Thank you for joining me here in my little corner of the world. I want to welcome those of you hopping over from today’s P31 Devotion where my friend Donna shared her story of forgiving her father’s abusive behaviors. Today, I asked Donna to share more with us.
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I strained on my tip toes to peek through the curtains. Fear and panic gripped me as I watched the car go round and round. Spinning through one ditch then raging across the street, throwing dust and rocks into the air and barely missing a row of mail boxes. And finally, coming to a complete sudden stop as smoke billowed from the engine.
What started as a simple late night chore the night before ended in the chaos of Dad jumping in the front seat of Mom’s car the next afternoon and literally driving it to its’ death.
The night before mom had taken a late night trip to the laundry mat in my dad’s car. On our return trip home, my dad’s car overheated. Mom had no way of getting in touch with my him so she kept driving – it was late and she was alone with her three little girls.
He was furious about the damage to his car, so the next day He sought revenge by ‘doing donuts’ in the ditches alongside our country home until Mom’s car died.
This was one of many explosions. But it was the one that sent my mom over the edge and led her to pack up and leave. A few days later, after Mom had sold all our furniture, we loaded onto a gigantic gray bus that took us to my uncle’s house. A few weeks later we moved in with my Granny.
The next forty plus years, my Dad walked in and out of my life just as he drove the car in and out of the ditches that afternoon so many years ago. Broken promises. Broken hearts. Broken dreams. Broken girls. Broken family. And yes, still a broken car.
Recently, my Dad was kicked out of his nursing home for the third time for his temper and was admitted to a mental hospital. I sent an email to my friend Stephanie asking her to pray. Her reply, “…have you forgiven your dad…just wondering…wanted to make sure you were set free from that before things may get even worse with him.”
As I processed her question, I was flooded with emotions and memories of the car spinning uncontrollably in the ditches so many years ago, but God also instantly flooded my heart with His words from Matthew 18: 21-22, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.
I was able to respond with a “YES”! I had processed past hurts several months ago with Dad and intentionally went to see him after 15 years of absence. As God walked me through the visit, He made it perfectly clear that I could not change Dad, I could not change my past BUT I did not have to let my past define me.
In her book, A Confident Heart, Renee shares her powerful journey of forgiveness and says this:“Confidence came as I followed God’s command to seek and offer forgiveness.” Her story has helped me see that it’s possible to forgive and worth the redemption God promises when we do. As I have sought to follow God’s command to seek and offer forgiveness, He has filled me with His confidence to make hard choices – the choice to accept Dad – the choice to pray for Dad – the choice to forgive Dad – the choice to live in God’s confident hope.
I wish I could tell you that it was a one-time act of forgiveness like the one we’ve received from Jesus; but it wasn’t. It’s not. Forgiveness happens as current or past events surface. The key for me is to continue the forgiving – continue with the seventy times seven – to continue the circle God started so that He will complete it: “being confident of this, that He who began a good work in {me} will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6).
Lord, thank You for Your gift of forgiveness. Please help me to forgive those who have hurt me –just as you have forgiven me – especially when the memories of the past come flooding in. Help me keep no record of wrongs. Thank You for filling me with Your confidence. Thank you for freeing me from my past and my pain and not allowing them to define me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Won’t you join me in living a life of freedom – freedom from your past – freedom from your hurts – freedom from your fears?
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Today Donna and I wanted to share a 
“Living in the Light Giveaway” which includes a Willow Tree “Angel of Hope,” a Fall Yankee Candle and 3 signed copies of my book, A Confident Heart.
To enter to win, simply sharing your thoughts with us about Donna’s devotion or blog post here – or simply let us know how we can pray for YOU as you process Donna’s stories and God’s truths about forgiveness in your life.
What an amazing story of forgiveness! I really appreciated your friend Stephanie’s question to you. I felt the tears coming as I read it and your response. It’s wonderful that God gives us good friends to help us through those tough times in life. May you be richly blessed!
Forgiveness, as we all know, is very difficult at times. I’ve forgiven many people in my lifetime. The most current is my husband. I had forgiven the initial wrongdoing, but I keep confronted with the same hurt from him. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to do. But I keep praying and trying to work through my hurts, in hopes he will eventually see the damage being done.
This was a really good post because I had to stop and think about who in my life I had not forgiven, just to make sure there were no lingering ghosts of unforgiveness out there. Well I found some and went to work immediately on forgiving all so I can be set free from Satan’s traps! Thank you for such a wonderful post!!
forgiveness is one of my hardest things to get rid of..
Can also really put a damper on ones growth with The Father.
Forgiveness is such a difficult thing to do…and even when I believe I can forgive, I find it so difficult to move forward! My parents continue to live a miserable existence; I know I can’t expect them to change; I must keep changing. But I find it so hard to continue to take their verbal abuse and not let it affect me. I wish them the best; I have no desire to get back at them or wish them evil, but there continues to be a distance between us, and I don’t seem to have the will to continue to put up with their antics. Yes, they are my parents, but to have anything to do with them brings me such heartache. At this time, they have chosen to have nothing to do with me, and I am satisfied with that fact…I truly don’t want to be with them the way they are. I pray that God gives me strength to come to some understanding and acceptance of my parents.
This story is so familiar. While my father has always been in my life the abuse we had as children still lingers. I’m grateful that the Lord choose to save me so that I could forgive my Dad and still have a relationship with him, unfortunately my siblings and mom have not. Unlike my siblings and I my mom still lives with the emotional abuse of my dad daily. Please pray that she and my dad will come to Christ so that healing can begin. So touched by this today. Thank you!
This is an e-mail I recently sent to some friends. Have a beautiful day!
Hi all! Happy Fall! Ok that was really cheesy! I am sending this email for myself mostly so that I will remember how God spoke to me today but if it helps anyone else, praise the Lord.
I have trouble with forgiveness. I don’t know why, but I actually enjoy holding a grudge. Did I really type that?
I was hurt today. I overheard a lady talking to an associate about me on a phone call. She didn’t realize that she had forgotten to put the mute button on. Then when she came back on (even though I was really there the whole time) she lied to me. I was really angry!
I could have let this spoil my weekend, seriously. But the Lord in His perfect way began to soften my heart. I actually prayed (reluctantly at first) for the girl and the Lord changed my heart. Bitterness doesn’t hurt anyone but the person that is bitter. It is SO much better to forgive. I still feel a little sad and hurt, but a burden has been lifted since I forgave her!
I love the forgiveness song by Matthew West
http://www.matthewwest.com/
Have a beautiful weekend!
This made me think back the time that I had unforgiveness towards my dad. As a child, he was never home. Always traveling on business, until one day he got very ill. He had gotten a stroke and his health deteriorated for 8 years. Well, he was home all the time now but was not the dad that was taking care of us. I was 7 years old and now we had to take care of him. Not fair! Why God! I thought. Slowly my sadness would be turning into resentment, anger, shame and unforgiveness. After 8 long years, my dad passed away. I became numb and rebellious towards God. Didn’t understand why God allow so much suffering in our family. At the same time I felt relieved. We could finally move on. Could I really? I was still carrying that
dead corpse on my back (unforgiveness).
I thought I had a good excuse why I was the way I was. I had let my circumstances and my past define me.
Not knowing that I was in bondage, I continued to move different places thinking life would be better. Little did I know that God was still pursuing me.
Finally one day, after becoming pregnant and being in a ungodly relationship I told God. Ok God, I need to make it right with you. Help me because this is getting too hard for me and I didn’t like the person I was becoming. One of the thoughts He brought to my mind was carrying unforgiveness towards God and towards my dad. Thank you Lord for forgiving us and for your love and mercy.
God Bless!
Praising Him for His forgiveness too!! We are loved by an amazing God who loves us like crazy in spite of ourselves. Love that he loves us unconditionally. No matter what we do – he still loves us!!
This story of forgiveness is all too familiar. My father was an alcoholic and before he passed away four years ago, I had to do some forgiving. It was difficult but I knew for me, I had to work through all those feelings from my past. His death was still hard because I had to mourn the father I wanted him to be even though he and I were not close. Forgiveness is a powerful thing especially for those doing the forgiving. Thank you for sharing this story.
The devotional gave me hope. I havent read the book yet. Imagine how I will feel after I read it. Ive started to realize a few negative things over the years about my parents and there are some other negative things from my past also that I think this book would help me to let go of them. Thank you for sharing this part of your life.
So thankful to be a child of God,
Tammy Whitworth
So thankful that the story and the words that God gave me bring your hope. As He is our hope. Praying for you and praising him alongside you for the fact that we are His children.
Very hard to forgive those who have hurt us but a big reminder for me thinking how many times I have hurt my Jesus and the many times He gives forgiveness! Thank you Jesus
wow great story i grew up never knowing a father or who my father was . and my mom passed a couple years ago she did a great job and i love her dearly i really read this story and it hit home i got some praying to do and a lot of forgiving
Praying alongside of you.
wow that was powerful!! I’m learning how to be more forgiving when I am wronged. it’s not always easy but when I struggle I just remember how God has forgiven me and then it’s not hard at all. when we are wronged, it hurts and we feel the pain…. it’s not a good feeling. Remembering how we feel in those moments helps us understand how others feel when we have wronged them too. blessings !!
I too have Dad issues. He failed our family and caused many heartbeaks along the way. I have asked God to help me forgive. I just continue to pray for him to be right with the Lord.
I too have Dad issues. My Dad abandoned our family when I was 7. Many heartbreaks along the way. I have chosen to forgive Dad with God ‘s help. Dad is 85 now still does not live near us, my concern is for him to be right with the Lord before he goes. Thank you.
Thank you for your devotional. Recently feeling a bit empty and without connection to God. It is hard for me to talk to Him. My job is very demanding and I don’t feel confident enough in what I do. My doubts about myself and my abilities are kicking off…Living away from my family makes me sad and I miss them so much…crying to God and asking him what he wants from me, why is He keeping me here…Thanks for your words today, it reminded me that I can find comfort and ecouragement in Him no matter where I am, what I do and how I feel. I am His precious daughter for ever.
Praying that God will fill you with a desire to thirst and seek after Him. Praying that he will take the sadness away and fill it with His joy – the best kind of joy. I too live about 11 hours drive time from family and it hard – especially around the holidays. Praying God will direct you to a church family that will love on you like crazy. That’s one of the first things I did when I moved from Texas to Kansas City was search out a truth teaching church. God has provided some amazing friends through it! Praying the same for you.
This is a tough one for me. I’m so thankful for Christian women who give such wonderful encouragement. Thanks!
My husband of 31 years has filed for divorce.
Lord, I would ask that you would flood Sheila with your love as she processes the hurt from her husband filing for divorce. Go before her, comfort her, guard her, protect her and wrap your arms around her and wipe the tears and anger away. Provide for her and draw her close to your heart. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Thanks so much for sharing this! it really touched me. I have the book on my kindle, I am definitely going to read it now!!
Wow! Today’s post really caught my eye. I know exactly what Donna feels for I was raised with rage and chaos like this. I have worked through forgiving my parents (my father died in May) but now I am faced with forgiving my husband who’s rage is not quite so “in your face” however the feelings it creates in me are so real and hurtful I am struggling to even stay in a conversation much less a marriage lately. I need to get this book and work through forgiveness–the Lord keeps bringing forgiveness up with me. Bless you both!
I struggle with forgiveness for my parents and my ex-husband. I have times where I forgive them and then other times when the pain re-surfaces, and I couldn’t figure out why it still hurt. Now I see forgiveness is ongoing. I am glad to know I am not the only one. I definately need Jesus to help me because I know I couldn’t do it on my own, I don’t have the strength. What about the times when I hang around my mom for too long and she starts driving me (or my husband) crazy? I try to limit my time to a day or so because I want to have a good relationship with her and if we are together for too much time…it’s just not good.
I can remember my dad doing things like this, maybe not on this scale, but still uncontrollable fits of rage. I always felt they were my fault for some reason. I was an only child, so the problem couldn’t be a sibling’s error. My mom seemed to be perfect in everyone’s eyes, so it certainly couldn’t be her mistake. I loved my Pop unconditionally… so who was left? It has taken me almost 60 years to come to the realization that it was not MY fault… not really anyone’s fault. My dad was what one would call bipolar now… and was not treated. Depression, and its many counterparts run rampant in our family history. And when you grow up “knowing about God” but not really “KNOWING God”… it makes a difference. My relationship with The Lord, along with some counseling and medication, have helped me to realize I needed to forgive myself! I was not to blame for his outrageous behavior…and I am a fine person, and I don’t have to be “perfect” because my mom isn’t really perfect either. Knowing God has my back is the best feeling ever!
So thankful that God has all of our backs! Thanks for sharing,
Speechless….what an inspirational post. I don’t know if u could be that strong and forgive. Thanks for sharing such a touching and amazing post. A blessing to have read that today.
Thank you for your honesty and transparency about your relationship with your dad. Forgiving my dad has definitely been a process and a journey. I’m not at the end of it yet but I keep listening and obeying and trusting Him who is healing me from my past and my future keeps shining brighter. My father cannot hurt me anymore and My God is mighty to save! I pray for my dad’s soul – that he may turn from the things of this world and know God and finally have real peace – as God gives. Thanks again for your devotions. They are such a blessing!
Oops I meant by the grace of God not “Hod'”. These smart phones aren’t do smart after all 🙂
Donna it amazes me how many women share similar stories of fathers who were so influenced by the enemy. There needs to be a book for The Confident Man. The root of my father’s behavior was not feeling loved , wanted, worthy or important. Unfortunately his actions passed on those same feelings to me and his other 9 children. He was so loved and respected in our small town but we hid the secrets of alcoholism, verbal , emotional and physical abuse. Back then it was called “beatings” or “whippings.” Ugh
Years passed and by the grace of Hod and a praying mother most of us were able to put the past behind us and he enjoyed several wonderful grandchildren. Three siblings took him into their homes st various times when his health began to decline. At his funeral my youngest brother said “dad was a better grandfather than a dad.” I didn’t realize until reading your blog that I still need to work on forgiveness and he’s been gone 6 years. My son walked away 2 years ago and although I did forgive him in my heart, I have to catch myself when my mind drifts back to hurtful memories. Thank you for sharing the Scripture which I will copy into my notes to memorize. God Bless you and all the women who have commented here and all those who haven’t.
I have so been touched by these stories in many ways. My father was sexually abusive and as a child growing up I still loved the part of him that was good. As he got older he got really bitter and never once did he admit to his wrong doing but God gave me forgiveness in my heart for him. It amazes me now that I am older how many women have gone through the same thing, or something similar. It is a joy to be able to share and heal with others. Thank you for your post. Your friend in Christ, Josie
This was a timely message as I am in the thick of a difficult situation. I received hate mail from my in laws. They did this on Birthday of my deceased daughter. It is so hard to forgive them.
Donna, how can you possibly respond to all of the comments on how your story has blessed us? Thank you for sharing your heart. I grew up in foster homes after my parents died at a very young age. Always craving love and to be loved – nothing ever seemed to satisfy the love I seemed to need to complete me. I am just beginning to learn HOW much God loves me. His hand has always been on my life. There are times I feel like I’ll never be complete until I make it home with Jesus. But I am trying to find joy here on earth. I felt your pain as I read your story. Thank you for blessing me with it. May God continue to pour into you each and every day! He made you for Him and he Blessed US with YOU. Thank you.
Dawn, so thankful that God is revealing Himself to you as a God of love, joy and blessing. He loves us with an unfailing unconditionally love. And He will never leave us nor forsake us. Love those promises!!!
And it is hard to reply to everyone. Praying for grace. And I did leave a prayer for everyone at the end.
I let it all go ,again, today. I processed my pain, my grief, my need to forgive. 2 people who had never prayed for this issue with me stopped what they were doing and prayed with me. Thank you Jesus, Joy comes in the morning. I still will have tears on my pillow, but joy comes in the morning. He lets us cry when it is just me and Him alone and night…as the Psalmist says, “My couch (Bed) is trenched with tears”, but Joy comes in the morning.
Thank you so much Donna for sharing. I am truly touched and moved by your story. It’s been over 20 years of painful memories of my parents abusive behavior towards me and my sisters that I struggle on a daily basis. I’ve forgiven them a few years ago, but the memories still arise. Today was especially difficult and praise God for your story and the timing. You reminded me of the importance of forgiveness and that it is a choice that must be made on a daily and even hourly basis. Thank you again and many blessings!!
Can’t tell you how real that felt to me as I’ve grown up with rejection! But also can’t say enough how important it is to forgive! As you are not responsible for how & what people say & do to you, but we are responsible to how we react to that! If it takes years to process & believe God for the ability to forgive, like it has me; that’s okay, cause at least we’re on the way to being whole!! Cause God can only make the broken & shattered parts of our lives whole when we let Him, cause as He’s a gentleman; He won’t force us to give Him our lives! But I can say it’s so worth it though?! It’s only when you start becoming whole, you realise how awesome life can really be! You know that song:- ‘Something beautiful, something good; all my confusion He understood! All I had to offer Him was brokenness & strife; but He’s made something beautiful out of my life’!
♥JoJo
I really needed the post today. As I read about her Dad it was my ex-husband that made me feel that way. I am having a hard time forgiving him and a hard time forgiving myself for allowing this to happen. I thank God that he has forgiven me but I know I need his help in the forgiveness I must give and in asking for forgiveness of others that have been hurt by my actions or inactions over the thirty two year marriage. I am studying “Unglued” at the moment but this is the next book I will buy.
My dad disowned my sister and I when I was eighteen. He wrote a letter that told us we were out if his will for not getting a 4.0 in college. He was an alcoholic who had been married five times, been arrested for carrying on with a minor, duis, and the list goes on. I hadn’t heard from him since 1990. He made contact with my sister and me a year ago. He is remorseful. I have forgiven him (thru lots of counseling). It doesn’t mean I like him or want to spend time with him. But God has helped me forgive. I want everyone to know on this board that I am sorry for all of the pain each one of us have due to our dads hurtin us. I am praying for all of us tonight.
Donna, thank you for sharing your heart. I just came off the Long Island Credo Recovery Weekend and there are so many of us women who carry hurts from our childhood. We all need a safe place to share, and a safe place to start to heal. I love it that God connects us even through painful memories, to draw us closer to Him, and to build up the body of Christ. Our Theme for the Credo weekend was A Confident Heart and our Bible verse for the weekend was Heb. 10:35-36 (NLT) “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.” Many blessings to you dear sister in Christ and to the Proverbs 31 Ministry and all who work there. And Renee…. Larcarthia, who you sent a signed copy of your book, was confident enough to get on an airplane and travel from IL to NY to serve on the Credo weekend. What a mighty God we serve!!!!!
Thank you for this devotional today. I am one who is struggling to walk away from the darkness of the past. It has caused many problems in my life and this devotional truly was another gift for me because of the words I have been reciving from God. Thank you for sharing.
Praying that you will take His hand and keep walking towards the light! Keep your focus on the light.
Even though my bio father has been gone for several years, I pray each time I think of him that God would give me the strength to forgive him yet again. And I pray that some day I won’t have to pray for the strength to forgive, and that I can think his name and only wish that he understood what he missed out on.
My heart has been through these same hurts, Donna. It is so painful to be abandoned by a father. It took me about 30 years to forgive and accept him for who is really is. So true, we cannot change anyone; but we can CHOOSE to accept and forgive them when they have wronged us. Jesus commands this of us.
I was touched by your personal story.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words.
I don’t want to be “poisoned” by the bitterness of not forgiving. My dad and other relatives have hurt me and my husband. I/we “think” we have forgiven them, but still feel awkward around them. I am nervous about approaching them, and I’m not sure that the relationship will ever be the same again. Life can really hurt.
Yep, life can really hurt. So thankful that God doesn’t leave us by ourselves. Love is promise that no matter what He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Praying that God will take away the awkardness and replace it with His peace.
I also felt I was reading about my childhood
just different characters,and storyline.I lost my
father back when he was 60,and didn’t feel
a sense of loss or grief at his funeral.I attributed
it to any love I might have felt towards him was
destroyed by his utter disgust and mean spirit
towards me my entire childhood.Through counseling
for my own issues years later I learned he was
doing the best with what he knew.That helped
me see a different perspective,because I had to
come to terms with some of my negative adult
behaviors.I still think I lost so much of that needed
guidance from having a loving and present
father but with faith I know I have the best father
watching over and living me and that is God.
My father just got out of prison after 23 years this time. I hthought I had forgiven him but I can’t even want to go see him. It’s 5 hours away and I can’t afford it right now. But my heart just isn’t ready. I have bought your book but haven’t gotten to it yet still reading “Unglued”
Thank you for sharing your story today. I am reading “A Confident Heart” now. God is reteaching me so many important truths like forgiveness and emotional healing. He is filling me with His word and helping me find the woman that He created me to be. It is so amazing how each person’s life journey can bring her closer to her truest Father.
Reading your life experiences as a child felt familiar. One of my earliest memories is my gradmother knocking my grandfather out cold one night in the kitchen. It was close to Christmas and she used a statue of the Virgin Mary. That must have been the nearest thing she could put her hand on. I grew up very afraid of anger. My solution was to be a good girl and disappear whenit got bad. It took me many,many years and alot of therapy not to close down when there was any kind of disagreement. I never even thought about forgiveness and then when I realized I needed to forgive, it took even longer to see I needed to forgive for me not for them. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to remember a hard learned lesson. May we always remember that God has everything under control and our only job is to love and obey Him.
Thanks so much for sharing. I would always try to stay up and stay awake thinking that my Dad wouldn’t go off on my mom when he walked in. My fear was that he would hurt my Mom. Not quite sure how a 5 year old was going to manage that one … but it was my thought.
It seems like forgiveness sometimes has layers. I have worked hard to forgive someone who has hurt me over and over very. I think that I have forgiven her but then I get in such a panic every time I see her that I wonder if my forgiveness is real.
I like that analogy of the layers. I can see that. And I see how the forgiveness gets easier with sighting of the friend that hurt you. So sorry for your pain and praying for you and your friend.
God’s timing is amazing! Struggling at the door of forgiveness now. I’ve forgiven my ex husband for having an affair, I’ve forgiven him of walking out….. 4 years later it has cycled back around and I can’t quite get myself to the place to forgive him for changing my son’s life forever…. for walking out on an 8 month old…. this time around it’s not about me and how his actions affected me….. this time it’s all about my son. I know where I need to be, I know what is right and what I need to do…. but I can’t quite get there…….
Feeling your pain. I struggled for 40 plus years. Praying and asking God to lead you where He wants you. Praying for God to lead you to the point of forgiveness that He desires in you – not others – but in Him.
Forgiveness has always been a difficult thing for me to do. I realize that by not forgiving I’m trapping myself, but I don’t know how to forgive. I need help in this area of my life, as I need to work on forgiving my mother and my sister. Learning that forgiveness is not a one time deal is interesting to me. I can see that forgiveness is a constant part of life. I ask the Lord for his guidance in this area of my life as the past 30 years have been a challenge between myself, my mom and my sister. The three of us don’t seem to understand each other. I’m anxious to read the Confident Heart and apply it to my life.
Praying with you! And yes, A Confident Heart is an amazing read and was so blessed to walk through it with Renee. Her words will fall fresh on your heart and transform it.
Thank you for sharing today. Last year someone who I thought was my friend hurt me very deeply as she only wanted my friendship to be close to my husband. This friendship almost destroyed my marriage but it didn’t. My husband and I sought Christian counseling and started attending Celebrate Recovery a Christ centered program. Today our marriage is stronger than ever. During our journey I found out that as long as I harbored unforgiveness in heart toward another person I was not going to grow and the only person I was hurting was myself as she could have cared less. Was it easy to forgive her? Absolutely not! I could not forgive in my own strength but with God’s strength I could.
Thank you for sharing your story. I am just starting to understand God’s love for me and what an awesome
gift it is. It is healing me in ways I never would have imagined. I am being transformed. My relationships
are improving and I don’t let things hurt me like I used to.
Struggling with forgiveness but in a different way. So much pain has been described here, and I am so sorry for the many hurts people have suffered. I am mad at myself for suffering from debilitating anxiety and I still don’t forgive my husband because his neglectfulness to our relationship for so many years is what I often feel is the cause of my insecurities. He also had an affair, which I still can not always forgive him for. I need a Confident Heart because I don’t know what it is to have one anymore. Prayers for all.
I need to forgive my mother for all the things she has done to me. She is trying to make things right. Yet I still hold everything she has done to me against her. Thank you Donna for sharing your story! It is very helpful! And thank you renee for writing a confident heart and sharing your story! I just recently gave away my copy of a confident heart to a friend in need. So I would love to win a copy! Thank you both and may the Lord continue to bless you!