B.O.L.D (3)

BOLD personalities

“Girl! You look amazing.” The head of protocol at Beauty’s church exclaimed when she saw Beauty walk in. “I don’t know how you do it, but your outfits are always on point.”

Beauty smiled politely, but this time something in her heart had shifted. As she slid into her seat, she realized she still loved fashion. The colors, the patterns, the way she could make an outfit sing… But that old craving for validation, the itch to show more skin just to stand out… it was gone.

She remembered the Scripture that said the believer’s beauty shouldn’t be one that came from outward adornments. True beauty was actually the Jesus-nature she carried, the quality of being a light to those around her.

She crossed her legs elegantly and prayed under her breath: “Thank You Lord, for helping me see that true beauty is not in what turns heads, but in what turns hearts toward You. May my kindness always outshine my clothes.”

And in that moment, the compliment she’d gotten earlier no longer chained her. It became just what it was: a kind word, not the source of her worth.

After service, Olivia was packing her bag when a teenager approached her.
“Aunty Olivia, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, but give me a moment, please.” She quickly sent a text message to Beauty. They’d agreed to go to her house after the service and she didn’t want her to forget.

“Okay, I’m with you now.” She said, sliding her phone into her bag.

“There’s this argument online. Some say it’s okay to live with your boyfriend before marriage if you love each other. Others say it’s wrong. I wanted to ask you because… you always handle things with wisdom.”

Olivia’s heart clenched. All those times she had kept silent, afraid of being judged or labeled…this was the result. People were hungry for truth, and silence only gave culture more room to shout lies.

“God’s Word is clear,” she said gently with a smile. “Sex and living together before marriage isn’t His design. It may look normal, but because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s right.”

The girl nodded, as if confirming what she knew to be true. “Thank you. I knew you’d be honest.”

Olivia gave her a hug and as she walked away towards the parking lot later, she realized that her silence was doing more harm than good, especially when there are people who looked up to her.

---

Later that week, Lanre sat across from David in a restaurant. They’d barely touched their food.

David leaned forward. “Lanre, I feel God wants me to tell you that the fact that you hate the sin is proof you’re God’s child. He’s not against you. He’s fighting with you.”

Lanre sighed. “But why do I keep falling? I feel so dirty most times… like I can’t open my mouth to tell anyone about Jesus.”

David nodded. “That’s the enemy’s lie. Listen, the Bible says in Galatians 6:8 ‘Whoever sows to please the flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life’. There’s a science to this thing too: What you feed your eyes and ears matters. If you want victory, you must guard your gates. Don’t wait till you’re tempted, start building a habit of feeding your spirit daily.”

Lanre nodded slowly. He vowed to guard his heart, knowing victory would require constant alertness. 

“Exactly,” David said firmly. “And as you play your part, trust God to strengthen you. Deliverance is not you alone trying harder, it’s you and God walking together.”

Lanre finally smiled, comforted. “I’ll fight differently this time.”

---

But even as David spoke those words to Lanre, something stirred in his own spirit. Trust. It rang in his heart like a bell.

For months, he had labored. Job applications, side hustles, fasts, sowing seeds…all trying to make things happen in his finances. But what if God was simply asking him to stop striving and start listening?

As they stepped out of the restaurant, David paused. 

“Lanre, you may think I came here just to help you. But God just spoke to me through our talk. I’ve been trying to fix my finances by my own strength, and that’s why I’ve been frustrated. I need to trust Him and follow His lead, not just my ideas.”

Lanre smiled faintly. “So… we’re both learning to trust.”

David laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. “Exactly. Different battles, same lesson.”

For the first time in a long while, David didn’t feel weighed down by his unanswered prayers. He felt free.

Hey there, reader! Light has broken into the lives of the BOLD crew, but their journey is far from over. Stick around to see what happens next in BOLD Personalities.