Mrs Ike!' I croaked with my eyes still tightly shut as I tried to crack a smile to ease the woman's apparent shock. I didn't get a reply for some seconds and I wondered if she'd bolted on seeing me. I didn't hear any footsteps though and I could tell the door was still open.

Wait! How did I drink myself into this temporary blindness?! Look at me trying to figure out my surroundings like a man who had lost the use of his sight organs!

'Mrs Ike!' I called out more forcefully, my voice half-cleared now and considered firing the woman for putting me through the trouble as the muscles in my head and nerves protested at the effort.

Yet, no reply.

What the heck?! How long did she need to get out of her stupor? It wasn't like I wasn't decent or anything like that! Or was I?!

Heck! Was I stripped?! I tried to recollect the events of the night that led to me passing out on the bathroom floor and gave up on the effort, as it threatened to split my head in two.

Oh, dear! I hoped I wasn't indecent. I hoped I did not scar the poor woman. I just hoped she could at least imagine it was her son, who I knew was just a couple of years my junior.

As I wondered what next to do that wouldn't actually make me pass out again out of pain, two pairs of footsteps ran towards me and before I could figure out which was whose, a voice that belonged to my gateman exclaimed, 'Ah! <em>Oga</em>!<em> I no know say na here you dey since oo. I for don come inside tey tey.</em>'

Could the human being be any louder?! My head protested so hard that I was determined to fire the crazy guy the moment I regained full use of my faculties and muscles.

*********************

Dear reader,

Thanks for reading Episode 1 of the series- REDEEMED. You can click the link below to continue reading subsequent episodes:
http://thespiritpen.com/redeemed-a-series-episode-1/

Yours truly,
The Girl with the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!

CHAPTER 2
'Mehn! Skinny, last night was mad! But after you downed that cocktail, you just disappeared and no one could find you. Wetin happen?' BJ asked as he sighted me and came over to join me in the club the next night.

I threw one incredulous look at him and shook my head. Alcohol sure does crazy things to people's heads. How could I not remember any of what happened to me last night, like, just how possible was that?'

'BJ, a quick one, yea?'

'Hit me!' My G replied.

'What on earth did I mix last night?' It was his turn to look at me incredulously.

'You seriously don't remember?'

'No, I don't remember a thing!'

'Mad ooo!' The stupid fella laughed.

'Man, you were high!' He croaked as he laughed harder.

That was not possible. I couldn't possibly have been high. I was the guy who always, without fail, had his shit together!

'Impossible!' I scoffed.

'Man, swears, you were legit high! Okay, consider the facts. You did something unthinkable, and now you can't even remember a single detail.' He laughed again.

I was getting irritated. I hated hearing that I didn't have my act together. If there was one thing I prided myself in, it was having my act together, no matter the situation, every flipping time!

'Bro, just tell me what one earth I mixed!' I growled.

'Whoa, whoa! Man, relax!' BJ cooed as he held his hands out as though to relax me. I hated what that implied and the clown knew it!

'Okay, man, I know you’re the boss, but last night you broke your own record. If I knew you didn't know what you were doing, I would have stopped you, honestly!' My eyes furrowed at the seriousness in his expression. That was BJ for you; he was either kidding or serious.

'You broke your own rules man! You flipping downed six glasses of Aunt Roberta! Yesterday ehn, I was half-afraid for you and half-amazed! Kai! You're the man, Skinny!' He said as he shook his head.

'What on earth?!’ I bellowed.

'Easy man! I thought you were taking your game to another level, so I just let you be! Besides, you had a real mob in your house yesterday. I would have legit been mauled had I tried to stop you. Those fools wanted to see you do your thing. I don't think anyone cared what you were mixing. They just wanted to see you mix!' BJ shrugged.

'Guy, are you high?' I asked with a calm I was not feeling at all.

'Man, it wasn't my fault! Sometimes, no one knows what you're going to pull off. You made your own rules man; you are allowed to break them! No fault of mine!'

'So, you mean, I was about to kill myself and you simply thought I was taking my game to the next level. What did I tell you the other day I mixed it when we were alone together? I said the day I take more than three glasses of that mix, e mean say life don tire me and you're here blabbing about level! What stupid level is that?!'

'Guy! I thought you-' BJ was saying, but I cut him short when I felt my phone vibrate in my jeans back pocket.
I held out a finger to him, as I said, 'Hold that thought.'

Every single muscle in my body tightened and knotted as I saw the caller ID. I picked the call and answered with a docility I certainly wasn’t feeling,
‘Hello.'

'Are you awake now?' The voice on the other end sneered. I ground my teeth as I held back a snarly reply, whoever tattled on me was sure going to pay for my efforts. If only I could lay my hands on such person.

'You know, even the most foolish choose their follies wisely.' I allowed a tight smile settle on my lips as my breathing labored. He was trying to get a rise out of me. Futile. I wasn't going to lose my cool no matter what and I know he hated the fact that I kept proving over and over, that this particular apple did not fall so near to his tree.

I loved the fact that I kept taunting him with the fact that I was still a better man than he was and since this self-control was the one thing I had working for me, I wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of ripping it off me. Never!

BJ's Adam apple bobbed several times as he watched my rigid reactions. I could tell he had guessed who was on the line.

'A poisonous alcohol mix, a raucous party that hosted the lowliest of earth's scum, and a stupid son, all under the respected name of Kalejaiye. But then what was I expecting of you anyway?' He continued. My breathing got shallower with every single syllable, but I held out! I thought my iPhone would snap considering the way I gripped it for dear life to my ear, fisting my other hand such that I could feel the bite of my fingernails into my palm.

After a short pause, he continued with an exaggerated sigh, even as several retorts I could have thrown back danced around my curse-bank.

'Anyway I expect to see you first thing tomorrow afternoon. 12 noon, the Palace.' With that, the phone beeped signaling the end of the call and I brought my hand down carefully, scared that a muscle would snap if I dropped it carelessly. My muscles protested at the motion and I knew I must have outdone myself with the control thing this time. I almost retorted at him. I was glad I held back!

As I dropped my hand, BJ released a sigh that made me chuckle mirthlessly. The poor guy looked blanched.

I swallowed as I put myself together and asked with a strained smile, 'Dude, how far you? I was the one on the phone, na you dey shake.'

BJ rolled his eyes as he replied, 'Man, I could cut through the tension with a knife, if I had one. He called me this morning, you know?'
My eyebrows shot up.

'Okay, better put, he had his secretary call me.' He corrected.

'Kaka,' I said, nodding. I knew there was no way Otunba could have made the call himself.

'What?' BJ asked with furrowed brows.

'Kaka, that's the name of the secretary.' I clarified.

'Oh! I see. Anyway, thankfully I was busy,' he continued, 'When I returned the call, he said they had gotten hold of you. How did you go AWOL like that?'

I was relaxed now and I leaned back on the chair as I replied, 'That one is boring story! Just save the secretary’s number and ignore it henceforth.'
BJ stared at me like I had sprouted a pair of horns.

'What?' I asked wondering at his reaction.

'I should ignore Otunba's calls?' He asked incredulously. I shrugged.

‘Today, you were busy, tomorrow, you could be at dinner with your girl, the day after, with your family. Anything! Just avoid getting into his web. He won't come at you for ignoring him because his secretary won't dare tell him you didn't pick. Kaka will just find another person to call. So don't think Otunba knows you or even knows that you're a friend of mine. If however, you turn yourself into Kaka's trusted informant, it's only a matter of time before your name starts popping up in their conversations, and once that happens and Otunba commits your name to memory, OYO is your case.'
BJ just stared at me unblinking, like I had morphed into a zombie.

I shook my head at his naivety as I slid my MasterCard towards him and said, standing up, 'The bills are on me. Pin's 8762. Send my card back to me tomorrow. That's for at least caring that I was high yesterday, even if I don't how that mere knowledge helped me, and for being busy this morning, because I doubt you would have been able to withstand Kaka’s interrogation.'

I left the guy with his jaw kissing the floor as I sauntered out of the club. I had to be at the Palace tomorrow. It meant something was fishy, but I learnt a long time ago how to do my homework so I didn’t walk into the lion’s den unarmed. Thus, I had a lot to do tonight. A smirk worked its way into my features and a spring found its way into my steps as I thought of how much fun I was going to have tomorrow!

Could hardly wait!

*********************

Dear reader,

Thanks for reading Episode 1 of the series- REDEEMED. You can click the link below to continue reading subsequent episodes:
thespiritpen.com

Yours truly,
The Girl with the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!

SpiritPen:
REDEEMED!

Hi guys! I began a new series on my blog- thespiritpen.com! I would like to share it here with us!

Anticipate! Participate! Be blessed!

Synopsis:
Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day,
Day I will never forget,
After I'd wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Savior, I met;
Oh, what a tender, compassionate friend,
He met the needs of my heart,
Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart.

Heaven came and glory filled my soul...

What comes to your mind when you hear that song?

Can you relive that beautiful joy of being redeemed and blood washed?

Well then, I suppose you can relate with Roland Oluwatomiwa 'Skinny' Kalejaiye as he handles a microphone for the first time in his adult life before an auditorium of believers.

REDEEMED!

Meet Skinny- writer by day, alcoholic by night, and things he'd rather not be for his dad at odd times in between. With enough family problems to reclaim the land lost to the Atlantic, and a devouring fear of becoming a mirror image of the person he hates more than anything in the world; his life had taken a downward spiral, that is until he met a strange doctor, with the most unlikeliest character and belief in the city of Lagos...

The first in the Crack of Heaven trilogy, you simply, honestly, do not want to miss this massive, mind-blowing, Spirit-inspired, power-packed and soul-lifting series.


Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace, Missmossy, Creditalerts

REDEEEMED- Episode 1

'Oshey! Baddest!' The crowd in my living-room-turned-party-den hollered as I filled six small glasses halfway with the chilled content from a cocktail shaker..

'Go Skinny! Go Skinny! Go Skinny!' They chanted as I gulped down glass after glass with only a deep breath between each. The delicious flavour of the daring cocktail burst on my taste buds but that pleasure was soon followed with an intense burning sensation as my insides caught fire, but the chants kept me going asI had a reputation to keep up.

I had many nicknames, depending on the crowd or the show I was pulling off. Today, it's Skinny, because here with me are the closest guys I roll with in this hood. A bunch of them have known me since Uni and since I've always been skinny and lanky, they'd dubbed me that name.

Tomorrow, it might be CJ, short for Cullen Jones, one of the best black swimmers of all time. That's if I was pulling this off in a club where they all knew me as the guy who could swim in alcohol and not drown under the influence.

As I downed the last cup, I could barely pry open my tightly-shut eyes. I felt the room turn upside down and then downside up over and over, despite the fact that my eyes were shut and the whole of my insides protested. My head swam in a sea of oblivion and felt as though it would split into two.

Before I could say Jack Robinson, I got a regurgitative feeling and I knew I was about to lose the alcohol, every meal I've had that day alongside my intestines in a heave of vomit.

The fish had outdone himself this time! What was it that I'd mixed again?

I pushed my protesting body in the general direction of the bathroom, and hit way too many bodies, objects and walls on the short trip there.

I heard a couple of chuckles too. Maybe from those who were not too drunk and wasted to discover that the guy they'd just been hailing was on his way to regurgitative hell.

Crazy fellas!

I had barely gotten to the toilet than my body give in and I heaved out the first stream of vomit!

'What the-' A hard baritone bellowed! But my stomach heaved again and my heave drowned out the curse word he must have let out.

‘Eew! What on earth! A female voice followed with a very pissed groan.

My eyes were yet to cooperate, so I couldn't understand the reason the stupid bloke and his girl had to scream my splitting head off. Because of their outburst, my already-banging head felt like a bomb that was about to detonate. I wanted to die!

It was after all not my fault that they were playing "seven minutes in heaven" when my body reacted to the abominable cocktail that had visited it. Besides, last I checked, this was my flipping house!

Just as my body was about to give way and collapse on the slippery and foul smelling floor, my body heaved again and I wretched out another stream of vomit, feeling worse than before, if that was even possible.

Rough hands pushed me off as I heard the door shut noisily, but this time my head simply couldn't withstand the assault of the noise. Even with my eyes shut, I felt a thick fogginess take over and I gladly welcomed it.

I would take it any day over this feeling of near-death!

**********************

My eyes pried open, and I shut them immediately with a groan. Why did I have to pass out facing the window of all places?!

Between my hangover and the impossible brightness streaming through the window, my head felt like it would combust into smithereens! Hangover was a ruthless jerk!

I tried turning my body away from the direction of the brightness, but the crick in my neck made it impossible. I let out a croak that didn't sound anything like my voice at the sensation of the pain and wondered how on earth I was supposed to get up and out of the stinky bathroom if I couldn't move my neck or feel any of my limbs for that matter!

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door and before I could answer, I heard the creak as it opened, grating on my sensitive nerves and threatening to blow up my hung-over head. I made a mental note to tell the maintenance guy to lubricate it soon. The sound of the creaking door was closely followed by a squeal and a shocked shout of, 'Holy Tobias!'

Mrs Ike, my cleaning lady! Just what time was it? She never came in till well into the afternoon. Did that mean it was afternoon already? It probably meant I had passed out in this uncomfortable position for almost half of a the day. Little wonder I couldn't feel my body! But by the way, was Tobias supposed to be a holy somebody?

Morning, Mrs Ike!' I croaked with my eyes still tightly shut as I tried to crack a smile to ease the woman's apparent shock. I didn't get a reply for some seconds and I wondered if she'd bolted on seeing me. I didn't hear any footsteps though and I could tell the door was still open.

Wait! How did I drink myself into this temporary blindness?! Look at me trying to figure out my surroundings like a man who had lost the use of his sight organs!

'Mrs Ike!' I called out more forcefully, my voice half-cleared now and considered firing the woman for putting me through the trouble as the muscles in my head and nerves protested at the effort.

Yet, no reply.

What the heck?! How long did she need to get out of her stupor? It wasn't like I wasn't decent or anything like that! Or was I?!

Heck! Was I stripped?! I tried to recollect the events of the night that led to me passing out on the bathroom floor and gave up on the effort, as it threatened to split my head in two.

Oh, dear! I hoped I wasn't indecent. I hoped I did not scar the poor woman. I just hoped she could at least imagine it was her son, who I knew was just a couple of years my junior.

As I wondered what next to do that wouldn't actually make me pass out again out of pain, two pairs of footsteps ran towards me and before I could figure out which was whose, a voice that belonged to my gateman exclaimed, 'Ah! <em>Oga</em>!<em> I no know say na here you dey since oo. I for don come inside tey tey.</em>'

Could the human being be any louder?! My head protested so hard that I was determined to fire the crazy guy the moment I regained full use of my faculties and muscles.

*********************

Dear reader,

Thanks for reading Episode 1 of the series- REDEEMED. You can click the link below to continue reading subsequent episodes:
http://thespiritpen.com/redeemed-a-series-episode-1/

Yours truly,
The Girl with the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!

Here's the cover:

REDEEMED!

Hi guys! I began a new series on my blog- thespiritpen.com! I would like to share it here with us!

Anticipate! Participate! Be blessed!

Synopsis:
Oh, what a wonderful, wonderful day,
Day I will never forget,
After I'd wandered in darkness away,
Jesus my Savior, I met;
Oh, what a tender, compassionate friend,
He met the needs of my heart,
Shadows dispelling with joy I am telling,
He made all the darkness depart.

Heaven came and glory filled my soul...

What comes to your mind when you hear that song?

Can you relive that beautiful joy of being redeemed and blood washed?

Well then, I suppose you can relate with Roland Oluwatomiwa 'Skinny' Kalejaiye as he handles a microphone for the first time in his adult life before an auditorium of believers.

REDEEMED!

Meet Skinny- writer by day, alcoholic by night, and things he'd rather not be for his dad at odd times in between. With enough family problems to reclaim the land lost to the Atlantic, and a devouring fear of becoming a mirror image of the person he hates more than anything in the world; his life had taken a downward spiral, that is until he met a strange doctor, with the most unlikeliest character and belief in the city of Lagos...

The first in the Crack of Heaven trilogy, you simply, honestly, do not want to miss this massive, mind-blowing, Spirit-inspired, power-packed and soul-lifting series.


Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace, Missmossy, Creditalerts

Hi guys!

I have big news! I have a new published eBook titled DARE TO HOPE and it's absolutely FREE! Yea, you heard me! Free!

What more? It's short! A six-chapter eBook that will keep you glued to your screen in a connect with Divinity. It can be finished in a sitting.

Just click on the link below to get your own free copy via email.

eepurl.com/hgsVBj

DARE TO HOPE - Synopsis:

Imagine you've been searching for something since forever, and finally when you find it, you realize you might not get to keep it due to certain reasons.

Then think of Abraham, the child of his old age and the commandment to sacrifice that child.

What do you think of God when you imagine those scenarios?

If you were to make a decision like Father Abraham did, between trust and logic, which would be your pick?

Confused as a bat?

Well, welcome into the shoes of Tade and Taiwo Agunbiade!

A couple in their late forties, married for close to two decades and finally having their first child. A miracle baby in all sense of thinking.

Until a medical report came in! One that informed the need to make a grave choice in what seemed like a lose-lose situation.

Taiwo had always thought everyone had it bad, but certainly not every Mary and Martha had it this bad. She had it tough in a rough kind of way...

Between six chapters of this Spirit-inspired read, and an epilogue, permit the Holy Spirit to take you through a journey of the God-required faith- blind, child-like and firm!

Just visit eepurl.com/hgsVBj to download your own free copy!

Stay blessed.

Yours truly,
Spirit Pen,
The Girl with the Winning Smile!

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace, Missmossy, Creditalerts

Ezekiel36vs28:
Thanks for the message beloved one of God.

Thanks for reading!

To Maintain and to Cultivate
(Written by Joy A. Adewumi)


'Whatever you get from heaven has to be maintained on earth! When God saves you from the power of sin, you have to deliberately latch unto His grace to stay righteous! When He sanctifies you, you are the one to make conscious efforts to flee from all appearances of evil and stay holy!

When He gives you a talent, you have to be intentional about honing that talent into a skill and using it to glorify Him and grow His kingdom. And even when God blesses you with a marriage match made in heaven, you need know that if you don't put conscious effort into making your marriage work, it could still fail!

You need to work with whatever God has given you for it to actually glorify Him! Did you catch that?!'

Usually, I would have zoned out of the sermon, bad habit, I know, but for some reason, as Pastor Chike, the new Youth Pastor charged on, all my faculties were at alert!

Somehow, his words were hitting me on all the right spots and I felt as though the point he'd just elaborated was the answer to all my questions!

Just two weeks ago, I was going through my FB feed and I saw a masterclass organised by Chidera, my former course mate. I shot up on the couch as if someone poked me! Chichi? She just never seemed 'Coach material'. But there she was, before my very eyes organizing her fifth public speaking masterclass in six months!

Shortly after, our class group celebrated Sumonu, the dude who almost never spoke a word, and was more like an outsider, for his win on a program-coding contest. Like, how did that even happen? We were all graduates of Arts and Social Science Education, for Pete's sake!

Then, the one that had my head turningoninown was Abimbola's graduation pictures, as she obtained her Masters of Advanced Studies in Data Science and Engineering, from the University of California, San Diego. As in, Bimbim, the girl that just use to slay up and down during NYSC back then! This girl would make-up for thirty minutes every blessed CDS day. Trust me, I never imagined she was MAS, UCal material. I thought it was all a dream.

Since that time, I realised there was more to do than graduate, get a job and live from day to day. I developed a hunger for something more, and each day saw me getting more restive and dissatisfied than the last. But, I didn't have the slightest idea what special thing I had in me. Even if there was one, I just didn't think I had it in me to amount to much. All I knew was I loved teaching and it was my profession.

Those guys with whom I was at the same level some four years ago now seemed like demi-gods. With each passing day, as I looked up the achievements of more of my classmates, I felt smaller and smaller.

I had nothing! I thought I probably wasn't greatness material. I mean, I have been teaching in the same secondary school since I completed my service year and even these days, my mum has been looking at me like, Madam, when will you move out of my house and get a new surname?

So, as Pastor Chike continued, I prayed a silent prayer that he would drop something that would show me what special thing I could do with my life.

'Now, that said, someone is probably thinking, "shebi, it's someone whom God has given something that will maintain it." And I say hold it dia!' Many of the congregants laughed but I was too busy bating my breath for his next words that I didn't remember to catch the humor.

'God has deposited in everyone something that has the potential to include your name in life's hall of fame. The only reason you are not manifesting in the realm of greatness is either because you have not found it, or you're too lazy to cultivate it!' He continued.

Tears of frustration sprung to my eyes as I groaned in my spirit,

'Lord, what is it!?'

'You might have to spend time with God to help you see what it is, and to ignite the passion in you to cultivate and maintain it!' Pastor Chike finished.

As we prayed after that sermon, I knew I was one of those whom God had in mind as He led Pastor Chike to deliver the message. This assurance fueled my cry as I poured out my frustrations and heart to Him. I was dissatisfied! I wanted to be more. Something told me I was made to be more. The Pastor confirmed it. And now, I couldn't imagine life going as docilely as it used to.

The next day, as I walked past my students during recess, I overhead one of them lamenting the sparseness of interesting and engaging videos for students in the humanities, unlike the abundance of visual aids the science students enjoyed.

I stopped in my tracks! Or more correctly, my feet stopped of their own volition, because I almost tripped. The sudden conviction in my heart was almost unmistakable! This was it!

Yes, it was nothing as glamorous as what many of my mates had achieved, but as I had prayed over and over since the previous day, the Spirit of God had made to understand that what He had planted in me, was not to compete with others, but to add value and to impact lives.

That day, I began asking my students questions, about how they would like a YouTube channel that would be their plug for videos that could explain further what had been taught in class.

Habibat, one of my students in SS3 replied, 'Ma, if you will be the one teaching it, I know 'A' sure for me in Government and Civic this WAEC.' Everyone laughed and agreed. Little did they know what they had watered in my heart.

As more answers came, I got lots of tips and motivation as to how to make the channel a real plug for humanities students, maybe even beyond the borders of Nigeria. I mean, don't all West African students take a unified final exam? I was over the moon!

I began checking up helpful materials. I read up and watched videos on the art of YouTubing. I made hundreds of mock videos and learnt from my mistakes. I allowed my sanguine streak shine through and outdid myself with engaging and humorous illustrations.

Then finally, the day for the launch came and I let all my students know they would now be getting a new YouTube channel! One where they could get in-depth understanding on some of the major subjects in the humanities- with Government and Civic Education to start with.

Their excitement was so evident that I was afraid of performing below expectation. But that fear was brought to permanent rest after dropping my first couple of videos. The bulk of SS2 Arts rushed to the staff room to talk excitedly about the videos.

'Please ma, can you upload everyday!?' Irawo was literally jumping.

'Oh my God! I never imagined I could  grasp Public Administration like I did from that video.' Tikare could not hide his cute dimpled smile.

'Wow! I always thought the way you taught in class is the ultimate o and that's why I was excited about the channel, but when I watched the videos ehn, I found myself watching again and again. With the way you explained the concepts and threw in jokes and fun exercises, I was wishing it was a 16-episode K-drama.' Ndidi, the assistant labour prefect quipped.

Tears sprung to my eyes at their comments! In fact, I almost lost it right there had I not been saved by the bell that signalled the end of recess.


Olamide, my colleague, the French teacher, turned to me after the students filed out and said,

'Kiki, honestly, those kids were right. I watched those videos too. You were amazing. I wish I had something like that when I was a student. If you keep this up, something tells me that our students will perform way better in this terms exams than in the previous ones.'

I was just shaking my head. I couldn't process all the information at once. I was overwhelmed. More importantly, I was motivated! This was my own great thing and I wanted more than ever to cultivate and maintain it!

Well, today is my vlogerversary! It marks a year since the channel began and I have about 50k subscribers, and no less than 70k views on old videos. Some months back, I began an M.Ed program- one I'm funding with the profit from monetizing my channel!

I'm still a teacher, but I'm impacting lives beyond the four walls of my physical class now, even beyond the borders of Nigeria, like I dreamt.

More so, I feel fulfilled with every single video and the multitude of comments showing appreciation that follow.

And each time I drop on my knees in gratitude, I bless those classmates who unknowingly challenged me out of the banal life I was living, and Pastor Chike who spoke up, helping my life never to remain the same.

Dear friend, I don't know what it is, but I know something that will celebrate God has been deposited in you! You just might have to cry out to God to help you find it. It also might be obvious and you're despising it, because it doesn't look as glamorous as what the person next door has, but I'll advise you despise not the days of little beginning.

Stand up! Shake off the docility and place your brand on the map!

The earnest expectations of the creatures await the manifestations of the sons of God.

*****************************

Yours truly,

The Girl with the Winning Smile,

Spirit Pen!

Source: Spiritpeninspirations..com

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace, Missmossy, Creditalerts

Creditalerts:
U

Lol, thanks!

Zara20:
just learnt a big lesson. Thanks

I'm so glad you did! Glory to God!

Damaris jolted to her feet as the lady who'd entered the pastor's office some minutes ago came out and shut the door behind her.

Finally! After waiting for about an hour and half, it was finally her turn to see the pastor! Were Counselling Tuesdays always like this?

As she walked into the office, she was presented with the familiar smiling sight of her pastor.

'Hey! Look at who we have here.' He laughed in his signature robust manner and despite herself and the reasons that had brought her there, she smiled.

'What brings you here, you could have called, you know?' Oh! She knew alright that she could have called, but calling was one thing, getting a hold of him was another entirely.

'I know, but really are Counselling Tuesdays always like this?'

'Right now, I don't know how many there are in the waiting room, but it wouldn't matter even if I asked, because just when I think I'm almost done, a couple more arrive. But this is the ministry to which I've been called and I'm more than happy to spend and be spent for the Master.'

Damaris nodded her head and smiled,

'I think it's a good thing I came around then. Somehow, I was beginning to get frustrated at how hard it's been to get through to you. The Holy Spirit however ministered to me to come here. It felt weird at first but now that I'm here, I totally understand. Wow!'

Her pastor smiled as he leaned forward and said,

'Things are very different from a year ago when you were last in the country. The church grew, you know?'

'I see that,' Damaris hummed.

'So, what brings you here?'

'Dad, I'm confused.' Her pastor, who just also happened to be her Dad smiled and replied.

'You know you look really scary whenever you get all soft, and start a statement with Dad?' Damaris laughed again despite the heaviness that had brought her to his office and had forced her to wait in line, for a counselling session with him.

'Trust me, if the situation weren't scary, I wouldn't have had to come over to your office and wait in line just to see you.' He hummed his understanding as he rested his arms on his big office table and intertwined his fingers.

'So, what the problem? We spoke just two days ago and you said the conference you're here to plan and host was coming along just fine? Is there anything else you did not tell me?'

Damaris nodded her head. True enough, she'd returned to the country primarily for a conference she was to plan and host, but her short intended visit was for a whole lot than that. That was just the physical aspect of her visit and it was looking promising. The spiritual aspect was what had her confused.

'Damaris?' He called, gently pulling her out of thougtsville. She sighed and said,

'While I was preparing to come over, God ministered to me that there is a project He wanted me to contribute to. He said He had need of my service on that project. Something about a youth outreach. I figured it had something to do with talking to them and stuff. Do you know how excited I was?'

'I can imagine, you were always and still are the outreach enthusiast. So, what's the problem?'

'Great question! The problem is that since I set foot on Nigerian soil a month ago, I haven't heard a peep with regard to that project. I feel like the instruction was all in my head. The conference would take place in a fortnight and a week after that, I have to go back to Manitoba. I have searched and asked all around for any outreach of that nature, but nothing! I don't know...what do you think I should do?'

'So, you searched everywhere and could find nothing of the nature of what God mentioned?' He asked as he touched his thumbs to each other rhythmically.

'Yes.' Damaris replied with her gaze fixed on him.

'Where did you ask? Who did you ask?'

'First of all, I talked to God and then I've been asking around from all the youth ministers I'm acquainted with, starting from the youth department here in our church?'

'Now, I'm more concerned about the reply you got from God, than the one you got from the youth ministers. What did God say?'

'Honestly, I didn't really ask Him. More like told Him that I was here now and ready.' Her dad smiled like he'd solved a puzzle and said,

'You know Dam, when God ministers a leading to you, no matter how much you think you have it figured out, you need to remain in the place of prayer for clarity. If not, you'll rush out, only to discover that you're only seeing men, as trees walking, rather than men, as men walking.' Damaris wore a perplexed look on her face and her dad smiled.

'Okay, let me simplify this. I pray the Holy Spirit ministers His and not my lame words to you.'

'Amen.' She murmured as he continued speaking.

'You remember that blind man in the Bible whom Christ healed?'

'There were a number of them.' Damaris chuckled.

'Okay, right. The one whom Christ touched twice before he began to see clearly. You remember now?'

'Yes, I do.' She affirmed.

'Good! Now, at the first touch, he received his sight, but only partially since he said that he could see men as-'

'Trees walking.' Damaris cut in, nodding vigorously.

'Great!' He smiled and gave her a thumbs-up. 'Then I'm sure you also remember that it took a second touch for him to see very clearly.'

Damaris nodded again and her dad continued,

'Well, it is the same in many situations of leading and instructions from God. Some people mess up the assignment because they rushed out whilst still seeing men as trees, thinking that's as clear as they need to see. Are you getting me?' He asked and she nodded firmly again.

 'When God says go, don't rush out and start walking aimlessly, you'll get frustrated on that journey. You have to stay a bit longer on your knees and ask, where?'

'Hmmnnn,' Damaris commented her lips pursed.

'Clarity answers many questions that several people don't realise they should ask till they face a dead end and think God has misled or forsaken them. God will never mislead any man, but several men tend to "misfollow".'

'Misfollow, yea?' Damaris smiled, shaking her head, 'sounds just about right.' He smiled and continued.

'So, you need to return to your knees and ask for clarity. What project is this Lord? Where would I find it? What am I supposed to contribute? How am I supposed to go about it? Those should be the main questions. You can't succeed in the ministry based on assumptions and presumptions.' Damaris leaned back with a sigh of understanding, but kept her gaze on him as he continued.

'Just because you're a public speaker does not mean your contribution to that project has to be your voice. This could even be the reason God has not linked you with that project, because you just might jump at it without asking anything further. I know your enthusiasm Dam, you're my daughter.' Damaris chuckled at that, nodding her head slightly.

He was right. She had assumed and presumed and might have made a mess of things had God not kept her waiting till she had to turn to her dad for counsel. And she was grateful she obeyed.

'Thank you sir, I feel so relieved now that I know what to do. And I'm glad I came to you just the way the Spirit of God instructed me to.'

He smiled and said,

'You know, my secretary did tell me you were around even though you asked her not to. She said you were bent on waiting in line and I asked her to let you be. It warmed my heart that you were so understanding. I know you're busy, but you didn't mind the wait. I'm glad.'

'Oh! I did mind the wait, but the Spirit of God would not let me jump the line, so I had to stay put. After all, it's the same Spirit of God I was banking on to minister answers to me through you. There was no sense in disobeying Him, not that there ever is. Thanks again sir. And God bless the work you're doing here.'

'Amen. You be good and be safe in that hotel you're lodging. I understand it's closer and all to your office base, but your mum hates the fact that you're home for the first time in about a year and you are staying somewhere other than home.'

'I trust you to help me calm her down. Besides, I'll be home a full week after the conference. So...'

'So, we should be calming down. I understand.' They both laughed at that, after which they prayed together and she took her leave.

With a lighter heart, she got into the car the conference organisers had given her to commute around while she was in the country. As she started the auto, she began praying in her spirit, prepping the atmosphere for the session she would be having with God once she got back to her hotel suite.

****************************
Dear Reader,

It's a joy to connect with you on the sheets of the Spirit again.

I hope the message was as clear as day. Just like an idea might not become a success without adequate strategic planning; so also beyond the initial leading, there's a need for clarity on any instruction you receive from Heaven.

May the Holy Spirit keep us grounded and patient to receive the best of the secret place experience, at every point in time in Jesus name. Amen.

Yours truly,
The Girl with the Winning Smile,
Spirit Pen!

Source: Spiritpeninspirations..com

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace, Missmossy

Missmossy:
More updates please I’m loving this piece

Thanks Missmossy.

It was a beautiful rainy and cool Friday evening, perfect TGIF mood and perfect recipe for blankets, desserts and Netflix, but Rhoda was killing the mood without even trying.

Rather than the normal talkativeness at the table as we took light dinner before settling into the delicious order of the evening, my roommate was brooding and pushing around my legendary Jollof rice on her plate. She hadn't even eaten a grain.

I had plans for tonight, beautiful plans that did not involve pulling out a moody best friend out of her melancholy, but apparently there had to be some adjustments to the plan.

'Madam, I don't know if you've noticed but you aren't eating.' I commented after a while.

'I don't have an appetite.' The human being had the effrontery to say! She was kidding right? This is my legendary, literally award-winning Jollof rice we are talking about here!
Even invalids develop appetites when my Jollof rice is on the menu! Besides, Rhoda always had an appetite. "Always" being the operative word.
She had to be kidding and I told her as much.

'Madam, you can't not have appetite. It's not possible. I'm not trying to brag here but it's my Jollof rice we are talking about. Perfect way to start a good weekend, one whose feel you're beginning to ruin by the way. So because I'm miffed and I deserve an explanation, I'll skip trying to reason with your lack of appetite and ask you straight up what is eating you up alongside your buoyant appetite.'

Rhoda dropped her spoon with a deep sigh and leaned back against the chair.

'Dammy, I don't want to talk about it. I feel bad about it. I feel bad enough that I'm even giving it any thought in the first place.'

I dropped my spoon too at this junction. Rhoda was the kind of person that believed talking about a problem is half the battle and that was the way she'd always chose to fight her battles. So if she was feeling this way now, it had to be worth her losing her appetite.

'I promise not to judge but I can't help but pry. You know what you always say right?

"Keep it in and it festers into a bigger sore. Keep it in and implode some day."

'That's your mantra, now prove you're no hypocrite and spill!' I coaxed softly as I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her back, squeezing her shoulder on the other side.

Rhoda released a shaky breath and shook her head as she dropped her head and said in a voice that was almost a whisper. So quiet that I had to strain to hear her.

'My new boss, you know the one I said came over from the US to inherit the company?'

'Yea, the supposed privileged spoilt brat that turned out to be a competent hardworker and winner both at work and womanizing. Yea, how could I forget? Every dinner you're always somewhere between ranting about his scandalous lifestyle and gushing at how brilliant he is at work!' I was hoping she'd at least smile, but though she didn't smile, the tautness in her shoulder eased a bit as she used one hand to swat my shoulder in a manner of mock-scolding.

'Well...' She then continued,

'Yesterday, a 6-weeks leadership training that would take place in London was announced, all expenses paid by the company and today he slipped it in during our one-on-one status meeting that we should have a dinner date to talk about my prospects of being among the selected five to go for the training.'

'Wow! Cliché much?' I gushed.

A dry chuckle escaped Rhoda as she finally raised her head and let it stay up. Then she dragged one palm down her face as she replied shakily,

'That's the point. It's so cliché and I should have walked out of that meeting with some power statement about how he can go ahead and eat his training for all I care, because I wasn't going to trade my dignity for one measly training. But I couldn't. Dammy, not only could I not say that to his face, I haven't stopped considering it since then. It's both infuriating and exhausting at the same time. I feel low and cheap.' A lone tear leaked from a corner of her eyes and I quickly wiped it off with one finger.
Then I asked.

'Rhoda, it's a date right? Somewhere expensive, candles-'

'Dammy, it's a "date" in his penthouse suite.' She replied cutting into my train of thought.

'Oh!' Was all I could answer and then asked again as I glanced at Rhoda's worn and exhausted face.

'Rhoda, is there a reason you're seriously considering this invitation?'

Shaking her head, Rhoda dropped her head again as if she was ashamed of her words and my heart broke for her confusion.

'You know how I was always complaining about how the former boss was so sexist and backward and how even the board of directors consisted of just one older woman very close to retirement. Well, I was hoping since I qualified for the training selection that I could probably use it to boost my portfolio and be a candidate they can't easily overlook next time a promotion opportunity pops up.'

I simply sighed beside Rhoda as I also leaned my back against the cushion. I could scold my friend and tell her not to even consider the matter again! She had to take her stand as a Christian and all that, but not only did she know all of that and was still confused, it was also easier said than done when you're exactly in those shoes.

Besides, telling her all that won't help any, considering she was already feeling cheap as it was for even being stuck at the valley of indecision.

So I simply sent an SOS to God for help.

Then a thought occurred to me.

'Rhoda!' I called suddenly as I jerked from my leaning posture and she did too in surprise.

'You know how you always said your being in this company in the first place is nothing short of a miracle?' She nodded her head and I could see the guilt clearly in the tears that shone in her eyes.

'Well, I need you to know your ticket to the next level, whether it is this selection for the training or something bigger is going to be from God too.

'You didn't sacrifice your salvation for this job and you won't sacrifice it to keep it or go higher in it.

'This new boss might not be denying ladies the opportunity to be selected for the training outright, but you need to know it doesn't make him any less sexist. Think about it? Is he demanding anything of the men in exchange for their selection prospects?

'More so, do you think you're the only one he's propositioned? Most likely not.

'If you play into his hands now and get selected? What's to say he won't do the same when a promotion opportunity comes around and if you say yes now, what's the point in saying no, when the stakes are higher?'

Right now, the tears were streaming down Rhoda's face and I could tell it was because of how hard it felt at the moment to let go of her indecision resolutely at the altar. I gently wiped some of the tears and continued.

'Babe, if the only way to get selected for this training is to sell your conscience, then maybe it's not God's plan for you. Just remember that God gave you this job and you can't afford to sustain a gift from God with carnality and sinfulness. It's not the path of faith, it's the path of self-management and fear. It was the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat.'

'It's no doubt difficult, but with God's grace we can lay anything at the altar. Ask for grace to trust God to take care of you as He's always done.'

Nodding her head, she sunk to her knees and right there as I held her hand, drenched in her own tears she sought forgiveness for grace to trust God resolutely because He had the best plans for her and unlike the best laid plans by men, His would never fail.

When she was done, I pulled her up and said with a mischievous smile on my face,

'I know just the right antidote for your melancholy! Pizza, ice cream and 16 hours of binge-watching this new K-drama rom-com I downloaded during the week!'

Rhoda sent me a look and whispered,

'Dammy, you're crazy. Your mates are doing 16 hours prayer retreat, you're doing 16 hours K-drama retreat.'

'I think it's worth it because you're smiling.'

She let out a little laugh and I delighted in seeing the tension and stress wash off her caramel-complexioned face.

'So, what's the title?' She asked as she walked into the kitchen microwave her cold rice.

'Uh-uh! I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away.' I teased and followed her into the kitchen.

One month later. Three men and two ladies were selected for the training and as soon as they landed the U.S. of A., Rhoda started taking pictures in a frenzy and sending them in an equal frenzy to me.

And each time I saw a picture of my friend bunched up in sweaters and mufflers in the spring weather with a megawatts smile on her face, I couldn't help but bless God for her decision because I knew Rhoda couldn't possibly have been as happy and free as she was if she had made the selection by crook.


*******************
And He said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David.

Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

1 Kings 11:31; 12:26,28 (KJV)
©Spirit Pen

Source: Spiritpeninspirations..com

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace

Zara20:
help me baba oo. More grace dear

Amen.

Thanks for reading.

The Snare
(Written by Joy A. Adewumi)

When the Pastor mentioned something about discernment two Sundays ago, I honestly didn't pay much attention.
The mention struck a chord of warning in my heart, leaving in its wake a burden to pray, but I felt there were more important points to pray about and only mentioned it in passing.

Now, as I stared at the young girl in front of me, I knew that slight mention in the sermon must have been for me, but I'd missed my chance.

'He's the one! I swear!' Deborah cried with fat tears sliding down her cheeks as she pointed at me.

The Principal's features were beginning to cloud over and her mother's fair-complexioned face was almost beet red with anger.

'He's been doing it since the beginning of the term.' She accused as more tears rolled down her face.

Oh my word! How can a fifteen year old tell such boldfaced lies and act so well while at it?!

I was not a pedophile for Pete's sake! How could I touch a girl, who was my niece's peer. And was the Principal seriously buying this?

Oh yes! He was. Never mind the fact that he'd known me longer than he'd known the kid or that he had always openly appreciated the grace of God upon my life.

I couldn't blame him though, with the act Deborah was putting on and the increase in cases of teachers taking advantage of their students, I probably would have done the same in his shoes.

'When we began our after-school lessons earlier this term, he said he preferred the class at the rear end of the halls. I didn't think he had any ideas, until he began getting close and asked me not to tell anyone. I didn't because I was scared.' The girl concocted further, probably noticing that the others were buying her lie!

The classroom in discussion was the one in which I was class teacher and the only room I had a key to. It only made sense that we held the tutorials there. Why was she making it look like I picked a strategic place for some crime? She must have thought this out well! Since when? I could only wonder. And my spirit answered, since that sermon two weeks ago.

'Mr Awosina, what do you have to say to this?' The Principal asked barely keeping it together from the looks of the tight fist he had made.

'Sir, I have absolutely no idea-' I was saying when the girl's mother cut in, her voice booming against the walls and frames as she shook her fingers threateningly in the air.

'Absolutely gba enu e ni be yen!('Absolutely' slap you there!) Are you mad?! You think you can take advantage of my daughter and get away with it? God punish you for that lie you were about to tell! Ewo, epe ni mo ma se fun gbogbo yin be se wa yi! (See, I'm going to lay curses on all of you, as you are.) All I want is for you to take responsibility for that bastard in her stomach! Shikena!'

My mouth dropped open in shock and the sudden limpness of the Principal's fist mirrored my astonishment.

Jesus! Heavenly Father! The girl was not only accusing me of taking advantage of her but also of getting her pregnant! My God! How was I to get out if this one?!

As the girl's mother issued out some more heavy threats dotted with a few colourful words, I remembered my niece's words.

She'd been home for the midterm break the previous weekend and because she schooled in a different state and the school calendars differed slightly, our midterms didn't align. She'd cajoled me into passing the nights at her parent's place for the duration of her midterm and just like every other request she's ever made, I couldn't refuse her.

'Uncle Paul, it's quite late.' She commented when I returned around 6pm on Thursday.

'Did you stop by somewhere or are you giving extramural classes? I thought you don't do those?' She'd asked.

'Well, the student I'm tutoring really needs help and the pay is very good, so...' I let my words trail off as I shrugged.

'I don't know why I feel uneasy, just be careful.' She'd warned simply.

Once again, like the message from the sermon, the Spirit nudged me to pray about the issue and take my niece's words more seriously, but I shrugged the feeling off, thinking Gifted, my niece was just being unnecessarily concerned.

Now, as I imagined how things would go from here, the rumors that were probably flying around the school already and the fact that I had no witness, to confirm my defense, I wished I had prayed about the issue of discernment and had taken Gifted seriously. That way, I would have seen this coming and found a way out.

Deborah cried harder and her mum asked,

'Oya, what are we saying oo?'

Suddenly the Principal's dull eyes came alive and a light came on in my failing heart! I hoped this was good.

'Deborah, did you say you had all your classes in that class at the end of the hall and that's where all these happened?' The Principal asked.

This girl... Wow! If only she could be this smart with her academics, she would probably be a straight A-student. She must have noticed the change in the Principal's countenance and her voice shook uncertainly as she stammered.

'Y- Yes sir.'

Looking from me to the Principal and then to her daughter, Deborah's mother had an inquisitory look on her face as the Principal shot his lithe frame out of his chair and charged out of his office, saying,

'Follow me!' I followed eagerly behind and could tell from the footsteps behind me that the others too did.

Students and teachers alike stared after us as we passed by and I knew they'd overheard the woman's shouts! I couldn't even be bothered about being embarrassed at the moment. Because that would be the least of my worries if this issue didn't get solved. I just needed God to forgive my neglect and get me out of this mess.

The Principal made a beeline for the mini ICT complex down the block and exchanged a few words with the operator when we got there.

Soon, videos of my classroom during school and after school hours rolled in, and we all watched as recordings of the after-school hours when I taught Deborah played. We schemed through the videos for each school day since I started tutoring her till the previous day, for almost an hour.

I didn't even know my heartbeat was moving at a mile per minute till it began slowing down and all my faculties returned to normal. I sunk into a seat as the Principal released a very audible and exaggerated sigh.

We both turned to mother and daughter and watched as the woman turned on her daughter, calling her all the names in the book, terming her disgraceful and disappointing.

As the drama unfolded, I was somewhat glad for the woman's loud voice, it meant as many people as heard her earlier announcement could also hear her now and I rubbed a palm down my face in relief.

About an hour later in the Principal's office, after a long talk with Deborah and her mother, and they had left, I dropped my head with a thump on the Principal's office table and sighed.

'Thank God for that CCTV recording. It was installed earlier in the session when the issue of picked class locks arose. The majority of the school had no idea how the issue was solved but so that cases like this can be unraveled we kept the fact that all classrooms and offices are under surveillance secret.' The Principal explained.

'Wow! I thought that accusation would be the end of my life as I knew it. And the funny thing is I've been getting some sort of warning, but I wasn't discerning!' I replied.

'Ha! Discernment! I don't joke with that ooo! It is suicidal for a Christian to lack a discerning Spirit. I learnt this from the story of Gedaliah the son of Ahikam in Jeremiah chapter 40. The chapter even stuck with me because if its importance. You should read it. That man died because he was undiscerning. You are fortunate God made a way of escape for you. Many people never got a second chance. Mr Awosina, go and sharpen your spiritual discernment. Your adversary the devil is roaming about looking for the unguarded Christian to devour, so you really can't afford to be undiscerning. The next time, you might not be so lucky.'

I nodded soberly to his words and mouthed thanksgiving to God for sparing my life and reputation.

*************************
Dear reader,

This message is certainly for someone. Please, sharpen your discernment.

I know, some one is probably asking:

'How exactly do I sharpen this discernment?'

What you do is simply ask your Father in heaven, who withholds no good thing from His children. And make sure to obey as the instructions come.

I pray we won't be victims of lies and conspiracies in Jesus name. Amen.

If you've been blessed, please make sure to leave a comment for me below in the comment box, before you leave.

Yours Truly,
Spirit Pen.


Source: Spiritpeninspirations..com

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29, tunjilomo, Zara20, Gleanwithgrace, Samproteins, Kazeemyetunde, 25ace

Zara20:
a lesson for all. Thanks 4 d mention dear.fleeing from sin is one way to overcome sin

Exactly! We've got to starve the flesh. Thanks for reading Zara.

AryEmber:
This is really amazing! I love it . Permissible to share?

Please, feel free anytime.

Zara20:
hmm quite inspiring

Thanks Zara.

tunjilomo:
Lovely.

Well written.

Thanks tunjilomo.

Do not Crash-read!
(Written by Joy A. Adewumi)


My mum and I howled in laughter as we watched a rom-com together that fateful Friday night. It was our special routine and it never got monotonous, she is a great movie buddy and since the apple never falls far from the tree, we have similar habits, like running commentary as the movie plays and pausing a scene to have a good laugh, or playing it backwards to watch a scene over and over again.

It wasn't a new movie, but the excitement and fun was always new!

A scene played out where a sixteen year old was writing a letter to God as to how she wanted her future husband to look like and as she allegedly innocently went on, it turned out to be an in depth description of the her high school's basketball team captain. At the realization, almost at the same time, mum and I burst into laughter with popcorns half-chewed in our mouths.

'Talking of God and future husbands...' Mum suddenly quipped after our laughter died down.

I turned slightly to her, giving her only half attention as the girl finished the letter, and tucked it in a box inside her bedside drawer.

'Have you been talking to God about him?' My mum asked.

My brows furrowed and a light chuckle escaped my lips, I paused the movie and turned to my mum.

'Mum? I'm just twenty-one. Surely I have quite a bit of time ahead of me before future husband comes along. Or are you tired of me already? You wanna shoo me the first chance you get?' I teased as wiggled my brows at her playfully.

She laughed lightly at my tease, and said,
'Come off it joor! You know that's not it.'

I knew that was not it, but I didn't know what it was either. My mum had something to say, and interestingly I wanted to hear this.

My mum who is so protective of her daughter and would sulk if she as much as saw a boy hang around me too long in church during my teenage years, talking about marriage?

This ought to be interesting!

'So, tell me mum, what is it?' I said, movie temporarily forgotten, angling my body to face her properly on the comfy sofa.

My mum released a sigh, set her bowl of popcorn on the small table beside her end of the sofa, and turned to face me too.

'It's just that I don't want you to crash-read for marriage, or take preparation for marriage as a crash course.'

'A crash course?' I scoffed.

What on earth was going through Mummy Temmy's head? I couldn't help but wonder.

'Yes, a crash course. You know those short term courses you take just to-'

'Muuuuummmm!' I half groaned, half cried as I interrupted her explanation.

'I'm a penultimate university student, I know what a crash course is and I know what it means to crash-read. I can't even count how many times I've done it in the past five semesters! Can we just go on to the real stuff?!'

My patience was running out and my mum wasn't helping matters, don't blame me!

'Okay, okay. Let me take it from this angle then.' My mum said as she readjusted her sitting position.

'Mum, not another angle again, the real deal!' I cut in unapologetically.

What's up with mum?! She doesn't beat around the bush. We shared the impatience trait after all, amongst many other things.

'Wait now, madam! I'm trying to get you to understand here!' My mum scolded, her patience slipping too. I wanted to laugh. This was a classic case of impatience jam impatience.

I nodded my head and apologized, asking her to continue, and she did.

'Okay, how do you compare the exam experience you get, when you've been reading a course all semester and you've covered the syllabus at least twice before the exam, with the experience of one you took after crash-reading a day or two?'

I pursed my lips, narrowed my eyes at no one in particular and smacked my lips, out of habit. That question wasn't hard,

'I feel super confident in the former, fly even, the tension is low and almost inexistent and half the time, those exams are always fun! The latter however, my palms would just not stop sweating, before, during and after.' We both laughed at that, and I continued.

'The tension is always mad, and I'm praying as much as I'm writing, and feeling a truckload of guilt for being irresponsible!'

'Well, there you have it!' My mum exclaimed, snapping her her right thumb and index finger simultaneously.

'Have what?' I asked with a small bemused smile.

'How do you feel going into marriage with that feeling?' My mum answered with a question of her own, and I got a pause.

Marriage? With the crash-reading feeling?

Honestly, I hadn't given my marriage much thought. Even in the campus fellowship when they discuss it, I just tuck snippets in my hearts, every now and then, I used to feel it was for the married and singles of age. I certainly didn't count myself as one of them. So marriage or marriage preparation talks were usually opportunities for giggling, laughing and feeling like I'm listening to an audio romance eBook.

However, I knew it was serious business. The more reason I never let myself dwell on it.

I always thought I couldn't concentrate on my studies and meander that maze at the same time. I always thought there would be lots of time to prepare and pray in the future.

The thought of going into marriage with a crash-reading feeling however gave me the chills. Real chills complete with goose pimples.

'Temmy?' My mum called, gently drawing me out of my thoughts.

'Ma?' I answered.

'I asked a question.' She said with a smile tipping one end of her lips.

'Yes, the question.' I replied with a heavy sigh.

'Mum, that would be terrible! Horrific even. I mean, we are talking "forever" here!'

My mum leaned back with a sigh, treaded her fingers together and said,

'That's why you can't afford to start preparing any later than now.

'Imagine hon, if you were to get married at 26, and you start preparing and praying now with just the right amount of consciousness, you would have had half a decade to pray, hear God, build your confidence in Him, get clear cut directions and promises and mould your marriage and future family in the furnace of prayer.

'Compare that with you starting to pray when you get your first proposal at maybe 23, and you're confused and perplexed. You'll be tempted to lean on your understanding and it will be like you're trying to make sense of exam questions you never read for, or never took time to understand and internalize when you read. You're most likely going to flunk it.'

My brain had a thousand and one scenarios playing in it as mum spoke, and all I could do was nod.

Mum continued.

'Also, you know that feeling that comes with an 'A' in a course you prepared hard for? The way you feel it's an attestation to your hard work and self denial? The way you appreciate it?

'You surely will agree with me, that's it's not to be compared to the feeling of luck that comes with a distinction from one you crash-read for. The memory never lingers, in fact by the next semester, you've probably forgotten the course title and half the syllabus, no?'

'Yes' I affirmed quietly in the dimly lit room.

'Well, it's the same with marriage. Some just get proposals, say yes because there are sparks and he is a good man and boom, they're saying "I do".

'You don't appreciate that kind of union like one you desired for years, one you prayed hard for, one you spent hours on your knees drenched in sweat travailing for.

'As a matter of fact, you don't appreciate a man or woman you never looked forward to having. You don't really appreciate his/her amazing traits if you don't remember praying for that kind of spouse.

'Rather you appreciate a man more, when you can boldly tell him that, "Honey, you're the man I prayed for."

'You'd do anything to make such marriage work. And when the situation is thicker than you think you can handle, you remember the promises God gave you personally concerning that marriage, and you'll find a reason to forge ahead and trust God.'

I stared at my mum, as though I was seeing her for the first time. This conversation was the first of its kind we ever had and I could almost hear my mum plead in her words and gesticulations.

She really wanted me to enter marriage, sure and convinced of what I was doing and suddenly, I wanted that more than anything else.

Truth be told, beyond thinking it was too early and that I didn't want to be distracted from my studies, I had real fears!

My mum and dad have the most amazing marriage, I am a product, I would know. I however knew stuff, hear about more marriages failing than working. I hear the slight misery and regret when a relative reminisced her single days and I wonder if my mum and dad's marriage was the last of its kind.

So, I would rather run from the reality than face it. Some days, I would convince myself that I'd just stay single forever, or that the rapture would take place before I had to get married, but that always allayed the fear only for a minute or two.

I however thanked God that night as we got back to our movie, that He used my mum to give me the perfect solution.

To start praying now. Surrender it all to God. Let Him take away my fears and give me my expected end. If early preparation and prayer was why my parents' marriage worked so beautifully, I was willing to pray myself to exhaustion.

And that was just what I did.

Now, six years down the line, as I knelt down before her and my dad, tears burning in my eyes at the thought of not being her precious little baby anymore, waiting on them for their prayers as they sent me off to my husband's house, I stretched, hugged my mum close and whispered in her ears,

'Mum, I didn't crash-read. It was a six years comprehensive course. I went through the full process and I have a deal with God. Don't worry about me, that man over there, is the exact person I prayed for. And more.

'You were right.'

Sobs wracked both our bodies as she prayed and prayed and prayed some more for me, before letting me go.

The End.

************************

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and He shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 3: 5,6.


Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29

SpiritPen:
Hi guys, I have a very beautiful short story for you. Please enjoy.


The Bed Undefiled!
(A short story)
Written by Joy A. Adewumi

'Madam, how far now? This one that you are dressed to the nines, where to?' I asked my housemate as she stepped out of her room looking good enough to eat.

'Oh!' She answered with her signature "canine-to-canine" smile.

'I'm headed for Tade's, he's feeling under the weather, so I want to go cheer him up with some goat meat and catfish pepper soup.'

A smile played on my lips. This Tade guy is one lucky dude sha!

Man! What I would do for goat meat and catfish pepper soup right now.

Then a ding went off in my head!

'Wait, babe! You're going alone?'

'Hmmn' Matilda replied absentmindedly as she went into the kitchen and reappeared with a neatly packed picnic basket, covered with a flowery napkin.

I thought to shut up, but what the heck?!

Matilda and Tade were engaged to be married in two short weeks and everything is in order, I wasn't just her best friend, I was her chief bridesmaid and I took that office very seriously!

In light of that, I believed I should say what was on my mind.

'Babe, this visit, would it be in his compound where your neighbors can see or behind...closed doors?' I asked trailing for effect.

Matilda glanced at me once, then again and when she saw I wasn't trying to tease, she turned and faced me squarely.

'Well, he's not feeling too well, I believe we would be inside.' She turned back immediately to tuck the napkin in the edges of the basket.

'Behind closed doors?' I asked again, emphasizing what exactly I needed an answer to.

'Of course, Mary! Would I leave the door open and go attend to him?!'

She was irritated now, but I'd seen her act worse, and I didn't care! I was going to drive my point to the very room I wanted!

'And you don't think there's a problem with that?' I asked again.

What's wrong with this babe?!

'Madam, if you have a problem, then by all means, spit it out!' Matilda spat!

This girl just stole my line, even when she knew exactly what I was hinting at!

'Okay then, thanks for the permission! Are you seriously going to visit your fiancé looking that delicious, all by yourself in a house he lives alone?' I asked in a painfully low tone.

'If I don't look delicious for my fiance, please who do I look delicious for, my pastor?!' The human being retorted.

'Babe, you know that's not the point! Stop playing games jare!' I was getting riled up.

What was this girl's problem?

'See Mary, I need to be on my way if I'll beat the traffic and be back home in time, get to the point.' Matilda said hinging towards the door, bag strap on arm, basket in hand.

'Okay, if that's how you want it. So you really want to go visit your fiancé alone in his house where he lives alone, and believe it's okay?

'Well, I won't waste your time, because I see all you've been doing is edging around my hints. You probably believe you're to far into the relationship and too close to your big day to make any mistake.

'You trust yourself, you trust him, you've both been practicing total abstinence and fully intend to continue till your D-Night, but have you forgotten that the devil doesn't respect spirituality in his persistence? Temptations don't recognize intentions and the flesh will go to any lengths to satisfy itself.'

Matilda's brows were furrowed now. I was preaching the exact sermon she believed she didn't need to hear because she felt she'd outgrown it, but I could sense her defenses coming down.

'Sweets, don't you think two-weeks-to-go is going to be a really regretful time to fall after all these years? Do you really want an opportunity to sin to meet with a temptation to sin in your courtship?'

She was blinking rapidly now and frequently shifting the basket from one hand to the other.

'You both are flesh and blood, and I bet the chemistry is mad, which is a big gift, but, hey! Do you really want to ruin the anticipation of your own gift with a theft?

'Two weeks, babe! Two weeks!

'You know this is unfair both to you and him! You're daring your defenses and stealing his, a sure recipe for disaster!

'Babe, I want to wear that beautiful corral gown hanging in my closet so bad, and be glad I was part of a beautiful union! Are you going to steal that away from me?'

By this time, Matilda had settled on the sofa opposite me and was rubbing her forehead with her fingers, and then she ran her palm down her face.

After a few seconds, she asked,

'Will you please come with me?'

'Five minutes, I don't want to be caught up in Lagos weekend traffic either!' I replied as I jumped off my seat.

Thank you God

**************
Dear friend, some quick questions:

Who's your closest company?

Do you even have that friend in your life who'll say the ugly bitter truth to your face without fear or favour, just because she/he can?

Or do you live a solitary life with no one to grab you by the hand and pull you back to your senses when you're derailing?

Lastly, are you already edging towards sin? Are you already playing tinko-tinko with Satan and think a slap won't land on your face, any moment now?

My sister once asked,

'These couples that satisfy their sexual needs before marriage, what (physical intimacy) do they anticipate in marriage?'

If you think pleasure is all the devil has to offer, think again!

My dear, shut down to the devil!

Flee from all appearances of evil! Regardless of how alluring it looks, it's a a path to damnation, ruin and regret!

Starve the flesh of all opportunities to sin!

Latch on to God's grace!

Cc: Lalasticlala, lolaspen, TemidayoRiches, Peculiar2020, ScientistGood01, Clemency24, TripleOne, Honymix, Genuisepoxy, glo03, Aymee, Adekemi01, Fumsin, TheEdenPlace20, Eunice112, Faithfulwrites2, Ruthina1, Beccawumi, Debbyboboye, trophygracie, Fayodamilola, Omeizadeborah, ShalomA, Oluwamarytalabi, nueltosin1, treasuretaiwo, Botapreneur, ASHSALT, Olajhidey22, PRE4, Zara20, Missmossy, Peculiarinspiro, Adunjesuara, Tinycoloredmira, Folanubi148, Bukoladauda, Daretobeone, DebbP, Multivite, Specialneedsedu, PeterSuccess1, QueenMoyinoluwa, Gracebupo, dunayodawodu, aved29

Bspecial001:
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I'm very much interested in working with you.

Hi guys, I have a very beautiful short story for you. Please enjoy.


The Bed Undefiled!
(A short story)
Written by Joy A. Adewumi

'Madam, how far now? This one that you are dressed to the nines, where to?' I asked my housemate as she stepped out of her room looking good enough to eat.

'Oh!' She answered with her signature "canine-to-canine" smile.

'I'm headed for Tade's, he's feeling under the weather, so I want to go cheer him up with some goat meat and catfish pepper soup.'

A smile played on my lips. This Tade guy is one lucky dude sha!

Man! What I would do for goat meat and catfish pepper soup right now.

Then a ding went off in my head!

'Wait, babe! You're going alone?'

'Hmmn' Matilda replied absentmindedly as she went into the kitchen and reappeared with a neatly packed picnic basket, covered with a flowery napkin.

I thought to shut up, but what the heck?!

Matilda and Tade were engaged to be married in two short weeks and everything is in order, I wasn't just her best friend, I was her chief bridesmaid and I took that office very seriously!

In light of that, I believed I should say what was on my mind.

'Babe, this visit, would it be in his compound where your neighbors can see or behind...closed doors?' I asked trailing for effect.

Matilda glanced at me once, then again and when she saw I wasn't trying to tease, she turned and faced me squarely.

'Well, he's not feeling too well, I believe we would be inside.' She turned back immediately to tuck the napkin in the edges of the basket.

'Behind closed doors?' I asked again, emphasizing what exactly I needed an answer to.

'Of course, Mary! Would I leave the door open and go attend to him?!'

She was irritated now, but I'd seen her act worse, and I didn't care! I was going to drive my point to the very room I wanted!

'And you don't think there's a problem with that?' I asked again.

What's wrong with this babe?!

'Madam, if you have a problem, then by all means, spit it out!' Matilda spat!

This girl just stole my line, even when she knew exactly what I was hinting at!

'Okay then, thanks for the permission! Are you seriously going to visit your fiancé looking that delicious, all by yourself in a house he lives alone?' I asked in a painfully low tone.

'If I don't look delicious for my fiance, please who do I look delicious for, my pastor?!' The human being retorted.

'Babe, you know that's not the point! Stop playing games jare!' I was getting riled up.

What was this girl's problem?

'See Mary, I need to be on my way if I'll beat the traffic and be back home in time, get to the point.' Matilda said hinging towards the door, bag strap on arm, basket in hand.

'Okay, if that's how you want it. So you really want to go visit your fiancé alone in his house where he lives alone, and believe it's okay?

'Well, I won't waste your time, because I see all you've been doing is edging around my hints. You probably believe you're to far into the relationship and too close to your big day to make any mistake.

'You trust yourself, you trust him, you've both been practicing total abstinence and fully intend to continue till your D-Night, but have you forgotten that the devil doesn't respect spirituality in his persistence? Temptations don't recognize intentions and the flesh will go to any lengths to satisfy itself.'

Matilda's brows were furrowed now. I was preaching the exact sermon she believed she didn't need to hear because she felt she'd outgrown it, but I could sense her defenses coming down.

'Sweets, don't you think two-weeks-to-go is going to be a really regretful time to fall after all these years? Do you really want an opportunity to sin to meet with a temptation to sin in your courtship?'

She was blinking rapidly now and frequently shifting the basket from one hand to the other.

'You both are flesh and blood, and I bet the chemistry is mad, which is a big gift, but, hey! Do you really want to ruin the anticipation of your own gift with a theft?

'Two weeks, babe! Two weeks!

'You know this is unfair both to you and him! You're daring your defenses and stealing his, a sure recipe for disaster!

'Babe, I want to wear that beautiful corral gown hanging in my closet so bad, and be glad I was part of a beautiful union! Are you going to steal that away from me?'

By this time, Matilda had settled on the sofa opposite me and was rubbing her forehead with her fingers, and then she ran her palm down her face.

After a few seconds, she asked,

'Will you please come with me?'

'Five minutes, I don't want to be caught up in Lagos weekend traffic either!' I replied as I jumped off my seat.

Thank you God

**************
Dear friend, some quick questions:

Who's your closest company?

Do you even have that friend in your life who'll say the ugly bitter truth to your face without fear or favour, just because she/he can?

Or do you live a solitary life with no one to grab you by the hand and pull you back to your senses when you're derailing?

Lastly, are you already edging towards sin? Are you already playing tinko-tinko with Satan and think a slap won't land on your face, any moment now?

My sister once asked,

'These couples that satisfy their sexual needs before marriage, what (physical intimacy) do they anticipate in marriage?'

If you think pleasure is all the devil has to offer, think again!

My dear, shut down to the devil!

Flee from all appearances of evil! Regardless of how alluring it looks, it's a a path to damnation, ruin and regret!

Starve the flesh of all opportunities to sin!

Latch on to God's grace!