𝐀 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞 - 𝐏𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭

9:30am
"Now I want to talk about love! Have y'all ever been in love?" The pastor says before everyone reacts, "Love is a beautiful thing isn't it?"

"Yeah!"

"Love is difficult to define as told in our bible. One of the most sought-after themes in our bible IS the definition of love.." He pastes back and forth on the stage, "You see the bible is one big love story to God and his journey towards our acceptance and forgiveness of self and others. But what exactly is love? I feel that it is more difficult to define it and explain it rather than it being showed. Do you understand? Love is everything. It's like a relationship with your family, your pet, your partner. Your love for a movie or a tv show. Or God. Those all differ which is why it's so hard to actually define this four letter word."

"Preach it Pastor!"

"I forgot how real deal this is.." Pop whispers in my ear making me laugh a little.

"I'm telling you.." I look up at him.

"You got a piece of..hair..in your lash," He says while carefully moving my hair from my lashes.

It felt like the room was dead quiet. After he fixed my lashes we look back up at the pastor who was looking down at us.

"First Corinthians 13: 4-5 says 'love is patient and kind. Love does not envy or boast; It is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resent'. You can say you love someone and even make a vow to do so, but love is what we do more than what we say."

"Yeah!"

"We can physically say 'I love you' but when we neglect the needs of our spouse or partner, are we really loving them more than themselves or do they love themselves more than their spouse? Love is not just speaking words but love is kind, patient, doesn't boast, isn't irritable, resentful, isn't arrogant, rude, and doesn't insist on having "its own way." There is love in those things, but only a love for one self."

Everyone then claps.

A couple minutes later, I was getting up to go up on the stage to sing 'Praise him in advance'.

"Everyone, Ciela Fuentes.." He says before handing the mic as everyone clapped.

"Good morning everyone," I smile before looking down at Pop smiling.

"Good morning!"

"You know i'm not really good at public speaking but I'm going to do my own rendition of 'Praise him in advanced'.. pastors request.. he says my vocals really 'stand out and compliment' in this song," I laugh making everyone laugh before the music starts, "I've had my share of ups and downs times when there was no one around. God came and spoke these words to me praise will confuse the enemy. I've had my share of ups and downs," I start as everyone starts to stand up and the choir behind me joins in, "Times when there was no one around God came and spoke these words to me. Praise will confuse the enemy. So I started singing, oh, oh.. people were laughing. They knew my problems, they knew my pain. But I knew God would take them away, yeah," I crack a smile looking at Pop, "Can we sing that verse one more time? C'mon! Listen.. I've had my share of ups and downs times when there was no one around. God came and spoke these words to me praise will confuse the enemy. So I started singing oh, oh...I started dancing, people were laughing. They knew my problems, and they knew my pain. But I knew God would take them away yeahhhh..." I trail off.

"WOO!"

"SING IT BABY!" My abuela shouts.

I continue to sing seeing everyone swaying and fanning themselves. Pop was bopping his head and swaying back and forth. Fivio was bopping his head. Jasmine and baby Kk were smiling up at me. Everyone was just happy.