A Lily Among Thorns

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚃𝙷𝙸𝚁𝚃𝚈-𝚃𝚆𝙾

✞ J U L I A N W E S T B R O O K ✞

Julian has a hard time keeping his composure as he paces across the church stage. He feels the Holy Spirit breathing in him, speaking through him, and it's making itself known in himself and the church.

"God doesn't do anything just because He can, He does everything with purpose!" Julian states. The congregation eggs him on with 'Amens' and clapping. "You think He let you fall because He felt like it or because you messed up the other day? He let you fall so that you can become a testimony! Big or small, God is always going to see ahead and He's going to put you through something small so you can receive something big!"

As the congregation claps, he chuckles and shakes his head. "The point is, as Christians, words like luck, fate, coincidence, and by chance should not be in our vocabulary. That's showing you think God didn't do it, or it just happened to be that way. Let me tell you something: nothing happens 'that way' unless God tells it to and if God is the cause, there is no coincidence."

The crowd eagerly agrees with Julian and he looks over at Bernard. Along with a pleasing smile, Bernard signals for him to wrap it up.

"I'll leave y'all with this before Pastor E prays out: Proverbs 16:33 says 'The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision from the Lord.' Not one thing passes Him without His knowledge, not even the enemy's sneak attacks. Last thing— Romans 11:36, 'For from Him and through Him and for Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.'"

People cheer Julian on as he swaps places with Bernard, sitting by his wife, Camille. She smiles and laughs softly. "If you two looked alike, I would've questioned if I gave birth to you," she compliments.

Julian returns the smile. "You think I did alright?" he asks.

"You tell me!" she says and she gestures to the congregation Bernard fails to calm down. "You have a gift, hun."

Bernard prays out the church and people start to trickle out little by little. Julian walks over to Celai gathering her stuff together. "So, what happened last night? You never texted me back," he says.

She purses her lips. "Well, Kassima and I rode here in separate cars, that should tell you everything." Julian frowns and she shrugs. "I tried to talk to her but she kept pushing me to the side. And then..." She turns and grabs her jacket, clearly stalling.

Julian crosses his arms. "And then what?"

She hesitates. "It just didn't work. We started getting into it again. I can admit it was my fault this time though, I let my anger get the best of me."

"So are you going to try again today?"

"Maybe later. I might just chill at Jayelle's house for now. Are you going to your grandmother's today?"

"Yeah. You should come with me."

Celai laughs and when Julian doesn't join in, she stops abruptly. "Wait, you're serious?"

Julian chuckles. "Yeah. She's cool."

"Um, no, that's okay. I'm not good at meeting families. I get nervous."

"She doesn't bite. And it'll only be you, me, and Nyomi. That's all my family."

"I thought Sabrina and Marquis stop by too, they're not doing that anymore?"