Wow, God Gives Forgiveness ...

Lisa and Eric,

Regarding my personal, "Wow moment", regarding forgiveness, in August of 2009, I had a dream of an old but famous actor, and after researching his career, I learned that he was involved in an a Christian film that was to be released a month later. My late wife and I were moved to attend this film on opening day, but the morning before we went, I had two more dreams. Without going into all the detail of the dream, God reminded me of a traffic accident I had inadvertently caused when I had, while just playing around, kicked a stop sign over. Since I didn't tell the authorities or my parents, eventually, the inevitable happened, and two cars hit each other. Thankfully nobody was hurt, but apparently, I had carried the guilt of that experience with me for a little over 30 years.  When we attended the film, God confirmed His forgiveness towards me when the main character extended forgiveness to the man who had inadvertently killed his wife in an accident where he had been driving under the influence!

Since this film's release, I've learned that more then 2000 people have contacted the company claiming that they have come to faith through the film! God is so awesome and faithful!!!

Blessings to you and yours in our wonderful and blessed Messiah!
Richard Fischer
865-719-9096

Forgiveness does not imply forgetting. I heard someone explain that when the forgiveness is true the negative emotions attached to that memory will be gone. The memory is there but the negative emotions are gone.

I find it easier to forgive others than I do to forgive myself.

We have no choice but to forget also.  God forgot our sins from the east to the west ... right?  I believe forgetting is not something we can just flip a switch and it's done. There are steps and stages of forgetting.  I'm working on the forgiving part.  Forgiving myself.  That's a biggie.  
God please continue to bless K-LOVE and their families.  Thanks for doing what you're doing!

<><  Laurie

The pain that was caused will no longer be the focus. God will lessen the pain that you come to pray for that person. Having been abused as a child I know..Forgiveness is a blessing to the hurt one and to the one who caused the pain.

Forgiveness. Forgiveness is the hardest thing for me in my walk with Christ. Coming from a broken home and a broken life I found it hard to forgive myself of the sins I had commited but even more so I found it hard to forgive my mother, father, and sisters. But with Gods helping I'm begining to learn to forgive them. But what amazes me the most is my forgiveness towards my boyfriend. I made a vow at 12 years old to stay pure until marriage, I am about to turn 20 and have kept that vow but when I met my boyfriend he revealed to me that he had not kept the same vow, I had always imagined the man that God would bring to me to marry would be pure like me! In fact that was one thing I had asked God to bring me, a pure man. My boyfriend began to ask me about my vow of purity where I explained it was God's wishes for me and it was a gift to my husband, he instantly apologized for not waiting til marriage for me. I had forgiven him before he even apologized. God showed me that day how He forgives us. That expierence has helped me in learning how to forgive like Jesus. and ultimately how to love others like Jesus. WOW

My mom explained what forgive and forget means. Of course you can't forget what hurt you so badly. That's actually what you will probably never forget. But she told me that "forget" means that if for example someone hurt you and you forgave them, forget means that next time you have a problem with that person, you wouldn't bring it up. That's what "forget" means. Because if you continue bringing it up, you haven't really forgiven that person.
That's my understanding on the subject. But it takes time to not remember the hurt without feeling upset. And that's just because we are human.. Be blessed!!

Love from Memphis, TN!!!

I have a great WOW God moment! I attend the University of Kentucky but I'm currently in the Virgin Islands on an island called St. Croix, studying. Well transportation around the island is tricky and expensive (especially for a college student). Anyway, last Sunday morning, I got up excited and ready to worship Caribbean style! So googled church locations and hopped on the bus to go. Well, the church wasn't anywhere around. I was really disappointed and a little homesick- missing my church at home. Well, I stopped on the side of the street and told God how disappointed I was and that I needed some direction. 3 mins later there was a stranger telling me that he needed my prayers. So I spent a bus ride getting to share the gospel with him and what did we talk about? Forgiveness and forgetting. Weird huh? It turned out to be a great Sunday. WOW GOD!

As I was listening to you this morning about forgiveness; as I was reading a devotional by Max Lucado. I want to share what he said. Two kids in a mud puddle can not clean each other. They need someone clean, someone spotless. We need a Savior. Through Christ we can give and recv. forgiveness not on our own.<>< <>< <><

Almost four years ago my ex-husband told me he wanted a divorce while I was 7 weeks pregnant with our child. A week later the Dr’s found a blood clot in my leg that traveled to my lungs, now a pulmonary embolism. I lost the baby during all of the treatment. I moved back home to be with family and to start over. During the divorce and losing the baby I gave my life to Christ. I know God had his hand on me because I was able to truly forgive my ex-husband and have a peace about losing my child. I got involved in a local church and made a vow to God that I would not date anyone that He did not send my way. One night after leaving my women’s small group I was having a moment of loneliness so I wrote in my prayer journal, God please bring me my husband. The very next day I met the most wonderful man and we are married today a little over two years and have a beautiful baby girl that is 15 months old. Wow God!

Lisa & Eric-  please feel free to share this, but please leave out my name/city.  

I have had several Wow moments, but the one involving forgiveness deals with the infidelity of my soon-to-be ex-husband.  He told me of an affair he'd had right after the birth of one of our children.  She was just 4 days old when he confessed.  It was totally a God-thing because I was comforting him, and telling him that we would work through it together and that God would heal everything.  Now, several years later I had to offer forgiveness again when he didn't ask for it.  The affair continued for several years, unbeknownst to me.  When it became clear that I could never trust him I knew I either had to forgive him and move on through a divorce, or I could move on with a divorce and continue to hold a grudge against him.  God has shown me how to forgive him and to see that although our relationship was completely altered, that God can still use him.  God has also shown me that forgiveness also involves forgetting, and that only through His moving in my life will the forgetting happen.  This is all God because my nature tells me to hold on to all the pain and hurt.  God says let it go, and I will bless.

There were several different people and situations I thought I had forgiven only to find later down the road they would surface again with the same pain & anger.  The Lord showed me that when you have COMPLETELY forgiven someone or situation, you can think about it or talk about it at any given time without experiencing any negative feelings about it....that's when you have completely forgiven.  That was life changing for me!!!

Good morning! I am very familiar with forgiveness. I have had many people to forgive, as well as many people from whom I must seek forgiveness. I have learned that you not can't forget, and you shouldn't forget. We must remember, because we will need to forgive again sometime in our lives. We will be wounded again, and we need to recall how we forgave in the past. Ultimately, true forgiveness comes only from One Source, our Heavenly Father. We need His strength and help to forgive. So, when we remember those who have wronged us, we will also not forget the grace of God that allowed us to forgive. Others will see this and Jesus will recieve the glory, which is our chief purpose in life, to glorify our Maker!

I am writing to ask K-Love and anyone out there listening to please pray for me that I get my Wow God moment.  I have dealt with panic attacks for years. I got better after my sons were born for a couple years, but ever since the passing of my father-in-law 6 months ago they have come back and are worse than ever.  I am pretty much immobilized by this fear and satan thinks he has me down, but I refuse to give up. I pray and plead to God everyday to help me with this and take it from me.  I believe God has more for me in this life than to live in fear, so I am asking everyone I can to please help me pray and in in faith believeing be healed from panic disorder forever.  I believe in God and I know my Wow God moment is right around the corner.  

The "forgetting" part of forgiveness comes when you can let go of the thing for which you had to forgive-no longer bringing it up as leverage in an argument, for example.
In order to teach me to forget, my paths crossed with my ex-husband's mistress. I had hated her in the past, but as she came to me asking for my forgiveness, I understood just how far God had brought me. I gained more blessing after suffering the pain of marital betrayal and divorce, and I can say with honesty, I harbor no ill feelings toward this woman. In fact, she and I participate in a church group together because I invited her. I have fully "forgotten" my former pain and anger at her hand.

I have a WOW God story that I have been wanting to share for some time now.  This happened about 15 years ago. At the time I worked in our Childrens Church and every year we did an Easter Play. The older children usually had the harder speaking parts.  One of our kids (don't want to say name) really wanted to be in the play but couldn't make any of the rehearsals due to he had just found out he had cancer. ( 12 years old mind you).  So to our dismay we had to say no but we lifted him up at every practice as he was taking treatments in Memphis. a few nights before the play he came with his brother and we told him he could help with the lighting.  Well long story short guess who got saved the night of the Play.....you got it the boy who had cancer!!!  We didn't know why he got sick or why timing was wrong for the play but praise God He knew just what he was doing.!!!  Thanks for letting me share

several years ago I was a young woman without much direction.  Even though I had accepted Christ in my head I don't think it had reached my heart. I joined the Air Force and married an abusive husband by the time I was 19. I thank God for the son he gave me at that time though. In getting out of the abusive marriage I had an short affair but was blessed with another son who is just wonderful.  Before giving birth to him I gave my life to Christ for real.  My life has never been the same.  I was married again to a great Christian man and we now have 5 children whom we are raising for the Lord. My mother and siblings have seemed to accept me for the past 10 years until a few weeks ago.  My mother misunderstood something I said about my kids and then she went nuts and brought my siblings in the mix.  No one will talk to me except one through email and it has been cold.  They are bringing up years of past things they don't like about me, like I'm not grateful which is an absolute joke because I give and have given God the glory for all!  My husband and friends are shocked that these things are being said about me by family who claim to be Christians.  But then again they are Christians who don't go to church because the churches around here are not good enough...I guess like me, Im not good enough. Klove has ministered to me because of the songs of forgiveness.  I just pray for God's guidance in getting through this no matter what the outcome. Thank you Klove for being a friend.

I don't know about you, but there are times that I'm surprised by the way things affect me.  What I mean is I think I've overcome something and I really haven't.  Anyone else been there?  
My Wow God story took place almost a year ago.  I come from a very abusive background. My mom was a single mom who brought in several men into our lives.  The abuse came in all forms and from almost all the people in my life. I carried around not only alot of hurt from these experiences but also many lies.  Lies that Satan had fed me and I had allowed myself to believe.  I had no idea how badly the lies and hurt that I drug around with me was affecting my relationships: my failing marriage, my ability to be a mother, and my ability to be a good employee.  I was constanly depressed and defeated.  I knew I had some hurt, but I thought to forgive was to forget - to pretend like nothing happened. I was good at that and I took control.  So I supresssed many of these feelings.  God revealed to me through a book that these things were still very much a part of my life and that unless I gave them over I would continue to struggle.  I couldn't tackle this Goliath size pain on my own.  I wasn't sure how to let go but I knew I had to go to these places.  So I physically went to every place that the worst of this abuse occurred.  I spoke out loud to God everything that happened and the lies that I believed because of that specific incident.  I prayed all these things and asked just for peace and comfort.   Then I would go to the next place and do it all over again.  I spent a whole day travelling and praying and at the end of the day I went somewhere that I could be still and just look at God's beauty.  I finally had peace and haven't struggled with depression since.  I didn't know until then what it meant to really forgive.  I couldn't have done it on my own.  

A dear member of my family wronged me in the first year of my marriage. She stood in front of me and my husband and his brother and said some very mean things about me. Basically that I did not belong in the family, and that I was not good enough for them or for my husband. She was out of place, and strangely I knew where the feelings were coming from. She said many horrible things about me, and no one came to my rescue - including myself. Now... thirteen years later I am still struggling with forgiveness. I know that I will never forget that incident and the pain and shock that it brought into my life. I feel like my journey is to forgive myself first and my husband next. As far as forgiveness with her, I have carried guilty feelings around for years because I can't get to that point. I am carrying around so much anger and resentment now. I don't know the answer, but I do pray for my heart to soften and let it go... just not faithfully because I am still so angry. I have wondered if we HAVE to forgive and I stumbled across Luke Chapter 17:3. To me it seems that there is more to the forgive your brother than I thought there was. We must ask God for our fogiveness and repent, so why shouldn't others ask of us right? I am curious as to what your thoughts are... Here is the verse:

According to Jesus, the offender must REPENT and ASK forgiveness.-
Luke Chapter 17 Vs. 3... (KJV) Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

(New Living Translation) :3 I am warning you! If another believer sins, rebuke him; then if he repents, forgive him. 4Even if he wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, forgive him."

Our WOW GOD moment happened about 3 years ago. My husband and I,and our two children were living in Connecticut at the time. My husband was the only one working and he was making roughly $380 a week. It was an extremely difficult season in our lives. One night as we were leaving church to go home we realize that we had no food at home. I was devastated, it was the first time my children were going to bed without a meal in their stomachs. We had NO food in the house. When we arrive home my husband receives a phone call from one of his co-workers and tells him "I will be by your house in a couple of minutes, I have something to give you." When we hear that knock at the door, there  is my husband's co-worker, with a large aluminum tray with pasta, pizza,and bread. WOW GOD, WOW GOD, My husband and I began to cry we could not believe what God had just done. And I love to drink a nice cold pepsi every once in a while. My husband's co-worker pulls out a cold pepsi from his pocket and tells me, this is for you. We woke up the kids and together we ate pizza (we had the pasta for breakfast) God had provided enough food for us until we had money to go food shopping.

That is one of our many WOW GOD MOMENTS. God, not only provided what we needed (food) but God also gives us those things we love (pepsi) :o). God is a WOW GOD.

-Nora, from Cranston Rhode Island.

My WOW GOD moment happened on January 7th of this year. My father when my brother and sister and I were 2 and 3 gave up his rights as a father and bailed. As far as we had been told by my mom and family friends. He was homeless and on drugs so bad he was probably dead. So that's what I assumed. Growing up I had one picture of him in my photo album of a side profile of himself. This was the only clue of what he looked like that I had. All my siblings currently have a facebook account. My mom just climbed aboard about a month ago. My mom called January 7th and said she was goofing on facebook and believe she found my father. She explained to me that all this friends and family and homestate all seemed to be him. With it being so long ago we weren't sure if this was him. My mom sent him a message and stated if he was the right "Dale" then he would know exactly who my mom is. Of course he did. Over the next 24 hours he added me as a friend and Sunday I talked to him on the phone for the first time. Of course I have alot of questions regarding "why, how, when and others" I explained that I believed he was dead and I grew up without a dad. I didn't know whether to be excited, upset, angry etc. I prayed about it and and knew that forgiveness was the right thing to do. He has slowly began to reinstate his relationship with me and of course this will take time after 23years without him. I didn't think I could ever forgive him or get of the hurt, but I have. Yes like Lisa said, there is a scar, but I believe that forgiviness needs to be given not only for your own sake, but everyone around you! I praise God for the currently situation I am in and believe he has a great plan for everyone!!!!
-Brittany S.

In 1999 My sister, her unborn baby and one of her daughters were killed in a car accident by a careless, elderly driver.  Her other 2 children were also in the accident and all had severe injuries that they survived.
At the time of her death, I was so very angry with her.  Growing up we had a terrible relationship, we fought all the time and we were never taught or given the tools to teach us how to overcome our "differences".  As adults we didn't even know each other.  I had never met her husband or children.
At the time of her death, I refused to go to her funeral.  I used the excuse of whatever was going on in my life at the time as not to go.
This upset the rest of my family.  The relationships I had with my 2 brothers became weakend.  I saw them less and rarely spoke to them.  3 yrs went by without any contact from them at all.  
The weekend before Thanksgiving my older brother called me and we had this great conversation about learning to forgive.  We had decided to get together over the Thanksgiving weekend.
On Thanksgiving day one of my Aunts called me to inform me that my Brother had been murdered earlier that morning in a home invasion robbery.  His killer was caught within days after.  
After a lengthy trial the killer was found guilty and sent to prison for the rest of his life.  Through out the trial, I focused all my hate and angry on that guy.  It was easy to have blame for why I was mad or upset.  Two years after the first trial, my brothers killer won an appeal and was granted a new trial.  So, it started all over again....  anger, old wounds, bad memories, loss of income, lost time with my family and on and on. I hated and I was angry all the time.  I thought of myself as a Christian but I really didn't know what it meant to be a real Christian at that time.  I hated so much that who I really was, just wasn't there anymore.
During the second trial the jury found my brothers killer not guilty and he walked away from the court house that day a free man.
My Mother was devastated. Just days later my last living sibling committed suicide.  The note he left said he couldn't live with the hate.
I spent the next year+, numb.  I really don't have many memories of that time.
I attended church every Sunday but I was just there in body.
It was only by Gods devine intervention that I was able to finally learn what it was to let it go and let God take control.   A night in deep desperation I was on my knees begging God for help in healing.  By his grace within the next few weeks after he guided me to a new church and I was surrounded by people that taught me how to forgive (really forgive), how to love (really love) and how great Gods forgiveness and Gods love is.  It took time but in my path of healing and letting go---God gave me the greatest of gifts. For the first time in my life I finally felt like I was not a lone and I felt love.  I had always been loved by my husband and children but I didnt know how to recieve it.
He also brought my sisters children into my life in a way that I could never imagine.  They are all adults now.  They are the most amazing people I know.  I think about the day they came into my life and I am just in aww of how powerful Gods love is.

My wow God moment came this week when my boyfriend, after attending church with me for the first time in 15 years, posted on his fb page, "Dancing less dances with the devil slowly but surely, taking steps in the right direction."!

My wow God moment came this week when my boyfriend, after attending church with me for the first time in 15 years, posted on his fb page, "Dancing less dances with the devil slowly but surely, taking steps in the right direction."!

In 1974, I had a son in January, then found out I was preganant again,  my husband had been unfaithful to me and had misappropriated items at his work place.  AFter much prayer and searching the scriptures on my part, we separated in June.  I then started on some Bible Studies to help me, namely forgiveness. As I studied, God kept telling me to forgive him and I kept telling God, I will forgive a lot, but not him.  No Way.  My baby was to be born in November, but she wasn't interested.  I became bed ridden due to water retention so bad my feet would turn dark blue to black when I put weight on them.  But no labor pains, not even a hint!
Christmas came and my Dad came to be with my Mom and me (she had been staying with me to help care for my son).  We were so glad to have someone else to talk to, then he ups and decides to go visit the sick in the hospital.  Mom and I were ready to shoot him for leaving us, but God had a plan.  While he was gone, my now ex-husband came and I was finally able to tell him that because God commanded it, I forgave him for what he had done to me.  At that exact minute, I had my first, VERY strong labor pain.  He left and Mom and I knew had my Dad been there, my ex would never had made it through the door.  24 hours later, my 9lb. 4oz. 21 1/2" daughter was born.
21 years later, she joined Jesus. He only saw her twice, 6 wks old and when she was 18, at his mother's funeral, where he never said one word to her.
There are times that I think of this but I know that God has helped me through this.  I just remember what God says in Scripture, vengenance is Mine, I will repay.
You Go, God.
But still, I have times of struggling to forgive even after that.  I keep trusting God and continue to work for an attitude adjustment.
Thanks for your ministry.

I heard you talk about a book this morning on my way to work, "Art of Forgiveness".  Could you please email me the author?

Thank you for Klove, I don't know what I would do if I didn't have it to listen to on my way to work and way home.  Everyday something that is said or some song that is played is played just for me.

God is so amazing.

Forgiveness is not a easy process, its painful but when you learn how to forgive it's so releasing cause that person no longer has that hold on you anymore. I was raped when I was 16 and again at 20 by family friend and boyfriend. It took years of pain walking through hate to finally forgive them. I did forgive them and I released them to God and now I am 27 and married with a wonderful baby girl. I could not have let my husband in my life and live how we do today without first forgiving those guys. Thank you lisa and eric for going the extra mile daily. Joshua and I love you and God bless

Forgiveness is not possible without the grace of God.  I pick people up every Sunday to take them to church.  My own children really want their father (my ex-husband) to know Jesus, so he was on my route!  God's Grace is all that allowed me to pick him up, to put aside the abuse that I suffered while we were married.  It was hard, I can't lie!  He even had his moments of verbal abuse while i was transporting him from church! God's grace!  Through God's grace I learned that this wasn't about me! It was so that my ex-husband could see what God's grace did in my life; so that my daughters could see the power of God's grace!  It's not up to me or my daughters to save him, only God can do that.  

I am listening to everyones story of forgiveness and it is an important thing to do.  The one thing that I feel needs to be mentioned is that forgiveness is not for the other person.  If you choose NOT to forgive someone there is a little seed of bitterness, hatered, and anger that grows inside you.  while the person who wronged you goes on with life without a care.  We as christians need to forgive for ourselves so that we don't let bitterness, hatered and anger control us, but God's unfailing love.  When someone has wronged me and I know I need to forgive it helps me to remind myself that I am forgiving that person for me so that I don't wonder away from the grace of God, but stay constent in it.  Perhaps someone reading this can forgive someone that they have allowed to control their lives because now they understand its not for the other person it is for you so that your heart doesnt grow hard and that your spirit doesnt grow week.  My blessing to you all!!
Eliza C. Hampton, VA

I can say that I know what not forgiving someone can do to you. It brings your self esteem way down!! It affects you relationships with others, and it makes it hard to give someone else the benefit of the doubt. But mostly you do the damage to yourself when you don't forgive. You deny yourself the love that God has for you.
In my past 13 years I had been through so much! I was 16 when my dad walked out of our lives. He never cared for us my mom did it by herself. I also had to mature a lot faster then most. I for a long time resented my father for leaving us. For not loving us enough to even see that we were ok. I carried that for years, and it was eating away at me inside. In my relationship with my spouse, it was a struggle, because all that I had bottled up inside affected our relationship!! It was so bad that there was unfaithfulness on my husbands part!! That just added on to the unforgiving tray!! It was so much that I was at the end of my rope! I was ready to let it all go.. In October of 2009, I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ, and I gave it all to him!! I was able to forgive all those that had done me wrong!! It wasn't easy but when I allowed God to move into my heart I was able to let it all go. I talked to my father for the first time in 9 years last year. I can say that all that hate and anger I had for my father is no longer there!! That's because of God!! My husband and I are in a much better place as well, we are doing so much better we are in the process of moving into a new home that we have prayed for for 2 years!! God is doing so much, and all because I have given it all to him!! This my wow God story!!!:0)

I was hurt as a young girl physically and emotionally. My forgiving moment was the most uplifting thing and biggest release of pain. I went through a long healing process (group therapy, removing myself from a bad relationship, and turning to God). I KNOW without a doubt if God was not by my side this forgiveness would have never happened. I have never been able to face the perpetrator but some how God eased my mind about that as well. I think about those earlier childhood days but they no longer define me. I feel no more hate for this person and hope that he finds the grace of God as I have and we meet again in heaven.

Hi  several years ago, My mother in law were in disagreement about my sons.  we had a huge argument
and for a while I did not like her, did not want to hear her voice,  sometimes just refused to answer the phone.  But I learned about Forgiveness, and it has freed me up!!!
I was listening to Klove and doing some things on the computer, and God Whispered in my ear-- to go see her.  she is very lonely-- soI heard "she needs you"
so without any feelings of bitterness I am making plans to go there and be with her for a week) God has done a miraculous healing in y heart and attitude and I just want to shout for joy and encourage others.  I really enjoyed what Duane shared a few minutes ago.

When I was younger a family member hurt me REAL bad and I've never got over it,and I've hated this person for a long time It was had to be around.,and talk to this person at family gatherings,,So one Sunday the morning message was over getting out of the rut your in and forgiveness..So when we were leaving the preacher asked me if I was ok and I told him yes,,He said are you sure cause something is telling him diff and that moment I broke down and told him about what happen and he told me that first I must forgive myself for what happen cause I didn't cause it and then forgive the person that hurt me,and until I do this I will never get over it and live me life as God wanted me to..So one nite I was reading my bible and a verse popped out at me Psalms 18:17 and that moment it was like God himself was telling me the same thing that I needed to forgive this person..And now I can talk and be around this person and we have a close relationship now that I was able to forgive...WOW God Is Good

I have read so many wonderful stories in the comments about forgiveness, but I have yet learned to forgive MYSELF. Most of my emotional damage comes from ME. I pray that God heals my wounds and makes me a new person. I blame myself and myself only for all the hurt and anger that I carry, and for feeling that I am not worthy of God's forgiveness.

My husband spent time with God while in a coma...Last year my husband questioned how I know there is a God. On Nov. 7th 2010, my husband Merlen, had a Motorcross accident. He was racing, in first place and crashed. He flew 30yrds and suffered a Brain injury called Diffused Axonal injury with "shearing". This is where the fibers within the brain are torn and therefore the brain cannot communicate within and 90% of people with this injury never regain conciousness. Merlen was in a coma for 4 days. During this time I told his Neuro surgeon that he would recover. I knew he would! I sat by his bed and read the book of Job, never loosing faith. I prayed, family prayed, friends prayed and people we don't know all over the world prayed. On the 4th day he woke up. I said to his doctor, "I know why he'll recover; because God has chosen to heal him" He said "how do you know?" I said "because it will be for the Glory of God!" November 30th we went to Neuro Rehab, at which time Merlen could still not sit up or speak. He had Expressive Aphasia and couldn't read, speak, write or even point to a correct image on paper. Today Merlen is home, completely functional and improving everyday with plans to return to work next Monday teh 24th. Merlen tells everyone he sees "I'm here to tell you there is a God and I conversed with Him 2 out of 3 times!" I asked finally if he saw Him. Yes!!! Merlen said "He was extremely bright and all around him was bright, His radiance was hard to look at. He looked like a normal man. He spoke to me like I was His friend but without speaking. I knew what He was saying and He knew what I was saying. I was not scared. He told me that I had choices to make and I needed to make the right one. I told him I want to fight, to be with my wife and watch my son grow up. God said I mad the right decision and had I chosen differently things would have been very difficult." They discussed this choice twice and the third experience Merlen said they didn't speak, he was just in his presence.  Merlen knows that his responsibility now is to share God with others. He will never question.  My husband is back!!! To God be the glory!!!!

     My big sister left home when I was in the sixth grade. She was a teenager who wanted her own way and to be free from our parents authority. My feelings of abandonment turned to bitterness and resentment. For about six years we didn't talk.
     I got saved as a jounior and read in my bible, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen." 1 John 4:20
   Well, I started crying. I wrote a letter apologizing to my sister for hating her and letting her know I forgave her.  
     It has been about seven years since that moment and it is incredible the restoration that the Lord has brought into our lives. I love my sister and could not imagine being closer with her. He even restored the relationship between my sister and our parents. Everytime our family gets together I thank God for doing what I thought was impossible.

In chucch on Sunday our pastor spoke of this-- Saying your Sorry, if you look at, says you are a "Sorry person"..bad, persay.. but to ask for forgiveness and to apologize, people stray away from it, because they do not want to forgive or change their ways-- subconsciously anyway-- weather it is themselves for the person they have wronged... tht made sense. In watching my kids, if I make them apologize you see they are not really looking for repentence but doing it because I told them too. Now I think about what I ask my kids to say, and then explain what it means to ask for forgiveness from the family member they hurt and they actually love.

My dad was my hero.  Three and a half years ago, my hero died.  Dad had been the victim of four gunshots after a heated argument. He was hospitalized for ten days, and made major gains in recuperating for the first ten days.  We prayed for him constantly, and God gave us time with him...wide awake, able to tell him how much we loved him, and then he went into cardiac arrest - one week later...and he never came back.  We had to let him go three days later.  We were all there...the whole family...all except for my brother.  He was in jail because he was the one who shot our dad.

From the moment I heard of the shooting, until now...I have been given the greatest gift the Holy Spirit could have spoken into me and that is total forgiveness.  I have not once felt any hatred toward him, I have visited him in jail and now in prison, and I send him funds to help him live in his circumstances a little easier and I cannot explain it.  It is not me...It is not me...It is not me...I am grateful...I am at peace.  I give all the glory to God for this WOW Forgiveness.

In October 2009, I left my abusive husband after a 12 year marriage.  I was going through counseling trying to deal with the heartbreak, fear, and confusion because in this marriage I was raped.  I turned my life over to God and in May 2010 was baptized at the age of 37. I prayed every day for God to help me forgive him. I did!! I pray for God to help me forget, but just like all lessons in life if you forget you do not remember what you have learned.  Remembering the bad and ugly helps me stay in touch with God. During this recovery I wrote a poem:

I was hurt
And then turned bitter
I turned to God
He said,
"Forgive Him"
"My Child of Mine,
you should never Hate"
And just like my God,
I just forgave.
Now, look at me
Oh, how I am Brave!
With My God Almighty
on my side,
He wiped away
all the tears I cried.
Although I may stumble,
I will never fall
For with My God Almighty,
I will have it ALL !!!

THANK YOU KLOVE FOR KEEPING MY HEART STRONG WITH GOD!!!!

Something happened while I was growing up that most people can't understand how I can forgive. I was molested by my step father for a number of years. I married a christian man with a christian family. I remember the exact moment that I was able to forgive my step-father for what he had done to me. I was in church and I actually saw my sins laying on the alter. Then God said to me lay your step father on the alter give it to me. I did and at that moment I had no resentment, hate or any negative feelings. God forgave me and made it possible for me to forgive my step father. He is now going through some serious medical problems and will probably not live much longer. I pray every day that he will get saved so that I can see him in heaven.

Per your discussion on the air, I think of "forgive and forget" this way:

The "forget" part does not erase what happens from our minds. But grievances of the past will color our perspective in the present if we let them.

Instead, we are called to look at the person as (s)he is "NOW" without calling the past to mind. It is best stated as a "clean slate policy".

Everyone is given a clean slate from this moment forward. No questions, no demands, no need to wait to extend our love.

It is not an easy way to live in this world, as the world teaches us differently. It does not mean we walk blindly, blundering into tricks and traps. But it does call for us to give the added effort to look for even the smallest bit of light within our fellow human being, and focus on that instead of letting the past color what we see.

And giving the person the opportunity to let their light shine despite whatever past there may be.

24 yrs. ago my sister and a friend of hers were out drinking. There was an accident on their way home. She was thrown from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. My dad had to identify his daughter by her birth mark! Even though she was gone I swore I would NEVER forgive her or the guy driving. (who didn't have a scratch on him) for what they did to my dad. Whenever the subject came up I would always make it a point to say how stupid she was for getting into a car with a drunk. She and I had never been terribly close anyway so it seemed a normal thing for me to be bitter.
My dad has been gone 3 yrs. Why am I still so mad?
This morning. This very day, I give this up to God. I ask for His forgiveness.

Forgiveness has been a process for me.  I was raised in an abusive & neglectfull home.  Many years ago I forgave many for the unforgiveable.  But today, I find myself struggling to forgive my husband.  Almost two years ago he admitted to an affair that ended in him almost taking his own life.  I immediately forgave him and comforted him in this transition.  That forgiveness brought him to the Lord and he was saved.  A year ago I felt he was going down that same path again and seperated for several months, we are together again but struggle daily to move forward and heal our marriage.  Just when I think I have forgiven him for the past, somehow it comes back to haunt me and I feel stuck.  Each time I give it back to the Lord and pray for His forgiveness and to give forgiveness myself.  I pray that with prayers, time and the Lord we will be completely healed.

I wrote this in "My Living Testimony" journal a few months back.  Think it fits well with today's topic.
November 8, 2010: Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.
I am brokenhearted! To admit this is hard.  What does it mean to have a broken heart?  Brokenhearted for me includes feelings of guilt, shame, hate, un-forgiveness, anger, and self-hatred.  For many years now, I have ignored these feelings and buried them deeply.  By God’s grace, he has spoken to me and has said it is time to heal and to forgive.  What is the definition for the word forgive? Forgive means to cease resentment; pardon; excuse.  For me, un-forgiveness is a hard brick wall.  I fear it.  I believe I have held on to un-forgiveness for so long that it has become my identity.  To let this part of me die is scary.  However, as Paul has said you must die to your old self.  God says fear not for I am with you.  As today’s Psalm promises, God will heal my broken heart and will stop my self-destructiveness.  I know my God is at his strongest when I am at my weakest.  For, I am weak.  Now, I’m not alone and I do not have to depend on myself.  God is present.  He is giving me strength and courage to overcome and destroy this brick wall.  Thank you Lord.

Hi Lisa and Eric,
This forgiveness story is about forgiving myself.  It is "WOW" because of the nature of the process.

I had just come back from a four month stay in South Africa and was praying about 'what to do next'.  One of the questions I was seeking direction for was whether or not to stay in the church that I was attending.

My second son, James, had passed away from a car accident six years previously, at the age of eighteen.  In this prayer time I was not thinking of him at all.  But all of a sudden I "sensed" his presence approach me and I really wanted to push it aside as being nonsense.  But there was a 'check' in my spirit as if I needed to just sit back and 'just listen' ...to see what would happen.  I 'heard' him say "Mom stay, I have a surprise for you.  I love you, ...gotta go".  That's all!  I sat and cried!  I stayed attending this church.  

Five months later I am sitting in a service.  A young boy about 10 years old was giving his testimony right before being baptized.  His voice, his spirit was one and the same as what my son did have when he had talked about his Jesus.  He had loved the Lord so much as a little boy.  Then I had realized, "This is James' birthday!  Today!"  I just sat and bawled.  This had been his 'surprise'.  

Then just two months later I found my spirit so very depressed with guilt.  You see Lisa and Eric, James was living in sin when he was killed.  I was struggling so very much with the mistakes that I had made that allowed my teenaged son to have been so very angry.  

I had lead him to the Lord when he was just four years old.  One night he had just looked up to me with his big green eyes and wanted to 'die for Jesus'.  At ten years old he went on a Teen Missions trip.  I had heard testimonies of how he had stood up for Jesus with his classmates, and had brought some of our foster kids to the Lord.  But when he had died...he was living in sin. I had been attending a church at the time where the pastor was so very angry that I had believed that he could go to heaven since he had been living in rebellion.  He was adamant that James was in Hell not Heaven.

I had gone to a Christian counselor, she heard my heart, then after hearing of my guilt, she said, "Charlotte, now tell me what you did right."

It all just 'came to me' right there.  The WOW of my son's spirit coming to me.  The WOW of that little boy's testimony on my late son's birthday.  The BEST thing I did for my son, and my other children, was to tell them about Jesus Christ.  My James, my son, was in HEAVEN!  I walked away set free from the nagging guilt that had held onto me like a ball and chain.  I forgave myself for all of those motley things (James 1:2) that I felt that I had done wrong.

God allowed my son's spirit to be a part of setting me free....as He also used His own Son's life to set us all free.

Charlotte Maxwell

I dont think the term " Forgive and Forget" is in the scripture. It actually says in Jerm 31:34 that the Lord does not forget because to forget is an involuntary action. We cannot forget on purpose. It says that "He remembers our sins no more." I think the most important thing is that he doesnt dwell on it. He forgives and moves on. We need to discipline our thoughts to not keep on dwelling on the offense.

When I was 15 I snuck out of the house one night to go party with my friends. Before the night was over, My sister's boyfriend attempted to molest me, one mand did molest me and I was raped by 3 others.
Long story hort, 30 years later.....I was contacted by my sister's ex-boyfriend. Of course this brought up many uncomfortable feelings. I had spent years working through the effects of that night and felt that I had forgiven ALL my attackers, but needless to say, the flood of feelings was unbearable. I asked why he felt the need to "find" me after all these years and that his contact made me uncomfortable. He said he was sorry I felt that way and if I wanted, he would "leave me alone".
I knew that God was doing something in me and I began to pray for direction and for God's will in my life. Through those prayers God revealed to me that I needed to forgive him in person! That was a scary thought.
I found out he was planning on visiting a city near me and I made plans to have dinner with him and his wife. I brought my 29 year old son for support.
It was the best thing I ever could have done! I found out that he regretted that night and his actions for all these years. That night not only affected and transformed my life, but his as well.
He always felt as though I were a sister to him and never wanted me to be harmed. He apologized for his actions that night and said that the drugs and alcohol he did were no excuse for it. I also found out that he beat up one of my attackers and went to jail for breaking his nose in that fight. Since then, he has stayed out of trouble, quit drinking and drugs.
I was able to look him in the eye and tell him that I forgave him. We both sat in the restaurant, crying like babies because the emotion was so intense, yet so freeing, it was a wonderful testimony to my son and his wife that forgiveness is possible. It was one of the most freeing things I have ever done. I give God all the glory.

Wow! where is the transcript of your morning session? We cant find it. We were hoping to use it for discussion during our lunch Bible study, because we could not finish listening this am. Help. Thank you.
Annie and Ligia

I'll try to make this long story short.  A couple of years ago, my marriage saw depths that I pray we never go through again.  To say we were struggling would be an understatement.  What now seems like a trivial matter, was a major deal when we were going through it.  My husband took out a loan to buy a quad after we had discussed not being able to afford it.  He justified it saying it was "only $80/month."  Six weeks after he brought it home, he wrecked it, broke his collar bone and was off work for 12 weeks.  He healed physically, but spiritually, I was a wreck!  The quad was always parked in the garage next to my car.  For almost two years, I got to look at that quad and seethe with anger over how he intentionally bought it to hurt me and our marriage.  One day, after we had begun seeking counseling, I heard God say to me, "You need to forgive your husband."  I wish I could say it was that easy.  At first I only said it in my heart every time I looked at the quad.  Then I began to say it out loud.  Eventually, when I knew I truly had forgiven him, only by the power of the Holy Spirit, I was able to look him in the eye and tell him that I had forgiven him.  That was a huge turning point for healing in our marriage.  Not long after that, maybe two weeks, he came to me and said that he was going to sell it.  I thought, "Wow!"  If only I had forgiven him sooner!  I can look back and almost laugh at the situation, but my unforgiveness was an obstacle in the way of the full restoration of my marriage that God has worked.  My husband has given his life to the Lord and has taken his position as spiritual leader of our home and so many relationships have been healed through this.  Forgiveness isn't, except for Jesus' act of forgiveness, an event.  It is a process through which God will break strongholds of sin in our lives, if we allow His forgiveness to work out in our lives!

I was raped at 14yrs old by someone i thought was a friend over many years I struggled to try and forgive this person it took twenty plus years to forgive this person.Through all the struggling with this I becaome a mother at 18, 20 had another daughter and married being young mother and wife.I didnt put my all in my family because the shame and guilt,hurt and pain of what this person had done to me i would stay depressed or drunk.throught all this I get saved but still struggled with this.I hurt my girls over the years because in body i may have been there but my mind was not truly there when they were growing up and my marriage was really hurting through all this pain and hurt that I held for years.One sunday morning listing to the sermon the preacher was preaching on forgiveness. I laid it on the alter that day and let God have it.Now i can say the pain and hurt are gone but i can talk about it without hate in my heart now.I pray this will help someone out there to lean on god to get you through something like this because we cant do it ourself.I Thank God for my husband still with me after these yrs and my girls I'm so proudof them  they are a blessing form the Lord. Thank you JESUS....

God forgave me of my sins, how can I not forgive others who have hurt me. Through forgiving I have only help release myself from a prison that I didn't even know I was in until I forgave. My birth mom left when I was 6 weeks old. Long story short I have forgiven her and healing has took place. I was reunited with her last year, I'm 40 and she is 70. God is good!! I love Him and my birth Mom!!!

I met a woman and led her to Christ and my church a few years ago. Two years ago she decided she was going to "patch" up my marriage and instead she had an affair with my husband of 30 years. In my heart I had no desire to forgive her, and almost wanted to pray that God would cause BAD things to happen to her, yet God had other plans. He has brought her into my path several times over the past year and each time God says "What are you going to do about it?" I usually run away feeling sick to my stomach and crying, but this last time I allowed forgiveness to work in me, and I didn't run. I forgave. I don't have to be her friend but there was suce freedom when I let the hurt and unforgiveness go. God not only restored my marriage but He restored my freedom and peace too.

I  have been on this pain for so long .And  I am trying to find a way to heal it to myself, but everytime i remember this fucking feeling i am thinking of hurting someone else .i care for those who care But only to those who strip me , I always assume one of this days I could hurt them badly too, then they will seek help and then I will help them as like what they do. Will see how they trust God if I put my face on there mind for their entire life . god will forgive me of who I am , I never hurt anyone who dont hurt me at the same time . I was born fair and i was'nt seek any attention of anyone , and I humbly accept what do you think or you say about the life sharing that i drop to you .I always pray for the people who does'nt have anything cause that's all I can do to them ,just include me to your prayers and thanks for the joyride i will always listening into your station for the rest of my stay. god bless you all!!!

I have forgiven many people in my life of 40 years, there have been three really big ones that took a long time of healing and forgiveness.

The greatest and most difficult one is forgiving myself of my past. Twenty one years ago, I gave up my baby girl to a wonderful christian family. I already had a two year old and I had to make the decision to live in poverty with both girls or give each girl a chance.

I first went through a lawyer that was mean and scared me half to death. So I prayed to God that if it was meant to be He would supply me with a good Christian family and He did.

January 1 we were invited to her wedding and I was blessed and honored to sit with the family during the wedding and we had a wonderful time at the reception. Through the years we have had contact off and on. The girls played basketball games against and on the same team together.

I haven't truly been able to forgive myself until after the wedding was over. The stronghold of depression was released and I am fully at peace with myself. The relief of breaking the poverty and teen pregnancy cycle in my family is a big milestone.

God is good all the time, All the time God is good and forgiveness is a powerful tool to use to receive the peace and joy that God so desperately wants you to have.

WOW, God!!! Thank you for blessing me so.

My big wow moment was when I heard one of the guest speakers on KLove talk about what forgiveness is.  It is leaving whatever the issue is to God.  That makes forgiveness a lot easier for me.

I really Liked the song "When everything falls apart" by Fee!! What happened to it!! Can you please Play it again!!

I am looking for the name of the book that cathy talked about this morning about layers like onions about yourself and forgivnes.

I wanted to comment for Martha, who Lisa mentioned this morning. I know it is very hard to forgive and forget. I spent 9 years of my life hating my father for things he had done to our family. 9 years was wasted of my life. In 2006, I found out I was going to have a baby and that changed my outlook on life. Around the same time I saw a guest on Oprah who explained that you could forgive a person and truly love them but also choose for that person not to be a part of your life. While some might say what? that doesn't make sense. I made perfect sense to me. I prayed and forgave him. My brother had mentioned that he was buying things for my baby. I didn't want to be mean but I also knew I did not want him to be a part of my life. In a letter I wrote I told him that I loved him very much, he is my father I will always love him, I forgave him for things he did, and those thing I imagined he had done but that it was my choice not to have a relationship with him. From that day on I have been free, I love him, I can think of him without being negative, I can see him on the street and be kind. It is in God's hands. I mess up everyday, everyday! We all do! And still God forgives me and loves me everyday. So if I can be forgiven and be loved I can forgive and love. So hang in there Martha, whatever your situation is. Forgive, love, and put it in God's hands.

When My oldest Son was 10 years old he was playing with gasoline and sent himself on fire and was burnt over 65% of his body, everywhere but his face because he was taught in school to drop and roll. As I got to the Hospital and met with the Doctors I was told his burns were all 3rd degree and he propably would not survive. After meeting with my son I asked him if there was anything in this world he wanted to know about. I then told him what I was told. I began to cry when he said and I quote " God is in my heart and soul and I will be ok. He told me. Today he is 32 years Old and doing fine...WOW GOD

I haven't been able to forgive family members who have left me...hurt me, when I was 11. I have been struggling alot with this. Recently my pastors have been preaching on forgiveness, I've been hearing about forgiveness on KLove, and really I'm amazed at how God is showing me that I really do need to forgive and not harbor all this bitterness and hate towards people. My big sister left 4 years ago because she wanted her own way. But I blame my mom and I honestly cannot get rid of these feelings without God's help because my heart is just full of resentment. I read in I John that whoever hates his brother is liar. I cannot love without God's help. Please pray for me. THank you so much for your ministry.

I had a WOW God moment the last night of AWANA at our church last year. I had been teaching the K-2nd grade class and by the end of the year was in prayer about continuing to teach for the following year. It had been a rough year and I was truly considering opting out.
There were 2 brothers in my class who came from a difficult home life and rarely were agreeable to anything I had planned for class. They certainly didn't seem to care about God. But I had noticed a slight change in the older brother in the last few weeks. At the end of our AWANA program on the last night, he began doodling on an envelope he had found in the back of the pew. He handed it to me as we left. He had written "I LOVE U GOD".
Immediately I knew God had answered my prayer and I cried and said Wow, thank you God! I keep that envelope in my Bible to remind me about how God works.

In 2003 a woman I work with had caused me a lot of grief by lying to our boss, our boss started yelling at me in front of a room full of co-workers.  I calmly discussed the situation with her and explained that she had known me for a long time and that she knew the accusations were not true. That evening I got on my knees, with tears I prayed and asked God to help me forgive both of these women.  That night I dreamed I saw Jesus, I was walking towards him and he was smiling at me.  I was so excited! Then I woke up; I was so full of joy and happiness, and it felt like Jesus had really been there. I thanked God because I knew this was a sign from him.  The Bible tells us that the pure in heart get to see God; that night I really felt like I had seen him. Over the years this has been a source of hope for me when I am down hearted or struggling with some issue in my life,God is so good and he loves us so much.  

My "WOW GOD moment". A little over 6 years ago my brother was murdered. He was shot four times point blank, taken out to a field and dumped, then burned. He was found four days later. Thankfully the man who did this was caught and arrested. During his trial I had such ANGER in me for what he had done and for what he had put my family through that I really had a hard time dealing with this anger. I am not an angry person and never have been one to hold grudges as such. This was really eating at my heart and soul. Also the fact that while this man is in prison, if he accepts God as his Lord and Savior then he could go to Heaven. I really had a hard time accepting this because of the fact that he broke one of the ten commandments. During sunday school and church one day, this was weighing HEAVY on my heart about what he had done. I really wanted him to know that because of his actions what we all have gone through since we lost my brother. I thought about writing him a letter, but then decided not to. I then realized that I had to forgive him. I thought that if our GOd can forgive him, someone so powerful and strong, than why couldn't I? It was the HARDEST thing I have EVER had to do in my life!! The moment I forgave him It was like God patted me on the back and said "well done my child". I may never forget what he did, but I knew I had to forgive him for what he did just so I could have peace in my life! I still would like to let him know what my mom, my nieces, and myself and my family have been through, but I know God will handle that for me. Thank you God for taking that grief from me by letting me know I had to forgive that man and that I have to pray that he asks for your forgiveness and accepts God into his heart!! The greatest thing about al of this is that we adopted one of my nieces. She is a wonderful child and we are so Blessed to be able to have her in our lives like a daughter! There is a saying I remember..."out of something bad comes something good!" AMEN!!! Thank you GOD! WOW!!!

My Word for 2011: CONNECT! There are so many ways to do so in our day to day lives....with God, family, strangers......
What if you were the only vision of God one sees? What would they see....Make the time to connect and be closer with one another and our Heavenly Daddy!!

So this morning I followed your example, Lisa. I stopped and asked God what my word should be. For the past couple of weeks I had been thinking "more". But when I took the time to ask God, it was clear as day..."PURPOSE!" My word is purpose. Everything i do and say must have Christ's purpose in my life and those around me.

Hi Lisa and Eric!  I love your morning show!

My word for this year is "Gratitude".  

Tough to do sometimes!

Thanks so much for your inspiring show each morning.

Ali from Naples, FL

Eric I couldn't have said it any better...forigveness is by all means one of the hardest things that we can face...as for my "wow moment"...5 years ago I couldnt help but falling in love with a young lady. The only challenge to this one lady is that she was older than me and my pastors daughter, so anyone could imagine...well none of the family was fond of the news but my girlfriend and I at the time decided to stand strong for our love for one another...the family did everything in their power to break us up and it was extremely hurtful because not only was this the family that raised me as well and were like my very own...but also the people I looked up to, my pastors and his children. Long story short, against all odds, God granted me the greatest wish of all and that was to marry the love of my life. Its been 2 wonderful years that I've been able to spend with her and forgiveness has played a vital role. Looking back at the past and forgetting about it was definitely difficult but possible. I was able to look past at the pain her family caused and accept them now with more reasoning, as my family. The only thing I can say is that since I've forgiven only wonderful things have happened. Not only do we all have an amazing relationship, and not only do I find myself married to this wonderful woman...but also as youth leader of my father in laws church and the drummer to todays praise and worship group. Praise the Lord!

P.S. and believe or not K-Love was a huge part and continues to be part in my life dealing with these type of trials that God places in my path! Being able to, in some of the lowest moments of my life, turn on the radio and listen to encouraging words and lyrics and give me the constant reminder that He's not finished with me, and He will carry me and that He calls me his friend gives me the strength to carry on!

David A. Luna San Antonio, TX 210-214-7661

Reflecting on what God has done for me helps me to remember God's soverignity and faithfulness.  He is our Savior and so much more.  In 1993 I married an awesome, faithful guy.  Our marriage was fun, but in my heart I knew something was missing inside of me.  I had searched in many different places but until I recognized the call of Christ in my life I had not known what was missing.  I became a Christian and was married to someone who liked life as it was.  He was not a believer.  When Christ called me I wept because I knew there would be a cost involved - my friends, my family, my husband?  But God gave me the strength to move forward at any cost.  Most of my friends abandon me.  My family didn't understand but stood by me.  My husband and I struggled for 4 years and the word struggled may be an understatement.  There were wow God moments throughout this time.  
  One time I remember being on my knee's cleaning and my husband had told me he was leaving. As he walked out the door I said "Father forgive me for not wanting him to come back."  Then as I looked next to me, I saw my Bible.  I opened it.  Immediately the page fell open to Proverbs 31 - the epilogue of a noble wife.  God told me to put my eyes on him instead of trying to change my husband.  God said, you focus on me and let me work on him.
    Another time my husband came home from work and he said "You're never going to believe this but my desk is in the middle of a group of guys that have Bible study at lunch."  I thought to myself "really?!?!" as if I didn't know.  Of course, things like this always came when I began to grow weary and God gave me hope to persevere.
    My friend and I began praying that God would bring my husband to his knees so that he would have to believe, trust and depend on God.  All the while I was begging for mercy for our two small children.  Approximately six years after God led me to HIM, He changed my husbands heart.
    For years I told my husband he had to follow Christ, then God changed me by telling me to fix my eyes on HIM.  Then one Saturday my husband came to me and told me he was sorry, he was wrong, and that he realized he needed God in his own life.  My husband gave his life to Christ seven years ago.  We see fruit in our lives, our children's lives, our friends, and our family's.  We recognize God is a God of order and mercy and grace!  Thanks be to HIM!

3 am April 21st, 2008 my daughter was 3 days post oral surgery.  She had done well the days following surgery, until now.  My daughter began to bleed from her gums.  Being a critical care/trauma nurse I knew how to apply direct, manual pressure but it was not working.  By 5 am, I had been calling the oral surgeon but got no response.  My husband and I decided that he would take our oldest daughter to school at the appropriate time and I would take our youngest whom was still bleeding to the emergency room.

When we got to the emergency room no other person was in the waiting room except the receptionist.  The triage nurse quickly took us back to the room to be evaluated.  Doctors and nurses applied different kinds of gauze and pressure but my daughter was still bleeding.  The oral surgeon even had us try tea bags to help vasoconstrict the vessels.  The bleeding didn't slow.  The ER tried to obtain labs to run test's for different bleeding disorders.  Finally, the doctors recommended we see the oral surgeon at 1pm.  They were releasing my daughter from the ER. It was 10am and she was still bleeding.

We were changing gauze every 5-10 minutes or blood was running out of her mouth.  It was an unsettling feeling knowing the problem was not resolved.  BUT THEN as my daughter and I were walking through the emergency room waiting room, on our way out, a stranger approached me and said "Did they get the bleeding stopped?"  I said "no".  She said "Did they test for Von Willabrands disease?"  I said "yes, they did but we don't know the answer yet."  She said "Here is the name and number of the only physician in this state who treats that" as she handed me the card with the information on it.

By this time my husband met up with us.  We began driving home to wait.  We were having to pull over about every 10 minutes to change the saturated gauze and we were growing increasingly concerned.  She had been bleeding for more than 5 hours now.  By this point we have friends and family praying.

Finally, we decided to call the doctor listed on the card that the stranger had given me.  The doctor wanted to see us immediately.  It was a 45 minute drive.  My husband and I had combined vehicles and the 3 of us were on our way.  I was reassuring my daughter that God was in control and that we were going to get her help.  I no sooner spoke those words when I looked up and directly in front of us was a truck that had words written in big, bold colors on the tail gait - "JESUS IS LORD!"  I was so excited.  I began praising God and voicing what I saw and acknowledging that God was working in our situation, that He was in control, and that He had the answers when others didn't.  HE WAS LEADING US AND IT WAS AWESOME!  Finally, peace.

We did see the doctor and had at our disposal approximately 6 people at all times.  She bled for 12 hours total but they did get the bleeding stopped.  Many tests and other incidences happened along the way but God never left our side.

No one could ever find a diagnosis or cause.  Our daughter is healthy today.  We are proclaiming God's healing!  Praise Him!

OK...here's another wow moment regarding forgiveness. My now late wife BJ (who went home to be with the Lord on September 30 2010) and I had just gone to closing on our first home in Tennessee, a state we'd never even visited before until a year and a half before our home purchase. On the way home, BJ began complaining of various symptoms, and asked that we go to the emergency room. At 2:00am the following morning (Thanksgiving Day), tho she'd never been a drinker she was diagnosed with liver failure. After almost no sleep, I went back to our previous rental cabin located on the grounds of a Christian Retreat Center I worked at part time as a maintenance man to do the final cleaning. After I'd finished my cleaning, I headed back to our new home to feed the cats and get ready to go back to the Hospital to see BJ. When I arrived home however, I was met by the reality that someone had kicked in our front door, and after searching the house, I realized they'd stolen our computer and BJ's camera. I immediately prayed and asked God to forgive whoever had done this, and asked God to allow me to minister to them someday. I then called BJ at the Hospital to tell what had happened, and after the police left, I got in my truck to head to the hospital myself. On the way, I stopped by the drive thru window of Taco Bell to pick up my Thanksgiving dinner (a backed stuffed burrito that year), and spent another mostly sleepless night trying to come to grips with BJ's diagnosis, which included that the doctors were giving her about 5-10 years go live.

Anyway, within a week, the police came knocking on our door, claiming they'd found the theives (two young kids from our neighborhood), and had recovered our stuff. They encouraged us to drop the charges, and since one of the young men involved was sincerely repentant, and his father (a former youth minister) and he agreed to repair the damage, and the young man agreed to come to church with me, we opted to drop the charges. Needless to say, I shared with this young man that I had prayed God would forgive them, and that he was in our living room as a direct answer to that prayer! So not only does God forgive, but He encourages us to be extensions of that forgiveness to those who need it, and in all honesty, there isn't a person on earth who doesn't need forgiveness for something, so be sure to forgive someone today, just like God has forgiven you, even before you knew to ask for it!

Blessings in Him!
Richard Fischer
Founder/International Memorial for the Unborn
865-719-9096

This is a story about how God used Christian radio to shape my understanding of the extent of God's forgiveness for us.

Probably 15 or 20 years ago, I was listening to a Christian radio station in the Washington DC area, and the program on the station happened to be an episode of, "Focus on the Family." During this broadcast, they were interviewing a gentleman who had an amazing testimony about forgiveness. He'd gone out for a walk, and when he returned, he found a moving van in his driveway, and some unknown man was loading this guy's household into the van. Rather then get upset at this thief and cause a scene, he opted to have a heart of forgiveness towards this thief, and chose to walk up to him and asked him if he needed any help. The thief agreed, and together, they continued loading his possessions into the moving van. During the time this was happing, the owner of the home began sharing the Love or Christ with the thief, and before they could finish loading the items into the van, the thief had decided to receive Christ as his personal savior!

This testimony is the very thing that came to mind when I was faced with the previously mentioned testimony posted here in this forum regarding how our home had been broken into and how I too was able to minster God's forgiveness to the thief! So, as the title of one of my favorite secular movies suggests, "Pay It Forward"! You've been forgiven much...so now...Pay that forgiveness forward, and continue the blessing!

In Messiah's Love,
Richard Fischer
Founder/International Memorial for the Unborn
865-719-9096  

After much soul searching, I still couldn't find my word for 2011. I prayed for a clear mind and open heart, in hopes that my word would be sent to me when God felt I was ready. Days went by, and I let the thought of my 2011 word slide by the wayside. But then, out of the blue, it came to me. It came just when I needed it most; when I was in a spiral of feelings of inadequacies as a mother, a spouse, a coworker and a woman.

"Contentment". I need to learn to harbor a spirit of contentment; with my relationships, my circumstances, and hardest for me...myself. I constantly struggle with self-image and self-esteem issues. But for God's reasons, a thought graced my mind. "God loves me for who I am...who He made me to be. Why should I feel any differently? I am a wonderfully and beautifully made child of God." That moment brought such peace. Such peace.

Being content doesn't mean that I have to stop working hard to be the best that I can be. But it does mean that no longer will I let feelings of inadequacy hold me back from fulfilling God's purpose for my life.

So my spirit word for 2011 is "Contentment". Please pray for me in my journey to an emotional place that I've never been.

MOVE  That is my word.  January 30 (Sunday)marks the 2 year anniversary since our son, Adam, went to heaven.  On Friday Adam was a healthy 15 year old young man and the next Friday, he was in heaven.  Adam had the FLU - a strain not in he vaccine, and which he was not diagnosed until the day after he died.  He also became septic.  Moving is something we have been doing since that day.  First,we moved in a downward spiral, then it was time for our sceduled move.  Not being able to sell our house, we rented.  Last September we purchased a home while our other home still languishes on the market with a price basically half of what we paid for it in 2006.  We have moved along the grief trail.  That trail has included lots of rocks,hills, potholes and sinkholes plus lots of sunny days.  Our friends and family have prayed for us all along.  In the beginning, I'm sure that was how we were able to get out of the bed each morning.  We are looking at finally going back to church.  I discovered you shortly after moving to Charlotte in August 2009.  K-LOVE has been my church.  And I spend much time singing my praises, making a joyful noise   So this is why MOVE has been my word for the last two years (without realizing until now) and continues to serve me very well.  Each day I am moved to worship our Lord and occasionally rail at Him as well.  If not for faith I could never have survived the guilt.  Moms are the guardians of their children and their well-being and I failed.  We all believe it was just our Adam's time to go.  At least we could hold him and be with him , both when he entered this world and when he left it.  I did whisper in his ear that I would see him soon and to save me a spot.  No matter the direction, up, down, backwards or forward we MOVE.

My Wow God was about three years ago.  My husband and I were approached to take in two children who had been taken from their mother.  One of these children is handicap.  They were family and we prayed about it and accepted.  Little did we know how things would fall apart. First my family turned their back on us...they felt like we shouldn't do this.  It would be to much for us to handle.  My husband's job wouldn't work with him and allow him to get off work for Doctor appt's or to find childcare.  I can't tell you how many times we heard from our employers "They are not your children."  They finally they let him go.  I didn't make very much and we used all of our savings just to survive.  We held on for a few months.  The government said we owned to much for help.  Social Services wouldn't help...they said we choose to take the boys in.  I still felt like we were doing just what God wanted us to do..so we held fast.  We lost our home.  I lost my family.  At this point I hit my knees.  I was broken. I began to pray "God,  I know you have your hands in this, and I know we are doing your will.  I am gonna let go and let you lead us".  This was so very hard but I felt it in my heart...I had let go...and let God.  I keep hearing him say to me...Go where there is peace.  I want peace for you.  I have so much more for you than this.  Have faith and I will take care of you.

With in a week God had provided a home for us..all deposits made, and rent made.  Then he gave us Child care for both children covered by the state.  The rent on this home was double the price of the last one, but was perfect for a wheelchair.  My husband was still not back to work.  But I knew God had his hands in this and I held fast and allowed him to show himself to me.  Three weeks after moving in(just before the first months rent was due).  My husband got a job...making more than before.  When everything was said and done.  One month later we were made whole.  Everything was restored back to us even the money back in the savings account.  God showed me how faith works...and feels.  I will never forget how he made himself known to me.  The feeling was unreal!!!  All of this was made possible by faithful children of God that stepped up and gathered around us.  Not just money..the love and support was needed the most. I knew deep in my heart all of this was from God.

Another praise I have to give him....The Handicap child is still with us. He was a normal child until he turned 8(the same time we got him).  This rare disorder took over his body and left him unable to walk, stand, hold his head upright.  Sept. of 2009 God lead a team of surgeons to place a implant in his head.  He is NOW walking and sitting up, he runs and rides a bike.  He is a joy and a blessing to my husband and I. He is the greatest gift God has given us.  He is getting better each day and I praise GOD for the wonderful things he has done for all of us.  WE HAVE BEEN TRULY BLESSED!!  I love sharing what my savior has done for me.

In '94 my grandfather passed away. I was unable to attend the funeral because I was out of state at grad school.

I got married the next summer. One fall Saturday morning, I woke from a dream with a start, and so did my wife. I told her that I dreamt my grandfather told me, "Ronnie, everything will be all right." I told her what he was wearing and that his amputated leg had been retsored.

She stared at me and said, "I just had the same dream."

Wow, God.

I am a Katrina victim and lost everything I owned, but God has blessed us with a brand new home in Denham Springs, La. My wow story is: I love to cross stich and I crossed stiched the last supper. It took me over a year to do it. I had it matted and framed and hung it in our dining room. Of course I did not take anything off of the walls when we evacuated.  When we were allowed to go back and see our house, I entered the dining room and my framed cross stiched last supper was laying face down on my dining room table, which everything was under water for 2 weeks. The water had gone above our roof.  When I flipped over the framed cross stich, it was in perfect condition, the frame was ruined and the matte, but my cross stiched last supper was perfect no mold, nothing, all my other cross stiched things I did that I had hanging on my walls had mold on them. I was totally amazed that nothing was wrong with it. All I kept thinking to myself before I saw it is, it's going to take me another year to do myself another one, I was so dissappointed in thinking I had to do this again. But God did not let anything happen to it. I now have it reframed and matted and it is hanging in my new house.  My mom also had a huge picture of Jesus hugging a boy that my brother had laying on her bed before they evacuated and when they went back to see her home, that picture was in perfect condition and has it hanging in her room, but my mom went to be with the Lord, it will be 1 year this Friday. I remember my mom crying when she saw the picture and she knew how awesome God is that she did not loose that picture.

Forgiving...what exactly is it? That took me yrs. to figure out. My husband and I were married in 1995. He said he didn't want a marriage like his parents---and I believed him. (He is the only person I had ever dated; I had never been in a relationship...even puppy love...ever!)Then in 1999, he cheated on me w/a pregnant bi-sexual 18yr old. Then, in 2000, he cheated on me again, w/a 19 yr old who was married to his 21 yr old best friend. (My husband was 32). This, continue for close to 6yrs. I was raised in church, had even been saved and baptized at the age of 12, but had fallen away from God. In 2003, I started back to church, giving my life back over to God, knowing that nothing was unforgivable. I believed that I had forgiven Jeff. He continued cheating on me w/2 more women until 2007. I finally had enough. I had filed for divorce 4yrs earlier, but didn't go through w/it. This time, even though I had given my life back to God, I decided to file again and go through w/it...after all, God says that is the only true reason for divorce. Jeff promised to straighten up. I relented. In 2009, after all this mess, I started praying differenty. "God, please change me. I find that I haven't forgiven Jeff and that I'm beginning to hate him. I don't want this to happen. He is the father of our children and he is Your child the same as I am. He needs just as much. So please God, help me not to hate him because that puts a wedge between you and me." Then, Jeff had to have surgery in March 2009. And, guess what, God did just what I asked. I had finally forgiven Jeff for his adultry....and WHAT A RELIEF!!! The peace I felt in truly and honestly forgiving him....WOW! Amazing! No, I want ever forget, but, God has taught me: 1)FORGIVING LIFTS A GREAT WEIGHT OFF YOUR SHOULDERS 2)You may not forget, but there is a lesson in all trials 3)How to be stronger when dealing w/tough situations. I don't understand how God can love me so much and be so generous to me, but I'm thankful everyday that He is!

My life has been filled with giving and receiving forgiveness.  The biggest situation of forgiving involved my parents.  When I was sixteen years old I became pregnant.  My parents did not like the boy I was dating.  (He was of a different race than myself and my parents did not approve.  Which seemed hypocritical to my because my parents are not the same race as one another.)  They told me if I did not have an abortion or give the baby up I would have to move out.  I moved out and lived with a friend and her family.  Then my parents moved out of the state and I didn't see or hear from them for about six months.  This was 24 years ago.  Although their actions were very hurtful to me, especially since I was an only child and so very young, I never became angry with them.  I knew they were wrong, but they were hurt and thought they were doing the right thing for me.  I have forgiven them and they have since said they wished they would have handled the situation differently.  There is just no way I could not forgive them when my Heavenly Father has forgiven me, even when I have not deserved it.  

In the Lord's prayer we learn that our forgiveness is contingent upon our forgiving others their trespasses. It took years, but I eventually forgave my rapist for the harm he did to me. I think if it helps others, the best way to look at it is through God's eyes. Every human has value every single minute of every single day. Everyone is broken and with sin. In viewing others through this light, we can imitate God by forgiving them. While we were yet sinners, God chose to love us enough to die for our sins. What better example can we have than that? I guess to add a few more endorsements: "Bless your enemies. Bless and do not curse"....and "turn the other cheek". I can't think of a better way to bless someone (as well as yourself) than to forgive them.

My forgiveness story is about my Mother, 49 years old. My mother was an addict for many years, I resented her for so many of my childhood years, I am now 24. Last year, we went 2 months without speaking because she was dating a man from her past that I knew was toxic. Apparently he had changed his ways but I didn't want to believe it. I just knew he was a huge part of my childhood that I resented. So one day, my sister and I decided that enough was enough and we went to our mother and told her that we would accept him and forgive her for all she has done. We knew that we had to find peace and be a family again. That was on a Sunday, February 21, 2010. On February 27, 2010, one week later, my mother passed away from a prescription drug combination. That was a changing day in my life, I was thankful to have had that time with my mom and I am thankful that God told me to let it go, and go love my Mama. I now realize how important forgiveness is and that it may be your only chance to forgive. Don't hold grudges, you may not have tomorrow to take it back.

Forgiveness is something so awesome to receive, but more difficult sometimes to give!  To me it is a freedom of my soul to show someone else forgiveness.  But...a long time ago in my life (as a young bride) my husband (in the military) was physically and mentally abusing me.  I was far from my family and support of close friends.  This lead to my leaving, with our child just 3 years old, and moving thousands of miles back home - literally running for our lives.  This was a very difficult time.  As the years passed, he chose not to be a part of this wonderful child's life.  To avoid paying child support, he signed all of his parental rights over.  It was sad, but he was a bad influence anyway.  But, our son had a father that did not care.

I looked at my child's face one day and saw God's blessing to me!  I prayed about how to feel.  God gave me the ability to forgive my (now ex) husband. I prayed for him, as I had done many times before.  Somehow this time felt different.  It was true-hearted and peaceful.  By forgiving him, it allowed me to remove the anger and distrust from my heart.  All the negative was gone.  I could raise my child with a clean, good, happy heart!  My child is now grown and has given me so much happiness and proud moments in my life!  I am so glad I am not the one that missed all of that.  I had 5 years of just the two of us...to grow and love each other, support each other and enjoy our lives.  One night my child prayed for a father that would love him.  I was able to re-introduce him to our heavenly Father.

Soon after that prayer, I met a wonderful man (by accident).  He became part of our lives and 2 years later we were married.  He loved my/our child as his own!  He promised the child that he was a father that would never leave him.  Two months after we were married, he had an an aneurysm and a brain tumor.  he was not expected to live through the night.  Our faith was tested.  He is fine now, 23 years later! On the first father's day, our child gave him a plaque that read "The Greatest Gift I Ever Had, It Came From God, I Call Him Dad!".

Because of forgiveness, I was able to move on to a wonderful life without looking back with regret!  We had another child and we have two grandchildren and a daughter-in-law.  Life is Good!  God is Good!

God is so amazing!!!!!I had no idea you even had this blog about forgiveness. I had just sent you a message telling you my word for 2011 was FORGIVENESS!!!!!and the story behind it! Thank you K-Love and Thank you GOD