Growing up with Jesus

Growing Up with Jesus is a fictional story of Jesus when he was a boy. Written from the perspective of Simon Peter, who is ten years older than Jesus, he chronicles the boyhood of Jesus. Simon recounts his relationship with Mary, the mother of Jesus, before Jesus was even born. He then weaves the story of Jesus’s boyhood into his own life. Mutual associations with friends, religious events and holidays as well as occupational happenings will remind us of how life was as ordinary for Jesus growing up as ours is today. Simon relates his own daily life including his impatient personality, relationship observations, Roman political presence, dealing with the death of a loved one, and biblical morals and perspectives. Casual story-telling of epic biblical events, morals and perspectives are included in Simon’s narrative.

Obviously, the events you will read about are how the author imagines things might have been. References to Jewish practices, traditions, and holidays were thoroughly researched, and every effort was made to stay as true as possible while creating the story. It is supposed, by the author, that Simon and his brother Andrew might have known Jesus before they were called to follow him into ministry, leaving their homes and families behind. The geographical setting is used to include the sea on which Simon and Andrew could earn their living. The story ends significantly on Chapter 29, with Jesus at age twenty-nine and where the documented, biblical narrative of Jesus’ ministry begins.

The author developed this story over twenty years and has finally released it for children to read and enjoy. The hope is that after reading this book as a child or a curious adult, one will find the Bible to be captivating as they yearn to learn more about our Lord, Jesus Christ.