Dedicated to my beautiful mum. ❤❤

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But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. --Matthew 6:33 (KJV)

"There is something far greater than what we can amass on earth. Amen. There is Someone Who is more than able to surpass our imaginations and thoughts and desires. But are we ready to truly let Him do His work in us? Are we ready to be and do what it takes to follow through? Is He your greatest desire?"

The pastor, who Posi learned to be Pastor Toba Bamidele, looked around the congregation with his eyes flitting from one member of the congregation to another before he continued.

"Scripture says in Matthew 6, in verse 33, the King James Version translation of the bible. Let's read together loud and clear from the media screen. Yes," he said as the congregation read aloud.

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

He turned to look at the congregation again.

"Seek ye first. Seek ye first," he repeated. "Seeking Him is the first thing to do before any other thing. He is the only One Who can truly satisfy the longing of your soul! He is the only One Who truly cares without a shadow of a doubt what happens to you. Why? He made you in His image and after His likeness! He made you to be like Him! He wants you, all of you. The broken parts, the flawed part, the ugly part, the beautiful part. Every single part and side of you. But are you willing to come to Him first? Are you willing to make Him first?"

"Yes, challenges will come. I assure you that. Trials of your faith will come. Apostle James in James 1, in verses 2 and 3 tells us the trials of our faith works patience in us. Patience. And he had afore written in the previous chapter to count it all joy! Glory! Hallelujah!"

The congregation erupted into whooping and cascading wave of Glory! Amen!

"And the most amazing part of all these is that whatever you're going through is a light affliction. Wow! No matter your situation, challenge or thorn in the flesh being suffered for being associated with God. Scripture calls them light affliction. Light, that is, not heavy, weightless, momentary, passing. And then, it went on to say it works for us, for you, a far more greater weight of glory! In other words, the glory outweighs the affliction every time. So, no matter what the devil throws at you, it is still momentary and passing because there is something heavier and weightier that God has for you."

Posi jotted down as she listened to her Pastor preach.

"Look at Abraham, Job, Jesus and countless examples in scriptures. It is all about giving Him first place in all you do."

"The condition to this is that this is only possible to those who are in Him. Those who have decided to seek their God first. Those who have made a firm decision to stay with him, no matter what happens. Then, and only then, will all other things be added. Everything you have been struggling and hustling to get. Everything you have been striving, working your fingers to the bone to get. The love of another, the money, the wealth, the recognition and fame, the car, spouse, the feeling of satisfaction and fulfilment etc. They can only be gotten when you're in Christ and have decided to seek God first. Amen."

"Now, all heads bowed and all eyes closed..." was the last thing Posi heard as her heart reflected on the word she had just heard.

Yes. She had only felt satisfied the moment she allowed God in. There was still a long way to go but she knew she was home.

And I am with you, Masterpiece.

Posi gave a toothy smile. She could hear God now, for herself.

Ever since her devotional on The Potter and The Clay, she had asked her friends about the still voice she was always hearing. They had explained to her about it being God speaking to her. They had even gifted her a book titled How To be Led by the Spirit of God by Kenneth E. Hagin.

Reading her Bible and the book had made her understand the ways God led His children and she recognized the voice as God speaking to her.

And she had a new name that He called her now --Masterpiece.

I should have a naming ceremony and add Masterpiece to my long list of Yoruba names.

Yoruba people loved to bestow on their children a plethora of names that their children may end up not using or knowing.

She snickered behind her fingers. And now, she wanted to add Masterpiece to the list.

It's totally worth it though. That's my real name now.

Ayomiposi Masterpiece Elizabeth Faleye.

If I rearrange it, I will have F.A.M.E. She smiled at her notepad where she had written her names out. Cool.

"Let's begin to package our tithes and offerings... "

"Oh, my!" she muttered softly. She had missed the entire announcement section of service.

*****

Tayo had tears in his eyes all through the sermon. It was like the Pastor Toba was all out to get him. His words felt like he had taken a peek into his life and knew what he needed to hear at the moment.

God was indeed good. The light afflictions part really caught him. Like everything he had been going through were light in God's eyes and should be to him too? Like there was something greater that will surpass the pain, anguish, loss, lost feeling and all he had been enduring over the months? Like God still had a mightier weight of glory for him? Wow. Just wow.

In his notepad, he had even drawn a weighing balance with the words affliction on one side and glory on the other. The affliction side was higher up while the glory side was down. And he had written "light; not heavy; passing, momentary" on the affliction side. And "heavy; weighty; humongous; lasting" on the glory side.

It made spiritual sense to him and he had begun to whoop and chant glory so much that the people sitting by him had given him the We-know-you-just-got-the-revelation-but-keep-it-down look. He had to mellow down.

He was still busy thanking God for the word after service ended as he walked towards the exit when he saw a familiar-looking lady beautifully dressed in black palazzo trousers and white turtleneck top a few paces in front of him. She even had the dreads flowing down her back and the similar arrangement of bracelets of her wrists. Just like his Posi.

My Posi ke? Mister Tayo, please, let's be guided ehn. And there's only one way to be sure she is Posi.

Shaking his head, he called out to her. "Posi."

*******

Who knows me in this church? Posi thought before she turned back towards the voice.

She was startled to see that it was...

"Mr Sijuade?"

She saw him frown before a smile overtook his features.

"Yes, it's me. Wow. Lovely to meet you here. So, it means it must have been you I saw on Thursday too. By the way, you look really beau-- great," he beamed.

This guy ehn. We are in church. Let me be calm.

She nodded in response as she looked him up and down. He was really dressed handsomely in his burgundy-coloured kaftan with a silver brooch of a crown and the cross merged together on his breast-pocket with matching shiny black shoes. He was carrying a leather notepad and his phone.

She didn't mean to, but her eyes saw his empty ring finger and she almost lost it again.

Taking a calming breath, she said, "Yes, Mr Sijuade. Thank you. I already sent the date for the shoot to your office. I guess I will see you then."

Then, she stomped off.

See, God. I can be calm.

She was sure Gerald and Funmi were already waiting for her in the parking area. She had walked a few paces before a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

*****

When she called him "Mr Sijuade" he knew something was wrong but he thought she was 'calming down' until he saw her peruse him and her demeanour changed again.

This young woman is like Warri rain. Very unpredictable. Chai! She should be calming down na.

And I don't know why her liking me bothers me this much. We just met!

Before he knew what he was doing, his legs and right hand, which he knew had definitely gotten a mind of their own, ran to catch up with her and landed on her shoulder respectively.

"Wow, the message this morning was awesome. Like I should seek God first because that's the only way I can be satisfied in life. And then, He teaches me how to navigate my way through life, and I can develop staying power through the trials I go through. Wow. Just awesome."

Gerald was narrating to Funmi. They had told Posi to meet them at the parking lot after service as they had served during service that morning. Funmi had been murmuring her replies to his summary of the message before he heard her exclaim.

"Uh-oh!"

"What happened to you bayii?" he asked as he turned to her.

"See," she said, pointing towards one of the exits of the church building.

As he did, he also exclaimed. "Uh-oh!"