The Lost One

Olivia Parker's friendship with Zoe Grant has fallen apart. Ever since their teacher Mr. Norton died in an accident on a school ski trip, Olivia has been questioning her faith in God, and her lies cost Zoe the editor-in-chief position at the school paper - a loss that ended the friendship. As the story opens, a package arrives on Olivia's porch: a box of belongings she left at Zoe's house over the years, including a bead tool from the days when the girls dreamed of opening their own bead store. As Olivia sorts through it with her mother, she admits the box makes the breakup feel official, and she mentions that Zoe was crying at school because Andy Rome was named editor of The Owl instead of her.

Meanwhile, Olivia is being followed around by an imaginary companion: Leonid Sepanov, the anti-Christian philosopher she chose for her research paper, who now lives in her head as a mocking, opinionated voice. Leonid scolds her sloppy schoolwork and insists Zoe is in the past, but Olivia decides to attend Zoe's play anyway. When Leonid pushes back, she announces she is going to think for herself, and he protests, "You should think for yourself when you agree with me."

At the theater, Olivia learns Zoe skipped the performance of her own play because she didn't want to cry in front of people. Connie sits down with Olivia for what she calls a few minutes of honesty. She explains that before she became a Christian she still had a sense of right and wrong, but faith gave her a true moral compass - and she gently asks what compass Olivia used when she lied to Zoe. Connie adds one more reason she trusts the Bible: its principles work. Imagining a world where everyone loved their neighbor and forgave as Christ forgave, Olivia quietly admits it would be a wonderful world - and that in such a world she would still have her best friend.

At the grocery store, Zoe runs into Olivia's mother, and the two share how much they both miss the old Olivia. Mrs. Parker assures Zoe that God will keep chasing after Olivia and will never give up on her, so they shouldn't either. Inspired, Zoe asks for help with an idea.

That night, Leonid urges Olivia to "clean house" - to rid herself of old voices like Zoe, Connie, and Mr. Whittaker. Olivia refuses and heads to Zoe's house, but no one is home, and Whit's End has closed early for a personal matter. Back in her empty house, Olivia kneels to pray for the first time in weeks, but Leonid interrupts: if God is really listening, she will have to face what she did. When she confesses she feels alone, he answers coldly, "You are alone. That's what I've been telling you."

Then Mr. Whittaker appears and invites her for a walk. He presses her about why she chose a philosopher who detests Christianity, sensing she was hunting for reasons to doubt. At last Olivia breaks down and reveals her secret: the night before the ski trip deadline, she prayed for a miracle that the money would appear - and the next morning an anonymous donation came. Because of that trip, Mr. Norton is dead, and Olivia believes her prayer caused it. Whit tells her that prayers don't tie God's hands, and that God works everything according to His perfect wisdom. He observes, "You'd rather believe that your prayers meant nothing than believe they meant something." Then he shares a stunning secret of his own: the anonymous donation was his. He has suffered sleepless nights over it too, but he refuses to believe the lie - the same lie Satan is using to bury Olivia in guilt and pull her away from God. He urges her to reject it and reaffirm her own faith, not her parents' or her friends'. Olivia says she believes God loves her, but she needs help believing it - and Whit promises she is not alone.

To prove it, he leads her to the church, where her family, Connie, Pastor Knox, and Zoe have gathered on a Tuesday night to pray for her. Zoe organized it all, and not a single person said no. Olivia walks in as Zoe is praying to be forgiven for the ways she hurt her friend. Then comes another surprise: Mrs. Norton is there. She tells Olivia that her husband Charles was an adventurer who loved taking risks, that his accident was not Olivia's fault, and that the same God who gave him his sense of adventure gave Olivia her inquisitive mind and soft heart. Olivia says she believes it, and everyone gathers around her to pray, thanking God that even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.

Back in her room, Leonid makes one last appearance, complaining that prayer meetings are boring and asking when the family plans to eat Camilla's pet fish. Olivia orders him out, and when he refuses, she opens her Bible and reads aloud the parable of the lost sheep - the shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to find the one, then calls his friends to celebrate: "Rejoice with me! I have found my lost sheep!" Unable to bear it, Leonid finally flees for good. When her mother comes to say goodnight, Olivia tells her she is ready to pray together again - and her mom is very glad to hear it.