ATLANTA, GA — A local teenager felt a profound connection with persecuted Christians worldwide today after his phone battery unexpectedly died.
"I never understood their suffering until now," said Sam Johnson, a 16-year-old avid gamer and TikTok enthusiast. "Not being able to watch videos of cats wiping out when walking on ice - I feel the pain of the persecuted church on a spiritual level."
Witnesses reported that Johnson was seen pacing frantically around his living room, desperately searching for a charger. "He was in a state of complete despair," said his mother, Linda Johnson. "It was as if he had been cast into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. He kept muttering, 'This is how Paul felt in chains'."
Johnson's experience drew sympathy from family members and friends who gathered to offer support. "We all felt his anguish," said his best friend, Alex. "It made me so much more aware of the trials the underground church is facing. It was a humbling moment for all of us."
At publishing time, Johnson had found his charger and hoped that the persecuted church would likewise be relieved of its suffering soon.
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