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persistent_reader's review
5.0
More detailed review to come but in the meantime, this is a very clear and scripturally based book on a difficult topic. Also written with sensitivity and 1st hand experience of the challenges of forgiveness and reconciliation.
sarahkiriacon's review
5.0
She masterfully unpacks the story of Joseph in Genesis to talk about the costliness and beauty of forgiveness. Helped me understand why forgiveness and justice are not mutually exclusive and how the Gospel truly is the power to forgive like Christ has forgiven us.
panda_incognito's review
4.0
Forgiveness is a difficult and complicated topic, especially since people have so many different definitions for what forgiveness means. Wendy Alsup is clear and biblical, and she is realistic about the differences between forgiveness and reconciliation, while still writing about the possibility of both. Throughout the book, she focuses on the story of Joseph as an example, and she also shares reflections about her own experiences, particularly with an abusive pastor destroying the megachurch she attended. She writes about this situation with grace and appropriate remove, rather than venting or sharing other people's personal details, but she still shares enough details for readers to understand her experience and its impact on her life.
This book addresses a variety of different factors involved in forgiveness, and Alsup is sensitive to the different challenges that people face while working through their pain. What she writes about "ambiguous loss" is particularly helpful, since she validates the very real grief that people go through when they lose relationships to conflict. She also writes to both offended parties and offenders, directing some of her messages to people who are seeking forgiveness. For example, when she is writing about different stages of Joseph's story, she will highlight ways that his brothers worked through their own guilt and began to show signs of sincere repentance.
This book will encourage people in a variety of difficult life situations. I would recommend this to Christians dealing with church hurt, unresolved conflicts from the past, and current conflicts with loved ones. Many people will also find Alsup's perspective on racial issues helpful, since she provides examples about the strain of dealing with past and present racial injustices while working towards reconciliation and justice. Overall, I am impressed with this book's range, sensitivity, and biblical teaching, and believe it will minster to many people.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book addresses a variety of different factors involved in forgiveness, and Alsup is sensitive to the different challenges that people face while working through their pain. What she writes about "ambiguous loss" is particularly helpful, since she validates the very real grief that people go through when they lose relationships to conflict. She also writes to both offended parties and offenders, directing some of her messages to people who are seeking forgiveness. For example, when she is writing about different stages of Joseph's story, she will highlight ways that his brothers worked through their own guilt and began to show signs of sincere repentance.
This book will encourage people in a variety of difficult life situations. I would recommend this to Christians dealing with church hurt, unresolved conflicts from the past, and current conflicts with loved ones. Many people will also find Alsup's perspective on racial issues helpful, since she provides examples about the strain of dealing with past and present racial injustices while working towards reconciliation and justice. Overall, I am impressed with this book's range, sensitivity, and biblical teaching, and believe it will minster to many people.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
jenn_whitmer's review
5.0
Forgiveness gets a bad rap and held responsible for too much. Alsup uses personal pain (and really betrayal) on many levels to demonstrate genuine, Biblical view of what forgiveness really is.
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