I love that God can work all things together for good. Even in tragedy, God can comfort those who are suffering, and I love how Ripken is honest about this topic, which allows his readers to connect and feel the pain that he suffered. In the Christian life hardships will come, and Ripken reminds his readers that God is always moving even when they future is uncertain.
Persecution in the American church today is much different than persecution around the world. Freedom of speech and freedom of religion makes persecution in this country an afterthought in the minds of churchgoers. Around the rest of the world, however, persecution is a blunt reality. While talking with a group of Russian pastors and elders, one of them commented to Nik that “for us, persecution is like the sun coming up in the east” (Ripken, p 161). What is amazing about this statement is that persecution is promised for to Christians, yet many live their lives without experiencing large amounts of persecution. Believers who live in Russia understand this reality, living in a world where persecution is a daily occurrence. They do not shy away from persecution, but