"Reconcile" The word echoed in his spirit and soul
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As soon as pastor Simon left the house to commit that which the enemy had prompted his heart to do, Apostle Aondofa Daniel drove out heading to his spiritual parents' residence with the determination to close all lapses and be back fully on track with his Lord and the assignments to which he was born for.
"Pee pee peee?" He honk at the gate and the gate man opened slightly to check who it was. Recognising the Lord's Apostle's car, he opened up to him and he drove in quietly.
His Spiritual father, wife and children were at the sitting room watching the television when he came in.
Sighting from the window Apostle Aondofa Daniel's car, his father was thrilled and ran out to check on his son as he was much surprise to see him unexpectedly.
As the Lord's Apostle drove his car to a stop and stepped out, his Spiritual mother was already at the doorstep standing beside her husband.
Immediately he took note of them, he went on his knees ashamed and began to tip-knee to where they were standing with broadened smiles waiting to receive him.
The joy on their faces was much, for such, his father could not await to have him kneel for long. He and his wife walked over to him and embraced him in his arms.
"Welcome son!" He said and his wife held Apostle's arms as he was ushered inside amidst tears.
The Lord's Apostle was crying and raining down tears when he got inside the sitting room with his Spiritual parents.
They allowed him to empty his soul of the anguish that had filled it.
"Daddy I am sorry, mummy I am sorry. I am that prodigal son that has returned. I was blown away by the wind of foolishness, disobedience and ignorance. I am sorry father! Please show me mercy and have compassion on me your son..." He pleaded.
"My son, it is enough. You have been forgiven by us and we pray same that the father forgives and show you his endless mercy for wandering away and causing his work in your life to scatter in array as it is today.
We have not ceased to cry out onto the Lord for you daily, that he finds you wherever thou have been lost and return you into the pen. We are glad our prayers have been answered. " His father said and comforted him.
Apostle Aondofa Daniel then shared with them all that had transpired in his life, things which were caused by Pamela, the daughter of the devil.
His spiritual parents watched in silence as he narrated the full diplomacy of the activities of hell in his life.
"It was a tutorage that was needed to culture those hardened in their hearts.
My son, I thank God for you that he allowed you to go through all of these as an act of his mercy towards you." His spiritual father came in.
"Daddy, you call all that I went through an act of God's mercy?" Apostle Aondofa Daniel asked
"Yes my son. It isn't hard to understand. All that you went through was an act of God's mercy over your life.
Your heart was too strong to be dissolved by those the Lord sent your way, for the said reason, he gave you over to the devil to be taught a lesson.
Do you remember the story of Nebuchadnezzar?"
"Yes daddy." He answered.
Then you should know that seven years were supposed to be your years of lesson in order to dissolve your stubborn heart. After those seven years, you were to be restored to your position but you found grace in the sight of the Lord in three months, for you searched to receive his mercy which is heavily poured out on you.
Apostle Aondofa Daniel was marveled by this which his Spiritual father had said to him, yet he believed the truth behind every word that came out of his mouth.
"Have you gone to reconcile with your mother?" He asked.
"No daddy. I planned coming to you first." He replied.
"Then spend no more time with me. I and my wife have seen your mother cries nights after nights. She loves you son. She doesn't deserve to cry and weep because of you." He Spiritual father told him.
"Yes daddy. I will be traveling home this afternoon once I leave your place, but daddy, I am worried about Pamela. The Lord instructed me to burn the sketch and she would be destroyed. I came down from the mountain to do so but she is no where to be found. The sketch too has disappeared, after multiple search, it is no where to be found. Please daddy I need help."
"What sketch are you referring to my son?" He asked and the Lord's Apostle explained to him that the sketch was his drawing of the lady he desired to marry, such as was Pamela to which the enemy took and carved out the person of her personality."
"Hmm, I can see that you really went far but thank God for his mercy over you my son.
I learned the Lord asked you to destroy it. Since its destruction would result to that of Pamela, now that you can't find it, turn to the Lord in prayer again and he would direct you to it whereabout.
I and my wife will continue praying for you without ceasing." His Spiritual father responded.
Apostle Aondofa Daniel appreciated him going down flat. From there, his joy returned and he drove home, had a quick bath and began his journey to the village to seek pardon from his mother.
When he arrived home, everywhere was gloomy with none of his family members in the compound. People in the village were giving him a sad gaze and having side talks about him.
As he stood helplessly wondering what was wrong, his mom's best friend walked into the compound and fell onto him weeping;
Why have you decided to take your mother to an early grave Aondofa?" She asked wiping tears off her eyes.
"I don't understand mommy. What is happening? what early grave are you referring to and where is everyone, where is mommy?" He asked spontaneously as a fraction of others poured in to solicit and welcome him.
"My son, your mother has cried every day and night, she refused food and anything that would revive him. Why of all women did you choose to go and marry a witch?" She asked again.
"Mommy I am sorry for everything but can I at least know where my mother is?" He responded pleadfully.
"Your mother was rushed to the clinic yesterday and has refused to talk. Her eyes are closed, her mouth sealed yet only her heart beats." She told him and he sighed, for he couldn't even begin imagining that his beloveth mother was dead when her friend asked him why he had decided to take his mother to the grave.
"What of the others?" He asked.
"Your elder brother's wife is in the clinic with her where she is admitted. Her husband and Benjamin is not yet back from the farm. The children are left with me in my house." She answered as the children appeared coming from a distance.
"Thank you mommy, please can we go there now?" He hurried and asked her as he hopped into the car and she did same.
As Apostle Aondofa Daniel drove fast with his heart beating, he phoned his doctor down town and requested that he send an ambulance to transport his mother from the said clinic to the city for better treatment.
He ended the call as he was driving into the community clinic.
"Mommy you mean all these were ongoing yet nobody phoned me?"
"Your elder brother warned that nobody should try getting through to you because in the last months, you had shut down everybody." She answered.
"Ah, I am sorry, please you people should forgive me." He wept as he came down and rushed into the hospital to meet his beloveth mother on the bed completely unconscious.
In the midst of bitter tears, Apostle Aondofa Daniel knelt beside her and pleaded for mercy;
"Mommy it's your son. It's me your favorite, your carbon copy, the one you cherishes and nursed from birth. It's me mommy, it's i your son and friend. Forgive my foolishness and youthful lust. I am back now. Your son is back." He cried yet Mrs Anee Mbazedan Roseline lay still with no word and respond.
The Lord's Apostle then began to pray. He prayed for a long while before he felt tall shadows entered and stood behind him. They were his elder brother and Benjamin.
They watched him pitifully. The anger in his brother's face dissolved and was replaced with great compassion for him.
The two of them and his mommy's friend join him in prayer and they prayed for a long while before the doctor came in and excused them.
His elder brother's wife had left home to prepare a meal for the family.
About thirty minutes later, the ambulance from the city arrived and she was taken to a private hospital for extensive medical attention.
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"Daughter, that's your son calling. I want you to return back to him." The Lord told her as they took a walk on a serene path of beauty, the highway to home everlasting.
"I understand his agonies and pains my Lord but I want to be home - forever in your arms, far away from the problems of life." She responded.
"Yes you will..." The Lord answered and they continued moving.
Apostle Aondofa Daniel stood there watching his mother breathe faintly with no word or a blink of her eyes.
At this moment, the midst that had fallen upon his eyes cleared. He could see better. His heart had received light and could understand better. He became remorseful and humbled in totality.
He was reminded of the exceeding love of his beloveth mother, the one that cherishes him. Her excess care, friendships, prayers and counsels. She was a warrior who could bring down a city for his sake. He was pained why he had allowed her ho through all that she had gone through. He felt a sense of foolishness in all his past actions regarding marrying beauty and the materialization of that foolishness into marrying the devil's daughter in the person of Pamela.
He fell on his knees beside his mother again and pleaded for mercy as his soul hungered to hear her voice speak a word onto him.
Now he understood how precious it was just to hear the ones you love speak a word back to you, how much of a blessing it is.
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The following day, leaving everyone in the house, he drove out early morning heading to a destination undisclosed.
He arrived at a beautiful house and the gate was opened up for him to come in. The gate man was already aware that he was evangelist Victor's friend so he welcomed him in and asked him to hold on as Victor was having his devotion.
"But oga, you did not call him?" The gate man asked humbly.
"We have not spoken on phone for a while. I wanted visiting in person." He replied.
"No wonder oga. For a long time you have not come to visit. I have been wondering what is wrong." The gate man responded.
Just then, Evangelist Victor called and he went to answer.
"Who came in this early morning?" He inquired.
"It's your friend Apostle Daniel oga." He answered hurriedly.
"Daniel? Are you sure of what you are saying?" He questioned surprisingly.
"Oga see his car packed outside. He is sitting outside waiting for you." He answered and evangelist Victor commanded him to bring the Lord's Apostle in quickly.
Apostle Aondofa Daniel was brought in. When their eyes met, he humbled himself and wanted to go on his knees but evangelist Victor quickly stopped him from doing so.
The two spent close to three hours talking and expressing emotions.
It was indeed a wonderful reunion.
But there were questions on Evangelist Victor's heart who had fallen in love with Esther from the moment she came to his ministry to minister in the single sister's fellowship.
Now that Apostle Aondofa Daniel was back and their friendship has reignited, how was he going to face him with his desire of Esther for wife which he believed was coming from God? Will he now be the one offending the Lord's Apostle and how will he even be able to face him?
His heart boiled with many thoughts, yet he had to pretend everything was fine. Definitely, if it was the will of God for him to marry Esther, He (God) was going to make a way for it to come to fruition, but he would trade with caution not to cause issues between him and the Lord's Apostle.
The two men expressed great worries over what had happened to Pastor Simon and promised to stand by him.
With all these given attention to, Apostle Aondofa Daniel returned home to meet with Esther the following day.
The news of pastor Simon's predicament was disclosed to him while in the village but he didn't give much attention to it because the issue of his mother was key on his heart.
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"...Esther, find a place in your heart to forgive me. You have been instrumental to the calling of God upon my life. All this while, I have known deep down in me that you were that one ordained by the Lord for me but I was grossly blinded by lust for the things of the world which resulted to my marriage with Pamela.
The Lord has healed my heart and has instructed me.
I know we can't be together again. It hurt me. I pleaded with the Lord but he told me he has another son of his for you.
I just want you to know that I won't stand on your way. I had in time past been a stumbling block on your fulfilment but now the Lord has opened a door for you to be fulfilled. I promise not to stand on your way.
Whoever it is that the Lord has chosen, I am ready to stand by you, support you and ensure your marriage is heaven on earth. Only find a place in your heart to forgive me and return back to the ministry." Apostle Aondofa Daniel pleaded.
Esther listened with tears rolling out of her eyes.
She could imagine deep, travel far in her thoughts and ask a million questions why life is tough most often. There was still a spot in her heart for the Lord's Apostle but it was never meant to be again.
Such feelings hurt beyond what words can tell.
The Lord had already spoken to her about evangelist Victor and she was only waiting for him to take a move and approach her.
But despite the Lord's Apostle's words, she still feared how he would take it knowing that the new provision for her was no other person but evangelist Victor.
Well, she determined to wait until Victor approaches her. The two of them would keep low while praying and asking the Lord for his leading, how to bring him into the picture without causing issues, especially now that they had reconciled.
The discussion and traveling of thoughts took a distance time but at the end it was a great reunion.
The night of same day, the Lord appeared to his son Apostle Aondofa Daniel and told him he had done a great job of reconciliation, that which had ushered him into a new realm of total freedom, peace of mind and ministerial growth.
When he woke up, he was completely healed - the joy on his heart unfathomable.
Even as concerning his mom, peace was restored. His only fear came from the misery of Pastor Simon who had murdered Vivian and was arrested by the law.
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"Hello man of God," His doctor called in.
"I have some good news for you__mommy wants to see you." He told the Apostle.
The news excited him so much that he drove out to the hospital looking tattered.
When he came in, he found his beloveth mother on a sitting position waiting to see him.
His joy rejuvenated and he fell into her arms like a little baby weeping.
He wanted to knee and ask her for forgiveness but she stopped him;
"I have listened to all your cries. I am back my son. Cry no more." She said and embraced him tightly.