3/5 stars

A formational book review by Megan

“… God specializes in protection, yet God’s protection may still include pain.”

As a young newly-married couple, Debby and her husband went to live covertly behind the Iron Curtain as missionaries in Poland. They encounter the cold of communism and the Cold War while relying on God for big and small needs.

Reading as a Disciple

“Seasoned by time, reflection gives way to three realities: In difficult circumstances, sometimes it is difficult to ascertain what God is teaching us. In difficult circumstances, most often, it does not matter what God is teaching us; it only matters who God is. In difficult circumstances, a shoulder, not a question is needed.”

God does not change, he is constant. This was evident through out Pulling Back the Iron Curtain. God is good and he cares for his children was something seen in several of the stories Thompson told. I loved hearing how she had prayed for a specific tea set and a real turkey and God provided those things as simple and unexciting as those things were, God heard her prayer and answered. God showed his character, his faithfulness was apparent and that was what mattered more than what lesson was learned in the midst of any difficult situation. It can be easy to focus on what needs to be done or what should have been learned but in trying situations, it is best to reflect on who God is.

Reading Communally

“We learned that- admitting wrong, asking forgiveness- transcends all cultural settings, crosses all political and geographical barriers, and applies to all human beings.”

I loved this chapter, it was funny knowing my own experience of living in Ukraine and it was also miraculous and shocking knowing what I know of life in the Soviet Union. Asking forgiveness was not a common practice and is still not common in countries of the former Soviet Union so this story of forgiveness is beautiful and such a lovely reminder of the power of saying “sorry.” The humble act of saying sorry and asking for forgiveness is a powerful tool around the world. It is critical to learn how to ask forgiveness if you are to be in community with others, it is unavoidable. We will at some point in our lives hurt someone and we will need to apologize. It is uncomfortable and can be super awkward but no doubt it can strengthen your relationship and help you grow in your relationships.

Final Thoughts

There were some great individual stories that I really enjoyed and some I felt challenged by but there were also plenty of chapters that were nothing special. Some chapters were generic or lacking details which made it fall flat. While I am glad I read it, I think there are other better missionary biographies.