Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;

 in all your ways submit to him,and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3: 5-6

 

 

Ruth P.O.V

"Kyunhyun! Siwon!" they stop and search to where my voice comes from turning their ways towards me.

"Hey! Where are you heeding to? Don't you have any class?" Jane asks.

"It's finished. We're going to the round table near Admin building. Why are you still here? Aren't you going?"

"We're still waiting for Mark, he will coming with us. Jane invited him to encounter. I hope he will join us there "I answered.

"Speaking of which, when will that be again?"

"Still 3 months from now."

"I hope Mike will come" Siwon depressingly uttered on his lowest tone. Mike is an active member of youth; he is part of the praise and worship team before. Everyone look up to him because of the talent he has. He is approachable guy and always participate in Christ-encounter intended to the newly recruit members every year for the Christian organization in school.

"Mike your brother? I haven't seen him in church. Why?" Jane curiously asked Siwon whose expression become sadder.

"Got a small problem." he honestly answers avoiding spilling the bean.

"John is looking for him because he never comes to practice after..." Jane pause for a while swallowing her saliva glancing on Siwon trying not to offend him of anything that she blurted out.

"After your mother's death" Jane said in a weak voice regretting for opening the topic. Siwon stiffly nodded.

"Well, yeah. I really don't know what's happening to him. He doesn't want to talk to anyone of us, not me and not even dad." He lamented.

"How's Anne by the way? Kyunhyun asked changing the topic not to make things awkward for all of us.

"She is fine. She was discharged last week. It was disappointing, you know what I mean right?" we all nodded. When the news spread, everyone was in shock, couldn't believe what happened.

"John was disheartened hearing what happened to your sister as well as pastor Harold. It saddens him knowing that some of the youth are turning to a different path." He added.

"Does she go out?"

"Nope." Most of the people who knew about what happened are the topic of their gossips. They even label me like I'm a sister of a . My sister made a mistake I know but they're too much. My mom and dad are quite ashamed too. If only I knew from the start that they're doing that thing then maybe I can warn her or keep my eyes on her."

I blanched. I couldn't sleep these passed few days thinking about it. If only I did tell her, maybe it wouldn't happen. I'm guilty. My conscience keeps on hunting me. It feels like it's eating the whole of me.

"What are they saying? It's their own choice whatever they do. I am sure your parents didn't anticipate things to happen. No parents wanted their children to be lead astray." Kyunhyun explained. I sigh in relief, thanks to Kyuhyun. Siwon remain silent, listening to the discussion.

"They say, "How can a praise and worship leader do that? Did she know that her father is an elder of the church? Isn't she ashamed of what she had done? She should not lead the praise and worship service again, it shouldn't be. "Jane continued making our eyes widened of what we are hearing.

"Did they really say that?" I couldn't believe it. I mean, I know that some of the church members are opinionated regarding that matter. For all have sinned and fall short on the glory of God.

"They did. If I am not mistaken, Brett Hemilton will use that against me. Believe me like what he did to Katherine."

"Is he really that bad?" we all averted our eyes to Siwon who innocently question us.

"I'm just asking" he muttered in defense.

"I really don't want to say anything against anyone but If possible don't hang out with him especially when he knows you are a Christian" I speak out.

"Why does he hate us that much? I mean us, Christian believer."

"Personal reason."

"I saw Mike hanging out with him. I'm scared about the ways my brother turning."

"Did you talk to him? Confront him?"

"He tried but the confrontation was the worst decision he had done." kyunhyun interjected sitting beside Jane.

"What do you mean?"

"His brother said, "The old him is dead".

"That's awful" we all groaned in distressed.

"Very awful"

"We should include your brother in our prayer list, it's the only we can do right now."

"Include my sister too." Jane mentioned. "I know how it feels Siwon. When I found out about it, I didn't believe it at first because I thought I know my sister so well but I was wrong. I don't know her. Since I was young my parents told me that I should be a good example to her since I am the oldest and the one who bears the responsibility. The main reason why I don't date anyone if am not sure if he is the one that God set for me is because I wanted my sister to follow my steps and my ways. Years passed, I discovered that she's having an affair with Travis. I was reluctant to accept it but slowly in time, I did. I love her so much, she's my sister. She is our baby. I trusted her. My parents did trust her. We felt betrayed but what can we do? I am her sister after all. She is their daughter. We are family. We are hurting but what's hurtful most is when people judge your entire family. We are not perfect." Jane openly shared restraining her self not to let her tears to fall down. "If I were you, I'll never give up on my brother."

"PUSH - Pray Until Something Happens" Kyunhyun exclaimed

"Thanks. Even in Five minutes miracles do happen." Siwon smiled.

"Ruth, I think Mike will not come. I'll just text him later."

"Is he still mad of me?" I worriedly asked Jane.

"Perhaps." I clicked my tongue in distress.

"Come on! It's already 5 o'clock Gabriel might be waiting for us." We walked together on the admin building when we already notice the leaders of the discipleship waiting with Gabriel. As soon as we come, Gabriel already starts the meeting with a short prayer.

"So, it's decided. The leadership training will be held at Gracechurch. The one who will train you guys is the president himself. Please prepare yourself for 2 days trip. If there's anyone who cannot go please tell me ahead of time." he announced.

"Can I ask a question?" Michael said, putting aside the guitar from his lap.

"What is it?"

"Are you sure, we are welcome there?"

"Well, they said it will be fine. I confirm to phoebe and she said they will welcome us."

"Why won't they welcome us there? The pastor of the church is a great guy. We met him during fellowship, right?" Jude confidently answered.

"Haven't you heard?" Michael asked us all.

"Hear what?" we asked back in unison.

"There's a separation of church right now because of the conflicts on the higher ups." Kyunhyun who is wordless in the entire time finally speak. If there's someone who knows everything that is happening to the church especially the higher ups it's him since he is the son of our senior pastor.

"No, I haven't heard anything about it. What's that's all about?" Jane admitted.

"The churches are now divided because of the two leaders fighting for one position. Some wanted the other and there's some who wanted the other one. The one who lose doesn't want to step down to his position.

"Oh! That's bad. It's political." People surrounding me begin to murmur as Kyunhyun honestly answered their questions.

"So, does it mean that there's a possibility that they will not welcome us just because our church is supporting the one opposing to the one they're supporting?"

"Exactly."

"But we are there for training not for debate"

"I know but people do not have the same mindset like yours."

"Well, that will be bad." We all saddened by the news. Since kid we never heard issues like this.

"Last Sunday, Clarence invited us to their church so we went there but what welcome us are the people themselves asking us on which side we are. I was kind off confused at first because I don't have any idea what they're talking about. So we asked Clarence, then he told us about what happened." Michael confesses. Clarence is the youth president in church in other side of the city.

"So they will question you before you enter to worship? Sounds like that"

"Yeah, but Lawrence answered the man who asked that we're not there for anything. But we went there to worship. We're bringing the name of Jesus and not of a man and not of our church."

"That's right! We will be there for training only. I'll talk to Phoebe about it again." We all nodded. "As of now, please include it in your prayer list, " Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."

  "The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry."  Psalms 34:15

"We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy." Daniel 9:18

 "In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalms 5:3

 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us."  1 John 5:14

 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."  James 4:3