Ahhh...Forgiveness!

Things at our house have been fairly un-fun lately. 

But Sunday morning at Memorial was incredible! I know I will not be able to do it justice; you really had to be there! Long story short: Terry and Craig preached together. Craig was the youth minister at Memorial years ago and was fired. Obviously, that is not a fun situation for either side. To Craig's credit AND Memorial's, Craig came back to Memorial a few years later. He is now on staff again. Craig and Terry started out on opposite sides of the stage Sunday morning, each telling the story of the firing, the coming back, the on staff again. But the underlying theme was forgiveness. The more Craig talked, the more convicted I became. He spoke of festering in his anger toward Terry and the elders. Boy, that was me! I had been living in anger toward B and wallowing in it! He spoke of forgetting what is behind and striving toward what is ahead and thinking on such things that are pure, lovely, etc. As the invitation was offered, I told Doug I had to go. We walked up together. I had no idea that HE was responding too! So we confessed and apologized and the burden was lifted immediately! It's already changed how we deal with B together. :D 

So after church, I was talking to a friend about past hurts and not being able to forgive. I was reminded of my time in Virginia and the hurt and anger I felt toward someone there that I felt had wronged me. It's been 20 years!!! So I sent him a message telling him of my anger over all these years but that I didn't want to live in that any longer. (By the way, it wasn't anger I was living in daily, reliving what had happened, but every time I thought of my time there, the hurt would come up!) Anyway, just typing and sending the message was very freeing. But this morning, I heard back from him. The tears came as I read his apology and regret over what happened all those years ago. 

Forgiveness....it's a GOOD thing!!!