The stories I tell are true; this is no different. I have a new life, I’ve been given a new spirit, the spirit of God.

My identity changed the day I found the Holy Spirit, or maybe it’s truer to say He found me. With that new life came a quiet awareness that I was no longer walking alone. The Holy Spirit was here, and He carried companions I had never met before. This series is the story of how they entered my life.

Love was the first to arrive. She is the love of God. She didn’t knock or ask for permission, she simply stepped in and filled the room. She embraced the parts of me I kept hidden, and her presence softened the ground of my heart. She left the door open, Joy and Peace followed. Joy came laughing, bright and unexpected, while Peace slipped in gently, settling in places I didn’t know needed rest.

Then came Patience. He was unlike anyone I had ever met. His pace frustrated me. He walked slowly, spoke softly, and taught intentionally. Learning to journey with him felt like unlearning myself. But in staying with him, something inside me stretched and matured.

When I finally surrendered to his rhythm, Kindness found me. She was warm, easy, and generous, the kind of friend who notices what you need before you realise it yourself. Kindness brought Goodness along, and Goodness came with a twin, two steady friends whose presence made me more aware of who I was becoming in this journey I’m on. They were the ones who led me to Faithfulness, a companion rooted like an anchor, calm and unwavering.

Gentleness arrived quietly. Meeting him required me to lower my pride, soften my voice, and relearn tenderness. He didn’t shout to be understood; he invited me to listen. I’m still his student, still learning from him.

And then there was Self-Control. The hardest ones. Two brothers, They and I struggled to understand each other. Some days I welcomed them, other days I resisted them. Even now, our friendship requires effort, humility, and grace. But I’m still learning that staying close to them is less about discipline and more about surrendering to the Holy Spirit who brought them.

These nine companions are shaping my journey. They’re teaching me that fruit isn’t something I produce, it’s the evidence of ‘The Spirit Within’.