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3 | Already There

Please listen to 'Already There' by Casting Crowns for this chapter. It's a really beautiful song and one of my favourites and I know you'd love it too.

...

"RISSA!" My childhood bestie and neighbour, Natasha Joy crushes me with a giant bear hug the moment I step foot into the room.

"OhmygoodnessNaughtyIcan'tbreathe," I manage to get out before I die due to a shortage of breath.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. It's just that I missed you," she says, leading me over to the sofas.

"You see her almost every day, Naughty. You like, live across the street from us," Nathan points out, "Hey guys." Everyone in the room raises their hand in a greeting.

"That's not true. I did not see her today morning," Joy argues with him.

"Well, you saw her now," Nathan smirks.

"Dude, you know how she is. Don't ask her silly questions or anything, for that matter," Daniel comments.

"Seriously, what do you people take me for?" Joy asks, annoyed.

"Someone not to be taken seriously," Judah says, walking into the room. The entire group laughs while Joy rolls her eyes.

"Keep saying that and you will have no mouth to speak with," Joy threatens. She looks at me watching the entire exchange with an amused expression. "What? Won't you defend me or anything?"

"Boys will be boys, Naughty," is the only thing I say, and Joy bursts out laughing.

The boys roll their eyes. "Sometimes, I wish that I could put you both at two different corners in the world, but that would be of no use because you two are inseparable and you'll somehow find your way back to each other," Nathan says, "I'm glad that you two were in different schools. Because if you were in the same schools, you both would have to be expelled with the chaos you cause."

"Oh please, you're just jealous that she's closer with me and not you. Like, who wouldn't be if you chose a bestie over a cousin?"

"Hey, guys! What are y'all talking about?" Our youth pastor, Brian Campbell asks as he walks into the room with that signature smile of his. He carried four books with him, along with a Bible.

"Nothing important. Just how late you are, Brian. I've been waiting here for 15 minutes," Milly says.

"Aren't you guys free from exams from today onwards?" He asks, setting down the books on the table.

"That doesn't mean we have all the time in the world," Joy says.

"We're don't even have exams now. Our semester exams begin in the second week of next month," Judah answers. Judah and Daniel are twin brothers who live three houses down in our street. Now in university, they still come down here on weekends to attend youth group.

"Nia and Sarah still have their exams. They'll be free the next weekend," I tell Brian.

"Well, we'll pray for their success in the exams," Brian says, taking a chair to face us.

"Don't forget ours too. We'll need all your prayers. What with biology being too difficult," Nathan says.

"It was not," I tell him, "I don't understand why everyone's thinking biology was difficult. First Abeena, now you. It was quite easy to me."

"That's because you need biology for your future career Rissa," Judah remarks, "since you want to be a doctor and all that."

"Actually," I start to say. Nathan looks at me and shoots me an encouraging smile. I take a deep breath before continuing, "I'm conflicted."

"Okay," Brian says, looking at me. The others turn to face me as well. "Why do you feel conflicted?"

"I'm not sure whether that's the path I want to follow. Whether that's the path God has asked me to follow," I tell the group.

"Why do you feel that way, Rissa?" Joy asks me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"I've been having these dreams. Like, visions of the future. I don't think I'm in medical school in those. And don't ask me where am I because I have not a single clue about it."

Brian gives me an understanding smile. "I know how you feel Rissa. I had no idea what to do with my life when I was in secondary school. My parents, wanted me to take care of their law firm, but God had other plans for me. It wouldn't have been possible for me, being born to two non-believers to be working as a pastor if it weren't for God. And if He worked a miracle in my life, brought me here, to you guys, then I'm sure that He would help you find your destiny."

"No way. Your parents were atheists?" Milly asks with an incredulous expression on her face, "How on earth did you become a pastor then?"

"I don't know. A friend gifted me the Bible in year 9 of secondary school. And I couldn't believe it; I spent all my life searching for answers, when all the answers I needed were there in a book. I think it was then I heard a voice calling out to me, telling me that I had a greater purpose. And here I am."

One by one, the boys start clapping their hands and the girls join in too.

"Brian, I'm so glad that you decided to dedicate your life to preaching God's word, because Nerissa here would be lost without what you said right now," Daniel jokes.

"Shut up, Dan. I can speak for myself," I tell Daniel and turn to look at Brian. "Thanks, Brian, for sharing a piece of your past with us. It really means a lot that you did it to reassure me."

Brian places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "You should be thanking God, Rissa. I don't know where I would have been if I hadn't heard His voice calling out to me," Brian says. He stands up, pulling me up with him. The entire group follows suit. "Let's pray for Nerissa, shall we?"

"Hey, don't forget us too. We're also going off to college ya know?" Joy says, causing everyone to chuckle. We all hold hands and Brian starts praying.

"Dear Lord, we thank You for giving us this magnificent day, another opportunity to glorify Your wonderful name. We thank You that we are alive and well to be able to sing Your praises tonight. We thank You for the remarkable fourteen years of school life that has been completed by Rissa, Joy, Nathan, and Milly today and we ask that You guide them towards their success, so that they shall be able to testify that it was indeed You, Oh Lord, who counselled them to their victory. We pray that they shall be able to unearth the path that You have spoken for them. We also pray for Nia and Sarah who are yet to start their vacations, to perform well in their upcoming exams. Help them to understand their lessons and to remember everything they've learnt. Lord Jesus, we pray for Daniel and Judah, for success in all their endeavours. Father, I pray that you bless these kids, in everything that they do. Be with them, guide them, let them be able to exalt You, no matter what the circumstances are. Let them be a shining light, so that through them, the world can experience Your eternal love. Let them be the beacon of Your peace. Jesus, we thank You for all that You've done for us, and for all You are going to do for us in the future. You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. You know our past and You know our future. We pray that You be there to guide us in Your footsteps, to the blessings You've set apart for us. In Jesus's name, we pray, Amen."

"Father, we also pray for Brian and his family and for all the work he's doing," I start to pray, "I mean, he's so generous as to pray for all of us, but not for himself, so, we ask that You bless his family, especially his little girl, Taya. She's a ray of sunshine for all of us, so let the light in her continue to brighten the lives of everyone she meets. We pray that she be joyous in all that she does. Lord, we thank You for calling him to serve You, because we are really blessed to have such an amazing youth pastor and friend, and if You hadn't called out to him, I'm not sure youth group would be as interesting as it is now. But I wouldn't know if that is true, because I don't know how other youth groups function." At the moment the group starts chuckling. "Well, jokes apart, I want to thank You, Jesus, for bringing us together, for blessing all of us unconditionally, and for the other innumerable things You've done for us. If I say all that You've done for us, I think I'd spend the entire hour doing that." Another chuckle. "Jesus, You know all our dreams, You know what we aspire to become. I'm not asking that You do what we want, but help us achieve what we think is best for us, Brian included. I know You're listening right now; of course, You are, You're our best friend, after all, so I just wanna thank You, Jesus, for being You and being there for us. Amen."

"You should become a youth group teacher," Judah says to me as we all sit down. Brian goes to the tables and picks up the four books that he brought in earlier.

"Haha, very funny," I say, rolling my eyes.

"What's funny in that?" Brian asks me, giving me a book which looks like some sort of journal.

"Um... because I'm can't handle a bunch of teenagers? I don't know. I don't think I'm fit for it."

"Well, you never know until you try," Milly says, handing out the journal to Nathan and Daniel, "You did take the lead of the prayer today."

"That's because Brian missed himself out in the prayer," I tell her, "Look, don't ask me any questions about the future, okay? I'm confused but I'm also praying, so I hope it turns out well in the end. Don't ask more questions and disorient me than I already am."

Brian sits down on the chair across from me. "Look, Nerissa. If you're ever about perplexed about the future, just remember. He's already there," he says, pointing his eyes upward.

"If I hear one more song reference, I have no clue what I'm gonna do," Nathan says, shaking his head.

"Go and listen to it," I tell him to which he rolls his eyes. And then to Brian, "Thanks, Brian."

Brian beams at me. "Don't thank me. Thank Him."

I place my hand on my heart and smile to myself. Closing my eyes, I tell my Father, 'Thank You, Jesus.'

...

The best part about our youth group was this; we were all part of the church choir. Each and every one of us. We performed in one sermon every Sunday and sometimes on Wednesdays. And it helped that all of us knew to play at least one instrument. Judah played the drums. He'd been playing ever since he was seven, so Brian let him be our drummer. Nathan and Daniel skipped between the electric guitar and the keyboard. Joy played the violin, Milly played the keyboard and me, I play the guitar and sing. Brian was in charge of everything. It was his job to choose what song we performed when we performed it and what each one of us should do. And currently, while all of us were sitting around with our equipment, he was deciding on what song we should sing.

"What about Already There?" I ask him, by the time he's circled out fifteen songs in the list.

"Okay, why that song?" He asks me.

"Because, Number 1," I point out my index finger, "I love the song and the band which sang it. Number 2: Someone out there would need to be reminded about this, just like how I needed it today. And Number 3: because it just came up on my mind," I reply.

"Okay, then we'll choose that song," Brian says, "Okay everyone, places."

We take our places and start singing the song. Just as we reach the chorus, a sense of calm washes over me, and I sing out with all that I've got.

"When I'm lost in the mystery,

To You, my future is a memory,

'Cause You're already there, You're already there,

Standing at the end of my life,

Waiting on the other side,

And You're already there, You're already there."

...

Hey guys!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please comment on what you think about it. It helps me if I get some feedback on how I'm writing.

Question for y'all:
Can you play any musical instrument? If yes, which instrument do you play?

Thanks for reading, you guys. And don't forget to vote! See ya in the next chapter!

Stay blessed,
Destiny Grace.

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