Here is the other story I wrote this week suggested by HenryJackson about a girl who struggles with peer pressure at church.
Enjoy and comment!

  Amy stood in the pew singing the final hymn of Sunday morning’s church service. She had tried to pay attention to the message but she kept thinking about her new Sunday school class. She was finally old enough to be in the teen class and would get to sit with the older girls that she had looked up to for so long.

 As soon as the hymn was over, Amy gathered her things and hurried out of the sanctuary and down the hallway to the Sunday school room. Many of the other teens were filing into the room talking and laughing with each other about the events of the week. Amy spotted a group of the older girls that she had been hoping to make friends with. They had talked to her a few times before in church but never seemed interested in being her friend. Amy was sure now that she was in Sunday school with them, things would change.

“Good morning,” Amy said cheerfully, walking over to the girls and edging her way into their circle. They stared at her for a moment looking confused. Then one of the girls whose name Amy knew to be Dana, smiled and said,

“Good morning. You must be new in this class.”

 Amy nodded.

“This is my first time here. I’ve really been looking forward to being in your group,” she told them.

“Well let me introduce you to everyone,” Dana offered. “My name is Dana, this is Natalie, Emma, and Kristin.”

“My name is Amy,” said Amy, shaking hands with all the girls. She admired their designer handbags, stylish dresses and cute delicate shoes and was suddenly aware of her plain green dress, simple purse and clunky brown shoes.

“The girls and I are going to get some coffee and pastries before class. Why don’t you pick out a table and we’ll get a cup for you,” Dana suggested. Amy agreed and watched the girls walk away. She was so excited to be in Sunday school with these girls. Not only were they nice but they were older and would no doubt have a lot of advice and wisdom to give Amy as she started on her teen years.

 Scanning the room, Amy looked for a table that with five open chairs. She spotted one in the corner of the room where only one girl was sitting. Amy walked over to it quickly before anyone else could claim it and laid her Bible and purse down.

 “Are you saving these seats?” she asked the girl who was sitting at the table.

 The girl shook her head but didn’t say anything.

“Do you mind if I sit here with my friends?”

The girl shook her head again but still did not speak.

“Thanks,” Amy said, feeling a bit uncomfortable with this girl’s silence. Sneaking a quick glance at her, Amy noticed this girl’s dress was even plainer and simpler than hers and the Bible she carried was worn and discolored. Amy was about to ask the girl her name but before she had the chance, Dana walked over and tapped her on the shoulder.

“What are you doing?” she whispered, leaning down close to Amy’s head.

“I picked out a table like you said,” Amy explained.

“No, honey, we already found a table over there,” Dana told her, pointing across the room. “Grab your stuff, I’ll take you there.”

  Amy was confused but she picked up her Bible and purse and followed Dana over to the table where the rest of the girls sat.

“Why were you sitting with Josephine?” Emma wanted to know as Amy sat down at the new table. She looked back across the room at the girl who sat alone.

“She said the seats were empty. I thought it was a good table,” Amy said with a shrug. “Is something wrong with her?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Kristen asked. “She dresses horribly, she doesn’t talk to anyone and her family is practically homeless.”

 Amy frowned.

“So what? She seems like a nice girl.”

“She’s a bad influence,” Dana insisted, without explaining why. “If you want to be friends with us, you won’t hang out with her.”

  Amy looked up at Dana whose face was completely serious. She wanted to argue but the bell rang for class to start and Amy settled in with her coffee to listen.

  During the week, Amy thought often about Dana and her insistence that Amy not spend time with Josephine. She still could not understand how Josephine would be a negative influence. Maybe Dana knew something about her that Amy did not.

  When Sunday morning came, Amy picked out the nicest church outfit she could find in her closet and carried her nicest purse. It wasn’t designer like the others girls’ purses but it looked fancier than the one she had carried last week.

  After the main service was over, Amy made her way back to the Sunday school room and looked around for Dana and the other girls. They stood by the refreshment table chatting and sipping on their coffee. They welcomed Amy into their circle and complimented her outfit and purse. She smiled and graciously accepted all their compliments happy to finally be accepted into this group of older girls.

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Josephine walk into the room and look around. She walked over to the refreshment table and grabbed a scone and a napkin.

 “I like your hairdo today, Dana,” she murmured shyly approaching the girls. Dana looked down at her from atop her high heels as though she were a queen gazing down at a peasant.

“Thank you, Josephine,” she said with a forced smile. Josephine smiled back, then walked away to find a seat.

  Dana and the rest of the girls looked at each other and giggled.

“Of course she liked your hair. It’s actually washed and brushed unlike hers,” Natalie said quietly.

“Why are you all so mean to her?” Amy wanted to know. The girls stopped their gossiping and looked down at Amy as if they didn’t understand why she would ask such a thing.

“The Bible says we’re supposed to be kind to everyone. And she was really nice to you just now.”

“We aren’t being mean to her, we’re doing her a favor,” Emma explained. “By avoiding her, it shows her that she isn’t going to make friends while she comes to church looking and acting like that. Once she cleans up a little bit and stops being so shy we’ll consider making her part of our group. Until then she will just have to sit by herself.”

  Amy stood there thinking about Emma’s reasoning and could not help feeling that something was wrong with it.

“We’re going to run to the ladies room, Amy. Find us a table again will you? Except this week, find one that doesn’t have Josephine at it,” Dana said, and they all laughed again as they made their way to the bathroom.

Amy turned around and looked over the tables. Josephine sat by herself eating her scone and watching the other teens talking together. Making her way to the table, Amy set her stuff down across from Josephine and smiled at her.

“Good morning, Josephine. My name is Amy.”

Josephine looked up at Amy blankly.

“Won’t you get in trouble for talking to me?” she asked.

“The girls are in the bathroom right now. I wanted to ask you why you were nice to Dana just now when she dislikes you so much.”

  Josephine shrugged.

“I liked her hair style and I wanted to be nice. The Bible says to be kind to everyone even when they are unkind to you.”

 Amy nodded at the familiar words.

“Dana said they would let you into their group if you dressed better and acted more outgoing. Wouldn’t it be worth doing that to have some friends here? You wouldn’t have to sit alone anymore.”

  Josephine smiled.

“I am the way God made me. I’ve always been shy and never wanted fancy clothes. My family doesn’t have money for them anyway. And besides, I want people to like me for who I already am, not who I could change myself into. I want to be accepted by God more than other people. If He is happy with me, then I am happy.”

 Amy thought about Josephine’s words and was aware of how she tried to change herself with the new outfit and purse. She should not have to change herself to be accepted by other girls. Christians were called to love all people no matter how they looked or acted. Suddenly she felt a tap on her shoulder. She knew who it was without looking.

“I thought we went through this last week,” Dana whispered through gritted teeth. Amy turned around to face her.

“I’m going to sit with Josephine this week,” she told Dana.

“You can’t have this both ways,” Dana said, a little louder now. “You are even friends with her or friends with us.”

“A real friend wouldn’t make me choose,” Amy said. “You want Josephine to change herself to fit your personal standards but God made her who she is. You might not like how she dresses but you should still be kind.”

  Dana shook her head and looked disappointed.

“You just don’t get it,” she told Amy, and walked away to join the other girls.

“I guess I don’t,” Amy agreed. “You’re right Josephine. I should care what God thinks of me, not other people.  I was wrong to ignore you last week and I’m sorry.”

“I forgive you,” Josephine said smiling. “But are you sure you want to sit with me if it means upsetting Dana?”

“I’m sure,” Amy told her, confident that she had found a real friend in Josephine.