Why the Middle School Mystery Series is for You
Young people, and those who are young at heart, now is your time. Not later, after you’re all grown up, out of school, and ready to do something with your life—but now. Don’t wait to make your life matter. It already matters. You have a purpose that began before you were born.
According to the Barna Research Group, 85% of Americans who placed their faith in Jesus did so between the ages of four and fourteen. If you are a young person, now is the time to accept Jesus as your Savior and join in the mission of expanding God’s kingdom. Young as you are, you are called a spiritual warrior. Now is the time to reach your peers. It can be the most effective period of your life.
Most grown-ups get numb from the cares of this life. Their hearts grow dull. They forget that real life includes so much more than the things of this world. So it’s up to you to take on the spiritual battle and claim eternal victories. God calls you.
Don’t let others tell you that you are too young or too inexperienced. You already know how messed up this world is. Wars, starving children, broken families, sickness—you can take a stand against all these evils. And your best weapon is prayer.
God loves and listens to children above all others. Use your special relationship with him to pray for our world. Pray alone, and pray in groups. Others are called like you. Find them and band together.
Use whatever unique gifts God has given you—music, dance, math, etc.—and find ways to use these skills in Jesus’s power and for God’s glory.
Your precious young life can influence the spiritual curmudgeons around you. You may be the best chance for other people to see who Jesus is.
So, how about it? Do you accept this challenge? Are you ready to be knighted into Kingdom service?
If you are not already a follower of Jesus, find a pastor or a friend who can guide you in accepting Jesus. Ask someone who stands on sincerity, not on rote formulas.
Next, dedicate yourself to bringing love and truth into this dark world. Let God’s Spirit guide you on exactly how you can join the fight. Remember to hate sin, but love sinners. It’s essential always to be humble. That’s one of the things God loves most about children. So don’t look down on others. All of us are lost without Christ.
Go now and share your commitment with someone else. Let the joy of your life in Jesus bubble over to others.
That is your mission.
What I Would Tell Skye
I’m always a little sad when the last chapter of a book is written—like I’m losing friends. Skye is a fictional character, but I feel she is someone I know.
If Skye were real, there’s something important I would tell her. But before I share my urgent message for Skye, I need to explain allegories.
This whole story is an allegory. That means it is a fictional tale with a hidden meaning that applies to real life.
When Jesus taught, he used a similar method. He rarely explained the meaning of his stories. The great teacher knew that when humans work through the interpretation, they are more likely to take the lesson to heart and make lasting changes.
I won’t tell you what this allegory means either. I will, however, help you interpret it with some discussion starters.
Read Chapter 1 here. Or buy on Amazon
Discussion Questions
1) What did Skye want more than anything?
2) How are we like Skye?
3) Who does the Friend represent in our real life?
4) What gifts have you received from the invisible Friend?
5) How does our Friend primarily write to us?
6) What does placing a letter symbolize?
7) After reading this story, how would you treat a furry or LGBT+ student?
8) Who are the friends of the Friend in your life?
9) How can you live boldly for Jesus as the characters did for the Friend?
10) What is the most important gift the real Friend offers?
This last question brings us back to what I would tell Skye. I would say to her, “It’s great you have this awesome best Friend now, but you need something far more than a BFF. You need a Savior.
“The name of your invisible Friend is Jesus. First and foremost, he wants to be your Savior.
“If you simply ask him, your Best Friend will pay for your sins by his sacrifice on the cross. Receiving God’s forgiveness through Jesus is the first step in your incredible journey.”
That is what I’d tell Skye.
This allegory is about finding an incredible best friend who always stands by our side. Still, it falls short of the most essential message—we first need a Savior.
Jesus is both Savior and Best Friend. Dear reader, don’t miss out on either of these offers. Receive Jesus as Savior and Friend today. You will also inherit a vast family of fellow believers who are called to love you until the day you graduate to Paradise.
Please reply to the real Friend and begin your adventure with him. There is no better life.
“No one has greater love than this - that one lays down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father.” John 14:13-15
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