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GRACE CHANGES EVERYTHING
THE FINAL
"My baby,No please God spare her life." I screamed some more as tears endlessly spilt from my eyes. She was covered in blood her pulse was weak and I knew it would only take a few minutes before she breathed her last.
"Now it's time for you to meet your ancestors." She said as she got the gun ready to shoot me as well, this time I wasn't even scared, I looked at her as she pulled back the trigger and the gun instantly went off.
Suddenly my eyes shot open, I was covered in sweat and my heart was pounding, I looked around me and realised I was in my room and the baby was right next to me. I carried and held her close to me as I wiped the sweat off my face.
"It was just a terrible dream." I said to myself softly as I replayed the images from the dream. It felt so real and I thought I had lost my baby.
THREE YEARS LATER
I groaned as I felt the sunlight on my face. "It's morning already?" I muttered as I blinked my eyes twice so I could be fully awake.
I could hear the sound of loud voices coming from the kitchen, I lazily tugged out of bed and yawned myself to the living room.
"Here comes the bride." Mum smiled when she saw me.
"Finally she is awake." Yande said
"Morning to you too." I laughed
"Mama." Mwenge giggled spreading her arms to me so I could carry her.
"Come to mummy." I lifted her up, she wrapped her tiny legs around my waist and I wrapped my hands around her so we could share a hug.
"How's my baby?" I asked playing with her cheeks as we settled on the couch next to mummy.
"Fine mama, fine." She smiled
I looked at her not believing she was mine, every morning I woke up and thanked God for giving her to me because she had been my biggest strength over the years. She had changed my life in ways I could never have imagined and because of her I had learnt to love without expecting anything in return.
"I think you need to go and bath." Mum said
"Whatever you say mama." I smiled handing Mwenge back to her, it was my wedding day, Levis and I were finally tying the knot after two Years of courting.
I walked into the bathroom, striped my clothes off and let the water pour on me, I sang along to Way Maker which was playing in my room as I bathed.
When I walked out of the bathroom, Yande who happened to be my chief bridesmaid was anxiously waiting for me so she could do my make up and dress me up.
"Take a seat." She said as soon as I finished applying lotion.
"Heh ordering me around ai?"
"Be humble you are the bride."
"This is as humble as I can get." I laughed and I sat down.
Yande and I now got along pretty well though we still argued each chance we got, she got married a year ago and was expecting her first baby, though her pregnancy was still very small.
When she was done with my make up, she styled up my hair and dressed me up before getting dressed herself. I looked at myself in the mirror and for a while I couldn't recognize the person that reflected in front of me.
"Is this really me?" I thought
"My child."
"Ma" I turned so I could face her
"Wow you look beautiful, I wish your father was here to see you get married, he would have been proud of the woman you have become."
"I bet he is watching us from the sky, he is proud of the woman you have turned me into." I smiled
"Is everyone ready?" I asked
"Yes and the car is waiting outside."
We called in all my bridesmaids and knelt down so we could pray. After the prayer everyone walked out and it was just me, Yande and mum.
"Where is my baby?"
"She will drive with Chilu and her kids, I think they are already in car." Mum responded
"It's time up." We heard Chilu call out from outside.
I took one last glance at myself in the mirror as they took photos of me, Yande held my dress and we walked to the car. She sat just right next to me. 'It's my wedding day.' Played as the car started off.
I pinched myself just to be sure this day was really happening, once upon a time I didn't believe I would ever fall in love and worse off get married, I remember when Levis proposed marriage to me, I was overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions.
"Levis they are so many women you could get married to, why me? Have you forgotten I am positive?" I had asked him
"You are my choice Luwi and I love you just the way you are, positive or not I am ready to make you my wife, I am ready to stand by you through it all." He had responded
"God this is you." I had said with tears in my eyes as he slipped the ring on my finger. Over the Years I had come realise Just how much God loves his children and how his Grace can change just about anything. I didn't know what Grace meant till I had an encounter with it and after that encounter I knew I would never be the same.
"Luwi we are here." Yande said disrupting my thoughts. I nervously smiled at her, I was a bit shaky because I thought everything was a dream and someone would soon wake me up.
When It was time for me to walk into the church, mum held my hand and we walked into the church as Nathan Sykes's "Over and Over." Played.
As soon as Levis saw me, he started walking towards me, we met in the middle. Mum stepped aside and Levis took me by the arm then we walked to the alter together.
As the service started, I scanned the audience and noticed Terry in the second row,i smiled at him and he smiled at me too. He was in the company of his Fiancée Adraida. Terry had long forgiven me for the drama I had caused him and his family. It wasn't easy for him and his family to actually forgive me but after pleading for some time, they forgave me, Diana inclusive, the last I had heard of her was that she had left the country in search of a new beginning. vintage inspired gowns for mother of the bride
The previous year I had made it a point to find out the father of my child and after conducting some DNA Tests, we found out Joel was the father but he didn't want anything to do with the child hence Levis had ended up adopting her as his own.
Vin on the other hand had survived his illness and was now trying to live right by God, I had also asked for forgiveness from him and his family. The past three years I had spent time getting closer and closer to God, he had opened doors for me that I could never have imagined.
I was now heeding an organization focused on helping fight stigma against positive women as well as protecting Victims of Rape and defilement. I had already travelled to different countries telling my story which had touched and changed a number of women.
On the other hand Levis had been ordained as a pastor in his church and I couldn't be happier knowing I would forever serve God together with my husband.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may Kiss the bride." The pastor said an hour later.
Levis slowly pulled me close to him, he brushed his lips against mine and gently kissed me, it was the first time we were kissing and it felt right.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I now introduce to you the newest couple in town. Mr and Mrs Zulu." He said and everyone stood up and cheered for us.
"I love you Luwi." Levis whispered as we walked out of the church hand in hand.
"I love you over and over again." When we got outside he swept me into his hands and i wrapped my hands around his neck and lay on his chest,I felt content and secure, I knew he would have my hand for eternity. I wish Chichi was alive to see just how much happy I had become.
"Thank you God for your blessings." I silently said to myself, I knew I didn't deserve his blessings looking at how many mistakes I had made in my past but because of grace here I was living an absolutely beautiful life. Indeed Grace Changes Everything.
My name is Luwi Chileshe Zulu and I am a living testimony of how a broken life can become a beautiful picture of Grace. Hope you enjoyed my story.
THE END
I feel most of you dont like the story......