For This Child I Prayed

by William Gage

After her husband took a second wife, Hannah desperately needed someone to love. For years, she begged God for a baby. When she promised to give her future child to the Tabernacle, the Lord finally answered her prayer. Now, she was faced with the most difficult choice a mother could would she keep her vow to give up her baby?

This is a short fictional story based on the biblical account in the Book of Samuel. It is the first part of a series about the founding of the ancient Israelite monarchy. Check Amazon regularly for future releases.

29 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 2, 2015

Reviews

[Edythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

For This Child I Prayed by William Gage is a short story inspired by Hannah, mother of Samuel in the first Book of Samuel, Chapter 1. This story is also inspired by the painting ‘Hannah presenting her Son to the High Priest Eli’ which currently hangs in the Lourve.

Gage brings warmth and heartfelt tenderness to Hannah’s dilemma of being unable to conceive a child for her husband Elkanah. His second wife Peninnah teases and taunts Hannah due to her incapability to have a child.

Hannah learns how to pray and vows to give her child as a sacrifice to the service of the Lord. She is answered but rethinks the vow made to the Lord.

The story is moving and inspired me to re-read the Book of Samuel, Chapter 1 as the verses reminded me having faith will lead you to what the Lord has in store for your life.

I recommend this short story to readers of novellas and persons of faith. I received this complimentary novella from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased opinion.

[I'd So Rather Be Reading {Nat} · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scripture from 1 Samuel 1:27, "For this child I have prayed..." has become a common thing to see on picture frames, crosses, and wall plaques for nurseries. It's a meaningful scripture that has become increasingly popular. William Gage took the surrounding verses from Samuel 1:27 and fleshed them out into a short story, of the same name.

I didn't remember the story of Elkanah and Hannah, so For This Child I Prayed was a treat in that aspect. I found their story moving and emotional. I liked that this short story provides the reader with a deeper look into what it was like to be a married woman in Old Testament times.

Hannah and Elkanah were married for years when Elkanah took a second wife, Peninnah. The most likely motivator for Elkanah's second marriage was that Hannah was unable to bear children. As Peninnah births child after child, Hannah's sorrow grows, until she finally prays to God for a child. As she prays she promises that after the child is weaned, she will give him to the high priest so that the child may serve the Lord always.

Reading the original scripture gave me the facts of the story, but Gage's short story really gave the words life. I loved seeing the scripture come alive like that. Hannah's heartbreak at the way her life has turned out was deep and very well-portrayed.

About halfway through the story, there was a section where Gage veers from Hannah's perspective and talks about how hard the holidays are for those who are infertile. While intuitive and informational, it felt more like that part belonged at the end of the story. It was a little different from the rest of the story and interfered with the flow, in my opinion.

Overall, I really enjoyed For This Child I Prayed. I liked the addendum, which described the history behind the cover of the book. It was definitely a nice touch and a good addition to the story. I look forward to reading the rest of the stories in Gage's series.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Review requested by author during free promotions at amazon*

This was a truly wonderful story! It struck quite a few chords with me causing me to take a step back and reflect. This short story is well written, meaningful, entertaining and a very quick read. I couldn't ask for anything more. At the end of the book there's a write up about the cover art which I loved as well. Personally, I view this book as a sign (call me crazy all you want). I'm very grateful to the author for approaching me with his book as it's not from a genre I would typically read. Anyway, I highly, highly recommend this short story to everyone.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful short story of the confines of Old Testament society and the restrictions it can place on familial ties. The reader encounters a woman who lives a lonely life, second-best to another wife of her husband, barren and sad. When she finally conceives as a gift from God she is faced with a choice: honor Yahweh through relinquishing her son to her religion, or keeping her long-awaited child for her own joy? There is a nice afterward that explains the cover art and its inspiration to the author for the story.

[Lillie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This very short story tells the story of Hannah praying for a child, conceiving and giving birth to Samuel, and dedicating him to the Lord. Scripture says Elkanah loved Hannah, but in this story, her husband refuses to have anything to do with Hannah after she refuses to sleep in the same bed with him and his second wife. This makes the story more dramatic and emphasizes what a sacrifice Hannah makes, but it portrays a different kind of relationship than I perceive from the Bible.

I got this book in a free promotion and was asked by the author for an honest review.