Shaking hands with destiny

The truth is that i love music more than anything. I've written a few songs i think are really great. I would really love the world to sing with me.
I always tell my friends, i won't feel bad if my song gets popular and i don't. I just want the world to share in my joy. Although it would be amazing if i get popular too, who wouldn't want that?
Nothing makes me happier than when i see strangers sing the song i wrote. I became a praise leader in church. Truthfully, i was a little bit scared when the question was thrown; "if you want to be a praise leader, put your name down on this list".

I joined the choir a few months earlier, but my close friend had already become a background vocalist (BGV) or backup singer and i was still in the large choir as a floor member.
I just wanted to be a BGV and it seemed my friend had that grace and he was promoted easily. I pray for my friends to succeed, i believe my success is going to come to.
So, i asked him to help me talk to the MD, because i had noticed that he had warmed up to my friend because they were from the same village.

After many trials, i was finally a BGV and the next big question was, "is that all?"
Definitely NO, i wanted more. It was a big church. Far far bigger than my local church back home, where i was one of the best singers.

Here, i had to pay my dues. It wasn't long when the MD decided to do an audition. The audition was to find the next 3 praise leaders. I came out second, it was conducted by vote.

My first praise session, i could remember my MD inviting me over to his place to teach me how to write a good praise medley. It was finally sunday, and it was time to praise God. It was an amazing experience. I felt really comfortable on that stage.

The first service was used to train all the new praise leaders. The throng comes for the second and third services. The stronger hands handle those ones.

I never opted to sing second service. The niche of praise for that particular sunday was ZULU praise. I was to sing first service and it seemed my song choice was more suited for the niche chosen than the original person meant to sing for the second service. So we were swaped.

I must confess, i really felt nervous. The first service, at least just a hundred people would be in church so it was fair, they weren't much. But in the second service, the whole church is packed to the overflow.
The pastors in church liked me, up until this moment I don't know why. When it was time for praise in the second service, i stepped up. I could see the surprise look on their faces.

That praise session was amazing that my mentor who came to take over for the worship session hugged me right there on the stage. Yeah, my MD finally decided to mentor me. I guess, it was written in the stars. What will be, would be.

This happened in 2020, and till this moment, he coaches me through all the songs I write. I really became very popular in church. Most times, people ask if i would minister for the next service. The pastor's nicknamed me "celebrity singer" some called me "our guest artist". They said, i led praise like a guest artist. I never understood what that meant.

My birthday, i got a text from a lady that i saw in passing but never paid attention to her. I guess i didn't like her. She prayed for me and celebrated me. In church, she always told me how she was blessed by my ministration and i was grateful to God for that.

The truth was that i didn't like her that much. I didn't hate her either. There are some relationship you prefer them being from far. This was an example of that. But the smiles on her face whenever she talked to me left me amazed. She looked like she wanted to be friends with me but the truth was, I'm so stoked up. I barely smile unless there is a joke to laugh about. But, I laugh easily though.

I kept pushing her away by cutting our conversations short. After a year from my previous birthday, she also chatted me up to wish me a happy birthday. I responded as usual, that was in 2022, and till today we are talking more than i thought possible. I can't even picture my life now without her (Y'all should get your mind out of the gutter😂😂)
She became my best friend. One of the biggest gift God gave to me. I guess it was also written in the stars. I couldn't fight the friendship, i see it now that i was scared of opening up my self to someone. She was patient and listened to me. Maybe that's all i needed. Someone to listen when i talk and someone to talk when i just feel like listening.