Romans 8:28 Rings True

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

Last Thursday began like most days. Toward the end of my quiet time with Jesus, my girls came into my bedroom in all their morning cuteness, blurry-eyed and hair a fright. We cuddled together for a moment before beginning our morning routine of showering, dressing, and the like.

My girls usually finish getting ready before I do, so they ran downstairs, busying themselves with coloring and drawing in the kitchen. Moments later, however, I heard Avery, my younger daughter, yell, “Mom, Ella poked me with a pencil!”

To which Ella replied, “But it wasn’t very hard!”

Really?!? I thought. It was all going so well.

Turns out, Ella intentionally “poked” or stabbed (to be more exact) Avery with a pencil. Not okay in my book. But after disciplining Ella, we had a serious talk about hurting others.

Ella is seven. Up to this point, we have taught her about Jesus, we’ve talked about Jesus being her Savior, but I never asked them to pray the prayer for salvation.

I didn’t want this prayer to be something forced or something they just did because they’re told it’s what they’re supposed to do. I wanted it to be authentic. From their heart. I wanted them to desire Jesus and realize they can’t do this thing called life without Him!

This would not happen through any effort of my own. This would not happen by me leading them to say a prayer asking Jesus into their heart before they had the desire. What children need––what we all need––is the grace of God.

Salvation comes by grace through faith!

It is a gift from God. And it cannot be manipulated into being.

Ella and I talked about hurting others. We talked about the condition of her heart. We talked about our need for Jesus. And I can honestly say that for the first time, she was broken over her sin, and she realized she needed Jesus.

“Have you ever prayed for Jesus to save you?” I asked.

“No,” she said, tears streaming down her face.

“Do you want Jesus in your heart? Do you want Him to save you?”

“Yes,” she said without hesitation.

We talked extensively about what that meant and about who she knew Jesus to be.

“But I want you to say the prayer,” she told me.

“No honey. Mommy can’t do that,” I said. “I pray for you all the time, but this is a prayer you need to pray.” I told her that her relationship with Jesus is something that is her own. It’s something she needs to cultivate. No one else could do it for her.

“But I don’t know what to say.”

Facing one another, we held hands and began to pray, both of us crying like babies. With genuine sincerity, my little Ella prayed a “repeat after me” prayer for Jesus to be her Lord and Savior.

What began with her committing a sin against her sister ended with her brokenness and her salvation, and I praise Jesus for His grace.

“You’re way ahead of me,” I told Ella with a smile. “I wasn’t saved until I was 29!”

“Whoa,” she said, bright-eyed.

Thank God for grace.

Since then, I’ve been thinking. My dad was saved only months before his death by Jesus through the very events that led to his murder (more on this later). I was saved as a direct result of the effects of my dad’s death. And now, my daughter has been saved as a result of my salvation.

Romans 8:28 rings true.

{Jesus is our Redeemer.}

Question: How have you seen Romans 8:28 played out in your life? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} Do You Need Jesus to Forgive?

Posted on April 25, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

I had a feeling something was still there. Some residual scarring caused by my dad’s murder. In a way, I wanted to go there. Get it all out. Heal completely. But at the same time, I feared what would be found.

I sure hope I’m not really screwed up, I thought.

But I knew some soul work needed to be done. Digging would have to take place. And the root of whatever was left behind would have to be excavated and restored.

I tried to do this on my own for nine years after Dad died. I tried to “pick myself up by my bootstraps” and move on, reasoning that Dad would have wanted it this way. He wouldn’t want me to succumb to the wave of despair that threatened to swallow me whole.

So, I moved on. Each time the thought of Anthony came into my mind, I chose with precise deliberation to cast these thoughts aside.

I forgive him, I’d tell myself, knowing full well that I didn’t. I thought if I did this long enough, it would become my reality. It was the only way I knew how to move toward forgiveness, and I hoped this would allow me to shed the effects of my past.

Even the secular world tells us to forgive. “You must forgive and forget,” we’re told.

And, so we do. Or we think we do.

We will ourselves into believing that we’ve arrived at the desired destination. That we’ve forgiven.

I forgive Anthony, I told myself. I do.

Then, I became a Christian after completely falling apart. And I mean completely falling apart. I’ve written about this time before, but for our purpose here, I must tell you that I don’t think I would have gotten to this point of complete desperation and complete lack of hope had it not been for my unforgiving heart (The one I thought was forgiving, mind you).

So, there I was, a baby Christian, one year after surrendering my life to Christ when the call to forgive came. Quite frankly, I was surprised.

But I’ve already forgiven Anthony, came my rebuttal to God.

Soon, I learned that forgiveness––real forgiveness, that is––can only be accomplished through Jesus, the one who died to make forgiveness possible.

It’s the same with all things.

We cannot love, in the full sense of the term, without first receiving God’s love.

We cannot extend true mercy or grace without first receiving God’s mercy and grace.

So to, we cannot forgive, completely and unconditionally, without first receiving God’s forgiveness. [Tweet that]

It is Jesus who made forgiveness possible, and it is He who guides us onto our own path toward forgiveness. [Tweet that]

I’ve mentioned this before, but I don’t think I can emphasize it enough. Forgiveness is a process. It is not something that occurs instantly. And it requires a decision to pray for Jesus to guide you toward that end.

So, I encourage each of you to take another look at your life. Take another look at you relationships. And prayerfully assess whether or not you hold unforgiveness in your heart. And if you do, I implore you to seek God and forgive.

Forgiveness will set you free. [Tweet that]

Remember, forgiveness begins with prayer. [Tweet that] Pray for God to lead you toward freedom today.

{Forgiveness is only possible through Jesus.}

Question: Has God been showing you unforgiveness in your heart? Who do you need to forgive? How have you tried to forgive apart from God? Share in the comments.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} When It Just Doesn’t Make Sense

Posted on January 28, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. – Isaiah 55:9

“It just doesn’t make sense,” I said. “I know what God’s calling me to do. I know I need to bring Anthony a bible. But he probably already has one; He claimed to be a Christian at the time of the murder. What good will this do?”

I began to pray for clarity; I prayed for grace to follow despite the fact that none of what I was being called to made sense. Ultimately, it was given.

I sent an email to a friend at the time and wrote:

Frankly, I have no idea to what purpose God would send me there to see [Anthony]…All that I know is that God seems to be leading me in this way, and I feel like I need to follow Him. Crazy? Yes! But sometimes God calls us to do certain things that don’t seem to add up at the time.

Though I had a lot of support from those around me, many didn’t understand what I was doing. Many advised me against it. Still, I knew Jesus was calling me down this path, and I was determined to follow.

Much of what “the world” tells us is turned on its head when Jesus gets involved. [Tweet that.]

Oftentimes, what He calls us to doesn’t make sense.

I sought peace. Jesus called me to interact with the man who murdered my dad.

I sought healing. Jesus called me to go to the darkest recesses of my soul and relive the most difficult time in my life.

It all seems so counterintuitive. But as Isaiah 55:9 states, God’s ways are not our ways. So, when you hear Jesus call, don’t rely upon your own logic. But instead, once assured it’s Jesus leading, simply follow.

{Sometimes the things God calls us to won’t make sense, but we must still follow.}

What has Jesus called you to do that didn’t make sense at first?

Join the discussion! Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Lessons Learned} In Order to Follow Jesus, We Must Know Jesus.

Posted on January 14, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

Do you trust someone you don’t know? Would you listen to the advice of someone you just met and follow them into a risky situation?

I think most people would have enough discernment to get to know someone prior to trusting them. And this translates well into our relationship with God. If you don’t know Jesus, why would you trust Him with your life?

Yes, it is true. In order to follow Jesus, we must know Jesus. [Tweet that]

Here’s how this played out in my story:

When I was called to forgive Anthony, I knew God is loving, and that He was simply asking me to give what He graciously gave me.

When I was called to love my enemy, I knew God is good, and that He would only ask me to do something that would lead me to a better place.

When I feared interaction with a man capable of murder, I knew God is my Protector, and I knew He loved me and there was no reason to fear.

When the warden turned down my visitation application, and I struggled with whether or not I was on the right path, I knew Jesus is my Shepherd, and He would show me the way.

When the correspondence between Anthony and I became “heated” as we hashed through the particulars of the murder, I knew God had purpose in even the most difficult times.

When I felt I couldn’t go on, when the emotions of digging up the darkest parts of my past threatened to pull me under, I knew God is my Healer, and He would bring me through.

When those in my life witnessed the intense trials along the way and began to express their doubts about whether I should continue, I knew God called me to correspond with Anthony, and He would redeem my dad’s murder through this trial.

When I got each letter and awaited direction from the Lord on how to proceed, I knew God usually doesn’t perform on my timetable. But, I knew He always answers those who cry out to Him, in His perfect timing.

When I forgave Anthony, I knew God gave me grace to forgive and there was nothing inside of me capable of that forgiveness apart from Him.

When I witnessed a complete transformation in Anthony as God brought him to repentance, I knew God is powerful, and He changes hearts of stone into ones that exude His light and beauty.

When I saw God use this testimony to transform others, including many prisoners, I knew God has a heart for the lost and chooses the least of these (myself included) to adopt into His family.

There’s so much more.

But here’s the thing: had I not known God’s character to begin with, I would not have followed, and I would have no testimony to share.

Knowing God

I don’t know how to say this without sounding harsh, but here’s the truth: many Christians claim to know and love Jesus but don’t.

Many of us claim to be in relationship with God, but spend little or no time in His presence. Many of us claim to know God, but actually possess very little knowledge about who God is––we don’t know His character as revealed in His Word.

But it’s not enough to simply know about God. We must know God. It’s important to ask ourselves: Do I really know God or do I just know about Him? This distinction may seem like a small nuance to some, but the difference is paramount.

So, how do we come to know God?

The answer is not in religion. [Tweet that] It’s not to be found in what we do or how good we are, but I do believe it begins prayer. A simple prayer asking Him for the grace to know Him and to want to spend time with Him. A marriage doesn’t thrive when the couple spends most of their time apart. They must make time together a priority if their marriage is going to thrive. It’s the same with your relationship with God.

Make time for Him. Spend time in prayer, write in a prayer journal, read your Bible, take a walk by yourself and seek God, or simply sit before Him in silence. Whatever it takes to come to Jesus, do it!

Make Jesus a priority and just watch what He begins to do in your life. [Tweet that]

As you come to him [Jesus], a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. – 1 Peter 2:4-5

{In order to follow Jesus, we must know Jesus.}

How has knowing God allowed you to step out in faith?

Share in the comments.

NOTE: I tried, really, I did. I tried to make it short, but this was surely anything but short! Here’s to keeping that goal in the future!!

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Love Your Enemy} Pray Like the Dickens!

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

I have to be honest, when I began this journey, I understood my need to forgive and knew that forgiving would bring me to a new and better place. I wanted to forgive.

The thing I did not want to do, however, was love my enemy. I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. The word “love” in the same sentence as “enemy” didn’t seem to make sense to me. What’s more, the word “love” in reference to Anthony was repulsive.

Still, I knew that this is what the bible tells us to do. Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). Yet, I didn’t quite understand it. The only insight I had on how to do this was to pray for Anthony and to do what God told me to do, which was to bring him a bible.

So, out of obedience, I began to pray for Anthony. I prayed good for him, though it was counterintuitive to all that was inside me. Honestly, I did not hate Anthony at this point, as I once did. Still, there were a lot of negative feelings associated with him. Even saying his name felt vile.

But I prayed nonetheless.

I prayed that God would change him. I prayed that God would heal him. I prayed that God would bring him to complete repentance. I even prayed that Anthony would be transformed by the gospel to the extent that he would be motivated to live to the glory of God in prison, bringing many prisoners to know and serve our Lord Jesus Christ (a pipe-dream prayer, or so I thought).

I prayed these things, yet I truly didn’t want good for him. It felt wrong, praying for Anthony––like I was betraying my dad––but I knew the ways of God are always right, regardless of our feelings. So, I continued to pray.

Little did I know at the time. These prayers would be answered. God was about to do a mighty work in and through me, and I believe much of this was a result of these prayers. I thank God that He gave me the grace to take this step of obedience.

Eight or nine months later, I saw the fruit of this difficult trial. Even then the trial wasn’t over, but it was then that I cried tears of awe and tears of joy as God began to show me how my prayers impacted myself, Anthony, and many others.

All I kept saying to anyone who would give me ear, was “God is crazy! God is just CRAZY!!!”

Truly, there are no words for the work I have witnessed Him accomplish. So, from the bottom of my heart, I encourage each of you to pray. Pray like the dickens! Pray for the needs in your life. Pray for that impossible situation that just won’t seem to get better! Pray for those who are far from God! And please, no matter how difficult, begin to pray for your enemies!

We serve a mighty God. A God who can do ALL things. A God who desires to display His splendor through works that only He can do in each of our lives! So, pray. And then believe Jesus when He tells us “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26b).

Blessings to you as you begin to pray for the impossible…

{Loving your enemy is praying for your enemy.}

It’s time to pray! What is your impossible prayer?

{Forgiveness} Why We Forgive – Part 1

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

After God called to bring Anthony a bible, I spent most of the night in prayer, asking Jesus for grace. I desperately needed His grace to trust Him and follow Him where He was leading me. I prayed for Him to grow my faith and to allow me to see as I ought.

What is Jesus really asking us to do?

I thought to myself, What is Jesus really asking me to do anyway? Then came the answer: He was simply asking me to give what I had already received.

It was then I began to see that, prior to coming to faith in Jesus, I was an enemy of God. Yet, while I was still far from God, He loved me, He pursued me, and He died for me––even in my rebellion.

I saw that Jesus’ death brought me life. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.” You see, Jesus needed to die, so we could be forgiven. The penalty of sin is death. And it was Jesus who paid the cost. It was His love for us that led Him to that cross!

I realized at that point that it is only because of Jesus’ death that forgiveness is possible. I have been forgiven, just as each and every follower of Christ has been. First Corinthians 7:23 says, “you were bought with a price.” The cost of my forgiveness was high. And I thought to myself, Who am I to withhold forgiveness and love from my enemy when forgiveness has been so graciously given to me? [Tweet that] I think C.S. Lewis said it well when he said, “To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” [Tweet that]

Jesus Forgave Us

I look at Jesus––dying on the cross––hands and feet pierced only moments before, saying, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). And I continue to be amazed by Jesus’ ability to forgive those who were in the process of murdering Him. [Tweet that]

It is this example that should motivate each of us to forgive. For apart from Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, none would be saved. But because He chose to lay down His life, taking on the sins of the world, we have the power within us to forgive as He does.

{We forgive because we have been forgiven!}

How has the realization that you were “bought with a price” impacted your life and how you live?

{Forgiveness} But I’ve Already Done That!

Posted on August 21, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

About a year after becoming a follower of Christ, I began to hear God’s gentle whisper––it’s time to forgive.

Forgive? I thought. But I’ve already done that! I rarely thought about Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. And when he did enter my mind, I didn’t feel hatred or anything like that. Yet, God slowly showed me that, while I had forgiven Anthony as far as I was capable, I needed His grace to do it completely and unconditionally.

…

Oftentimes, we fool ourselves into thinking we have no need to forgive as we unknowingly drown in a sea of bitterness. [Tweet that] You see, I thought I was a forgiving person. I thought I had forgiven Anthony. To be honest, I didn’t think I had issues with anyone in my life. And I sure didn’t think I was bitter!

But soon, God began to show me that I was constantly irritable, and I was quick to anger. One of my girls would do something, and I’d completely overreact and yell at them, which was followed by an apology, telling them, “Mommy is so sorry. It was not okay for me to yell at you like that,” as they stared back at me in bewilderment.

I didn’t realize it for a long time, but I was angry. It was an anger that was deep seeded and had turned into bitterness. I never thought I’d be a bitter person, but carrying the burden of my dad’s murder for close to ten years certainly allowed the root bitterness to burrow deep into my heart. I’m ashamed to admit this, but it was my family who took the brunt of my anger, and it broke my heart to see this ugly side of myself and the effect it had on those I loved most.

When my true nature was revealed, I knew I needed healing, but I also knew I wouldn’t be able to will myself into this place of healing. I had tried to do just that for close to a decade at that point with little success. Yes, I needed true healing––but not the kind the world can offer. I didn’t need to take an anger management class; I didn’t need additional counseling (though those are valuable options for some). But, instead, I needed Jesus and the healing only He can give.

I began praying. In my prayer journal, I wrote,

…Heal me completely, Lord! Help me to heal emotionally––I give my anger and bitterness to you, Lord. Resolve them! Soften my heart. Tear down my walls! Break through to me and save me. Take away the burden of being the “girl whose dad was murdered.” Take away my grief, my fear, my anxiety, my distrust, my bitterness, my anger and replace it all with trust in you and knowledge of who I am in you… Heal me, Lord! I give myself to you completely to do as you will––tell me what to do and I’ll do it! I am yours to do with as you will….

This is where my journey began–-with prayer. But not just any prayer, but a gutwrenching, cry-your-eyes-out-while-lying-face-down-in-your-closet kind of prayer. I didn’t want to be that person anymore. My husband and my girls deserved better. So, I prayed and prayed some more. Soon, Jesus answered and said, follow me. And so I did…

{Pray and ask Jesus to reveal any anger or bitterness that may be in your heart!}

Have you ever found yourself to be irritable or quick to anger?

Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

{Forgiveness} Show Me How…

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

I love this song and the truth that it points to! As with all things Jesus calls us to do, forgiveness begins with prayer.

Show me how…

And what proceeds out of this prayer is nothing less than a miracle. Hearts change, bitterness and hate are replaced by love, and lives are set free to walk a new path.

Now, I don’t claim to be an authority on any matter, but God showed me many of His truths through my journey toward forgiveness that I’d love to pass along. This post is the first of my new series on forgiveness. During this series, I’ll address many aspect of forgiveness including: why we forgive, what biblical forgiveness is and what it is not, what it looks like to walk in forgiveness, how I came to unconditional forgiveness, and much more.

I hope you’ll join me throughout this series, and that you’ll be blessed by these truths as I was! Additionally, please pass this along! The topic of forgiveness is applicable to each of us in one way or another.

{Forgiveness begins with prayer.}

[Tweet that]

How have you struggled with forgiveness?

What aspects of forgiveness do you have a difficult time understanding?

Leave a comment.

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.

Forgiving a Murderer

Posted on August 2, 2012 by Laurie Coombs

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Dad and I

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. - Genesis 50:20

I read an article this afternoon telling the stories of those who died during the “Dark Night” shooting in Aurora, Colorado. Honestly, there are no words to describe a tragedy like this, so I won’t even begin to try. Twelve people died, in a matter of moments. Twelve people! The youngest of which was a six year old little girl––a girl the age of my own daughter. Not to mention the dozens of people left wounded.

A tragedy like this leaves behind it a wake of destruction. It affects so many. It affects not only the victims, but the families, the friends, and even the acquaintances of those who died or were wounded. They have all been changed by this senseless act and will never be the same.

Certainly, there were physical wounds that will need healing, yet what we oftentimes breeze over is that there are emotional and spiritual wounds as well. These are the wounds that soon become scars that run deep into one’s soul, robbing those affected of the joy and peace that God intends for us to have. Yet, I now know that it doesn’t have to be this way.

I know what it’s like to be in the place of these victims––to have tragedy strike in an unlikely moment and to be forever changed by a senseless act of violence.

On August 5, 2000, my dad was murdered. I will never forget the moment I was told. This moment forever altered my life as did the weeks, months, and years that followed. It is in these moments that nothing seems to make sense. You feel as though your entire world is crashing down upon you and that your heart will never mend. The ache is intense, and you wonder, in both astonishment and anger, how could this have happened? How will I go on? Will my heart ever heal? The pain that you feel seems too much to bear.

As I imagine many of those close to this tragedy are feeling right now, I felt rage. It was much too intense to simply call anger. And while these feeling subsided bit by bit over time, the anger had unknowingly taken root in my heart as the roots of bitterness began to run deep. Now, I didn’t know that any of this was taking place inside me. Honestly, even as a non-Christian at the time, I knew that I needed to forgive Anthony––the man who murdered my dad. So, for years, I tried to will myself into a place of healing. I tried to move on with my life. And honestly, I thought I had done a pretty good job.

Still, after nine years, it all came back up again. And this is when Jesus came into my life and saved me. Soon after, I felt God beckoning me toward forgiveness. Yet, I was confused. I thought I had already done that. But then God began showing me that while I had forgiven Anthony to the best of my ability, I needed Him and His grace to forgive completely.

Then God took it a step further: Love your enemy, He said. I didn’t know how to do that. So, I cried out to the Lord, and said, Ok God, I get my need to forgive Anthony, but how am I to love my enemy? Immediately, I heard His call, bring him a bible. That evening, I battled with what God was calling me to. But ultimately, by the grace of God, I chose to obey, not knowing the amazing work God would do through my obedience.

Anthony and I began writing letters to one another, which continued for over two and a half years, as we worked toward forgiveness together.

Now I know that the path toward forgiveness will look different for each of us, but one thing remains the same––it will be a difficult path to take. I’d have to say that this was one of the most difficult seasons I’ve been through, but it was also the most fruitful and worthwhile. It was a period of intense blessing through hardship. And through it, God brought me the healing and peace that I so desperately wanted and needed.

Most importantly, at the height of the whole mess when Anthony was far from where I wanted him to be, God gave me the grace to forgive Anthony unconditionally. It was this act of forgiveness that God used to heal me from my past.

Our story continued to evolve in indescribable ways. Anthony was transformed as I saw his heart change and begin to seek Jesus with his whole heart. At one point, after I had forgiven Anthony, I encouraged him to live life to the glory of God while in prison. Since this time, he has been doing just that. In one of his more recent letters, Anthony wrote, ”Now your forgiveness has truely settled into my heart. I won’t let your dad’s life nor mine be in vain, I promise.” God is good! And He has used Anthony mightily to impact other inmates and encourage them to seek the Lord in their lives.

Nine months before I witnessed this change in Anthony’s character, I reluctantly began praying for him simply out of obedience to the scriptures. One prayer I recorded in my prayer journal specifically asked God to change Anthony’s heart––to bring him to repentance and allow him to be used mightily in the prison to the glory of God. I have to say, I thought it was one of those “pipe dream” prayers. I knew God could do it, but I just didn’t think he would. But then, this is exactly what God did.

At once, I understood the power of prayer, and the significance of praying for our enemies. It was then that I felt God saying to me, Laurie, this is what your journey has been all about. Redemption. Bringing good out of evil. Beauty out of ashes. This is where it’s at. Not in the past. But what I will do with your past if you continue to follow me wherever I lead. Ultimately, this is God’s intention for his children. He wants to take the horrible chapters of our past and create beauty out of our darkness.

I’d like to encourage those affected by tragedy––whether you are a victim of the Colorado shooting or you have experienced any other tragedy––to seek Him in your suffering, for He is our Redeemer. He is our Healer. He is our Comfort and our Guide, and it is His desire to see you healed of your past. And apart form God, we cannot heal, nor can we forgive.

Recently, I read about one of the victims of the shooting, Pierce O’Farrill, who has chosen to forgive the suspect, James Holmes. While sitting in his hospital bed, still pained––physically, emotionally, and spiritually––by what took place mere days before, Pierce––a Christ follower––chose to forgive.

This is where it starts.

It begins with choosing to forgive. And through much prayer and the grace of God, you too will see God use all things for good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

To read more about my journey toward forgiveness, read Freedom Through Grace or {Redemption} Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life.