Fortitude

28-Focus

The truth is, having a goal without aim is
senseless, but having a goal without God is
pointless.

Mike Todd .

______________________________________

Raziya

I honestly couldn't sleep that night. I sat on my bed, still in his jacket, taking in his scent. My mind went back to how close we were. How I wanted to run away, but I just stood there, waiting.

I needed to talk to someone. Lily seemed to have an eventful evening with Mark so I chose not to bother her. The only other female I could think of was my mother and I honestly didn't want to know how she'd react. So I did something I hadn't done in nearly a whole year. I called our youth pastor's wife. We had been really close and she always carried such great wisdom when it came to complicated questions about Christian relationships.

"Raziya, it's been a minute. It's quite late though. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I hope I'm not bothering you,"

"When my girls call, it's never a bother. What's on your mind?"

"How do you know that a guy is the right one for you?" I blurted out before I changed my mind.

"Okay, I'm gonna need more than that,"

I narrated to her a brief story about how Taji and I met till where we were at the moment.

"Oh, I know him. He's the guy with really great hair right?"

"Yeah."

"Do you like him?"

"Yes..."

"Have you prayed about where the Lord wants this to lead up to,"

I gulped then chocked out a silent no.

"Well, I know you know what to do. Figure out what exactly it is that you feel about him. There is a thin line between love and lust. I can't help you know that since every relationship is different. The one thing I could tell you though is to read Songs of Solomon 8 verse 4. It's a step to answer a bunch of your questions. However, make it clear what your boundaries are. But above all else, pray."

We talked a little longer about her children and my family plus a couple of other things. When we ended the call, I went straight to my Bible, which I hadn't touched in what seemed like forever.

"I command you to take an oath, O daughters of Jerusalem, That you do not rouse nor awaken my love Until she pleases."

Song of Solomon 8:4 (AMP)

》《

Sunday started as it always did. I however used my ushering position to scan the congregation for Taji. It'd barely been 24 hours and I just wanted to see him again. A pair of hands covered my eyes and my senses were taken over by the familiar scent of cedar wood, musk and mint. I knocked his ribs with my elbow making him wince as he laughed.

"What's with the violence strawberry?" he asked spreading his arms for a hug. Lily appeared and jumped between us and slung her arms around our shoulders.