I’d like to share two letters from the same young woman. First, the one she sent back in Feb of 2010:
“I [recently] realized that I struggle with anger and bitterness. Not just from [a recent relationship failure], but also because of the rape that I went through 2 years ago. I still have not forgiven that man and it’s affecting my trust of other men around me…
I don’t know how to begin forgiving the rapist, and have even less of an understanding of how to forgive [the first guy I trusted since then, who just shattered my trust in a different way all over again]…
I thought I was ready to just be done with the pain and anger, but I’ve begun to realize that I’m far from it. I want to be done with the panic attacks and the nightmares that I have over and over again. I want to be able to trust again…
I know I need to turn to Jesus and have struggled with my church commitments and personal devotions for a long time. I don’t know if it’s me blaming God or something different, but I know I want to get past this. I want the emotions that I struggle with to settle down from the waves in the ocean to the ripples in pond…
Where do I turn to get the help I need? I know it’s God somehow, but how? I want to be able to strengthen and grow in my relationship with [God]. The guy who did it all was a very close friend and like a brother to me while growing up. I don’t plan on interacting with him at all in the future but I need to forgive him still.”
Can you relate to the pain of this beloved child of God? It was this letter (and others stories shared with Julie and me) that finally convinced us to make our entire forgiveness book available for free. And we did!
Now here’s the 2nd letter we received almost three years after the first…
“I don’t know if you remember me emailing you in February of 2010 about a struggle in my life…. I had been raped at 17 and then the only boyfriend I ever had had just broken up with me. You posted your book, Forgiveness 101 on Facebook for me to go through at that time.
Well, I just wanted to send you a quick email and say, thank you. I have since been able to go through everything and begin to heal. As I was going, I found this wonderful Christian man that sorta fell into my lap per say… God blessed me with a wonderful man who stood along side me as I continued to heal and go through the rough patches with me too.
October 1, 2011 we took the vow and said ‘I DO’. We have been through thick and thin the last year of marriage, but continue to find joy in each other and in our mutual faith in Jesus Christ.”
Would you like the freedom this young lady found in Christ? Are you ready to take a step toward forgiveness? The first step is FREE. Email us at info@F-M-U.com to get your free PDF copy of my little 70-page book on forgiveness: Forgiveness 101. Or if you’d prefer to just start reading the introduction, click here.
DNA: It’s What’s For Dating
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The LoveEd study guide series, Beyond Sex & Salvation, will empower you to prepare for relational success when it counts: BEFORE YOU FALL IN LOVE! It’s NOT for couples, but for any wise individual who thinks they might want to get married sometime before they die. Check out the first two 8-lesson study guides in our store. You can walk through it on your own, but it’s more fun with friends, so consider putting together an FMU LoveEd small group study. Even better? And ask a married couple you respect to lead it!
