• Share

  Tweet

• how it works
• 

---

Previous Challenge Entry (EDITOR'S CHOICE)
Topic: SPARKLE( 08/19/21)

---

TITLE: Crystal's Gift | Writing Challenge By Dave Walker 08/25/21

~ 5th Place  LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE  SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT  ADD TO MY FAVORITES

---

Rusty and Geraldine often said Crystal was born singing. “Even her first cry had a melodious ring to it.” they said.

At four years old, she was tone perfect and she pranced around the house with joyful hops and skips singing her own made-up songs.

At five, her favourite place to sing was Sunday School. She was so gifted that the teachers sometimes brought her into the main service, where she sang “Jesus loves me this I know” and “This little light of mine, I’m gonna make it shine” with such beauty that the hearts of the congregation melted in awe of the One who anointed a little child so.

One Sunday, on returning to the class after singing to the congregation, her teacher asked her, “Crystal, what does it mean for you to shine for Jesus?”

Crystal thought for a moment, then said, “One day I’ll be with Jesus, and I’ll be like a star in the sky that sparkles and shines.” She squeezed her eyes tight. “When I see the stars in the sky, I think they are all the children that are with Jesus. Hunderds and hunderds of children all with Jesus.”

“That’s a lovely thought, Crystal,” the teacher said, “but what about now? Don’t you think you should shine for Jesus now?”

Crystal screwed up her eyes again. Finally, she said, “I don’ know how. I’m just a li’l girl. How can I sparkle like the children with Jesus?”

“Jesus can live in your heart,” her teacher said, “Then you can let Him shine through you. Do you want Him to live in your heart?”

“Oh, yes. I want that.”

“Then just ask Him. He’ll come. Will you do that now?” Crystal put her hands to her cheeks and closed her eyes.

“Dear Jesus, please come into my heart.”

From that day, her favourite topic was being with Jesus. “When I’m with Jesus,” she’d say, “I’m going to sing with all the other children who are like stars.” Then she’d pause, remember her teacher, and say, “But I must shine for Him now.”

When she was six, she asked her mother, “Mommy, how do we shine for Jesus now? I want to sparkle like the stars.” Geraldine looked tenderly at her daughter.

“You do shine for Him, my pet. Just by being you.”

Crystal wasn’t satisfied. “But I want to feel sparkly.”

Her mother took her in her arms. “God has made you special, my child. Maybe He’s got a special way for you to sparkle. You’ll just have to wait till He shows you what it is.”

Nine months later, Crystal had a nosebleed. Then she developed bruises on her body. She became pale and tired.

The doctor was grave as her parents sat in his office. “The worst type of leukaemia. We can treat her with chemotherapy, but I’m afraid the results are not encouraging.”

At home, Geraldine didn’t know if she felt angry, hopeless, desperate, or maybe all of those at once. She certainly didn’t feel close to God and told him so. “You’ve gifted Crystal, given her a desire to shine for You, and now You’re going to take her? Is that fair?”

Crystal braved the needles for blood transfusions and chemotherapy. She lost her hair. Yet her spirit soared. “I’m going to be with Jesus,” she said. Other children came into her ward, and she was sad to see them sick and discouraged. “What can I do to make them happy?” she thought. “I know, I’ll sing to them.”

Every day, the children gathered around her bed, as her beautiful voice filled the air, like a sweet aroma. The other parents and nursing staff were entranced. Soon, the local paper published a story of Crystal and her singing. Then national TV heard of her, and over a million people heard her singing the fundamental truth, “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

The chemotherapy failed. She became too weak even to sing. Rusty and Geraldine were with her day and night.

One day, her breathing became shallow. Her parents tensed. The presence of God overshadowed their anguished hearts. Crystal opened glassy eyes and looked at them. “I’m going to Jesus.”

“Yes, my child.”

She struggled to turn to them. “Did I sparkle for Jesus, Daddy? Mommy?” Through misty eyes, Rusty whispered huskily, “Oh yes, my child. Oh yes. You sparkled for Jesus.”

“Oh, that’s good.” She smiled, rested back, and joined the children in the stars.

---

---

Accept Jesus as Your Savior Right Now and be Certain of Eternal Life.

Join Us at FaithWriters and Grow as a Christian Writer.

---

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.