Podcasts about forgiving

Most Wednesdays, our Communications Director, Michelle Leichty, hosts a discussion with the preaching pastor from the previous Sunday. Visit our Facebook page to watch the discussion shortly after 1pm on Wednesdays: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/covenantepc⁠⁠⁠⁠Be sure to follow our Facebook page for notifications of when the discussion is posted!

Nebraska District President Richard Snow shares the joys and challenges of serving as a DP, from walking with pastors and congregations to raising up the next generation of leaders. He reflects on conflict, communication, and why the future of the LCMS depends on deeper discipleship and greater trust in God's Word. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Sponsor SectionToday's episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources to help the church produce greater disciples. This season we are launching a series of videos on our YouTube channel called “The Voices of the LCMS,” where we are unpacking data from our survey of 1054 Lutheran leaders. These videos are opening up questions, conversations, and opportunities to help us walk together in the future.Richard's ChallengeDo what you've been given. Instead of worrying about what others should be doing, identify one practice you need to put into action this week and start doing it.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going. In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeNebraska District LCMS: ndlcms.orgMission Ignition (Nebraska District initiative)Everyone His Witness (LCMS resource)Joining Jesus on His Mission by Greg FinkeLutheran Hour Ministries evangelism toolsRed Letter Living's Spiritual Gifts Test“Voices of the LCMS” VideosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you've ever felt trapped by stress or grief, episode 388 of Grief and Happiness offers a science-backed way out. Stanford physician Dr. Greg Hammer shares the four-step practice that helped him find peace after losing his son—and that can rewire your brain for calm and gratitude. Blending neuroscience, mindfulness, and lived experience, he proves that happiness isn't luck—it's something you can train.In This Episode, You Will Learn:(01:01) Dr. Greg Hammer's path from ICU medicine to mindfulness and wellness(03:37) Why A Mindful Teen was written for parents, not teens(04:32) The modern pressures today's teens face—and how to help(07:21) The GAIN method: Gratitude, Acceptance, Intention, Non-Judgment(10:40) How acceptance helped Dr. Hammer heal after losing his son(15:51) The science behind mindful breathing and calm(19:47) How listing “three good things” boosts happiness and sleep(22:50) Facing grief vs. suppressing it—how to tell the difference(27:40) Healing through writing letters to lost loved ones(29:44) Why parents must model gratitude and openness(37:51) Forgiving yourself and letting go of judgment(43:20) Why most of what we stress about doesn't matterDr. Greg Hammer is a Stanford physician, wellness expert, and bestselling author devoted to helping people build happiness and resilience through mindfulness and science. After 35 years as a professor and pediatric intensive-care specialist at Stanford, he shifted his focus to stress reduction and well-being. His book Gain Without Pain introduced the GAIN method—Gratitude, Acceptance, Intention, and Non-Judgment—as a practical path to balance and fulfillment, followed by A Mindful Teen, guiding parents and educators to better support today's youth.In this episode, Dr. Hammer shares how his GAIN practice turns grief, stress, and self-criticism into calm and connection. Drawing on personal loss and decades of experience, he shows how gratitude and acceptance can rewire the brain toward positivity, and how mindful breathing resets the body by activating the vagus nerve. Addressing modern teen pressures—from social media to anxiety about the future—he urges adults to lead by example through compassion, presence, and forgiveness.Connect with Dr. Greg Hammer:WebsiteA Mindful Teen WebsiteLinkedInInstagramYouTubeLet's Connect: WebsiteLinkedInFacebookInstagramTwitterThe Grief and Happiness AllianceBook: Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Date: November 16, 2025Scripture: Romans 12:14,17-21Preaching: David HendersonSeries: When Love Gets DifficultFind notes or a transcript of this sermon on our blog: https://www.covenantepc.org/blog/when-love-gets-difficult/

The Perrys are joined by Yana Conner, a writer and theologian passionate about understanding the character of God. Her new book, Living Beyond Offense, digs into the idea that forgiveness is at the heart of our faith. Why's that? Because every time we forgive, we put the gospel on display.Yana shares honestly about writing this book while wrestling with her own relationships. She talks about how “turning the other cheek” is meant to restore and not enable, why God calls us to be “shalom makers,” and how forgiveness is less about forgiving yourself but about living forgiven. Scripture references:Ephesians 1:9-10Genesis 3Romans 8:31-34 John 13:1-10, 21-27John 17Psalm 139Matthew 18This Episode is Sponsored By:https://policygenius.com/perry — Compare free life insurance quotes from top companies and see how much you could save.https://weekendtoremember.com — Get 50% off during FamilyLife's Black Friday sale!https://brickhousesale.com — Get 30% off during the Black Friday sale! Subscribe to the Perrys' newsletter: https://withtheperrys.myflodesk.com/zhfus4jx1sJoin Preston's discipleship community for men: https://www.patreon.com/PrestonPerry/membershipTo support the work of the Perrys, donate via PayPal: https://paypal.me/withtheperrysShop BOLD Apparel: boldapparel.shop Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Forgiving someone for a hurt or injury can be very difficult at times. The pain inflicted wants to lash out and pay that person back with hurt. Even though it is not natural, forgiveness is part of being a Christian. Listen and be encouraged. Copyright, Dave Andrus 2025

Rob & C start a Brand New Bible Study on the subject of “Forgiving Yourself…”!Follow us on all social media at @notthesamepodcastFollow us on Twitter at @notthesamepodFollow Rob Redeemed at @robredeemedFollow C-Micah at @cmicahmusicListen On iTuneshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Listen On Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/2k3fJYb... Watch On YouTube    / @notthesamepodcast  Contact us notthesamepodcast@gmail.com or www.notthesamepodcast.com

This week, Rev. Terence Gray invites us into the hard, holy work of forgiveness as we linger over Paul's line: “Love keeps no record of wrongs.” With disarming honesty and vivid stories, Pastor Terence shows why forgiveness always feels controversial and complicated—especially when the wound is close to home—and why Jesus' call to forgive “seventy times seven” isn't a formula but a doorway into grace. Walking through Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant, we're reminded that forgiven people learn to forgive people, not by force of will but by formation: sitting with the sheer magnitude of God's mercy until it reshapes our reflexes. We learn four movements of real forgiveness—name the wrong truthfully, identify with the offender, absorb the debt, and aim for reconciliation—while also clarifying a crucial difference: forgiveness is a one-way release; reconciliation is a two-way street. Along the way, Pastor Terence offers a hopeful picture of how the Spirit can transform bitterness into blessing, replacing score-keeping with grace that overcomes evil with good. If you're carrying a grievance, a memory, or a name you can't shake, this message offers both courage and a path: before we can offer forgiveness, we must be transformed by it. Let's be part of what Jesus is still building.

Forgiving someone is hard. So hard. Yet, it is important, in fact necessary to live a spiritually healthy life according to God's plan. Jon Winkelman explains how adapting the right focus makes it doable. As a thank you for your support this month, please choose from two study books— We'll send you two copies—one for you and one to gift to someone special:The Word Revealed - Jesus Makes Himself Known -  A 30 day journey through John 1-4The Word Revealed - Jesus' Power, Provision, and Promise -  A 30 day journey through John 5-6Yours with a gift of any amount.Thank you for supporting the mission of Christ.

Immaculée Ilibagiza endured an unimaginable horror that few survive and, quite literally, from which few who do actually recover. In her case, through the grace of God, she not only overcame the rage she felt for those who killed her family and villagers, she forgave them. In this candid podcast, she speaks practically about what is perhaps Christianity's most compelling –and seemingly most impossible—task: to love our neighbors and even our enemies. Join Immaculée as she articulates with profound compassion the steps required for us as followers of Christ to love those who harm us and to forgive those hate us. As she will tell us, it is the secret to both freedom and inner peace. About Immaculée: Immaculée Ilibagiza survived the 1994 Rwandan genocide by hiding in a 3ft. x 4ft. bathroom for 91 days with seven other women. Enduring fear, anger, despair, and near starvation, she was filled with hatred knowing her family, community, and nearly one million of her tribe were being slaughtered.  Remarkably, those 91 days became a school of prayer and love as she meditated on the words of the Our Father, "… as we forgive those who trespass against us." While in that tiny bathroom her relationship with Jesus Christ grew and her vengefulness was transformed into forgiveness. Immaculee now travels the world sharing her story and healing the hearts of those struggling with fear, doubt, and hatred, and leading them to the peace, freedom, and joy of forgiving our enemies. Her autobiography, Left to Tell, has sold more than two million copies and is in the process of becoming a major motion picture. 

Rob & C start a Brand New Bible Study on the subject of “Forgiving Yourself…”!Follow us on all social media at @notthesamepodcastFollow us on Twitter at @notthesamepodFollow Rob Redeemed at @robredeemedFollow C-Micah at @cmicahmusicListen On iTuneshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...Listen On Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/show/2k3fJYb... Watch On YouTube    / @notthesamepodcast  Contact us notthesamepodcast@gmail.com or www.notthesamepodcast.com

Dr. Joel Biermann of Concordia Seminary unpacks the good and bad of Lutheran identity, debates the effectiveness of online seminary, and explains why theology matters not just for pastors but for every disciple of Jesus. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Sponsor SectionToday's episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources to help the church produce greater disciples. This season we are launching a series of videos on our YouTube channel called “The Voices of the LCMS,” where we are unpacking data from our survey of 1054 Lutheran leaders. These videos are opening up questions, conversations, and opportunities to help us walk together in the future.Joel's ChallengeSlow down this week and delight in God's creation. Notice a tree, a person, a cloud—something ordinary—and thank God for the beauty He's placed around you.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going. In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeDay 7 by Joel Biermann (CPH / Amazon)Concordia Seminary, St. LouisThe Book of ConcordNorman Nagel (systematic theology influence)Robert Benne (Reasonable Ethics)On the Line Podcast – Debate on Christian NationalismYouTube: @JoelBiermann“Voices of the LCMS” VideosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matthew 18

When we are hurt, it's imperative that we learn to forgive and let go. Being bitter is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to be affected! Forgiving others does not excuse their behavior or diminish our pain; rather, it frees us to heal. We only hurt ourselves further by holding onto unforgiveness. By the grace of God, let's forgive others.

11-9-25 AM "The Forgiving of Sins"Scripture Reading: Mark 2:1-12, Page 1152Sermon Text: Mark 2:1-12I. The Situation for the Forgiveness of Sins A. An Instructive Setting B. An Illustrative SettingII. The Proclamation of the Forgiveness of Sins A. The View behind the Proclamation B. The Essence of the ProclamationIII. The Confrontation with the Forgiveness of Sins A. The Source of the Confrontation B. The Response to the Confrontation Rev. Greg Lubbers

Luke 5:12-26

Thank you for listening to this sermon from Fellowship Baptist Church. To learn more visit fbcpanamacity.com.

Bill rambles about underage dolls, how to forgive people, and online shopping. (00:00) - Thursday Afternoon Podcast (33:04) - Thursday Afternoon Throwback 11-7-17 - Bill rambles about Milwaukee, electrolytes, and being full of shit. (01:39:10) - Anything Better Podcast - NFL Week 10 Preview with Paul Virzi. Bill is .500 and Paul still believes. The fellas make their picks and talk about coffee, smash burgers, and dumb smart people. SimpliSafe: Go to www.SimpliSafe.com/BURR today and you will get 60% off any new system. This is their best deal of the year—you won’t ever see a better price. SquareSpace: Check out squarespace.com/BURR for a free trial, and when you’re ready to launch, use code BURR to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Kevin Boehm cofounder of Boka Group, James Beard Award winner, and one of the most influential voices in modern hospitality has opened 46 restaurants. But behind the success was chaos. In his memoir The Bottomless Cup, he shares his story for the first time. Kevin has lived through highs that felt euphoric + lows that nearly cost him everything: homelessness, bankruptcy, bipolar disorder, and suicidal ideation. His story began with a shocking discovery at 18, that the man who raised him wasn’t his biological father; setting off a lifetime of reinvention, rebellion, and relentless drive. Kevin shares: The “one-take Frank” mentality: why chasing big, loud moments (openings, applause, launches) became his dopamine drug Building a six-table café at 21 and scaling to 46 restaurants The real cost of the high: alcohol, burnout, suicidal lows What an actual rock bottom looks like + why he calls it a gift Choosing happiness like a job: therapy, meds, Hoffman, sobriety, boundariesThe mantras: “The magic you’re looking for is in the work you’re avoiding” and “Everyone is responsible, but no one is to blame.” Forgiving three complicated parents Why hospitality is emotional surgery, not just food and service The purpose as playing a cameo role in other people’s biggest nights Social media & mental health hygiene: curating your feed like your pantry Content Warning:: This episode includes candid discussion of depression and suicidal ideation. Follow Kevin here Grab a copy of his memoir The Bottomless Cup here Book Recommendation: The Tender Bar by JR MoehringerSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the Grace in Focus podcast. Today, Ken Yates and Kathryn Wright are answering a question from a John 20:23. What is the “forgiving” and the “retaining” of sins that Jesus is talking with His disciples about? Please listen today and each weekday, to the Grace in Focus podcast!

In this episode of the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, host Diana Winkler interviews Pastor Mark Sowersby, who shares his powerful testimony of overcoming childhood abuse and finding forgiveness and healing through faith. Mark recounts his early life filled with abuse, meeting Jesus at 16, and wrestling with his identity as a victim. Through the love of his church community and personal determination, he not only found freedom but also pursued education and ministry. He also speaks about reconnecting with his birth father and how the loss of his mother catalyzed the launch of his ministry, 'Forgiving the Nightmare'. The episode serves as an inspiring account of transformation, resilience, and the power of unconditional God's love. 00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message 00:47 Welcome to the Podcast 01:25 Introducing Pastor Mark Sowersby 01:40 Technical Difficulties and Apologies 02:17 Pastor Mark's Testimony 05:49 Childhood and Abuse 07:10 Finding Faith and Forgiveness 18:06 Weight Loss Journey and Healing 23:08 Dyslexia and Education Struggles 24:42 Writing a Book and Ministry 28:14 Reading the Bible: Audio vs. Written 28:27 A Life-Changing Christmas Story 29:20 Overcoming Illiteracy with Help 30:14 A Love Story Blossoms 30:56 College Journey and Divine Guidance 32:49 Answering the Call to Ministry 33:13 Struggles with Self-Worth 35:15 Finding Confidence in God 35:56 Weight Loss and Self-Love 40:01 Victim to Victor: A Personal Transformation 45:00 Reuniting with Birth Father 48:20 Launching Forgiving the Nightmare Ministry 54:40 Final Thoughts and Prayer   website: www.forgivingthenightmare.com email: mark@forgivingthenightmare.com    Bio:  Reverend Mark Sowersby has been married to his wonderful wife Jennifer for 17 years and is the father of four children. Mark has been an ordained minister with Assembly of God for over 25 years and is currently the Pastor of Christian Assembly of Schuyler in beautiful upstate New York. Pastor Mark holds a BA in theology from Zion Bible College/Northpoint Bible College. In 2019 Pastor Mark went through a time of great healing. He began speaking about the experiences of his past and God's grace and the transformational work of forgiveness in his life. He now speaks about his story through his ministry, Forgiving The Nightmare. When he isn't serving his congregation and his community through ministry, teaching, and support, you can find him on all the trails and lakes in Upstate New York, spending time with his family.   Website: https://dswministries.org Subscribe to the podcast: https://dswministries.org/subscribe-to-podcast/ Social media links: Join our Private Wounds of the Faithful FB Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1603903730020136 Twitter: https://twitter.com/DswMinistries YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxgIpWVQCmjqog0PMK4khDw/playlists Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dswministries/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DSW-Ministries-230135337033879 Keep in touch with me! Email subscribe to get my handpicked list of the best resources for abuse survivors! https://thoughtful-composer-4268.ck.page #abuse #trauma Affiliate links: Our Sponsor: 753 Academy: https://www.753academy.com/ Can't travel to The Holy Land right now? The next best thing is Walking The Bible Lands! Get a free video sample of the Bible lands here! https://www.walkingthebiblelands.com/a/18410/hN8u6LQP An easy way to help my ministry: https://dswministries.org/product/buy-me-a-cup-of-tea/ A donation link: https://dswministries.org/donate/ Transcript: [00:00:00] Special thanks to 7 5 3 Academy for sponsoring this episode. No matter where you are in your fitness and health journey, they've got you covered. They specialize in helping you exceed your health and fitness goals, whether that is losing body fat, gaining muscle, or nutritional coaching to match your fitness levels. They do it all with a written guarantee for results so you don't waste time and money on a program that doesn't exceed your goals. There are martial arts programs. Specialize in anti-bullying programs for kids to combat proven Filipino martial arts. They take a holistic, fun, and innovative approach that simply works. Sign up for your free class now. It's 7 5 3 academy.com. Find the link in the show notes. Welcome to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast, brought to you by DSW Ministries. Your host is singer songwriter, speaker and domestic violence advocate, [00:01:00] Diana Winkler. She is passionate about helping survivors in the church heal from domestic violence and abuse and trauma. This podcast is not a substitute for professional counseling or qualified medical help. Now here is Diana. Welcome back. You made it well. I have a great guest for you today. I told you about him last week. Pastor Mark Sowersby and he has knocked this interview out of the park, and we had an amazing time. We did not have an amazing time with the Zoom platform. I could not hear him, but he could hear me, and it was a half an hour of back and forth trying to get it to work. So I wound up having to record this episode on our phones with the earbuds. So I don't normally do [00:02:00] that. I usually have my $300 studio microphone. So if it doesn't sound as good, I apologize. But this content is so great that I think you'll forgive me, but I'll try to do some, post-production, to make it sound better. So without further ado. Here is Pastor Mark. Yeah. Nice. Nice to meet you. Yes, nice to meet you also. And I saw your wife there too, so, and I think you saw my husband's beard anyway. Yes. And my wife is the strength and the brains of this operation around us. I'm blessed. I'm a blessed man there. Amen. Thank you. Yes. So we got the, um, the technical, uh, demons outta the way. Well, I appreciate that. We tried two computers and my Apple phone. And I have to tell you, I am a novice at computers at best, so Yeah, me too. So we're kindred spirits for sure. Amen. Amen. And I read your testimony about your [00:03:00] website and your faith and your podcast and everything. What a beautiful testimony you have. Oh, thank you so much. So you, you're in Arizona, is that correct? Yes. Wow. Wow. Well, I have to tell you of one of my bucket lists because I'm a northeast guy. I'm a New England, New York. We have snow. It's freezing. They're saying we could have a possible blizzard tomorrow. Uh, I love that. Go to the Grand Canyon. That's my, on my bucket list. My, my family. Hear me speak about that all the time. I've never seen it. But I long to, let me tell you, it's more breathtaking than you can imagine. The pictures don't do it justice. I've been there many, many times, of course. And yes, you should come as soon as you're allowed to travel. I would be over here. Yeah. There's so much more to see. We long to go. We really want to see it. You know, if somebody said, you really see the significance when you look at that great canyon and you see how [00:04:00] small you are, it humbles you and reminds you of what a great big God we serve. So, you know, we just, uh, amen. Thank you for hearing my story and my testimony, and it's an honor to be here with you and celebrate the victories that we have in Christ. Amen, brother. We're gonna get to know you a bit here for my listeners. So why don't you tell the, listeners a little bit about yourself. My name is Mark Sowerby. I'm a husband, a father, a friend. I'm a sports fan. I eat too much. I talk too much, but I'm a pastor and a servant of Jesus Christ. I was looking at all your pictures and stuff, and I saw your progression of your weight loss. That is so amazing. Thank you. Thank you. And my weight loss journey is really just a symptom. Or result of the greater healing that's taken place in my life. Uh, I'm very proud of it. It's something [00:05:00] I have to work hard for and be very disciplined in. So yes, there's a work towards it, but really it's the sub to the main plot. The main plot is what Jesus did in my heart to help me forgive and help me heal the abuses and the pains. And as that began to fill my life, this weight loss journey with the discipline and that burning good habits and exercising, and I'm up to running, uh, six miles a day on the treadmill. So, wow. Six miles. Yeah. So well, remember, we're not in Arizona heat, so it's not hot, well, I have a treadmill. That's usually what I exercise on. I have an exercise room, I don't run unless somebody's chasing me or the laxative has started working. Those are good reasons to run. so let's start at the beginning. So what was your childhood like? Well, unfortunately I have a story of brokenness, pain, and sorrow. I was born from an affair. Uh, so my [00:06:00] father never really had a relationship with him. I am assuming that as soon as he, uh, got the news, he, he left. So I was raised by my mom. I have two siblings that my mom had from a prior marriage. So the three of us kind of lived together at my grandmother's house, and that's what I knew. That was what life was. I was seven years old. A young man came into our family, and that young man eventually married my mom 20 years, her younger, and when he came into our home, he brought abuse and pain. He brought death and destruction. He brought lies and poison. And as any abuser, those abusers have touched many people. And as not only did he abuse my mom in a and. With just vulgarness and pain, but he also abused me and with sexual abuse and physical abuse and emotional abuse. And it was just a very difficult time in my life. So from seven to 14, that's kind of the world I knew. Not only did he abuse my body, not only did he steal from [00:07:00] me, my dignity, my value. Not only did he try to control me, but he also sold me for other men to abuse me. Mm-hmm. Other men to take my body. He stabbed me and beat me and burnt me. And at 16, I was invited to church, I ran into a youth group. And, uh, there's a whole story in that. But let me tell you, I ran into youth group and I ran into Jesus. Jesus was Amen loving. Amen. Jesus's loving arms. He wrapped him around me and started me on the journey, journey of forgiveness. And it's been a journey up. I just turned 50. We just lost my mom earlier this year. Wow. They say a flu. Some say COVID, but we lost her earlier this year and it was really kind of a season for me to walk through some even deeper, deeper healing. We have a lot in common. 'cause I just lost my brother this week. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for your loss. Yeah. So we both have losses today. Yes. Yes. I'm so [00:08:00] sorry for your loss. You as well. Thank you. Your mother was a believer? She was at the end of her life. As we say, the 11th hour of Thief on the cross remember me. Mm-hmm. My mom did have one of those kind of conversions. Unfortunately, she never, the last few years of her life, she came to understand Jesus, but she never forgave herself or forgave. Her pain. She lived with the regrets and the shames and the guilt of her pains. She knew the love of Christ, and I believe that when she closed her eyes on this earth, she opened her eyes there because of what Christ did for her. But she carried this burden of shame and guilt and hurt. But I forgave her, not because I'm special, not because I'm better. I forgave her because Christ forgave me. And in that journey of learning with to forgive people say to me, how could you forgive such a great thing? I just forgave what was in front of me. That's it. Step by step, precept by precept. That's how I forgave. I [00:09:00] couldn't think about the whole journey all at it was too hard. What's in front of you? Well, we'll definitely get into, your process of forgiveness. Would it be okay to, circle back to your stepfather coming into your life? Now it sounded like it was a very violent to way he treated you. Did he do any grooming of you to start the abuse or was it violent right away? I believe there was grooming, again, being so young and, uh, being so, uh, naive. I probably didn't recognize it, but I'm sure there was grooming you know, there was this natural longing. From a child without a father to find a father figure. Mm-hmm. Um, being so young, not understanding the process of that, and any person that would gimme attention, I would run to them to try to find somebody who would govern me or lead me or [00:10:00] guide me or accept me. So I'm sure there was some manipulation in that, as I became more groomed or broken or became more pliable, if you would, because of my young immaturity. He began to have more of his way on it, just so you know. And I always refer to him as my mother's husband. Never as my stepfather? Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. Yeah. Oh, no, you didn't offend. No, I have forgiven him. I think in forgiveness, it's okay to have, uh, some boundaries. Sure. I think that, to have some healthy boundaries, I've forgiven him. I've put him in the hands of God, and I pray the grace of God will meet him and his pain and his sorrow, and only God can reach him. Uh, but again, there's some healthy boundaries around my life and my families. So what was your relationship with God when you were going through all this abuse? We grew up in a very religious home. I was a New England Protestant, so most of New England are [00:11:00] Irish Catholic, Italian Catholic, Polish Catholic, French Catholic. But I was the rare Protestant. And I remember saying to my grandfather one day, I asked him, I said I, well, let me back up and say, I always knew what I wasn't. I knew I wasn't a Catholic, but I didn't know what I was. So, grandpa used to tell us we weren't Catholic. He announced that pretty clearly. But one day I asked him, I said, then if we're not Catholic, what religion are we? And all he said was, go ask your mother. So, you know, we didn't really grow up in any kind of. Formal faith-based community, uh, you know, sometimes went to Christmas Eve service, you know, those kind of what we call Sea Easter and Christmas. The CE. The CE crowd. That's right. But it really wasn't, a church was not a part of my life. We knew God was there, be good and you go to heaven, be nice to people, you go to heaven. But there really wasn't a faith-based situation. I'll be honest with you, uh, the [00:12:00] only religion I got, or the only faith I got was the one album that was played in our home. It's not a Christian album, it was Jesus Christ Superstar. I'm a kid of the seventies. Yes, I'm very familiar with that. Yeah. And but God's name is so powerful now as a Bible college graduate, as a pastor, I could see all the holes of the theology in that and how it was really written, dragged down the gospel. They say Jesus Christ, and as a child, that name is so powerful. So, I mean, I didn't know anything. So here I was, I, I remember seven years old with a big headset on sitting in front of the speakers and listening to Jesus Christ Superstar. And, and now I realize what a mockery it was. But then just the name has power. Yeah, there was no resurrection in that movie. No, no, no. You know, when you have Mary Magdalene sing to, to him and say, you're just a man, [00:13:00] only a man. I mean, it's such a mockery. But again, at eight years old, 10 years old, I thank God that all truth belongs to God. Amen. And his name is so, amen, powerful. Amen. That every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. And as that name, Jesus was smoking, it pierced my darkness. Now, I didn't know about crying out. I didn't know about prayer, but God was preparing me for such a time. And at 16 the lifeguard at the apartment complex invited me to church. She was a pretty girl, and I didn't wanna say no. Uh, she invited she invited me and picked me up with her boyfriend. Oops. We went, yeah, we went to church that night and there began my journey into meeting Christ, knowing his mercy and grace into my faith walk and it's been a journey ever since. So is that when you, met the Lord for real [00:14:00] and got saved? Exactly, I was 16 years old. It was the early part of the summer and I went to that youth group and everybody told me that. To throw away my rock and roll music and to cut my hair and take my earring out. And everybody wanted to hug me and I didn't wanna be hugged by anybody. It's an evangelical Pentecostal church. And I was like, I don't, yeah. But come to find out, the youth pastor lived in the same apartment complex I did. I had a ride to church anytime it was open. So, later on that summer, mid-August, I remember a man inviting me, a young man from the youth group. It was raining. He was giving me a ride home. We got into his car and he asked me right there, uh, mark, do you wanna ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? And we prayed right there the sinner's prayer. And I recognized the grace of God and the mercy of God and the Spirit of God. And at 16 years old, I asked Jesus Christ to be my Lord. And I thank him that he was calling me at such a time. So, and then I [00:15:00] had to grow up. Wow. And then I had to grow. I was still 16 with a messed up background and, still was spilling life all over myself. But that church loved me. They hugged me and kicked me in the can at the same time. Now were you out of your mom's house? Away from your abuser? Well. When the abuse first became, and I don't wanna say public, but when it became outside of the family when I meant the first person I confessed it to or, or shared it with, was my uncle. And I think that people have to remember my abuse happened from 19 7 7 to 1984. And the awareness and the advocacy that's out there today wasn't there then. And things like this happen behind closed doors. And I think culturally, not everybody, but culturally in most families said, we keep that stuff behind closed doors. We don't share it. We handle it as families. I told my uncle at [00:16:00] 14 years old. He was the first person I confessed to, and I ended up living with my uncle for about a year. He became my defender. So from about 14 to about 15 and a half, I lived with my uncle, and about 15 and a half I moved back with my mom. And yes, her husband was still there. But he, uh, he was very sickly at this time. So, he wasn't able to hurt me physically anymore. And I was strong enough to not allow anybody to hurt me anymore. So Now you said the word confess. Well, you didn't do anything wrong. Thank you. I, yeah, I just meant, I told. You shared your story, your abuse, uh, your victimization. So yeah. You don't have to apologize for anything. Amen. Thank you. That's right. It was probably a poor choice of words. I was just reading. I announced to my uncle, or I, I shared out, I took it out. I took it outta that simple family unit that I would tell my mom, [00:17:00] my mom having so much hurt and pain in her life, didn't know how to handle that. And just would say, well, he promises not to do it again. And he promised not to do it. And of course, so in a lot of ways I felt like my mom was a victim. And, and. Even though I've had to learn to forgive my mom because of what she allowed to happen, but in some ways, not that I justify it, but I've begun to understand it. Because she was abused by her first husband who broke her heart because, uh, just pain who had many affairs on her, and she was so broken down, so hurting and she did not understand love. I think she, um, interpreted love in a very, uh, trying to think of the word here you know, an enabling way. My mom was more of an enabler and I think she interpreted her love in enabling. So she enabled people. I mean, it sounds like [00:18:00] codependency. Was that the word you're looking for? Yes. Okay. Yeah. Thanks. So you struggled with your weight for years. Was that a symptom of your. Abuse your childhood? I, I think it was, you know, I'm, I'm not a psychologist or, a social worker. I'm a preacher, but you know, I think what I was trying to find in food was comfort, friendship. It always accepted me, uh, it comforted me when I was having a bad day and it rewarded me when I was having a good one. But like any drug, if you would, it lies to you. And it says, Hey, is everything will be okay. Just have a little bit more, have a little bit more, and, it just is. So for me, food became my drug of choice. Mm-hmm. Uh, it became where I found comfort, found peace, found acceptance. I punished myself with it. Boy, I'm no good. I'm going to eat ice cream. Oh, I'm having a great day. I'm gonna eat [00:19:00] ice cream. So, you know, it was one of those things. Uh, what I tell people is that I wish I could say to you that, that God has taken away all the hurt, all the pain, all the sorrow. It's still there in my life. It's still a familiar. Familiar pain that continues to call to me. But what God did is he became bigger. He became bigger than the pain. He became bigger than the shame. He became bigger than the hurt. So is it still there? Sure. And the flesh wants to run to it. And the psyche wants to run to it because I know it, it's comfortable. I, I know my role there. I, I understand what my protection and my manipulation that I can find there. But God became bigger. God became bigger. You know, I was telling a friend today, and I climbed a mountain after I lost about 50 pounds. I climbed a mountain. And it was about a half a mile long. And to me it was Everest. It was the biggest mountain in the world. And it took me hours [00:20:00] to go up and I had blisters on my feet and bruises on my toe. I was very proud that I climbed it. But after I lost about a hundred pounds, I climbed the biggest mountain in the state of New York called Mount Marcy. And what was the difference between those two mountains? One was bigger and I think that's the same thing. What happened to me is that even though that sometimes the enemy wants to try to bring me back to those familiar pains, those familiar insecurities, those familiar foes, God became bigger. His word, his spirit his love all became bigger. And I have to hold onto that and I have to claim, not claim it, but I have to run into it. You know, I have to run into that every day. So. Oh, you would love the mountains here. We have so many mountains to climb. So yeah. If you come to Phoenix, then we'll have to go hiking together. Yes. I wanna see that Grand Canyon. I wanna come to Phoenix. I am a New Englander, but it's cold [00:21:00] all the time here. But I hear that you guys leave for the summer and go back in the winter. We leave for the winter to warm places because it's so hot in Phoenix in the summer. Yeah. We're not snowbirds. We are here all year. Now we get to 110 every year. That's, that's normal. It gets to 120 here every summer. But this year it was 55 days of 110 degrees. Wow. Which, um, that killed all my plants and, uh, two of my trees, so Wow. Yeah, it's 70 degrees outside now, but in the summertime it's brutal. Wow. Don't come in the summer. Come in the winter. Okay. I, um, I did get to do a mission chip for Juarez, Mexico, which is obviously south of you guys and a little east, but at the same time, I got a touch of hot weather and I have done a lot of missions trips to Central America and the Caribbean, but they do have a different climate because of the sea and the water. So it's not that dry heat. [00:22:00] It's, definitely that, more moist, heat. Yeah, I think you'll do fine. Like I said, I looked forward to it. We were just in Israel in, November November, 2019, and it was 85 degrees. In Jerusalem and I roasted, I had such a hard time because the elevation was different and the humidity from the from the sea. Yeah. I don't know if you've been to Israel, I have not. Another, another bucket list, yeah yes, definitely recommend that for sure. Thank you. My wife and I, we love to travel. You know, we, we have four children, so right now our kids are in the ages of 15 to seven, so we are right in the midst of it. You know, we're, we're mom and dad, taxi and, and we homeschool. So my wife is going a hundred miles an hour all the time. Pastor wife. Homeschool mom and she's taking care of [00:23:00] me. So, I mean, this is, God bless her. If there's a hero in this story, it's my wife. Your wife's a homeschooler. Um, you had said in your story that you had dyslexia growing up. What was that like? Well, you know, I think that I still have it. Uh, God hasn't, hasn't healed me from it. So what happens is, is I tell people when the way I was raised, I survived my childhood. I wasn't raised, you know, I didn't have parents that, that looked out for me. I didn't have somebody who wanted to govern my experiences or, or was an advocate for me. So I, I really just kind of survived my childhood and one of the casualties of that. Was my education. Uh, it was the early seventies, so I think there was a lot going on with sight reading and some different kind of philosophies of teaching. So here I was in a broken home with a learning disability. I [00:24:00] was being bullied at school because the way I felt about myself and, you know, so yeah, reading has always been a chore for me. It still is a chore today. But again, the lord, he helps and he, he brings me through and he gave me a brilliant wife. Uh, she is a, a teacher by education. And my children love to read. My son will walk into walls. He reads books this thick. I mean, and I remember holding him the moment he was born, praying, Lord, give him just a heart for reading. And he does. I mean, my son 15 says, dad, can we go to the library? Love the library. Oh, he, yeah, we're friends with the librarian. Uh, if they need somebody to help him out, move books and they call him. But yes, reading has always been a chore and I, believe it or not, I'm in the midst of writing a book. Oh, I was just gonna ask that if you had a book out or not. We are just started to speak to a publisher, it's self-publishing company. Uh, so we're definitely in [00:25:00] conversations. We have written, just kind of let it pour out of me. It's been there for 50 years, so just kind of. And, uh, now we've kind of put it in front of people who really know what they're doing. I tell everybody, I wrote it my ways, I handed it to my wife and she interpreted it and made it legible. And, uh, we have some local friends who have done some basic editing, so they're kind of editing for us, and now we're sending it to the publisher who knows how to edit in a professional way. So, so, you know, the Lord told me years ago that this testimony would be written down. I remember I chuckled when he told me that because I said, Lord, I can barely read or write. And I remember saying to the Lord, Lord, if you want this written down, what am I gonna call it? He said, you'll call it Forgiving the Nightmare. So that's why the name of the ministry, the name of the book, the name of the website is called Forgiving the Nightmare. I think everybody uh, regardless of [00:26:00] how one came, you know, yours and I came in by probably hands of other people's, but sometimes nightmares come in by all different ways. Loss, regrets pains, hurts. And we all have to kind of say, Lord, how do we go through that? And I know as Christians, we want it instant, you know, we wanna stand on the word, we wanna claim it, we wanna save. Lord, give it to me. But I think sometimes we have to, uh, go through the process. I think of Jacob and how he wrestled with God, or he wrestled with the angel and they wrestled all night long. And, and God, the angel touched his hip and then he said, what do you want? And Jacob said, I want a new. And he became Israel, the promise. Mm-hmm. So he left deceiver, as you know, and he became Israel promise. And I think sometimes in that journey of forgiveness as much as Christians and people, we want it and we want it so true and so earnestly, [00:27:00] but sometimes we have to wrestle. We have to wrestle with the past. We have to wrestle with ourselves, we have to wrestle with the fears, and wrestling doesn't make us bad, doesn't make us sinners, doesn't mean God has left us. I think God's working with us, the process as a pastor, I've seen so many people who are unwilling to go through the process. And they get stuck. They get stuck in the cycle, in the the hurts and the pains of life. Just kind of build up on them. And I know God wants to set 'em free, but again, it, you have to learn to die to self crucify the old man, you know, tame the tongue. And it's hard. It's hard, especially when everything in the, especially when everything in the world tells you you're okay to have that. It's okay for you to hate. It's okay for you to be angry. It's okay for you to, when God says, for us to let him go first, let Him lead us. And God is, if we forgive those who trespass against us, he'll be faithful and just to forgive us. [00:28:00] And that scripture boy haunted me for a long time because I said, Lord, I'm not ready to begin. I'm sorry I'm preaching. No, you're awesome. I'm enjoying this. Um, I'm curious how you read your Bible. Do you use an audio bible or do you, um, do use an actual written Bible? Well, I do read Bible. I like the ESV, I like the NIV, I like those verses. I do read it. I do listen to audio at times. What happened was, is about 20, I was in my early twenties and a woman at church asked me to read the Christmas story out of Luke in front of the youth group. Now, when I say youth group, we had about a hundred youth in our youth group, maybe even 150. It was a large youth group and she was the kind of woman who would not take no for an answer. You know, the church lady? Yeah. I think every church has one of those. Yeah. And you know, I tried to give her every excuse in the [00:29:00] book, I lost my glasses. I was too embarrassed to say that I couldn't read. So I got up in front of the youth group and I read out of Luke chapter two and I. Stumbled over my words and I read slowly and I read broken up. And people were very kind to me that day. The youth pastor and the youth group, they were not cruel. And after service, that woman came back to me and said that she homeschooled her children and she would like to homeschool me if I'd want to. Now I was, I was a grownup. I was 23 and I went back to her house and there I sat with her 6-year-old, five-year old as she was teaching her 5-year-old, 6-year-old how to read. She was also teaching me phonics. I never learned phonics. I tell everybody, when I learned TION and Sean and not ion, it changed my life. Unbeknownst to me that church lady had an older daughter [00:30:00] and that older daughter watched me. Watch me struggle over my words, watch me go to the house and sit with her five-year-old sister and learn ae IOU and learn the rules of bowels and phonics. Well, years later, that older daughter would become my wife. Oh. Oh. So, yep. So, you know, she told me that she fell in love with me and she watched me there. And so that, that's a little bit of our love story. But yeah, she watched me from afar and, and now today we have four kids together and she still helps me read. So I do read. I a much stronger reader than I ever was. Uh mm-hmm. So I, I can read a much better than I could then. Well, I certainly can see looking back that you had so many people in your corner to that God sent to help you, and what a blessing. Now, did you go to college? I did. I [00:31:00] graduated from what's now called North Point Bible College. At the time, it was called Zion Bible College. It was in Barrington, Rhode Island. It was a very focused school for ministry only. Uh, so I did go there. I didn't wanna go there. I'm a New Englander. I knew about the school. It was in my backyard. I wanted to go to Southeastern to Florida. I wanted to go to pennsylvania and go to Valley Forge. Uh, those doors were not open to me. I remember saying, the Lord, I'm done. Lord, I've tried. Everybody's rejecting me because of my education. And he said, go to Zion. I went in and I met with the Dean of students. In that meeting, the dean of students said to me, mark, do you have a call? I said, yes, I believe I do have a call. He got up from his desk and he went to a big picture window, a woman who was walking in front of his picture window, and he tapped onto the window and he called this woman in. As she came [00:32:00] into his office, he introduced me to a woman named Jan Kruger. He let me know that Jan was led by God to go to school, to go to Zion the week earlier than me to start a learning center. And Jan and I became our first student in the learning center and we worked hard. The first year, most of my, classes were uncredited 'cause I had to learn how to be a student. I didn't know what a syllabi was. I didn't know how to take tests. Uh, we sat in that learning center. I cried, I complained. She was a mom. She hugged me sometimes and she told me to. To suck it up sometimes. And, uh, that was the best advice I could get. So yeah, i'm a proud graduate of Zion Bible College, and I'm ordained with the Assembly of God. So when did you get called into the ministry? Well, pretty much after, it was about my 17th year, 16 years old, I got saved and 17 years old, I was [00:33:00] at a Youth convention, and I pretty much felt like the Lord called me then. Now, I ran from that call for a long time because of my insecurities, my fears, my inabilities. See, when I walked into the room, I always felt like I was junk. Like I was dirt. Like I could offer nobody, nothing. And I was, no, you know, I, that's how I felt about myself. So who would let me be that pastor? What do I have to offer? I could barely read. Look what happened to me. So. For many years I wrestled with it and about 24, 25 years old, I had a brand new truck, little S 10 pickup truck. They called it Bernie because it was purple. I was listening to Petra, remember a Petra? I love Petra. And I was, I was listening to Petra from the seventies not the nineties. Petra and I remember I was listening to Petra and the Holy Spirit filled with the cab of that car and that truck I had to [00:34:00] pull over. I was on old post road. I'll never forget tears coming down my face. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, mark, choose this day whom you'll serve. I've called you and I will equip you. And I said, God, I want you. That's when the journey of. Colleges, and I wish I could tell you it was all roses and cherries after that. It wasn't, you know, there's still a lot of growing up and a lot of overcoming, and a lot of dying to self. And, and there still is. But yeah, that's how I got called and I went to that school and they loved me. They were honest to me. You sound like you had a lot , in coming with Moses with his speech impediment. He was, exiled to be a goat and a sheep herder. They're not gonna listen to me, Lord. You know? Did you feel like that? Oh, sure. I sure did. Like I said, I, for most of my life, I felt like what can I offer? So what I did is I put a facade on myself or I, I lived up to the role that I [00:35:00] thought people wanted from me, or a role to, to find acceptance or protection. So, if I had to be the clown, I was the clown. If I had to be the fool, I was the fool. If I had to be the weak, I was the weak because I felt those things about me. Recently in this weight loss journey and this giving, God has given me confidence. And I say that with much humility because I know it's not my confidence, it's confidence in him. But I've never had confidence before. I feel like a carpenter with a new tool. I feel like, you know, a businessman with a new suit that I've never had confidence before. Now again, it's not confidence in what I have. Because I'm still weak, but it's a confidence going, my Abba father makes a way for me. My Abba father heals me and, and goes before me. So it's, it's a kind of a new season for me to be confident and say, you know what? I can live a healthy life. People ask me why I lost the weight. [00:36:00] And I remember I was reading the scripture, and you're probably familiar with it, is when the Pharisee comes to the Lord or it says to him, Lord, how does one enter the kingdom of heaven? And the Lord says, well, what is written? He says, Lord, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength, and with all your spirit, and love your neighbor as yourself. I've read that a million times. I've preached on it. I've studied it. One day I was reading it, he said, Lord, I know you love me, mark, but you don't love your neighbor, and you don't love yourself, so you can't love your neighbor. And I realized because I didn't love myself, I wasn't taking care of myself. I love my children. I love my wife. I wanna take care of 'em. They don't need me. I wife can, but I want to. I wanna do things for, I wanna take care of 'em. I wanna help 'em be better and stronger and smarter and wiser, and love the Lord. And I realized I didn't love myself. So the weight loss journey, forgiving the nightmare, forgiving my mom, forgiving the abusers, forgiving those [00:37:00] who betrayed me as a child, helped me begin to love myself again. No visions of grander. I'm still a just a normal guy saved by grace. Uh, I still put my big foot in my mouth, my wife can come in and tell you all the stories, but, uh, but you know, I started to love myself and. It sounds like, you found your self worth in the Lord Jesus because Jesus sees you as his child. You are a child of God, and that's where your worth is. So it sounds like your healing journey brought you to that place. Yeah. It's not self-confidence like the world says it is. It's how God sees you. You're precious and you're loved. Amen. And you're valuable. He died for you. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. You're gonna get me going now. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah. I want others to [00:38:00] experience this. You know, I, my whole ministry, I've been surrounded by hurting people and hurting churches. I've worked with people that have had major traumas in their life. Not that I ever sought it. I can't. I think the Lord just led me to it. And as I've worked with people, people say that I've been able to bring comfort. I'm easy to talk to. I thought, well, okay, Lord. And I want people to find that freedom that I have. I understand being shackled to pain in the past. I understand allowing those things to form the way you think about and believe about yourself, and never truly being set free. Waking up with that numbing feeling of brokenness all the time. All the time, just constantly. But God truly set me free. He set me free. And because he set me free, I'm nobody special. And being a pastor, I see so many people that have a [00:39:00] form of this and they don't. They haven't gone through it. So they're still living with a confession in Christ, but still the hurts of the past. Blame them. I don't, I'm not putting fingers, I'm not taking the log out on my own eye before I take the twig from their eye. But I'm saying the freedom that God has for his people. Uh, and again, do we still stumble? Yeah. Do we still need refining? Sure. Are we still the clay? And he's still the potter of court, but there's a freedom that we find as a pastor. I've just met so many people who will say, pastor, I'm killed. I'm delivered. And you realize it's, it's only an inch deep. It's, you know, as soon as they get tested, as soon as they get, get bothered, it just spills out. It pulls out of them in, in a defense or in, in a rejection or in a way they, they have a self view of the world or of themselves. Now God's consent is free. God can set [00:40:00] us free. So, what's the difference between being a victim and being victorious? Hallelujah. Well, in my humble opinion, a victim is somebody who always sees themselves broken, sees themselves in a way that, that that allows them to stay in their victimhood. For a long time, my victimhood became my identity. I remember one day when the Lord brought me to the altar and he said those words to me. He said, mark, I want you to give this up. And I literally said, in an audible voice, Lord, if I'm not a victim, then what am I? Because all I knew was the, the role of being a victim. Oh, my victimhood was good. I could manipulate with it. I could win every argument with it. Oh, when I was 16 years old, my mom, who was a single mom with not much money she bought me a car. I had a phone in my room. I had cable on my own [00:41:00] tv. She made me breakfast in bed. Why she owed that to me. Why? Because I was a victim. And I got to see how I could win every argument at school. I could put my head down and I could lift up my head and go, well, who here else was molested? I was, and no one would say anything. And the Lord rebuked me at that and said, said, yeah, that's what victims do. At least that's what I did. He said, I wanna make you victorious. And I remember him saying, me saying to the Lord, if I'm not a victim, what am I? And he said, you're victorious in me. I had to learn what it meant to be victorious. Amen. I had to learn to let that facade go. Let that personality go, let that old man die and let the new man of Christ rise up inside him. That is awesome. I just love that. I've never heard anybody describe it like that. Now, I prefer the, word survivor instead of victim. But I think you took [00:42:00] it up another notch. We are, victorious in the Lord. Well, my victimhood, you know, as much as I was a victim, but I used it for my own gain. Mm-hmm. Which made me just as not guilty of what happened to me, but made me not a healthy place. It put me in a Right. But it's all I knew, you know, I could manipulate, I could win the argument. Right. I was the guy. Who else here was stabbed and burnt and abused? I could show you my scars where they stabbed me. I could show you the burn marks. I was prostituted for other men to abuse me. Boy, you know, I could really win the, the argument. But that was wrong. Yeah, it was wrong. It was wrong to put that on my mother, it's wrong to put that on my family. It was wrong to put that on others. And the Lord had to rebuke me and, uh, wow. And he did, because he loves, he rebukes the ones he loves, so he rebuked you. I just so appreciate your raw [00:43:00] and honest, telling of your story. Because, you've heard stories where they just put the fluff or they put the stuff that's gonna, bring up the ratings or whatever. But you really, kept it real. And I think you're a great pastor because people see that you're a real person. You're not some fake up there that can't relate to your congregation's problems, do you feel that way? Oh, definitely. You know, my congregation, as you know, like we talked earlier, I wrestle with dyslexia and every once in a while I'll stumble over a word while I'm reading the Bible and in front of my congregation. And, and that really bothered me for a long time. My Lord, I'm a pastor. How can I not read this and now. When I stumble over a word, my congregation yells it up to me. So I'll be on the platform. And you know what? They'll see me stumbling and you know, they'll yell it up to me and it's just a term of endearment. [00:44:00] It's not been one of rejection or shame, and I say, you know what? I'm doing that just to make sure you're in the Bible. That's what I tell 'em. But I'll be reading the scripture and, and my dyslexia kick in, or, or the word will be all scrambled. And, and they're the kind voices. Oh, pastor, that's, that means this. And, and it's kind of a nice direction. I tell people the church I pastor is a real church with real people serving a real God. Wow. So, wow. Fancy fluff. Church don't come to us because, you know, we're real and we cry together, we do life together. We step on each other's toes. We don't always agree, but we always love God. That is so awesome. Pastor of Christian is Alia Scott. That's right. I didn't announce your church name. I wanted to ask you to tell another story about. You said that you met your birth father at one point. What happened during that reunion Union? [00:45:00] Well, I was 45 years old and I wanted to reach, I wanted to know, I tell people my birth father and I met at the right place in life. I think if I would've met him younger, I would've still been angry. Rejected Kyle, but I was 45. I was the father of four. I've made my own mistakes, my own problems. I learned to mature a little bit. To be really frank, my father's wife passed on, so he was more ready to meet me. So his wife that he had the affair on to si me, if you would, she passed. So he was more open to meet me and uh, I just didn't meet him, but the whole family met him together. We met in a restaurant, we met in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and the family came in and the kids instantly. Started to call him grandpa. I thought, I don't know if I'm okay with that. And he never rejected it. So the last few years of [00:46:00] life, we just lost him. I, I had him for about four years. It wasn't warm and fuzzy, daddy and son, but it was something, we had a relationship. We'd talk about sports, we'd talk about life. He was a snowbird from Massachusetts to Florida and he just kind of let me know. So I'm very thankful for the four years I had. Again, it wasn't, Hey buddy, I'm proud of you kind of moment, but I got to find out a little bit about. Who my dad was and who some of my relatives are on my father's side. I got to learn about some of the health conditions of, of my father. And you know, he said he was pretty, he made it to 84. He liked to drink and he liked ladies, I like Jesus, I like one lady, Wow. That's an incredible story. I tell people it was the right time. Again, if I would've met him at 25, I would've been angry. I would've said, you know, why did you abandon me? 45 was a good time because. You know what, by that [00:47:00] time I, I stepped in enough life of my own to, to not, to be slow to judge, oh, God does have the perfect timing. I haven't spoken much about my story at all on here, but my husband and I talk about, boy, I wish that we had met, long time ago, you know, and skipped all the pain because we were both victims of abuse from our previous spouses. I'm sorry. And, um, but we thought about it and we thought we were different people. If we met at that time, I don't think I would've been interested in you and you wouldn't have been interested in me. And, I think that God brought us together this time of our life. No, we've been married 11 years. Congratulations. Thank you. So, God brought us together at our time of life because that was the perfect time and Sure. We're best friends. We never even have had a real fight. We didn't disagree, of course, but now you should write a book [00:48:00] about that. Okay. I mean, we disagree and, um, get on each other's nerves, but the Lord has just, you're normal. Just blessed us. Yeah, we're definitely normal. Um, especially during pandemic. It's like you learn about your spouse when you're stuck with them 24 7. Right? That's true. That's true. Yeah, we had to make some adjustments. Amen. And, um, we still love each other, and that it's great when you're talking about times of life, you know, for such a time as this, and I think for me, the Lord spoke to me years ago about forgiving the nightmare ministry. He actually spoke to me when I was in college about this. I didn't know it was gonna, uh, blossom or what it was gonna look like, but he spoke to me years ago about writing it down and it was always inside me. And I kept, my wife knew about it. We would always think, how's the, what's the Lord gonna do with this? Is it distant inside me to guide me through life? Is it more for others? Is it, Lord, how's it, how's it [00:49:00] gonna? Blossom if you would manifest. And we lost my mom and I have to tell you that, not immediately, but pretty quick. After losing my mom, I felt like this ministry could just launch. And it has launched. God has brought, brought a web designer into our life. He's brought some, um, producers into our life to help me tell the story. We're talking with a, an editor and a publisher. All this has happened fairly quickly. And I think, Lord, why now? And I think, to be honest with you, and this is just my opinion, I, I don't know if I have chapter and verse to back this up, but my mom was so embarrassed. She was so full of shame because of my upbringing every time for the last 20 years of my life, every time me and my mom were alone together, she would just apologize. And I don't just mean say, sorry. She would grovel and I would say, mom, I forgive you. I forgive you, [00:50:00] Marky. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. And if my mom knew that I was speaking to podcasts or writing a book, she would've been so, so embarrassed. So she may, it would've just troubled her so much. So I think outta the grace of God, and again, don't have chapter and verse, but I think upon her passing released me to be able to share this story, to be able to bring others into it, to just think God was being merciful to my mom on her journey. And again, it was almost pretty instant after her, uh, her own passing that I remember being on the treadmill one morning and the Lord just kind of. Just impressing upon me by giving the nightmare. Remember those words? I spoke to you. This is where it's gonna take place. And since then, we've made a couple videos, uh, we've launched a website. I'm talking to wonderful people like yourself and just trying to get the [00:51:00] story out of forgiving the Nightmare and trying to say to people whatever that nightmare was. Was it physical and sexual abuse like mine? Was it a tragedy in your life? Is it regrets? Is it fears? Is it the loss of a child or a loved one? Whatever that pain is that your nightmare. I want you to know that God can help you forgive it and overcome it and break the shackles so we don't have to be the man or the person. The hurt tried to make us. We no longer have to be Jacob. We can become Israel. Your mom would be so proud of you. And I think that, thank you. If, the Lord's probably told her, you know, the good things that have come out of a terrible situation, she said she had, you said she had some shame. Oh. I think if she was looking down at you now that, that shame would be gone. [00:52:00] That shame is no longer there. Look how God's using my son, my, my wonderful son to spread the gospel and to help people. And so Well, thank you. I'm so thankful for you, brother. Thank you for saying those words, sister. It's very kind of you. I used to say to my mom, even up to her last days, I would say, mom, who's your favorite? And she would say, I love you all, all the same. And I'd say, mom, stop lying to my siblings. I'm the youngest of three. My older brother and my older sister never made me feel like a step or a half brother. Uh, we just kind of always lived in the same house. We got real family problems and just life, but they've never left, never met me, felt, never let me feel like I was less than even to today. So I'm very thankful. My oldest sister, who is, a second mom to me, my oldest sister, she is my second mom and I'm thankful for her. So. Wow. Well, we [00:53:00] just had just a great time tonight. When your book comes out, please contact me. I would love to have you on the show again, to promote your book because obviously you, your story is so powerful and we wanna get it out to as many people as we can. So, tell the folks how to connect with you. Well, the best way to connect with me is@forgivingthenightmare.com. Forgiving the nightmare.com. Forgiving the nightmare.com is the best way to connect with me. If you go there, you'll find a email, it's called mark@forgivingthenightmare.com. That comes directly to me, right on my phone. So that's the best way to connect with me. Also you can go to our Facebook page called, forgiving the Nightmare. For giving Nightmare Facebook page. I try to put up pictures and little devotions there and stories there. So that's the two. Best way through Facebook, after Giving the Nightmare, after giving the Nightmare do [00:54:00] com, those are the best ways to connect with me. And I hope to get so Arizona someday. You have an open invitation. Wow. I'll be a tour guide for you. I know that Arizona like the back of my hand. Wow. Wow. Now my children could hear you in the background, so they're gonna be pretty excited about that invitation. There's so much stuff for, for their Edge group as well. So, we will hook you guys up. So thanks for being patient with the tech stuff and I'm glad we pushed through and didn't let the devil get the victory tonight. We found a way to get you on here. That's right. May I pray for you as we close. Oh yes, please. Thank you. Father God, we just come to you tonight and we thank you again for your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, we thank you for the sacrifice that he gave to us upon the cross, Lord. And we pay the price we could not pray, Lord. And we thank you for the gift of life [00:55:00] and life more abundant. Lord, we thank you for the promises. It says in this life there will be many troubles, but fear not because you are with us always. And Lord, tonight I pray for my sister. Father, I thank you that you're using her Lord. To spread the gospel to share, hope to be a light and a dark place. But Father, now, I pray that you come beside her father as she's shared that she's lost her brother this week, Lord. And I pray you comfort her. Lord, you said you had to go so the comforter could come. I pray, the comfort of the Holy Spirit will come beside my sister and be with her and her family as they grieve their loved one, their family member, their friend, Lord. So Lord I pray peace upon my sister. I pray Lord that you use her, continue to bless her. I thank you for the testimony of her and her husband, 11 years that you've brought together for such a time as this. I pray, Lord God, that they grow closer to you so they can grow closer to each other. And Lord, we thank you tonight [00:56:00] that Lord, we're no longer Jacob. You've made us Israel Father, no longer do we have to be shaped by our past, but now we can hold on to the promises. Lord, no longer does, we have to be shackled by somebody else's abuse, and we can be set free by your word. So, Lord, I pray that you fill us. You lead us, and may we be the light and may we be the salt, and may we lift up your name. We pray for a unity across our nation. We pray for a healing across our land, and we pray, Lord, for a revival of your salvation to come to our our country again, in Jesus name, amen. Thank you so much, brother. God bless, sister. Thank you. Take care yourself. Bye now. Bye. Thank you for listening to the Wounds of the Faithful Podcast. If this episode has been helpful to you, please hit the subscribe button and tell a friend. You could connect with us at [00:57:00] DSW Ministries dot org where you'll find our blog, along with our Facebook, Twitter, and our YouTube channel links. Hope to see you next week.

Dr. Rich Rudowske, Executive Director of Lutheran Bible Translators, unpacks why Bible engagement is declining in America, what research says about its impact, and why Scripture is vital for the flourishing of the church. Together we explore the global 2033 Bible translation goal and the unique opportunity the LCMS has to play a key role. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Sponsor SectionToday's episode is brought to you by Red Letter Living. We create resources to help the church produce greater disciples. This season we are launching a series of videos on our YouTube channel called “The Voices of the LCMS,” where we are unpacking data from our survey of 1054 Lutheran leaders. These videos are opening up questions, conversations, and opportunities to help us walk together in the future.Rich's ChallengeRead your Bible every day, and take it a step further by reading with a group. Use an app like YouVersion, invite friends, and share comments to sharpen and encourage one another.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going. In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeLutheran Bible Translators (LBT)God Speaks Challenge BookYouVersion Bible App (1 billion downloads milestone)Collective Impact Alliance (global Bible translation collaboration)American Bible Society research on Scripture engagementAugsburg Confession and the Lutheran Confessions“Voices of the LCMS” VideosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forgiving is hard. Especially when it feels like injustice is left unchecked. Yet the power of forgiveness is not in seeing people get what they deserve, but being freed from the chains of bitterness and shame. As you forgive, you will find the power of God working in you to liberate you from guilt, shame, anger, and hurt. Though this practice is hard, it is life-giving when you embrace it.#fogiveness#fogivewhenyoucan't

Corrie Ten Boom's story shows the supernatural power of forgiveness. Even after losing her family in Nazi concentration camps, she chose to release bitterness and extend grace to her captors. This message will challenge you to let go of offense and step into the freedom only Jesus gives. CONNECT: Text “BRBELONG” to 651-419-4409 DONATE: bethelsrock.org/give LEARN MORE: bethelsrock.org NEW SERMONS | EVERY SUNDAY

This week, Pastoral Resident Harrison Kerns preaches from Matthew 18:21-35, which shows us that the King who cancelled our debt has given an example of forgiveness for us to follow.Sermon notes are available on YouVersion Events.Video of the worship service is available for replay.

In this episode I talk with @the_chakra_goddess about her journey into spirituality, healing, Yoga,her new projects and many more things. Follow Angela:https://www.instagram.com/the_chakra_goddess?igsh=MTh6MGxweDNldDQ3Mw==

Continuing our series on prayer called WITH, we focused on Jesus's prayer about forgiveness. Forgiving is not only hard to do, but often it is challenging to even comprehend. So we spent most of our time unpacking forgiveness and some practical steps in seeking reconciliation.For more information visit ChristCommunity.Life

Send us a textWhat if the secret to durable relationships isn't better conflict tactics but a different ledger? We open with the daring claim of 1 Corinthians 13: agape love “does not take into account a wrong suffered.” From there, we trace how scorekeeping slowly hollows out marriages, friendships, teams, and churches—and why the gospel gives us a better way. Not a sentimental shortcut, but a sturdier practice: refusing to record offenses, choosing willful forgetfulness, and building a life where forgiveness becomes a rhythm rather than a rare exception.We contrast storge, philia, and eros with agape's distinctive grit—an others-first, chosen commitment that can face real hurt without curating a museum of grievances. Along the way, we explore Jesus' “seventy times seven” as a way of life, not arithmetic. We step into the Bible's accounting language, where God does not count our sins against us, wipes our record clean, and credits Christ's righteousness to our account. That divine bookkeeping reframes our reflex to tally. If our debt has been erased and replaced with abundance, what are we doing clutching old invoices from yesterday's wounds?Through vivid stories and concrete examples, we show how love that refuses to keep score changes households and churches, cools simmering workplace resentment, and frees us from reliving the same injury on repeat. Forgiving doesn't mean denial or naivete; it means naming the wrong, setting wise boundaries when needed, and still laying down the ledger. Draw near to the cross, keep a large eraser handy, and discover how peace, joy, and freedom grow when you stop carrying a calculator. If this conversation helped you breathe a little easier, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs the reminder, and leave a review to help others find the show.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Send us a textWhat if the secret to durable relationships isn't better conflict tactics but a different ledger? We open with the daring claim of 1 Corinthians 13: agape love “does not take into account a wrong suffered.” From there, we trace how scorekeeping slowly hollows out marriages, friendships, teams, and churches—and why the gospel gives us a better way. Not a sentimental shortcut, but a sturdier practice: refusing to record offenses, choosing willful forgetfulness, and building a life where forgiveness becomes a rhythm rather than a rare exception.We contrast storge, philia, and eros with agape's distinctive grit—an others-first, chosen commitment that can face real hurt without curating a museum of grievances. Along the way, we explore Jesus' “seventy times seven” as a way of life, not arithmetic. We step into the Bible's accounting language, where God does not count our sins against us, wipes our record clean, and credits Christ's righteousness to our account. That divine bookkeeping reframes our reflex to tally. If our debt has been erased and replaced with abundance, what are we doing clutching old invoices from yesterday's wounds?Through vivid stories and concrete examples, we show how love that refuses to keep score changes households and churches, cools simmering workplace resentment, and frees us from reliving the same injury on repeat. Forgiving doesn't mean denial or naivete; it means naming the wrong, setting wise boundaries when needed, and still laying down the ledger. Draw near to the cross, keep a large eraser handy, and discover how peace, joy, and freedom grow when you stop carrying a calculator. If this conversation helped you breathe a little easier, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs the reminder, and leave a review to help others find the show.Support the showStephen's latest book, The Disciples Prayer, is available now. https://www.wisdomonline.org/store/view/the-disciples-prayer-hardback

Support the showLinks & Resources:

Welcome back to Season 2 of the CCTri Podcast! Our guest today is Liza Koziieva. She shares with us her journey of losing her dad when she was just 18 and how it almost cost her her life. A few years later she found herself fleeing the only city she had ever called home as Russia attacked Ukraine. She was then left with a choice, would she forgive Russia?

Michael Newman reflects on lessons from his ministry and leadership, the future of the LCMS, why trust and humility matter, and why discipleship is about doing the Word, not just hearing it. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Today's episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. Thanks to this week's sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.For only $40 a month, you can help change a child's life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we're using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.Mike's ChallengeLive out James 1:22. Don't just listen to the Word—do it. Take action this week that aligns your faith with your works.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeTexas District LCMSGospel DNA by Michael NewmanJames 1:22Concordia University TexasEvangelist Training in Texas DistrictSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Do you find yourself grappling with unanswered questions and insecurities about fatherhood? Barry addresses the most pressing questions about fatherhood, offering insights and strategies to overcome the void left by an absent father. Learn how to become a good father, process pain and anger, avoid repeating past mistakes, and find positive role models and support.Get some discipline! Join the FS100 Challenge by signing up today!FS Facebook FS Instagram FS YouTube Got a question? Need some discipline? Email Barry at barry@fatherseekers.orgTIMELINE00:00 Unanswered Questions01:27 Question 1: Becoming a Good Father Without a Father05:21 Question 2: Processing Pain and Anger from Fatherlessness08:55 Question 3: Providing What You Never Received11:09 Question 4: Avoiding Your Father's Mistakes14:22 Question 5: Impact of Father's Absence on Identity and Relationships16:04 Question 6: Finding Positive Role Models and Support19:47 Question 7: Forgiving and Honoring an Absent Father24:31 fatherseekers.org--FatherSeekers helps fatherless fathers become better fathers.Get discussion guides, devotionals, and more at FS Website

The Bible has a lot to say about the topic of forgiveness. Forgiveness is complicated and it rarely unfolds in our hearts as we expect. What does it really mean to forgive? Why should Christians choose forgiveness and how do we do it?

As we go through life, very often we can be critical of ourself for the mistakes of the past. We all have something we beat ourselves up over but it is only after we find a way to forgiveness that we can move on and find true happiness in our life. This meditation hopes to help with that process.

Send us a textThis episode is for the version of you that's still carrying guilt for who you were before you knew better. For the one who replayed mistakes in her head instead of forgiving herself for simply trying to survive. It's time to stop punishing the old you. You owe yourself an apology. And self-love isn't just about how you speak to yourself… it's about what you allow, what you walk away from, and how softly you hold yourself through your becoming.In this episode, we talk about:- Forgiving past versions of yourself- Releasing people who have hurt you -What broke you wont fix you-self-love is legacy — not a trendThanks for tuning in !Connect with me via:Instagram.com/wherearejoandthecurls https://www.youtube.com/@wherearejoandthecurls https://www.tiktok.com/@wherearejoandthecurls?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Wherearejoandthecurls@gmail.comSupport the show

In this episode, Paul urges the church to looking different than they did before they knew Christ!

Tim Ahlman shares lessons from his sabbatical, why leadership rhythms matter, and how local churches and institutions can build trust together for the future of the LCMS. He also talks deeply and personally about what it was like to be silenced on his own podcast, how it feels to be misunderstood, and what he said to LCMS President Matthew Harrison. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com.Today's episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. Thanks to this week's sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.For only $40 a month, you can help change a child's life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we're using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.Tim's ChallengeDisciple one and be discipled by one. Find a Timothy you can pour into, and a Paul who can pour into you.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeChrist Greenfield Lutheran Church: christgreenfield.churchUnite Leadership Collective: uniteleadership.orgConfessing Jesus Mission (forthcoming book, 2026)Lead Time PodcastThe Tim Ahlman PodcastGospel DNA by Mike NewmanUnstuck Group (Paul Alexander)Serving Challenge by Zach ZehnderVoices mentioned: President Matthew Harrison, President Tom Egger, Brian Wolfmueller, Mike Gibson, Ryan BarlowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jesus made a statement to His disciples after giving them what is commonly referred to as The Lord's Prayer in Matthew Chapter 6. "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." As we compare this to some things Paul said about forgiveness in Ephesians chapters 1 and 4 (for example), we'll see a contrast. Did Paul and Jesus have a theological disagreement? Of course, this is not the case. But something changed from the time Jesus said what He said to His disciples before the cross, and when Paul was writing to believers after the cross. Forgiving others is important ... but it is not required as some sort of quid pro quo in order to be forgiven by God. But the power of God abiding in us will help us to forgive when we think it seems too difficult. --Available on Amazon - "Clash of The Covenants: Escaping Religious Bondage Through the Grace Guarantee" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0713ZSKY7

Send us a textTo forgive is a sacred act. Forgiveness is the essence of being a woman, a shaktified woman. Like all that is divine, it forces us to dig deep, excavate the negativity scribed in our living pattern, and leap out of it with the knowledge that we choose to grow- beyond the confines of bitterness, and hurt.  Forgiveness does not condone the aggrieved actions that have caused us pain, but it does diminish negative impact foisted on your personal health and well-being. Forgiving even the smallest slight to the most heinous crimes against our feminine humanity is a work of alignment. We must peel back layer and layer of grief while striving to move forward. This is a continual path of practice as life serves  many treacherous curves which, when we strive for self awareness, can help to trigger conscious choices that leads to emotional, biological and ancestral healing.Image from PinterestSupport the showMay Peace Be Your Journey~www.mayatiwari.comwww.facebook.com/mayatiwariahimsa.Buzzsprout.com Get Maya's New Book: I Am Shakti: https://www.collectiveinkbooks.com/o-books/our-books/I-am-shakti

We all carry past hurts, regrets, shame, and offenses—sometimes ones we replay over and over in our minds. In our daily prayer and devotional, Rachael Adams, host of The Love Offering Podcast, vividly recounts a gathering of teenage girls invited to lay down their pains on a cross and symbolically cross them out, illustrating what forgiveness looks like in radical form. God doesn’t just pardon our sins; He erases them, choosing not to keep a record of our offenses. As long as we confess and repent, He separates our wrongdoing from us, remembering them no more. But God’s mercy is not just for our own restored relationship with Him—it’s meant to shape how we treat others. We are called to forgive as He forgave us (Colossians 3:13). Forgiving doesn’t always mean forgetting in the sense of erasing memories. It means removing the debt, letting go of grievances, refusing to hold someone’s past mistakes against them. Liberation comes when we choose grace over bitterness, extending to others what God has extended to us. Bible Reading “As high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”— Psalm 103:10–12 Key Takeaways God’s forgiveness is complete: He removes our transgressions and doesn’t retain them. Forgiveness is a deliberate choice—not forgetting, but no longer holding a debt against another. Our freedom in Christ empowers us to forgive those who have wronged us. Keeping no record of wrongs allows relationships to be renewed and hearts to be healed. Let’s Pray Together Lord, thank You for pardoning me and erasing my sins. Help me accept Your mercy fully and extend that same grace to others. Show me where I hold grudges or keep score of offenses. Give me strength to forgive, to release the record, and to love as You have loved me. In Jesus' name, Amen. Related Articles: “Love Keeps No Record of Wrong” (Crosswalk Bible Study) Why Love Keeps No Record of Wrongs (Crosswalk Marriage Advice) Listen to and Follow The Love Offering Podcast! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Whether you have unforgiveness toward an ex, a friend who hurt you, or even yourself, learning to forgive is essential. In this episode, we talk about what Jesus says about forgiving others, practical steps to do it, and why it's so important for your peace and spiritual health.

Archbishop Joseph Naumann joins to share the heartbreaking details of his own father's murder and how he has learned to forgive the man that stole his dad from him. Although the horrific event changed his life, he says, "I firmly believe that my dad's love for my mom, me, and my brother survived his death," even leading him to his vocation. With a Supreme Court case looking at pro-life pregnancy centers coming in November, filmmaker Cindy Morales joins with a sneak-preview of her new documentary, Fake Clinics?, chronicling the smears and attempts to dismantle them by the pro-abortion regime. As we look ahead to World Mission Sunday, Msgr. Roger Landry tells about how important this work is, and why Pope Leo is urging all the faithful to "help the missions." Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

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Ben Haupt unpacks the challenges of pastoral formation, why decentralization matters for the future of the LCMS, and how Lutheran theology is deeply relevant for today's culture. We dive deep on some of the pastoral challenges in the LCMS today and what can be done in the future. To learn more about the podcast or access the show notes, visit www.redletterpodcast.com. Today's episode is brought to you by our partner Child Beyond International. Thanks to this week's sponsor: Child Beyond International (CBI), a ministry dear to my heart. Based in Guatemala, CBI transforms the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and abused children by offering a Christ-centered new beginning. A dedicated team of caregivers, doctors, and social workers provides round-the-clock care, faith lessons, and prayer. Children are later reunited with safe relatives or adopted into loving Guatemalan families, with ongoing support beyond their time at CBI.For only $40 a month, you can help change a child's life. Because of the intensive care, it takes 20 people to fully sponsor one child. This season, we're using our podcast platform for good—we want Season 9 to sponsor a child through Red Letter Living. Could you be one of the 20? Visit www.childbeyond.org/rll. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than receive—this is a chance to experience that joy.Ben Haupt's Challenge:Engage in conversation. Start something—a podcast, a video, or a local group—that invites real dialogue. Don't retreat. Lean into Scripture and confessions, and talk with those who see things differently.Are You Following Jesus?Many want to be greater followers of Jesus but don't know how. We extensively studied everything Jesus commanded of us and located five key targets to which Jesus invited His followers. The five targets are Being, Forgiving, Serving, Giving, and Going.In partnership with LifeWay Research, we created a Red Letter Challenge Assessment that will measure you according to these five targets. And the best news of all: it's free! You will receive your results immediately and be presented with the next steps to help you become an even greater follower of Jesus.You can take the FREE Red Letter Challenge Assessment here. Watch the Entire Season on YouTubeWe upload every episode of The Red Letter Disciple on our YouTube channel. Subscribe here.Resources Mentioned in the Episode:PLI: plileadership.orgActon InstituteNot Being There study (ATS) on online theological educationThe Lutheran Confessions (Book of Concord)Voices mentioned: C.F.W. Walther, Wilhelm Löhe, Friedrich Brunn, Jordan PetersonBen's Podcast: Bitcoin Reformation PodcastRed Letter Living resourcesVoices of the LCMS VideosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tate Throndson - Forgiving Your Oppresssors by West Coast Baptist College

By Rodrick Foster - Having hope for the future helps us to let go of the past. Look forward to the time that the Eighth Day pictures, a day when all who have ever lived will have the opportunity to be forgiven and have their sins covered by the blood of Christ. This is our greatest hope: that all mankind will be given