A young woman was about to be wedded to the love of her life.

Before they tied the knot however, she was given a shopping cart and some money to go and buy anything that will make her marriage and future sweet.

Upon entry, she takes a look around, there are rows and rows of shelves; so much so that she’s overwhelmed.

“How can I help you?” one shop attendant with a cap labelled, “helper’ asked, appearing beside her.

“I will call you if I need you.” she responded, taking in her surroundings as she neared the shelves.

To the left of her were all that the human eye will wish to behold: fancy clothes, rubies, sapphires, high positions in society, all sorts of jewellery and shoes.

To the right of her however, were fruits.

Fruits.

So simple were they that she scoffed, letting out a short laugh.
Fruits.

Who could possibly want to buy fruits before marriage or before the full manifestation of their goals or dreams? she wondered.

Still, she took a step closer and was amazed to find that on one pineapple-like fruit was the word labelled in gold, LOVE. On an orange-like fruit was the word; JOY. Another had the word, PEACE and another, PATIENCE; KINDNESS; GOODNESS; FAITHFULNESS; GENTLENESS and finally on the last fruit was; SELF-CONTROL.

Just nine fruits; she thought to herself, bewildered. How at all can this help me in marriage or in my goals? Rolling her eyes at the fruits, she moved towards the left side but just as immediately, the man with the cap labelled ‘The helper’ appeared and said respectfully, “Ma’am, have you read the sign above the fruits?”

She looked up and read : “THESE FRUITS ARE FOR FREE”



“Free?”

“Yes please and you can take them all if you like.”
She looked back at her shopping cart, thinking to herself how the fruits will make her cart too full especially since she wanted to splurge her money on the left side of the aisle.

“Thanks but no thanks for your help. I think I will do just fine on the left side of this aisle.”

Obviously for a person who calls himself ‘the helper’, he was hurt his help was not welcomed and so he slunk back; allowing the young woman to have her way on the left aisle and carry as much jewellery as she could.

Excited with her purchase which definitely was not free; the young woman burst out of the shopping centre, her arms full of bags, shoes and all the glamour of the world. This was sure to make her a state of the art wife, she thought. This was sure to keep her home happy; she believed.

Once outside; she tapped her foot, waiting for her beloved to come pick her up from the parking space. Boy, she sure could use some PATIENCE now; she thought to herself as she checked her watch.

Finally her beloved pulled up in his car in front of her, “Where at all have you been?” her words came out harsh (the fruit of GENTLENESS would have been good to have at this point)

“Work got me caught up. What did you buy hun?”

Her excitement started to rise again as she started to rattle the things she bought, she broke off when she saw how his face fell, “Is… is that what we need right now…? Everything you got is for you… but not for us…”

All her excitement ebbed away at this realisation (oh how she needed JOY right now). Unwilling to admit her selfish faults; she got defensive, thinking to herself how she would leave him if he didn’t see the effort she put into this (clearly she lacked FAITHFULNESS)

Hahaa…

While this is a made up QEP parable; I believe this story drives home the point. We often times have ‘the helper’ of the Holy Spirit who comes into our lives for us to bear fruits that are invaluable and yet we shun Him all the time.

Queen, in this #queenestherpreparation journey, you have to bear in mind that the fruits of the spirit as stated in Galatians 5:22 is what will carry you through your marriage or future goals.



Like the young woman; the things of this world are not what are going to hold you together when tough times comes but rather the things of the Spirit.
Choose to go right instead of left in the aisles of life.

Fruits are healthy, why not divulge in the fruits of the Spirit?

You don’t want to present a vine without grapes in this journey of life.

Jesus Loves You and I do too,

Queens in Christ,