Saying Yes to God | Laurie Coombs

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{Forgiveness} But I’ve Already Done That!

Posted on: August 21st, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 4 Comments

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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…

{Forgiveness} Show Me How…

Posted on: August 16th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 5 Comments

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…

Torn Down and Saved

Posted on: August 14th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 18 Comments

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Nine years after my dad’s death, Jesus brought me to my knees. You would think that the murder itself would have gotten me there, but no. I’m pretty stubborn. Yet, God’s mercy and grace is certainly bigger than me and my resistance. During this time, Travis and I got married, and we had two beautiful, healthy little girls. I was truly blessed. Aside from the murder, I was living the life that I had always dreamed of. Travis and I were happy together, and we loved our girls. Yet, I was still without God. Though I was never at the point that I was able to say with absolute certainty that God is not real, I highly doubted his existence. And so, I was the highest authority in my own life. I was the one in control. I was the one who defined what was right or wrong in the…

Bounty Through Obedience

Posted on: August 8th, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 16 Comments

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I knew something happened. Shaking my head, I adamantly whispered, “No. no. no. no…” But with tear-filled eyes they told me. “Laurie, your dad was murdered last night. He’s dead.” Startled, my eyes began to dart around the room, not knowing what to do with what I had been told. As my new reality began closing in around me, I felt the shackles of a heavy burden weighing me down, but there was no escape. I wanted to run away. I wanted to scream. I wanted to hit something, throw something. This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening, I thought. But it did happen. And in that moment, my life was forever changed. About a month before my dad died, he took me out to dinner. It was a welcomed treat for a poor college student. I sat across a small table from him. And after a bit of small talk, he asked…

Forgiving a Murderer

Posted on: August 2nd, 2012 by Laurie Coombs 5 Comments

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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…