Charis McRoy, a senior at Spencerville Adventist Academy in Maryland, has enjoyed writing poetry to express her emotions and experiences ever since the third grade. Through the years, she decided to author a book on the Bible story of Esther. Remembering what she had learned about Esther in Sabbath School, she wanted to journey deeper into that Bible story.

“Esther struck me as quite the heroine to look up to. While she could have simply relished in the pleasures of being queen, she lived selflessly and defended others, even at the risk of her own life,” said McRoy. “Her story moved me, and I felt the urge to share it — as Esther might have told it.”

McRoy wrote her book, The Star, in a diary-like format. She hopes readers leave with a sense of calling and purpose for their lives.

“It was God who enabled Esther to rise amid the obstacles and trials of her life and become a star shining in the darkness,” said McRoy.

McRoy believes that God will use anyone who is willing to be an instrument in His hand to bring about change in the world.

“The question I pose to the reader is, ‘Are you willing to let God do the same for you? Will you realize that you have been called for such a time as this?’” McRoy explained.

“This experience really helped me to grow as a writer and as a person,” she added. “As I wrote about this great woman of faith and courage, some of those qualities rubbed off on me. Ultimately, as I wrote her story, I began writing a new one for myself. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything.”

— Click here for more information about McRoy’s 2019 book; this article originally appeared in the November/December 2020 Columbia Union Conference Visitor magazine, and on Nov. 18, 2020, on the Visitor website.