Dedicated to Endurance Ekele ❤❤

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"... for God is love." -- 1 John 4:8 (KJV)

"But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."-- Romans 5:8 (AMP)

After the emotionally-draining day Posi had had, she felt a sort of unexplainable and indescribable joy fill her heart so much that she felt like she would burst with it. Her friends had left after ensuring that she was okay. They had even had some sort of celebration to welcome her into the family with wine and slices of red velvet cake.

Posi smiled as she laid in her bed. It was mind-boggling how her heart felt full and at the same time, she felt way lighter than she could ever remember feeling. It was truly amazing how opening her heart to the God she never once gave the time of the day could make her feel like she could conquer anything. She didn't feel bound anymore. The chains were off. The shackles broken asunder.

That feeling that her heart had always yearned for, was right there with her. Her search for something more was over. She had the Someone More.

She knew she still had some healing to do and some letting go to do, but right now, her heart basked in the true warmth of love she felt. It was cascading over her in wave after wave like the waves of the sea. She felt regenerated, remade, reborn. She was now in the League of the Born Afresh and Born Anew.

It is born again, Posi. She laughed staring at her ceiling.

She was even going to church with them the next day. She had asked Funmi what was appropriate churchwear and her friend had been more than glad to help pick out an outfit. Gerald had only rolled his eyes when he saw that they were talking about gowns and midi-skirts and ruffled tops.

With a whisper of thanks to her God, she smiled and slept off thinking. My God. My Father. Mine…

******

It was the Thanksgiving Day for the Sijuade Family. Tayo had woken up that morning filled with thanks to God for saving him, his family and restoring his joy. The royal family had picked the colour purple for their attire. The ladies all dressed in purple lace and cream coloured aso òkè for their gèlè, while the men wore purple kaftan material sewn into agbádá or just bùbá and sòkòtò with matching cream-coloured fìlà.

Tayo watched as his family filed out from the youngest Prince Adebisi, Princess Adebambo, Princess Adetutu, Prince Adegbenro, to himself. Their eldest brother, Prince Adekunle, had been unable to make it back in time for the ceremony. So they had settled for a video call/stream of the service as it occurred so he would still be part of it. And then the queens, Olori Aderonke, his mum, and Olori Ariyike stepped out hand-in-hand with wide smiles on their faces.

Even GP wasn't left out as he dressed in a trendy version of the customary dansiki.

His father was the last to come out with his own purple agbádá and royal beads strewn on him artistically.

I should get Posi to do my father's shoot too. Tayo paused at the thought. Now, where did that come from? I haven't even done mine to see if her work is good.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he greeted his parents and they entered their various cars to drive down to the church for the service. It was still early but his father wasn't one for going anywhere late. So, they left immediately with the convoy including armed mopol officers and the king's personal royal guards.

****

Wow. This is amazing.

Posi walked into the church auditorium of Christ Way Church, flanked on both sides by her friends. To a spectator, it may have looked like they didn't want to give her room to escape and she told them as much.  Her friends only laughed and continued their walk into the hall.

The hall looked like it could hold about 1000 people at once and was decorated tastefully with a large black-coloured backdrop with letter cut-outs of the name JESUS in ombre colours of purple, pink and white. The stage also had placements of white artificial flowers at all the corners along with the speakers on the steps leading onto the platform. The coloured LED lights gave the entire hall a feeling of homeliness and made her relax.

She had been very nervous as she prepared for service that morning. It being her first time and all. But she knew she wanted to come to a gathering where she believed everyone understood how she felt.

A smiling usher dressed in a beautiful, well-fitted royal blue gown, ushered them to a row on the left side of the main aisle. As soon as they sat, a man walked up to the stage.

"Good morning, Church. It's beautiful to see you in service this morning. Please, turn to your right and left and welcome someone to church with a hug, a smile and a 'how are you?'" The man paused as the auditorium was filled with voices of people greeting each other.

Posi turned to her left and right, and greeted her friends again as they were the ones on both her sides. They smiled at her in encouragement and she bowed her head as instructed by the man.

Before she knew it, she was lost in worship as the choir led them in songs of adoration of God. A particular one she liked went something like:

Your mercies are new every morning
This is everlasting
This is never ending
Your covenant is sure
Your kingdom has no end
This is everlasting

Oba Alanu (Merciful God)
Olorun Iyanu (Miraculous God)
Ni gbogbo ona (In every way)
Ese o (Thank You)

Posi was in tears as the worship went on. And as the pastor mounted the stage to minister, he preached on The Love of God.

Whilst he was ministering, Posi 'felt' the love he was talking about and she wrapped her arms around herself. The pastor went on to lead them in songs about God's love. There was another she really 'felt'.

I thought I knew what love was/3ce
But it's better, it's better

Your love is healing
Love is restoring
Your love
Your love

And on and on. The entire congregation worshipped God, some face flat on the ground, some on their knees, others standing with their heads and hands lifted upwards. One thing was common though: all had tears and a look of awe on their faces.

And Posi wasn't left out. With tears streaming down her face, she embraced the love of God and got lost in it.

After a few minutes that felt like hours, the pastor said, "You know, I had a very different message prepared for this morning's service. But as I opened my notes to preach that, the Holy Spirit said to minister on the love of God. God wants us yielded to him a hundred percent, 24/7 and 365 days a year. Amen. He said He has completed healing in the hearts of His people this morning. Hurts of past times have been engulfed by His love. Self-esteem and self-worth has been heightened. Hallelujah! Let's go up to God with a shout of praise."

The congregation erupted in a shout that reverberated through the entire building. Posi was so sure that people miles away would have felt it.

Even the Richter Scale must be able to measure this quake. She smiled at the thought as she joined in the rejoicing as best as she could. All these whooping and sudden outbursts of amen! glory! was strange to her but she was loving it.

Service ended on a bright note with shouts of rejoicing from everyone. For Posi, it was phenomenal how she felt His love. She felt the selflessness, purity, presence and person of Jesus.

And she knew she would never be the same. Again.

******

That evening, the royal family had a mini-celebration with just them in the dinning room. The king sat at the head of the table with his queens in both sides and the children sat according to their ages from the eldest to the youngest.

The Thanksgiving service had been a great one for them and signified a new beginning.

Tayo smiled as he remembered how the pastor had singled him out and told him to stand strong against the winds that may want to shake his faith and identity in Jesus, before he went in to pray for the family. He had smiled when the pastor said that to him because he had already overcome anything that will shake his faith for God had told him His grace was sufficient and His strength perfect for him.

That pastor is a true man of God.

His attention was drawn back to the table filled with laughter and clanging of silverware against plates.

This was where he belonged. In love and with love.

The King and his Queens are seated in one of the living rooms downstairs reminiscing about how the day went. They had full smiles on their faces as they thanked God again for how he had kept them together and strong as a family against the wiles of the enemy.

When Olori Ariyike yawned for the umpteenth time, Oba Aderopo said teasingly, "I think someone needs their beauty sleep."

"Yes, I do, my King. I'm going to bed. Goodnight, my King. Egbon mii, good night," she said to the king and Olori Aderonke as she gave them a hug and padded upstairs to her room.

"It's on nights like this I wish that my room was downstairs." King Aderopo and Queen Aderonke heard her mumble.

They burst into laughter as they shook their heads. "She's something else," Queen Aderonke said.

As they quietened, Olori Aderonke spoke up, "My King, don't you think it is time we told Adekiitan about what we have been planning?"

She watched as the king took in the posture of one in thought. "Hmm," he murmured.

"And what is that, mum?"

The king and queen jumped in fright as Tayo came into view.

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God's love is palpable and tangible. It sure can be felt. And I'm glad to be called His own. 🙌🏾🙌🏾
I'm sure you are too.

Love and Light. ❤☀