1- Finding Peace

Amari

The convent was the best place ever to be, for Amari. Being in God's presence and basking in his everlasting love and grace was the greatest feeling for her.

Ever since she had brought herself here to St. Agnes catholic convent, that peace of mind she begged and toiled for, she found it here, clapping her hands together with the rosary in between her palms and praying to God, singing in her soprano voice felt so angelic and made her feel as if she were one of the angels in heaven singing 'Hallelujah to the most high.'

All that she wanted was to be happy, to have had a happy fun filled teen life, she wanted to know the feeling of going to parties, proms, theme park but those enjoyment came crashing down on her like a waterfall.

What happens when you come back from school to meet police cars and family members in front of your home, only to rush inside the house to meet your parents slaughtered in cold blood, Amari was devastated and her heart shattered into a million shards, she had cried her eyes out, she wept and was bitter for days.

The saddest part was, the police never found her father's killer and Amari couldn't tell if her parents had enemies or not, not like they were among the top billionaire but does it matter?

At fourteen, life had been unfair to her, losing her parents and leaving her alone, as an only child, her mother's younger sister had asked if she could live with her but Amari had insisted they sold the house.

Being an only child, most of the properties were willed to her, trusting her Aunty Marie, twenty three years old , her mother's sister and closest relative, she was yet to be married so it was just going to be her and her niece.

Aunt Marie, olive skin, five feet and eight, looked exactly like her mother, she had told the lawyer to give the assets to her till she was eighteen.

Other families had tried all they could to have the assets in her care but Aunt Marie stood strong and as a Christian and a lover of Christ, God had spared her life.

Life at Plymouth was way different from Manchester, not like Aunt Marie wasn't treating her well, but the adjustment wasn't easy for Amari, from living a life of luxury to an average life, it wasn’t something she had prepared for and never in her life thought she would come to live this way.

Making new friends at the new school and reminding herself that she's in the care of another person and it would not be as perfect as it used to be with her parents.

Amari hated going for school  gathering that involved parents coming along with their kids, she became that girl who always walked with her head down and sat with the school freaks.

Life at Plymouth high school was a bit enjoyable for her, there came some times she enjoyed getting into troubles, she became violent at school especially when other students especially the popular girls tries to pick on her or on other kids, she would beat them up, she never had any love life but she vibe with the bad boys.

Amari life had take a turn one night she got back home from hanging out with her friends at six in the evening, her aunt was kneeling down with the Holy Book opened in front of her, she was crying while praying, asking God to come into her niece heart and bring her into the light.

Not like it's her aunt first time of praying for her but there was something, a word, 'let her find happiness in you.'

That night Amari had pondered on that word 'let her find happiness in you. Let her seek you first and the kingdom of heaven will be hers, let her find that peace she seeks.'

Sighing, she got out of bed and sat in front of her reading table, she took the holy book and flipped to a page in the beginning of Genesis and read, sighing again, she close the book and heave a sigh for the third time.

Amari closed her eyes and clapped her palms together as she prayed. There was that relief that washed over her as she felt a pang of peace course through her body even though it lasted few minutes, she felt contented with it. The next morning she had woken up happy and energetic and not cranky, before her aunt came downstairs, Amari had done the dishes and cleaned the house, she was in the kitchen cooking when her aunt entered.

"Amar, are you okay?" Aunt Marie asked her looking perplexed.

"Yes I'm fine." She answered.

Aunt Marie gave her a suspicious look, went to where she was standing and inspected her face and body.

She laughed and hugged the lady, "I think God has answered your prayers."

"How would you know?" Aunt Marie raised a brow at her.

"Because I went online to check for a turning a new life verse and I read in 1st Corinthians 5vs17, what does it say again?" Amari asked scrunching her face and reaching over to check her phone.

"It says if any man be in Christ , he's a new creature, old things have passed away behold all things are become new." Aunt Marie said nodding her head and smiling.

"You said in your prayer last night when I came back that God should let me find happiness in him and peace."

"Yes."

"I'm heavy on the word peace." Amari sniffles "and I opened to a page in the Bible, Genesis, God is Almighty and powerful and then I prayed after and I felt that peace."

"God loves you and there's a reason for everything that has happened in your life, he wanted you to come to him, he wanted you to see the other side of life and I'm not saying your parents was a way but that was just life happening." Aunt Marie explained.

"I've thought about it and I know what I want now." Amari smiled.

"Little girl what do you want?"

"I want to know God."

"You're fifteen now and you're growing into a beautiful baby girl, I can assure that temptations will come but nothing is impossible through Christ who strengthens us, you will conquer them." Aunt Marie said.

"Tomorrow is my mom and dad remembrance, are we going to Manchester tomorrow to..."

"Yes we will. I'm going to work and once I'm back I'm going to church for choir practice, you know I'm one of the lead choristers." Aunt Marie said.

"I'll go with you." Amari said "breakfast is ready, let me serve you."

It was 3:30pm and Aunt Marie was back from work, taking a quick shower and getting dressed, she went to Amari 's room but she wasn't there, she went downstairs and met her ready as well.

"Can we go now?" Amari asked.

"Yes." Aunt Marie answered and led the way out. It didn't take them thirty minutes to get to church, the other choristers were just coming too and so they entered the church together.

"Hello Marie." An older woman greeted.

"Good afternoon Antonia." Aunt Marie greeted with a smile.

Inside the church, the choristers arranged themselves according to their stands, aunt Marie being a lead singer took a stand at the front.

Mrs Antonia was the choir mistress and coordinator, "let's begin, I'm sure by now everyone knows the song, don't tell me no."

earlier that week, she had sent the title of the song to the choristers as text message and told them to learn and score it.

"Marie you begin." Mrs Antonia said.

Aunt Marie starts to sing; I'm not worried bout a thing, cause I know you're guiding me, where you lead me lord, I'll go, I have no fear cause he's in control, there's no limit to what you can do, cause it all belongs to you, yes it all belongs to you, the world....

"Should know you're almighty and all powerful, cause it all belongs to you.." Amari sings not realizing she had cut into the song her aunt was singing, they watched and listened to her with smiles plastered on their face.

"Wow! Marie you didn't tell us your niece sings." Mrs Antonia said.

"Erm! I didn't know too" she answered truthfully.

"Would you like to be a part of us?"

"Yes Mrs Antonia." Amari answers with joy.

"You have to go through the process, fill the form, you join us next week."

"Yea, why not! Thank you for this opportunity."

Aunt Marie spoke "Actually she's looking for God."

"Is that so darling?" Mrs Antonia asked.

"Yes." Amari answered.

"Let me tell you a secret, it worked for me and it should work for you too."

"Yes please tell me."

"Open your heart to him, let your thoughts be about him, pray, invite him to your heart , call to him, he will answer you. He never fails." Mrs Antonia Said hugging her.

That was all it took to give her life to Christ.

Amari was baptized in the Pentecostal church, once she was done was high school, she had begged her aunt to let her go work for God in the convent.

"Aunt Marie, I want to live in the church but I promise I'd come back later to settle down."

"Do what makes you happy my dear girl. As long as it's good. I'll be here whenever you're back." Aunt Marie said.

It's been seven years of Amari being in St. Agnes church, three years of finding God which was the best thing that has ever happened to her.