CHRISTIAN WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS + STUDENT'S STORY

I recently led a Writing Workshop for students from F.I.S.H. Hagerstown, a Maryland Christian homeschool group. One parent said in regard to her son, "It was a game changer for his writing." Another parent wrote, "They loved the creative aspect, with learning how to incorporate Jesus and their faith into their stories...They were encouraged by seeing others engaged and interested in writing."  Another mom wrote, "You helped my oldest break through his writing block and get excited about writing again."

I love to encourage and support children in their writing. In this blog, I am thrilled to now introduce you to one of our budding authors and share the story she wrote during our five workshops...

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​My name is Eliana Rice. I’m eleven years old and have loved writing for as long as I can remember. I first started writing actual stories in kindergarten, though they weren’t very good. I have written a few short stories (one of which I won an award) and am working on a seven-book series. I have many interests and hobbies. A few of them are crochet, dance, writing (of course), reading, and piano. I have two brothers, two dogs, a mom, and a dad. Our home life can get slightly crazy at times, but I love my family and I am glad to call them my own. I am a Christian and I believe that God has gifted me with the ability to write, so I try to give back to Him with my gift. My hope in writing is to inspire, encourage, and share the Good News of God.

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Rights and Wrongs
By Eliana Rice

 
“Ow!” Kathlynn yelped as she stumbled over a tree root. But she got up. She had to. Her family’s future was on the line.

Kathlynn pressed on, dashing as fast as she could, pushing through the forest underbrush. Her dress had already snagged on multiple branches, and she knew that her mother would have a fit, but she couldn’t think about that. Her father’s life was at stake.
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Within a few minutes, Kathlynn reached a small clearing in the woods. Her house, a small stone cottage, stood warm and inviting a few feet away.

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​Kathlynn’s mother was hanging clothes on the line in front of the house and Kathlynn immediately raced towards her. “Mother!”

Kathlynn’s mother looked up. “Kathlynn! What in the world are you doing? You’re a mess! Why, your dress is torn! You must clean yourself up …”

“Mother!” Kathlynn interrupted, panting. “They’ve found out! They’re coming for Father!”

“Heaven's child, calm down! Whatever are you talking about? Who’s coming?”

“The Queen’s guard!”

Her Mother's face went from shock, to horror, to grim.
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Several months earlier, Kathlynn’s father had sneaked into the Queen’s palace and stolen a jewel from her crown.
 

He had been very stealthy about it. But when Kathlynn was in town, she heard that the Queen’s guard had been sent out to bring her father to justice. Kathlynn recalled being confused when her father had come home with the jewel. After all, Kathlynn’s parents had always said stealing was wrong. Though, that was before Kathlynn’s father had lost his job as a blacksmith. But did that make stealing right?
 
Kathlynn frowned. She wouldn’t think about right and wrong. The deed had been done and there was nothing Kathlynn could do about it.

“Kathlynn!”

Kathlynn jumped slightly at the sound of her mother’s voice, snapping her out of her reverie. “I’m sorry Mother. What were you saying?”

“I said that we need to leave immediately. The Queen’s guard could arrive at any moment. Go fetch your brother and pack your belongings. We’re going to your grandmother's house. Her mother’s face was so stern and serious that Kathlynn didn’t dare argue. She scurried off without another word.

“Mark! Mark! Quick!” Kathlynn yelled, throwing the door open.

Mark, Kathlynn’s sixteen-year-old brother, looked up from where he sat at the table. “Kathlynn, what is it? You look awful!”

Taking a deep breath, Kathlynn spewed out the story in a hurry. “…So, we both need to pack our things and help Mother and Father with theirs! Mother says that we’re going to Grandmother’s house.”

Mark nodded and stood. “Let’s get to work.”

Kathlynn and Mark packed their things and soon the family was ready to go. Kathlynn’s father sighed and looked back at the family’s home. “I’m sorry about all of this. I didn’t intend for things to turn out this way."

Kathlynn’s mother nodded. “We know. None of us anticipated this. Now, we best get walking. Grandmother lives a rather long distance from us.”

Kathlynn squared her shoulders and took a deep breath before turning her back on the house. There was no use looking back.
The family took a short cut through the woods since going through town would be too risky. The trek was long and tiring and Kathlynn nearly collapsed with relief at the sight of her grandmother’s cozy house.

Kathlynn’s grandmother met them at the door. She didn’t greet them with her usual warm smile. Her grim expression matched Kathlynn’s mother’s inch for inch. “I heard the news in town. Come in, come in.” Kathlynn’s grandmother had already known about the jewel theft from Kathlynn’s father and while she was extremely disappointed, she had agreed to keep it a secret to protect the family.

Kathlynn had always loved her grandmother’s big, airy house. It seemed safe and secure to her. That night in her bed however, she couldn’t seem to shake the terrible feeling that her family wouldn’t really be safe or secure if they were traitors. With a sigh, Kathlynn rose from her bed and headed for the kitchen. She lit one of her grandmother’s spare gas lamps, before she realized she didn’t need it. For in the kitchen, Kathlynn could just make out the faint glow of another gas lamp. Kathlynn entered the room and found her father sitting at the table with his head in his hands.

“Father?”

He looked up with a frown. “You should be in bed.”

“I know, but I can’t sleep.”

“Neither could I. Have a seat.”

Her father sighed. “Why can’t you sleep?”

“I’m confused.”

“About?”

“Everything! You and Mother have always taught us that stealing is never right, and that God doesn’t want us to steal.”

Kathlynn hesitated, but her father nodded at her. “Go on.”

“Why did you steal from the Queen?”

“Kathlynn, you know the answer to that already. We need the money.”

Her father looked thoughtful for a moment, but then he shook his head. “I suppose you are right, but it’s too late. If I turn myself in now, the Queen may very well have me executed.”

Kathlynn sighed. “I know.” She pushed away from the table and stood. “I’ll go back to bed now.”

“So shall I,” Kathlynn’s father agreed, but he didn’t. For a long time after she left, he just sat and stared into space. Finally, though, he put the lamp out and went to bed.

Bang, bang, bang! Kathlynn awoke with a start the next morning at the noise.

“Madam Dellham, by the power of her Majesty the Queen, open this door!” a deep voice boomed.

Kathlynn caught her breath. It was her worst nightmare come true. The Queen’s guard had arrived. Kathlynn stumbled out of bed and collided with her mother in the hall. Kathlynn saw the terror in her mother’s eyes and felt her own heart beating with anxiety.

“Kathlynn,” her mother whispered in a hoarse voice, “Hide!”

Those two words sent Kathlynn rushing back into her room. Her heart still raced fast and strong and her mind swirled with fear.

“Madam Dellham! Open this door!”

Kathlynn darted under her bed and listened with anticipation as her grandmother answered the door.

“Yes?”

“Good morning, Madam. I am sorry to wake you, but as part of the Queen’s guard, I must ask if you have seen or heard from a John Dellham.”

“Oh! I, well, why do you ask?”

“He has been convicted of treason. I am here because he shares your last name, and I wonder if you know him.”

“Well, I haven’t seen him. I’m sorry.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then …"

“Wait!” a new voice interrupted.

Kathlyn gasped. It was her father! “Don’t lie on behalf of me, Mother. I’m here.”
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Then with his deepest voice the guard said, “Then, by the authority bestowed within me, I arrest you in the name of her Majesty the Queen. Come with me, sir. Do you still have the diamond?”

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​“Yes. Fortunately, I didn’t try to sell it yet. I have it right here with me. Here.”

“Very good. Come along.”

Kathlynn couldn’t be still any longer. She wormed her way out from under the bed and dashed for the living room. “No! Father! Please!”

But the only one still in the living room was her grandmother. “Grandmother! Where did they go?”

“They’re gone, Kathlynn. They are going to the palace.”

Deep sadness was etched in her grandmother’s face and Kathlynn burst into tears. Mark and Kathlynn’s mother entered the room, and everyone watched from the doorway as Kathlynn’s father was led away by the guard.
​
Kathlynn watched until the guard and her father were out of sight, tears continuing to soak her face. “Father! No!”

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​The days following the arrest were riddled with sadness for Kathlynn’s family. Mark, Kathlynn, and their mother moved back into their cottage, but things didn’t seem the same without their father. On the first morning after the arrest, Kathlynn had bounded downstairs to look for her father, before she remembered and then felt a wave of sadness as reality swept back over her. The first few days, Kathlynn found herself crying a lot and sometimes staring out the window as if she could wish her father back. The rest of her family did the same.
After the third day of her father’s arrest, Kathlynn decided to stop looking back. She knew that it wouldn’t bring her father back. Instead, she busied herself with helping around the house as much as possible.

Kathlynn’s favorite chore was washing the dishes and that was what she was doing when she suddenly heard the front door creak open. With a frown, Kathlynn dried her hands and went to investigate. Her mother was taking a nap and Mark was supposed to be washing the family’s laundry out back.

“Are you done with the laundry, Mark?” Kathlynn asked, while entering the living room. She gasped with shock at what she found. There, standing in the living room, was her father! Alive and well!

“Father!” Kathlynn shrieked with joy, sinking into his open arms.
Mark and Kathlynn’s mother heard her shouts and what they found left them both shocked and filled with happiness. After everyone finished hugging and crying tears of joy, Kathlynn’s father settled in to tell his story.
​
“The guard who arrested me took me right to the Queen. She had me sleep at the palace while she decided what to do with me.
 

​When she finally did, I was amazed. She told me that she understood why I stole the jewel and even though it was still very wrong, she said that because I was cooperative and because I turned myself in, I could go. She gave me a warning, but I promised to never do anything like this again. And it was all because of you, Kathlynn! If you hadn’t talked to me that night about doing the right thing, I wouldn’t have turned myself in!”

“I’ve been thinking a lot about right and wrong. I had believed that what I did was wrong, but because I did it for the right reason, that made it okay. But that isn’t true. Wrong is wrong and because I tried to help my family by doing wrong, I got myself and all of you into even more trouble. I’m very sorry and I hope you can forgive me.”

“Of course,” Kathlynn replied, smiling. She couldn’t believe that she had been the one to help her father. And what her father said cleared things up in her mind. Kathlynn felt as though the whole family had been through a lot by her father’s actions. The family sat in solemn silence, all thinking about the past few days.

Kathlynn’s mother suddenly clapped her hands, ending the quiet. “Alright everyone, let’s get ready to go!”

“Go? Are we leaving?” Mark asked.

“We’re going back to your grandmother’s! We need to tell her the good news!”

Everyone smiled and started getting ready.
​
Kathlynn noticed that she felt happy for the first time in days. Grace, forgiveness, and joy, she thought, are wonderful gifts from God.
 

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I hope you have been delighted by Eliana's first published story! We invite you to leave comments below.

​If your group is interested in a Writing Workshop for tweens/teens with a Christian worldview, in person or virtual, please contact me at newSongpress.net/contact.


Joy in His Peace,
Heidi Vertrees
Author/Educator





       

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