Week 11: Aftermath and Implications — Living in the Light of the Unseen

1.As the novel resolves, which character's journey has moved you most — Hank's perseverance, Marshall's conversion, Bernice's courage, Sandy's rescue? Why that character? What do they represent for you personally?

2.Hank's faithfulness in the small, unrecognized, discouraging work of pastoral ministry turned out to be world-changingly significant. Read Hebrews 12:1-3. The 'great cloud of witnesses' has watched your life too. How does the idea that your ordinary faithfulness — your daily prayers, your small choices, your perseverance in unglamorous circumstances — has cosmic significance change how you feel about your Monday morning?

3.Peretti's novel implies that every community — every town, every workplace, every family, every church — is an Ashton. There is a spiritual battle in progress around you right now. Ephesians 5:15-17 says to 'walk carefully, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.' What does 'careful walking' look like in your specific context — your neighborhood, your workplace, your church?