"I came to the library but those books were nowhere to be found. I even asked the librarian and she claimed that she had no knowledge of them or perhaps where they could be," Sienna sat in the familiar spot we occupied the day before, frustration etched on her face as she recounted her unsuccessful visit to the library. The books she sought were nowhere to be found, and even the librarian claimed to have no knowledge of them or their whereabouts. Perplexed, we pondered who could have taken the books, our minds racing to unravel the mystery.

"Okay, let's recount our talks to figure out who might've been listening without our knowledge."

We wracked our brains, desperately trying to recall any individuals who might have been in close proximity while we discussed this significant matter, but our efforts yielded no results.

Turning her attention to Enna, Thato inquired if she had divulged the existence of the books and her perilous discoveries to anyone other than our small group. We were fairly certain she had only confided in us, as she had no other friends or siblings, and her closest cousin lived some distance away.

"No, you guys were the only people I had shared this with," Enna sighed, her voice tinged with disappointment.

Thato then redirected the focus to me, questioning whether I had disclosed the secret to anyone. As I retraced my words, I realized that there was indeed one person to whom I had let slip this confidential information.

"Nio, I told him," I admitted, causing both Sienna and Thato to react with wide-eyed astonishment, drawing confused glances from those around us and a reprimand from the librarian.

"Please, let's calm down," I urged, attempting to defuse the situation. "Yes, I did share it with him, but only because I trust him implicitly. He is the most reliable person I know, and I am certain he has no involvement in this."

"What!" they both exclaimed, their disbelief palpable.

"I assure you, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is trustworthy," I reassured them, unwavering in my conviction. I knew him intimately, and my faith in him remained unshaken.

"Alright, I have faith in you. However, the issue is that I can't incorporate this information into my journalism research because it lacks sources and reliable information. The deadline for the research is in four days, so I'll have to find another topic to write about. Thank you for your assistance. I'll contact you later," she said, feeling disheartened that she couldn't hug us before leaving, which was our usual routine.

After Sienna had disappeared from sight, Thato turned to me, as I expected, and began questioning me.

"Listen, Des. I know you have strong feelings for Antonio, but that doesn't mean you should trust him with everything. I'm going to be brutally honest with you. You tend to be gullible, and people, including him, can take advantage of that. Remember how Samuel deceived you, making you believe he was a good person worthy of your attention, only for you to discover that he was actually a deceitful individual?" I knew Thato's words came from a place of love, but I couldn't help feeling anger welling up inside me.

"Are you suggesting that Nio is a liar?" I accused her, pointing my finger at her. Yes, she was my best friend, but she had crossed a boundary she shouldn't have touched.

"I didn't say th-" she started, but I interrupted her by raising my finger.

"I don't want to hear it. Not only have you questioned my judgment, but you've also portrayed Nio as some kind of antagonist. I won't sit here and listen to you say all of that," I declared, standing up from my chair, grabbing my bag from the floor, and leaving without another word. She called out to me, but she didn't follow. I thought it was best that way.

As I made my way to the cafeteria, I accidentally bumped into Giovanni, who happened to be heading in the same direction.

"Ciao, bella. How has your day been treating you?" he asked in his heavily accented voice, accompanied by a charming smile that could easily captivate many girls.

I sighed. Over the past few weeks, we had grown closer, and I considered him a friend, so I could confide in him, albeit with some filtering. "Not so good. How about you? How has your day been?" I swiftly changed the subject, not wanting him to pry for information I wasn't willing to share.

"Same old, same old," he shrugged, winking at a few girls who were ogling at him.

During the numerous encounters I had gotten with him, I had seen him with a fair share of different young girls hanging from his arm.

" Giovanni, can I tell you something?" As usual, I was too timid to openly share my faith.

"Sure," he nodded, momentarily moving his gaze from the girls, to give me his undivided attention, which I greatly appreciated.

"We live in a world filled with so much evil and worldly desires. In a world where immorality has been condoned and defiling the marital bed has been seen as a great achievement but that is not the plan of the Lord, His plan and will is that all people receive salvation and turn away from all lustful and worldly desires and temptations. In the book of 1 Corinthians 6 verses 18 through 20 says that We should flee from sexual immorality! “Every sin a person commits is outside of the body” – but the immoral person sins against his own body. When you sleep and engage in sexual activities you are sinning against your very own body.

His Word further says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit? For you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body."

"What do I mean by this? I mean that your body should glorify the Lord, it should bring Him praise, not sorrow. It should be a home for Him to abide in, not steer clear of," I allowed the Holy Spirit to speak through me, as I hoped that Giovanni would have ears to listen.

"I hear you, Bella. But, how do I even start? I barely even know the God you speak so highly about. How do you believe in someone whom you have never even seen?" Giovanni was like a lost sheep being brought back to the Shepard, Jesus.

Oh, what great joy there is in Heaven over this lost but soon-to-be-found sheep!

"Faith is believing in the unknown and fully trusting without seeing, trusting without knowing and trusting without hearing. I have faith that God is alive without needing proof, though He has given us more than enough proof. From our very being to the vast skies, to the chirping birds. We can see HIM through His creation. It would not make sense that something so beautiful and vast as the Earth would appear out of a mere mistake and that is because everything you see is not a mere mixture of hot particles that just happens to explore. This is all His doing. He commanded everything we see into existence but the enemy had to cause a rift between the Lord and His people thus leading to all evil and suffering we see today. We were all supposed to die eternally but God loved us so much that He gave His one and only begotten son so that whoever believes in Him shall be saved and enter His Kingdom, Heaven. It was such a sacrifice that we get to receive salvation today, free of charge. Our sins have been lied on the cross, carried by a righteous and sinless Man who was willing to die for us."

Giovanni gave me the most intense gaze I had ever seen in him. He was deeply musing over my words. Thank you, Lord.

"When you believe with your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, your sins that were stained scarlet red are washed away and turned as white as wool. You become a new creation, you are born again. The old is gone and the new has come. The Holy Spirit abides in you, He becomes your Chancellor, your Guide and your Help."

Now the most important question came, a decision that would change the shape and entire perspective of his life and eternal life. This decision would change where He spent his eternity.

"Do you wish to receive this gift of salvation?"

I held my breath.

"Okay... I think this God seems like a good and caring Creator so I want to accept Him into my life," he smiled anxiously.

My heart almost leapt out of my chest out of excitement, joy and happiness.

Can we just give the Lord a big round of applause?

"Then please repeat after me," I took his hands in mine. "Lord Jesus, I come to your this day acknowledging that I am a sinner and I am repentant, opening up my heart and life unto you. I believe that you died on the cross and rose again on the third day, I believe that you are the son of the Most High God and my Lord and personal Saviour. Come into my heart. Come in today. Come in to stay. Write my name into the Book of Life. I am a born-again Christian. In Jesus' Name, I declare... Amen."

When he opened his eyes I saw a glisten in them, they looked so lively, filled with joy and happiness that it reflected in me. I felt joy in my heart. A soul had been brought to the Kingdom of God and I couldn't be more happier.

Now that you have accepted the Lord as your personal Savior, your faith needs to align with your works. Along your journey, you may encounter difficulties, challenges, and even temptations. However, remember to stand firm and resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Keep in mind that you have been cleansed by the precious blood of Jesus. Despite any negative voices from the enemy, you are free from the chains of sin. You have been set free and welcomed into the family of the Lord," I explained, ensuring that Giovanni understood the potential trials he might face and the importance of remaining steadfast in his commitment to God.

"Okay," Giovanni replied, a small smile forming on his face, indicating his determination.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, please know that I am always available. Thato and I also have a Bible study every Friday, and you are more than welcome to join us, and you could come to church with us," I offered, extending an invitation for physical and spiritual growth.

As we continued our conversation, I realized how far we had walked. Now, we stood before the grand doors of the cafeteria that opened wide, revealing a bustling crowd of students. Suddenly, an important thought crossed my mind.

"Do you have a Bible?" I inquired.

"No, but I could borrow my aunt's Bible, Antonio's mother," Giovanni replied after a moment of thoughtful silence.

"No, here, take mine," I insisted. I always carried my Bible with me, almost everywhere I went. And now, it seemed destined to assist someone else in navigating their physical and spiritual life with Christ.

Giovanni hesitated, expressing his reluctance. "No, there is no need. I can just buy another one."

"No, I insist. This Bible has helpful notes that can guide you when you come across challenging passages or concepts," I explained, handing him my Bible, adorned with a blue cover.

"Thank you," Giovanni said, clutching the Bible as though it held the very essence of life itself. I couldn't blame him; when you believe in Christ, the Word becomes sacred, transforming ordinary pages into a vessel of divine wisdom and truth. You hear the voice of the Lord as clear as day.

"All of heaven is rejoicing because you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your Savior," I declared, closing the physical distance between us and embracing Giovanni. In that moment, we stood as friends and siblings in Christ. Giovanni awkwardly reciprocated the hug, perhaps still adjusting to the warmth and love that radiated within the Christian community.

Thank you, Lord, for guiding Giovanni into your loving embrace. May his newfound faith continue to flourish and bring glory to your name.

A/N

Hello, dear readers. I hope you are all faring well!
I just wanted to take some time to apologise for my long overdue update. I know I have not updated in a long time and I am so sorry about that. I had quite a bunch of things to take care of but now I am free and I will try and give you a consistent update.

Thank you for your patience and love. I see all the votes, comments and reactions and I appreciate that a lot.

I hope this book can help you in your journey with Christ and you can learn something new about the Lord.

God bless you!