Got It Going On by Stephanie Perry Moore

you look at that flame you’ve lit, recommit yourself to God. But as you extinguish the flame, know that you’re loved by God, and anything preventing you from fully giving your heart will fade away with the smoke.”
    When the ceremony was over, a lot of us were in tears, including me. We were all encouraged to go home and study for the upcoming Beta Gamma Pi test we had to pass in order to move on to the next Gem. There was one more ceremony to go through tomorrow, dealing with public service, but for now we were dismissed.
    Isha came over to me and asked if I wanted to help out at her church. I was sort of tired, but it was Halloween, and a lot of the Pis couldn’t go to the parties because we had to lay low. I didn’t want to just sit home because I knew Sam was going to have some of the girls who were dismissed off line over at our place, and I wasn’t feeling pity for them. Maybe church was just where I needed to be so I could pray for them and for myself.
    As soon as we got there, the youth pastor, Konner Black—the one who had made me realize I needed to let God into my life—stood right there in front of me. He had been handsome onstage, but he was even cuter just inches away. I was really digging him.
    â€œHi, you’re Isha’s friend, right?” he asked, smiling at me.
    â€œYes,” I said, thinking he may be feeling me as well.
    â€œI’m Konner, a new pastor here. I remember when you accepted the Lord a couple months ago. I haven’t seen you back here since. Isha told me y’all are pledging,” he said awkwardly.
    â€œYeah, I know who you are, but you say that like you have problems with the sororities or something.”
    â€œNo, I’m just saying Greek life does a lot of good for the community, but a lot of people misuse the letters and end up doing more harm than good. But I don’t know. I’m looking at you right now, and you got this glow about you. Halloween night, and you’re in a church. I hope you and Isha do cross. I know you’ll both make this world a better place through the sorority and on your own,” he said in a sweeter tone, realizing he may have unintentionally offended me.
    Calmer, I said, “I hope so. I’m new at this Christian thing, but it’s real to me. I feel different, and I don’t want to mess up or to have my heart go back to the way it used to be. I don’t want to let God down, and maybe that’s why I’m here tonight. I’m staying connected with the Lord and just talking to Him.”
    â€œReading the Word and being with other believers is definitely a step in the right direction. We all fall short—keep that in mind. God’s not asking you to be perfect but to have a heart that wants to please Him,” he said as his mesmerizing dark brown eyes held mine. He reached over and touched my cheek. My knees felt weak. He just seemed too good to be true. Surely too nice to be into me.
    I found a way to smile and not take it all so seriously. I didn’t know how we were connecting in that moment, but we were. After Al Dutch, I didn’t think I’d feel anything for a male again. But just to have Konner listen and point me back to God impacted me greatly and made me feel glorious.

6
    PITIFUL
    K onner had a unique way of ministering to young adults. It was Halloween night. People were dressed up as their favorite characters, idols, and celebrities. In stark contrast, his sermon was about how fake and unreal we are with God and how we sometimes try to mask and hide what is going on with us instead of being authentic and letting it all out to the Man above.
    He preached, “If you really wanna get close to the Lord and grow in your walk with God, give Him all that’s weighing you down so that you can be free to soar and be about His business. The baggage and hurt that we carry stick so deep in our minds that we don’t even realize how it’s