A published author, Lois Einhorn, contacted me this week. Her next book, which is coming out April 10, 2006, has contributions from many well-known people. One contributor is our friend Bernie Siegel, M.D., and it is through Bernie that Lois heard of Heavenletters. In his contribution to her book, Bernie included a Heavenletter. After Lois read it, she asked for permission to include it as a separate chapter. What a fine way to help bring God’s messages out into the world! (The particular Heavenletter is called Don’t Criticize. I’ll ask Kirt, Heaven’s volunteer web-master, to find the exact title and number and I’ll post it on the message board.)
The book Lois has written is a profound important book on forgiveness. A little background. Lois was influenced by a book by Simon Wiesenthal’s called Sunflower. Simon had been in a concentration camp. Years later one of his captors had asked him for forgiveness, and Simon couldn’t do it. In his book, Simon asks the question: In my situation, what would you do?
From birth until she was seventeen years old, Lois was determinedly abused and tortured by both her mother and father. How she could have survived I don’t know let alone become the fine caring person she is. Her book, entitled Forgiveness and Child Abuse: Would YOU Forgive "Nursery Crimes and Scary Tales"? asks the question: In my situation, what would you do?
Because of what Lois has sent me, I realize I am not clear on my own personal definition of forgiveness.
I mentioned elsewhere on this board that forgiveness seems to be a hot topic. Several subscribers are sending in personal questions to God about forgiveness, and several of God’s recently written Heavenletters are also on forgiveness. These will be coming up within the next two weeks.
What is your experience with forgiveness? Are there things that we cannot forgive? What is your definition of forgiveness?