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Timothy is the older brother of Jobe. Jobe is blinded in an accident, and his brother and father, Mark, rescue him. Guilt-ridden, Timothy begins a sojourn, which he at first believes will be brief and fairly easy to accomplish. The journey is significantly more complex than the young man anticipates. It takes many years and involves multiple tribulations as Timothy ultimately seeks out Jesus. When Timothy returns to his home, he discovers many changes—including his family's apparent dispersal. Of what use were those years on the quest? The answer to this eventually becomes clear.
In his book, Padilla challenges the reader to "find Christ." Essentially, he is asking his readers to go on a spiritual quest that is similar to the spiritual journey that he himself has made and describes through his characters. The author’s story is a metaphor for seeking and suffering in order to find physical and spiritual healing and truth. Allies and strangers meet Timothy to assist or hinder him during his quest. The overall storyline is structured in the tradition of other journey tales in which a situation can be redeemed or repaired by the protagonist's experiencing education through self-challenge, danger, and personal changes that ultimately lead to enlightenment. Examples of this theme can be seen in L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, and many biblical passages that are representative of this form. The author is a passionate follower of Jesus, and this aspect comes across clearly in his writing. The story emphasizes Padilla's conviction that a person must seek Jesus for life to have its appropriate meaning.