Forgiveness | Laurie Coombs

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A New Creation: The Old Has Passed Away

Posted on: March 3rd, 2013 by Laurie Coombs

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While at a holiday party a few months ago, I ran into an old friend I hadn’t seen in quite some time. We were roommates in college (while Travis and I were dating) and were living together at the time of my dad’s death. He knew me pretty well back then, but after graduating from college, we saw each other only occasionally and lost touch. I sat down next to him at the party, and before I knew it, he asked me about my writing. “I heard you’re writing,” he said. “What do you write about?” The last time I talked with him, I wasn’t even a Christian yet (nor is he a Christian now). I knew my answer would not be what he’d expect. I told him how I became a Christian. How I was given the proof and grace I needed to believe in Jesus. And how Jesus…

I Forgive You {Guest Blog By Anthony, My Dad’s Murderer}

Posted on: February 28th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 11 Comments

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The latest letter arrived from prison a couple days ago. Anthony, the man who murdered my dad, said, “I sent you something I wrote, I feel God has placed this on my heart. I hope it’s something you’d consider putting on your blog.” And to that, I say, “absolutely.” God has allowed both Anthony and I the opportunity to share this story with many. I believe it’s a story that needs to be heard, for there are many who remain chained to their past, to their resentment, their bitterness, and their lack of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a topic that will always resound in each of our hearts, mine included. It is so easy to hold on to our wounds, but what relief it is to finally let them go. [Tweet that] So, without further adieu. Here’s a word from Anthony. … “I forgive you.” I read the words again. “I forgive…

{Lessons Learned} Rely Upon Jesus

Posted on: February 14th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 3 Comments

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And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven….” – Matthew 18:2-3 Lord, I can’t do this without you, I prayed. Help me. Give me wisdom. Show me the way, and I will follow. I can’t tell you how often I uttered these words throughout my correspondence with Anthony, the man who murdered my dad. I was under no illusion I could take even one step without clear direction from Jesus during this difficult journey. I was terrified to be outside of His will, for I knew things could go very wrong in a situation like this apart from God. Each time I received a letter, my emotions ran high. I wanted to react quickly, with little grace. I wanted to rebuke Anthony. Set him straight. I wanted him…

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

Posted on: January 14th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 8 Comments

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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…

Lessons Learned Through Forgiving My Dad’s Murderer

Posted on: January 10th, 2013 by Laurie Coombs 4 Comments

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The Gospel tells us about God. It tells us about our fallen nature. It tells us we serve a merciful and gracious God, who had every reason to simply write off humanity, but instead, choose to die on our behalf. It speaks of redemption, that we have been redeemed and are being made new. And finally it speaks of restoration, that one day, all things will be made new, and we will live eternally in the presence of God. All of creation proclaims God’s truths to humanity, but God, Himself, also speaks to each of us, through His Word and in many other subtle ways throughout our lives. Every time we come to Him, He honors us with His teaching. Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” All we must…

Will You Press Through to Get Into the Presence of God?

Posted on: December 20th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 2 Comments

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There is an account found in three out of the four gospels. It is the story of a woman who endured a discharge of blood for twelve years. One thing we must understand is that a condition such as this rendered the woman “unclean.” She would have been a lonely woman, devoid of touch or much companionship at all. Come with me for a moment and imagine…. You are this woman. You cannot touch others, and others cannot touch you. You’re outcasted. Desperate, you spend all your financial resources going to doctors. One after another. But they’re no help. Instead of seeing improvement, you only worsen. Can you relate to this woman in any way? Quite possibly, in some area of your life, you need help. You seek help––help that promises a solution to your problem––only to find yourself right where you began, or perhaps even behind a step or…

Connecticut Shooting: How Do We Respond?

Posted on: December 17th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 3 Comments

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The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. – Psalm 34:18 What do we do when 20 little children and 7 adults are slaughtered before our eyes? How do we respond? No words of mine will ever do justice to this tragedy. To say it was a heinous act is an understatement. Terrible. Wicked. Evil. Horrific. None encapsulate the gravity of what has happened. Having been on the receiving end of tragic news, I still have no words of comfort for those affected by this tragedy. To tell them I know what they’re going through can oftentimes be a slap in the face. I remember many––with good intentions––tried to comfort and console me after my dad’s murder with their own stories of loss. I hate to admit this, but those who attempted to comfort me in this way only made me angry. They don’t know what I’m…

A Word From Within Prison {Guest Blog By Anthony, My Dad’s Murderer}

Posted on: December 13th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 7 Comments

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Stories are never one sided. There are multiple perspectives to each story, and I believe it’s important to understand each perspective in order to gain greater understanding of the story itself. A while back, I asked Anthony, the man who murdered my dad, if he would be interested in sharing his testimony on my blog, and he agreed. He told me in the letter including his testimony, “I chose to concentrate on our journey because, well, it’s been the most important event in my life since coming to Jesus.” I would have to agree. Our journey toward forgiveness impacted me and my life in more ways than I can count. Second to coming to Christ, it was the single most defining moment of my life. But enough about me. Here is Anthony’s story. … I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior on Father’s Day in 1996. Changes started happening. I…

Are You the Prostitute or the Pharisee?

Posted on: November 29th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 3 Comments

I’m reading several books right now. I do that. In fact, oftentimes I read four to five books at a time. Admittedly this isn’t the best way to go about reading, but it works for me––most of the time. Anyway, I think Jesus has been trying to get my attention. The story of the sinful woman being forgiven by Jesus found in Luke 7 was presented in two different books I’m reading within days of each other. Both accounts painted the scene with vivid color. Flesh was given to these individuals as they came alive before my eyes. The authors explored the tension held in the room, the feelings of those in attendance, and all of the cultural intricacies at play––all drawn from biblical and historical sources. Here’s this woman. This prostitute. She sees Jesus, dining with a Pharisee. Overtaken by emotion, she enters into the room and approaches Jesus,…

{Redemption} “Your Testimony May Have Saved a Life!”

Posted on: November 8th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 17 Comments

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“Your testimony may have saved a life!” wrote Anthony––the man who murdered my dad––from his prison cell. Holding the letter, I stood in stunned silence, tears rolling down my face. Oh Lord, I thought, as I closed my eyes and dropped my head back, in awe. There really were no words. Thank you, Lord, thank you, was all that I could say in worship to our mighty God. I was called to forgive. To love my enemy. To allow Jesus unhindered access to the pain, the bitterness, and the wounds of my past which took residence in the deepest recess of my soul. I knew that He wanted to take me to a new, better place. A place of healing, peace, and forgiveness. So, I followed. By the grace of God alone, I followed Jesus as He led me down the messy, war-torn path toward wholeness. It was a trial like no…