The Reviews Are In!

Now that My Affliction For His Glory has been out for 3 months now, there has been quite a few reviews that have popped up on blogs as well as Amazon reviews. Here’s what people are saying about the book:

“This book clearly demonstrates how God turns the logic of the world on its head to produce something truly glorious. This is a story about how one man takes hold of a circumstance which the world considers a weakness and uses it give hope, transform hearts, and ultimately to glorify God.”  ~ John Segalla

“I met Daniel in 2004 when my husband and I went to work at Snowbird Wilderness Outfitters, a Christian camp in North Carolina. Daniel was on staff and we watched him interact with kids, drive a bus, and participate in every high-adventure activity offered, and do all of this—without arms! I was amazed at the physical things Daniel could do with this very obvious, in-your-face disability, but he redefined the word “disability,” as I never saw anything he couldn’t do that he set his mind to. I’ll never forget the time he helped me open one of those stubborn little milk cartons I was struggling with, with his toes. I was obviously impressed by Daniel’s physical abilities but as I got to know and observe him I saw a young man with strength of character, too. He was always smiling and laughing, cutting up with other staff and with campers, not just in spite of his armlessness but because of it. Having no arms seemed to make him mentally, emotionally, and spiritually stronger.

We got to hear Daniel’s testimony and learned how through the faithfulness of his parents he came to know the Lord and eventually see his pain and struggle as a blessing. When people see an armless man carrying coffee and a doughnut out of Starbucks they are inevitably curious. Part of the blessing is that curiosity opens doors to conversation, which allows Daniel to share his testimony of God’s goodness in his life.

I’m so thrilled that Daniel has put his life story and testimony in the book, “My Affliction for His Glory.” He gives us the Gospel story in a mix of theology, humor, and biography, that will make you laugh, cry, and feel a sense of awe as the sovereignty of God is brought to light out of the darkness of pain and suffering. I’ve often heard it said that everyone is either in a trial, coming out of a trial, or waiting for a trial. In the book of James we read that we should count it a “sheer gift” to endure trials (James 1:2 MSG) and that trials come so that we would not “lack anything” (James 1:4), but in the midst of trials, pain, and suffering it is difficult to think of them in these terms. Daniel’s story helps open our eyes to see the struggles that God allows into our lives as blessings.

“My Affliction for His Glory” is a short and easy read. It will inspire you and encourage through everyday trials and in the hardest kinds of suffering. Daniel’s testimony and teaching from God’s Word will help free you to live fully in the knowledge that there is meaning and purpose for your life and your struggles that can only be found in Christ.”         ~ Vicky Mabry

“In My Affliction For His Glory, Daniel Ritchie masterfully weaves a systematic theology throughout an engaging telling of his own story. Though this book is about Ritchie and his life, Christ is definitely the star of the show.

Ritchie parlays his hard-to-hide physical disability—along with the pain and suffering that follows—to reveal the hidden spiritual disability we were all born with. Thankfully, this life-giving book doesn’t stop at the problem. The solution to our systemic sin is the foundation of each and every chapter.

Though this book may help overcome life’s obstacles, that isn’t what it’s about. Ritchie redeems the often short-sighted genre of Christian Living with a gospel-saturated biography that covers many areas of the Christian life compressed into a very concise and entertaining read. Pastors, spouses, singles, males, females, adults and children alike will all be encouraged, as well as walk away with a renewed—or first time—laser like focus on the gospel message.

My Affliction For His Glory is not about claiming positive outcomes for things that are out of your control. It’s not about saying positive things no matter what negativity surrounds you. Instead of offering a candy-coated delusional way out, Ritchie consistently offers the steadfast hope we have in Christ as the be-all and end-all. And in a way that both the scholarly and the layperson can enjoy.

Ritchie applies a magnifying glass to his pain and reveals all of the good that surrounds it. He shows us how his story connects to the main story that lies underneath all of our stories.

The words inside of this gospel-drenched book will impress you. The fact that they were all typed using toes will impress you even more. Ritchie has done more with his pinky toe than most of us will ever do with both arms and their respectively connected hands.”  ~ Timothy Trudeau

What about you? What are your thoughts on the book?

If you have some thoughts on My Affliction For His Glory, I’d love to see them. Consider writing a blog or an Amazon review and then let me know. I’d love to continue to share the stories of how God is using this book to encourage the church and point the lost to the hope we have in Jesus.