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Tania, Naomi and Mona had finished their lunch and were sitting around the table. Tania still couldn't believe that she was actually with her sisters feeling free and peaceful.
“Naomi, you've done a great job remodeling the house.”
“Girl, it's been a long process but well worth it. Zack and I have been working hard on making this a dream house.”
Tania wanted to say it would be like Nightmare on Elm Street if Naomi married Zack. She left well enough alone. “I feel so out of the loop.”
“Well the main thing is that you're here now.” Naomi said as she led them back to the living room again to conclude the tour.
“Mona, how are things with you and Paul?”
“Tania, Paul and I have been divorced for the last two years. I came home one day and all of his stuff was gone. He didn't leave a note or anything. I received a text saying he had moved on,” Mona's voice cracked.
“I'm so sorry to hear that, Mona. How's Alexis handling things?”
“She has her days, but for the most part she's adjusting.”
“Is he still active in her life?”
“She sees him every blue moon and as of right now, he only sends $50.00 a week for child support. We have a court date coming up soon.”
“Good for you. Paul should be ashamed of himself for leaving anyway,” Naomi said.
“I can't say it's all his fault. I was doing my share of dirt too. I should have never listened to Vivian. We were running the streets, meeting men, using them for their money. Paul was a hard-working man, and I nagged him, fussed about him not making enough money. I drove him away.” Mona seemed lost in a sea of regrets.
“Mona, do you still love him? I mean maybe there's a chance for you guys to get back together, work things out, go to counseling,” Tania said.
“I care about him but I honestly don't know if I ever loved him. I think I loved being with him, loved what he did for me. I don't deserve another chance with him. I'll just screw things up. I'm a screw-up.”
“Mona, you're not a screw up. You have to stop speaking those words over yourself. You're just a person who has made mistakes. We all have. The good news is that you've recognized yours.”
“Tania is right, sis, you can't beat yourself up. You are a mother and have to live not just for you but for Alexis, too.”
“And there’s always a beautiful life in Christ,” Tania added.
Mona spoke up, “I love God. I watch church on TV sometimes.”
Tania explained, “What you need is a relationship with Him. Spend some time with Him so that you can experience what real love is. I think that's the reason why you were chasing those men, looking to fulfill something in your life. You have a void in your heart that only God can fill. Mona, you have to ask God to come into your life so that you can experience real love.”
“God don't love me.” Mona sniffed.
“Yes He does love you, He loves all of us. His love is different from man’s love. God's love is unconditional, it's not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we are loveable or because of something that we did that was great, He loves us because He is love. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:8 But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us,” Tania’s evangelistic moment continued.
“I need to get myself together before I go walking up into the church,” Mona said.
Now it was Naomi’s turn to minister the gospel. “You can't get yourself together, the church is the sinner’s hospital, that's why the Bible tells us to come as we are.”
“I thought they meant clothes,” Mona said.
Tania held back a giggle to spare her sister’s feelings. “Come as you are, meaning whatever state you're in, we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God. You can come to God now. He knows you can't clean yourself up. You don't have to make any promises to experience His love, all you have to do is ask Him to come into our life and He will make all of the changes. He loves us that much, He's already paid the price for all of our wrong doings. He did all of the suffering and sacrificing long before we even knew we needed His love.”
“Ok, so what you're saying is all I have to do is ask God to come into my life and He will, just like that?”
“Yes, just like that.” Naomi smiled.
“That ain’t what they said at Mt. Zion.”
“That’s why you need to know him for yourself,” Tania countered. “Everything that comes through man’s lips has the potential to be tainted. But once you ask Him to come into your life, talk to Him on a daily basis and ask Him for direction, you’ll recognize the truth from the almost-truth.”
“You can go to church with me on Sunday, as well as Bible study on Wednesday night. I'll will even pick you up if you'd like,” Naomi offered.
“Whoa... slow down, I'm not trying to be no missionary.” Mona giggled.
“First things first, do you want to ask God to come into your life?” Tania asked.
“Yes. How do I do it?” Mona asked.
“All you have to do is ask, and repeat these words.” Tania led Mona in a prayer of repentance and acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Lord. Mona repeated those words tearfully, and Tania did all that she could do to contain herself while leading her oldest sister—the one who had brought so much pain and anguish into her life—to the One who could take it all away.