Small Sacrifices

by A.Y. Daniels

What can one homeschooled teen do to share the sacrificial love of Jesus?

John Mark is managing a slow life out in the country. Woodworking, playing piano, and hanging out with his family consumes most of his time.
When his eyes are opened to his personal responsibility to show God's love to those around him, John Mark wonders what difference he could make in the dark world around him. After all, he's just an ordinary--well, mostly ordinary--teenager.
But as small opportunities arise, will John Mark sacrifice his preferences and pride to show kindness?

Follow John Mark's journey as a growing Christian teen in this short and sweet Young Adult novelette, full of sibling interactions and heartwarming love.

Genres: Short Stories, Contemporary

115 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 5, 2024

About the author

Author of contemporary slice-of-life and non-magical fantasy fiction.

Reviews

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theme: Love is laying down your life for others.

5 stars. This was such an exhorting story! John Mark was an excellent young man (husband material right there, am I right??) and the message of loving your family really spoke to me. Although it was a short story, the other characters were well done too and I enjoyed the whole big-family atmosphere. 😉

NOTE: I read the version of this story in the Seize the Love anthology.

[Abigail Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story that focuses on loving your family.

3.5 star rating rounded to 4.

Note: I read the version in Seize the Love.

[Hannah E. Griggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story. The lesson of showing God's love to others was clear and well-presented. I enjoyed the aspects of evangelism and witnessing as that isn't something you see a lot of in books, though it ought to be.
This is a good little story with a close-knit family and Christian values. The characters were all well-done, and there were some humorous parts throughout the story that I enjoyed. I can't wait to read more by this author in the future!

[Cat T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a precious story! I’ve read this probably 3 times now and it all always is so thought provoking and convicting. Definitely read this story to get a look at what truly living for God could look like!

*I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from the author, but I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.*

[Rhys-Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I enjoyed this story, though it felt more like a short story than a novelette due to the fact that it didn’t have much of a cohesive plot except for the MC’s character growth. Still, I appreciated its slice-of-life nature, as well as the theme of sacrificing one’s time and talents to help others and glorify God.

I would like to thank the author for giving me a free review copy to honestly review.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet novelette!

I absolutely adored the themes of courageously showing God’s love intentionally, actively looking for ways to do so! It was something I needed to read as I struggle myself to have that courage!
I liked how John Mark applied it to his family though too! Their whole dynamic was so wholesome and I definitely think we need more stories like this one, even if it was just for that alone! Lilly was a favorite character for sure!

What does take a star for me was that I do have a couple questions about a few elements that seemed cut too short(besides that I wouldn’t have minded if there was quite a bit more to the story as a whole): what happened to Kyle? Did he continue to go to church with John Mark? Was he able to connect with his family? Was he able to encourage his sister?
I… do personally wish the whole ordeal of the sister had been approached a tad differently in all honesty… not that I completely disagree, just that I think it could’ve been more impactful from a slightly different angle. Just because of someone’s outward appearance doesn’t automatically mean that they’re lost…
There were some aspects of the beliefs that aren’t aligned with my own but it doesn’t take away from the importance of the overall messages.
There were also a few parts of conversation that didn’t seem how boys actually speak to each other but it was nice that once John Mark was sharing his faith he did so quite clearly.

This was a read I needed and enjoyed! John Mark’s maturity for his age is something I hope for my own son.
I loved the writing style and that while it dealt with a struggle there was a determination and light to it!
I look forward to more from this author!

I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review, all thoughts here are my own.

[H.A. Pruitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

My summary: After reading a passage in Hebrews, John Mark keeps hearing God urging him to show love to others. Sometimes John mark listens, sometimes he ignores God, but almost every time, he wrestles with what he must sacrifice to show love. Though God doesn’t ask him to do big acts of love, they do feel big to John Mark, and John Mark does learn that the small sacrifices have a big impact on others.

Positives
It is a short, lighthearted book. It took me about two hours to read it.
The main theme was clear and stayed strong through the story.
The message was spelled out, but the circumstances and events added depth and realism to it.
Showing love to others is the main message, but I appreciated the connected message that we need to serve God and love others even when doing so is overlooked or thankless. God always sees, knows, and is glad when we give to others.

Negatives
Some dialogue did verge on sounding too perfect. However, the simplicity of the book feels like it’s for a younger audience, so the perfect words felt like intentional examples and teaching moments without feeling contrived. So it was not typical, but it didn’t feel out of believability.
The story needed more descriptions. The characters, scenes, and action wasn’t described. It was difficult to visualize what was happening.
Because the book lacked descriptions and details, some situations were confusing.

Overall: A sweet story about showing God’s love.

[Bethany M. Griggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

We need more Christian contemporary books like this one! Clean, wholesome, Christ-centered, and family-centered, this little story has so much to love. It conveys wonderful lessons in walking with Jesus such as loving others, humility, and as the title suggests, sacrifices. John Mark is a normal teenager in a lot of ways. He has his struggles (which makes him relatable), but he also has a deep desire to please God and bless those God brings across his path. This story is so relatable. The plot is simple, and the story is slice-of-life style and theme-centered. If you're a piano player (or possibly even if you're not), you may find yourself wanting to sit down and play a song or two after reading on this story. It happened to me anyway! If you're looking for a short and encouraging read with relatable, down-to-earth characters and a loving family atmosphere, I recommend Small Sacrifices!

I received a free copy of this novelette in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review.

[A.Y. Daniels]

Looking for a sweet 'n' short read for autumn? This little novelette isn't much, but it might bring a smile to your face!

[Faith · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a story on how you can make small sacrifices to follow and serve Christ, I would highly recommend picking up this novellete.

John Mark is an excellent character, and I loved how Daniels wrote a normal but engaging life of a teen in this short read. I didn't expect to find Small Sacrifices making me laugh out loud, but a few scenes/events did. That engaged me in the book even more and admire how the author weaved humor into what seemed like a serious concept.