Forgiveness After 25 years

Laurie waited years to seek forgiveness from someone she hurt.  God had put it on her heart to reach out to this person and amazingly their reunion brought about a powerful life changing event that resulted in forgiveness, healing, and freedom from years of drug abuse. 

I have waited 25+ years to talk to a friend of mine, R**, so I could apologize for hurting him. We were kids, like 15-16yrs old, in high school. Long story short, I had gotten raped by a mutual friend and I took it out on every guy in every relationship I had for years and until Jesus healed me.  R**, unfortunately, was one of the many guys I hurt. He hated me.  He was so angry with me he refused to speak to up until this day.  It would be that it happened so long ago, after we were kids. I’m not sure but I knew in my heart I had to make things right with him.

R** is currently in prison.  When he was 18 yrs old he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. He was involved in a fight that ended badly.  The consequences of that fight lead to a prison sentence of 15yrs-life. All these years I had wanted to apologize to R** however I wasn’t sure how to get in touch with him.  Praise God for facebook haha. Seriously, I have gotten in touch with a number of my old gang friends, drug buddies, even people I went to grammar, junior and high school with. One of the people I was able to reconnect with is my friend E**** who has just been able to connect with R** again just a couple of months ago!

This was SUCH a God appointment. Right before E**** and R** and E****and I started communicating again on Facebook, R** had googled my name - and read my testimony/700 Club interview.

Last week, E**** called me and called R** on a three-way call. The first thing R** told me was that he read my testimony and he apologized to me that I had to go through so much. On the other hand, I was able to ask him for forgiveness. It was so awesome. I asked R** if he knew Jesus and he shared that he prayed to receive Jesus when he was in the 7th grade, but has been running for the last 25+ years.  R** has been in prison for 23 YEARS now. In 1992, he was introduced to heroin and has been strung out ever since.

Within our circle of friends only R** and me did heroin so he hasn’t shared much about it to anyone until now. Well, two days after we first talked R** rededicated his life to Jesus and flushed his needle down the toilet.  Although it’s only been almost a week so far, I think he’s truly done with that life of addiction. R** went to church on Sunday and God totally touched him through a Christian brother in the prison who gave him a recovery bible. He is on fire! :)

Anyway, he asked that we pray for his friend and co-worker, L**, who also used heroin, is trying to stay clean but who doesn’t have Jesus yet. R** has been sharing the Lord with L** ever since he rededicated his life.

There is so much heroin in the prison that it’s almost given away.   Yesterday R** had a very difficult time avoiding it because it’s everywhere and he’s still having some withdrawals. However, by God’s grace R** was able to resist and overcome his temptation.  I KNOW that God is going to use R** in a powerful way.  He’s well respected in prison as well as the streets. He’s such an amazingly nice guy who is still so humble and not hardened at all. He won’t go before the parole board until 2012 and unfortunately the earliest he will leave prison is 2019. However, I believe there’s a chance he can get out sooner because I know ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD!

God knows when the best time would be for R** to be released. In the meantime, it’s important that he grows in his relationship with Jesus, learns how to live a clean and sober life before he can begin to work towards freedom outside of the prison walls!

PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM, FOR STRENGTH, WISDOM, DISCERNMENT, GROWTH in his relationship with Jesus…..

Thank you so much!!!

Forgiveness can lead to personal healing and restored relationships.  How has it touched your life or someone you know for the better?