The contest winner

Here is Izzy’s story from the contest! She did a really great job, very well written.

To Walk By Faith, Not By Sight

By Izzy West

Chapter One

Melissa Miller tramped down 2nd Street, humming “Jingle Bells.” The snowy ice under her feet crunched beneath her boots as she watched the cars and trucks inch past. Brilliant lights in the shop windows winked at her and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” blared from one of the town’s speakers.

    Melissa smiled. Christmas time had always been fun in the Miller residence. Gifts, a lit tree, and enthusiastic parties in the evening. Usually the Miller children opened stockings on Christmas Eve.

    Christmas is all about fun and presents and giving, Melissa thought, turning onto Washington Avenue. Ahead of her sat a green Honda Civic, rumbling pleasant noises as heat came off the ground around it. She dashed towards it, opened the door, and leaped inside.

    Her seventeen-year-old brother, Leonard, turned and looked at her blankly. “What took you so long?”

    “Errands,” Melissa retorted hotly, buckling herself in. “Quick. Get to the mall. I need to stop by the mall.”

    Leonard rolled his eyes and pulled the car onto the road. Five minutes later, they pulled into the mall’s parking lot and parked. Melissa jumped out, waved to her brother, and hurried inside Barnes & Noble. She picked out a book for her mother and entered the hallway connecting all the stores together.

    She got a brand-new football for her college brother, Mark. (His had deflated after Leonard ran over it with the lawn mower.) She bought a Starbucks gift certificate for her eight-year-old sister, Lily, who hadn’t asked for anything more. She purchased new earrings for Crystal and a new shirt for her father, whose best one he’d spilt coffee on. Finally, she ran through snowflakes back to Leonard, who grabbed the stuff and inspected it.

    “Nothing for me?” he whined.

    Melissa snorted, and patted her sweatshirt pocket. “Silly! I have your gift right here.”

    Leonard lunged for her. She scooted closer to the door, giggling. After a few tickles, Leonard gave up and slouched in his seat.

    “Let’s go home.”

    The Honda started up. They backed out of the parking spot and drove through the lot towards the exit. Finally, they reached the freeway. In a half hour, they arrived at the neighborhood and pulled into the driveway of the house.

    Melissa stepped out of the car. The house seemed silent. Quietly and quickly, she entered and scurried up to her room. So far, no one had seen her. She threw her door open - and was quickly tackled.

    “Show me! Show me your weapons!”

    “Get off, get off!” shrieked Melissa, who couldn’t see anything but a fluffy pink ear. “I said get off!”

    The attacker paid no heed. A quick search awarded the villain two books, a shirt, a gift card, a football, and earrings.

    Lily, dressed in a pig onesie (that explained the pink ear), opened a brown-covered Book engraved with the gold words Holy Bible, and read the first words. She turned up an inquisitive eyebrow. “This is a God book, Lissa . . . ?”

    Wrinkling her brow, Melissa snatched the Book and looked it over. “What in the world?” I was sure I bought Mom a different book! She stood up fast as lightning. “Lily, can you take these gifts into my room?”

    “Except this gift card.” She waved the Starbucks card in the air. “This is mine.”

    “So it is.” Melissa sighed. “Go away, Lily. I need to think about something.” She scooped the gifts into her arm and entered her bedroom, this time without ambushing.

She opened the Holy Bible, right near the end, and read the big words at the top of the page.

Matthew.

Sinking into her bed, she started to read. Intrigued, she continued to read. Pretty soon, she’d absorbed all 28 chapters in Matthew.

Her head went crazy.

This is incredible! Her heart soared. I never knew . . . She opened to the middle of the book and started to read a book called Psalms. She flipped a few pages and came to Psalm 23.

Chapter Two

The next morning it was a week before Christmas Eve. Melissa continued to turn the Bible’s words over and over in her head. She walked over to the church near her neighborhood and spoke to the pastor. Pretty soon, Melissa and Pastor Jeff met every Friday every week to discuss the Bible.

    “Trusting in Jesus Christ,” Pastor Jeff told her on Christmas Eve, “is having faith in Him. He is our savior, and to be saved, we have faith in Him and are saved for eternity. Read this.” He handed her the Bible and pointed to John 3:16.

    “For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting. ... For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Melissa shook her head. “Wow.”

    Pastor Jeff took the Word and leafed through the pages. “Melissa, you’ve grown a lot in your faith. Have you been talking to God every night?”

    “Yes, I have.” Melissa smiled. “I pray. I simply tell Him everything on my heart. Slowly, I’ve realized I pray for nearly an hour, and by then I don’t want to stop. I - I -” She paused, nervous.

    “What is it, Melissa?”

    She fidgeted. “I . . .”

    “Do you want to become a Christian?”

    Melissa nodded. She managed a shy smile.

    Pastor Jeff beamed. “That’s WONDERFUL!!” he boomed. He hugged her tight.

Melissa laughed.

    “I want to - I want to . . . oh, what was that verse?” She opened her Bible. “Ah, ha! Here it is. ‘For we walk by faith, not by sight,’ 2 Corinthians 5:7.” She tapped the page. “Oh, Pastor Jeff, I want to walk by faith, not by sight!” She felt a shoot of excitement tingle into her finger tips. “I want to have eternity with our Lord.”

    With tears in his eyes, Pastor Jeff led Melissa in a prayer giving her heart to Jesus. After he said “Amen,” Melissa opened her eyes and stared at her counselor.

    “I - I feel radiant!” She giggled. She rose. She leaped. She spun. She glowed.

Later that day, Melissa presented the Bible to Leonard and her whole family. She told them about how Christmas was Jesus’ birthday. How he wanted to save them all. She told read them John 3:16 and Psalm 23, 91, 116, 117,  and Psalm 118:2 and Psalm 118:14. Then she read them 2 Corinthians 5:7.

    “I’m a Christian now,” she explained. “God is my everything. And I want God and His Son to be your everything, too.”

    The Millers sat in silence, stunned at their daughter’s brilliant speech. Soon, Mark, the college boy, stepped forth.

    “My girlfriend is a Christian,” he said. “She’s been telling me a ton about God and Jesus. I’ve been reading the Gospels.” He paused. “Who is that pastor you’ve been studying with?”

    “Jeff Howard.”

    “May I come, too?”

    “Of course! I don’t think Pastor Jeff will mind.”

    Mark beamed and sat down beside her. He took her hand and squeezed. “I’m proud of you, sis.”

    Melissa grinned. She turned to her mom, dad, and siblings. “What about you guys?”

    Leonard nodded. “I’ll start studies, too. With you and Mark.”

    Lily’s shoulders rose up and down. “I don’t know, but I think it sounds wonderful, having a hope. I’m not so scared of dying now - when I do.” She added quickly, “And that’ll be when I’m 100!”

The family laughed.

Crystal didn’t look so sure. “I don’t know. I’ll muse on it.”

Melissa flashed her a quick smile, trying to make sure she didn’t see her worry. Oh, dear Jesus,

please help Crystal find the way to walk by faith, and not by sight.

Mom and Dad agreed to studies, but didn’t promise anything. Christmas passed with a lighter heart, and Mark and Melissa both sang Christmas songs, and this time they meant it.  

A year later on December 25, the whole Miller family dined with the Howard family. That Christmas night, a very happy “Away in the Manger” chorused. Every Sabbath, the families went to church together and listened to Pastor Jeff’s sermons.

    And all because Melissa purchased the “wrong” Book that became the perfect Book for her family. And she learned to walk by faith and not by sight.