Forgiven by Terri Roberts

Back Cover: On October 2, 2006, a gunman entered an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting ten girls, killing five, then finally taking his own life. This is his mother's story. Not only did she lose her precious son through suicide, but she also lost her understanding of him as an honorable man. It was a trauma that none should ever have to face.

But the biggest headlines came when her Amish neighbors did the unimaginable, reaching out to the family of the shooter with comfort and forgiveness. Today Terri lives in harmony with the Amish and has built lasting relationships beyond what anyone could have thought possible. From the grace that the Amish showed Terri's family from day one, to the visits and ongoing care Terri has given to the victims  and their families, no one could have foreseen the love and friendship that have been forged from the fires of tragedy.

Review: Forgiven. What to say about this book. This story truly is a life changer. As Christians, we are called to forgive. It's something that the Lord requires of us who believe in Him. Sometimes though, forgiveness is really really hard. I know that I've really struggled with forgiveness with certain people that have really hurt me - who hasn't experienced that before? I'd hazard to guess that most people have been hurt by someone at some point in time. Therefore, most people, at some point in their lives, have struggled with the concept of forgiveness. Sometimes forgiveness is easy. Somebody does something to you that's not too great... but they apologize and you forgive them. Other times, it's not so easy. What if they steal from you? Hurt you emotionally? Harm you physically? And there is no apology, no reason for you to let go other than that you know you need to and that it will set you free from bitterness?

Forgiveness is hard. Really hard.

"Forgiven" is the story about a young father who walked into an Amish schoolhouse, and for no apparent reason whatsoever he kicked out all the little boys and the teacher out of the school house and then systematically shot all the little girls. Horrifying.

You know what those Amish parents did? They forgave. Not over time... not after the family paid them huge amounts of money... no. They began arriving at the parent's of the shooter the same day as the killings to let them know that they cared for THAT family. This book is very humbling. It makes all the other situations in our day-to-day lives that are hard to let go and hard to forgive seem really non-consequential.

It's pretty hard to stay bitter over someone stealing money off you or lying to you when these parents forgave the man who killed or maimed their daughters.

This book is absolutely beautiful and such a wonderful example of what God can do through people who completely give themselves to Him. This is the most powerful forgiveness story, with the exception of what Jesus did on the cross for us, that I have ever read.

This is an amazing book and one that needs to be given to your friends or family members that are facing something in their lives that needs forgiveness.


Book has been provided courtesy of Bethany House and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from BakerBooks, a division of Baker Publishing Group"