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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: IT'S CHILD'S PLAY (06/06/19)
I ran out of the doorway and stopped abruptly at the top of the steps. How was I ever going to see her in this crowd? I lifted a hand to shade my eyes against the glaring sun and squinted into the distance.

“Perhaps she’s not coming this year,” I whispered softly to myself. Then I spotted her; she had seen me first and was waving frantically, her beautiful smile obscuring everything else around her.

We ran to each other with joy and laughter and then we hugged. We hugged for a long time unable to conceal our happiness and delight.

As I felt her warm embrace the memories came flooding back. The memory of the day she left me; the day I felt she had abandoned me. The feelings that I tried hard to push to the back of my mind but today, because she was here holding me, I allowed my thoughts to wander to that moment when I was four years old.

We had gone on a journey and had brought a bull with us for the annual sacrifice; it was the first time I had witnessed such a thing and I can still hear the bellows of the animal as it was restrained and then sacrificially killed.

I was too young, I didn’t understand; I just had a dreadful feeling of fear and uncertainty as I saw my mother talking to a man. They were both pointing and staring at me. Then my mother drew me to her and put a colourful coat on my small shoulders and promised she would bring me a bigger one next year. “You have to stay here,’” she said as she stroked my hair and cupped my face in her hands.

I threw my arms arounds her waist and wrapped my legs around her legs and cried and screamed. I was never going to let her go. She gently unclasped my hands and pulled me up to her shoulder. I could feel the dampness of tears on her face and they mingled with mine.

“Hush little one,” she whispered. “Be brave, God will make this as easy as child’s play for you.” Then before I knew what was happening she was walking away. I tried to run after her but I was held back by large gentle hands. I looked up and Eli, the man my mother had entrusted me to was stood there, smiling down at me.

Many years have passed since that day and every year my mother has kept her promise to visit me at festival time; bringing me a beautiful new hand woven coat.

We stopped hugging and she looked at me “You must have grown at least a foot I hope this new coat fits you,” she laughed, as she handed it to me. She took my hand “Come, your father and brothers and sisters are waiting to see you.”

“I have so much to tell you mother,” I replied. “You’ll never believe what’s happened to me!”

And so, as we walked I told her about the night when I was sleeping in the Tabernacle and a voice called my name. I had thought it was Eli asking for me so I had rushed to his room to see what he wanted but, it wasn’t him so I went back to bed. Then the same thing happened two more times until Eli told me that it was the Lord talking to me. So I lay in bed and told God that I was listening.

It all seemed surreal as it was the first time I had received a message from Him. It was strange but opened my eyes up to a spiritual world. “God told me things. He trusted me with His word and I now understand why I am here! You were right Mother; God has made it easy for me.”

And it was true. It had become easy. Being away from my family had become easy. Living with a priest had become easy but most of all learning to serve God and follow Him had become easy because I had been brought up in His presence, He was my Lord and I loved Him.

My mother stopped walking and turned to look at me, “Samuel,” she said with tears of happiness running down her cheeks. “You have no idea how many times I have prayed to hear you say those words. I am so blessed,” she smiled.

Samuel: chapters 1-3
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Barbara Culler 
06/14/19
A very unique take on the biblical story of Samuel. But I wonder about the mother telling Samuel it was child's play, because Samuel was a child!

FaithWriters has a site where there is a multitude of writing lessons. I go there often to get a better understanding of what the judges are looking for.

This is the link- copy into your browser. Very helpful to me.

http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=67&t=29535

Your story was very interesting and it took me awhile to catch on to who the child was. That is a good thing- keep us guessing!
Dave Walker 
06/15/19
A great take on the story of Samuel being dedicated to God. You brought it to life --- one of my favourite ways of approaching a FW topic. Great job. I often think of what it must have been like for Hannah to fulfill her vow to God when He granted her a child.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
06/17/19
You do a great job of retelling this story. I was drawn in immediately and it held my attention to the very end. My only advice would be to tighten it up some. Get rid of unnecessary words or places that repeat. Just a little change like that will make such a difference. You've a great start and are a wonderful storyteller.
Edy T Johnson
07/10/19
It took a couple paragraphs for me to catch on this was Samuel's story. He was one of my childhood favorites. I wanted to hear God talk to me, too! You write well and I enjoyed reading this entry. I also want to thank you for your comment on my story "Farewell to Seventeen." I appreciate your kind words.