I am blown away by this review I received via email. The person who wrote it wishes to remain anonymous, and I respect this. I am touched that this person was so moved by my words written in this story; Second is Best.
I urge you to read the entire review and if anything be inspired by what the reader wrote.
Forgiveness is one of the most difficult emotions to deal with; it will eat you up inside and make you a bitter, unhappy and an untrusting person.
God forgives us of our sins – you too can forgive!
The review of Second is Best;
“When I read this book for the first time it felt like my life was in the worst possible place – My marriage of two decades (although an abusive marriage) was crumbling – we had nothing left in common it seemed (much like Kaye &Spencer) I had drifted far away from God – and with the crumbling of my marriage my (now ex) husband trying to hurt me in the worst possible way told my children and all who would listen how my father molested me as a child. (I had not told anyone not even my mother as I couldn’t bear to hurt her or my family with what happened to me – but I trusted my husband with my most intimate pain) I was living the worst possible nightmare – and then the Postscript in the book and I quote
“Unforgiveness is a killer! You cannot truly serve God if there is unforgiveness in your heart.
What does it help you if you live with bitterness and resentment toward someone?
You are the only one who suffers
You cannot have a heart filled with happiness and at the same time have that same heart filled with unforgiveness.
When you truly forgive, your heart will find a joy indescribable.
God will carry your burdens and He will admonish and pass judgment on your adversaries.
God forgave you, so who are you not to forgive others?”
Aileen I cannot ever tell you how much that paragraph hit me smack in the face – just like that coffee cup – (and Yes readers you need to read the book if you want to know what I am talking about here). My mother confronted me about the allegations my ex-husband was making and I had to face the truth and tell her that it was the truth – she in turn confronted my father who was at the time desperately ill and he told her the allegations were true. For decades I carried HATE in my heart yet I was an “active Christian’ I even taught Sunday school classes – This book made me face reality – It was the a tool God used and allowed me to forgive my father before God took him. I have been divorced for a while now and moved towns to start anew as there were just too many bad memories for me to stay where I was – but after I told my Mum the awful truth we became closer than ever thought possible – she became my best friend – Sadly she passed away 9 months ago and I was angry at God for taking her and even angrier that she had to have suffered so much to the point where she was pleading with God on her death bed to take her as the pain was more than that she could bear – I had in the meantime met a man who I was sure was the answer to my prayer for a partner that would love me and be by my side all the days of my life. That relationship came crashing down recently –
Last week I picked up this book again (by chance I really wanted to read When is my Forever – I think too God’s hand in this as I couldn’t find my copy of the book) – so I re-read Second Is Best. And it was like I was reading with fresh new eyes – How Aileen touches the core of my soul with her words – Can God forgive me for being angry at them?? And If you feel you are losing control, go to a place where you can be alone and pray, pray and pray some more, until you find a peace come over you. Then go back and handle the situation with God in control.”
Praise the Lord for this reader and the removal of the bitter anger that prevented complete forgiveness.
God bless you all