PAULINA... A Life With A Difference
© OLAYEMI GRACE

EPISODE NINETEEN
It became the order of the day for fellowship members to gather and try to do a mental sketch of how the upcoming executives would be. It was as if that was the only thing they could think of or even discuss.

There were various rumours as to who would be the next president of the fellowship and the most unthinkable was the one that said that Paulina might likely be the president.

“She is a lady for Pete’s sake,” George said in frustration as he took his seat on the edge of the bed in Paul’s room.

George and his friends had been discussing about the hot gist and suddenly Isaac, one of his friends mentioned Paulina and he could not hide his frustrations. They had all noticed how dedicated she was and it was only a fool that would ignore the possibility of her becoming their president and that didn’t go down well with the brothers in the fellowship.

“More reason why I’m certain it can’t work,” Emma said and continued pressing his phone.

“It has never happened before and it won’t start now.”

“We have never had a female president in this fellowship and such abomination would not happen while I’m still on this campus.”

“How would people see the brothers in this fellowship? Like we are not serious with God or we don’t have the qualities of a leader and that is why a mere female would lead us,” George said.

“A weaker vessel for that matter,” Isaac said and they all laughed.

“That same weaker vessel has been the evangelism coordinator for more than a year now and she was the first female to hold that position and more so the first person to be an executive right from 200 level,” Paul who had been quiet since the beginning of the conversation said and they all closed their teeth.

“She has a lot of prospects,” he added and looked at his friends as they took turn in nodding in agreement.

“But we can’t let that happen,” George said with a voice that displayed so much frustration.

He seemed agitated since he had read somewhere that wherever a man was and a woman was made the leader it showed that the man was irresponsible and he hated to be seen in that light.

They sat down quietly for a while before finally coming to the conclusion that the only thing they could do was to make her become less serious with the things of God and probably distract her so she would not be seen as qualified to take the position.

“What position seeking and the quest for power can make people do is always unthinkable. But the funniest is seeking a position that God has not given to you is more like trying to sabotage God’s plans.”

To be continued...

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PAULINA... A Life With A Difference
© OLAYEMI GRACE
EPISODE TWENTY
Paulina was lying down on her bed when one of her roommates came in with the news that was around about her. Paulina was informed that she had been labeled as a ritualist who got her wealth and fame from giving people things. That was not the first time rumours would be spread about her for her generosity and other things but that was the first time the news would get a serious hold on her.

She would ordinarily not bulge at such news but that time she was destabilized and very sad and even made up her mind not to help people again but the good girl in her could not do it. She kept going out of her way to put smiles on people’s faces and that gave her so much joy and a sense of fulfillment.

Paulina was not the type that got affected with what other people said about her especially unbelievers but she was so sad when she heard another rumour that welled up in the fellowship about her.

She had overheard three sisters talking and they were making derogatory statements about her but the part that got to her was when they said she was a witch and that all the power and anointing she had was gotten from the devil.

She could not believe that was what fellow believers thought about her and she went to her hostel that night with a heavy heart. She was comforted when a scripture was impressed upon her heart and she opened it and it was where the Pharisees had speculated that Jesus had a devil and she didn’t need any one to preach to her before she knew that she had to accept the criticism just the way Jesus accepted it and focus on her ministry so as not to be distracted.

She intensified her effort in kingdom service and that just got her critics infuriated. They came up with another rumour that she was proud and position seeking and a hypocrite. But they could not see the effect of their scandal on her as she seemed unbothered by all they had to say and it was like the more they tried to pull her down the higher she went both spiritually and even in her social services.

“We have to try something else,” George said as they entered Paul’s room that evening after a powerful bible study that was led by their number one enemy, Paulina.

These particular set of brothers had turned themselves into instruments in the hand of Satan as they were seeking to destroy the testimony of another person just because they felt she was not qualified to lead the people of God.

“Like what?” Isaac asked.

“I don’t know but this time it has to be something that would have a great impact on her personality,” Emma said.

They started thinking of possible ways to take Paulina out of the picture and the devil started giving them various ideas.

“We would use the Balaam’s method,” Paul said after a long period of silence.

“What is Balaam’s method?” George asked.

“So, you want to tell me that you don’t know the story of Balaam in the bible,” he said sarcastically.

“Tell us whatever you want to tell us and let’s see if it would work,” Isaac said impatiently.

“Let me tell you guys the story,” he said and sat up.

“When Balak asked Balaam to help him curse the children of Israel and he prayed and God told him that they were already blessed and he could not curse them even though he tried many times. He later devised a means which enabled the Israelites to be destroyed. He told Balak to send beautiful women to them and make them sin against God so He would punish them Himself.”

“What’s the sense in all you’ve said?” George asked with disgust written on his face.

“The sense there is that we would set Paulina up with a man and watch her fall into the sin of immorality and then she would be placed on suspension which means she won’t be able to serve in church anymore and we would achieve our aim of making sure that a woman does not become our president,” he said confidently and his friends clapped for him.

“Wow! We never thought of that,” they chorused and he felt proud to have given them a good idea.

“Who are we going to send?” Emma asked and they all stopped to think.

“We know ladies like good-looking guys and since Paulina is the way she is then she would also be attracted to someone that is zealous and fervent in the things of God,” Isaac noted.

They were still thinking on who will bell the cat when they heard a knock on the door. It was Daniel, Paul’s school son and mentee. They opened the door for him and exchanged knowing looks as he greeted them all. Paul was meant to inform him of the plan and get him to do as they say.

To be continued...

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