The document discusses the concept of forgiveness through several examples and quotes. It describes Corrie Ten Boom forgiving a former prison guard who committed atrocities against her family. It also discusses Christina Aguilera writing the song "Hurt" about forgiving her father after his death. Matthew West's song "Forgiveness" is based on a true story of a mother who forgave the drunk driver who killed her daughter. The document provides insights into forgiveness from various historical and religious figures.

1. forgiveness
the difficult choice of

2. -Corrie Ten Boom
“forgiveness is an act of the will
and can function regardless of the
temperature of the human heart.”

3. corrie ten boom
Her family hid Jews in their house in the Netherlands. The Gestapo found
the family out and had them sent to a Ravensbrueck concentration camp.
While at a church service in Munich, she came face-to-face with one of the
former Ravensbrueck prison guards. Corrie had just delivered a message of
God’s forgiveness and the former guard, not recognizing her, asked ten
Boom personally for forgiveness for the atrocities that he had committed. Ten
Boom struggled within herself and found that she could not forgive him, but
she quickly prayed and found the strength to accept his extended hand.

4. –Mark Twain
“forgiveness is the
fragrance the violet
sheds on the heel
that has crushed it.”

5. christina aguilera “hurt” backstory
Aguilera wrote the lyrics to “Hurt” in memory of her father. In
a radio station interview, Aguilera said she was sorry
because the last musical thing her father heard from her
before he passed away was “I’m Okay”, as song about how
she hated him for abusing her mother. She never got the
chance to say "I'm sorry, I still love you" before he died. The
grief caused so much pain that she wrote a song for him
telling how she was sorry for blaming him for everything bad
that happened in her parents' relationship.

6. “Hurt”Lyrics
Seems like it was yesterday when I saw your face
You told me how proud you were but I walked away
If only I knew what I know today
Ooh ooh
I would hold you in my arms
I would take the pain away
Thank you for all you've done
Forgive all your mistakes.
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To hear your voice again.
Sometimes I wanna call you but I know you won't be there
Oh, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you
Some days I feel broke inside but I won't admit
Sometimes I just wanna hide 'cause it's you I miss
And it's so hard to say goodbye when it comes to this, ooh, whoa
Would you tell me I was wrong?
Would you help me understand?
Are you looking down upon me?
Are you proud of who I am?
There's nothing I wouldn't do
To have just one more chance
To look into your eyes and see you looking back
Oh, I'm sorry for blaming you for everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself, oh, oh, oh.
If I had just one more day
I would tell you how much that I've missed you since you've been away
Oh, it's dangerous
It's so out of line
To try and turn back time
I'm sorry for blaming you for everything I just couldn't do
And I've hurt myself by hurting you

7. –Alexander Pope
“to err is human; to forgive, divine.”

8. matthew west “forgiveness” backstory
Matthew wrote this song based on the story of a woman named Renee.
Renee’s daugther was killed by a drunk driver named Eric, a 24-year old
young man. As a result of his crime, Eric was sentenced to 22-years in
prison. Eric was behind bars, Renee she felt like she was the one who was
incarcerated. She began to do speaking engagements about the dangers
of drunk driving, but she still had bitterness towards Eric. Finally, she
contacted him in prison and let him know she had forgiven him. Not only
that, but Renee and 11 of her family members asked the judge to allow Eric
to become free after half his sentence. The judge had never heard this kind
of thing and ruled that Eric could be released. Eric & Renee often speak
together about drunk driving impacts & the importance of forgiveness.

9. “Forgiveness”Lyrics It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those that don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…
Forgiveness
Forgiveness
It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’
Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness
It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free
There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you
I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

10. –Lewes B. Smedes
“to forgive is to set a
prisoner free and discover
that the prisoner was
you.”

11. truth & reconciliation commission
When apartied ended in South Africa, the new government instituted a
radical idea, called the Truth & Reconciliation Commission. This project was
based the concept of insuring both justice AND mercy. Those who had
committed crimes under apartheid would come forward and tell the TRUTH.
Then, they would have the opportunity to have RECONCILIATION with those
who they injured. By approaching the incredible injustices in this fashion, it
allowed South Africans to move past the pain of the past into a more
peaceful future. While their country has still had challenges moving forward,
the fact that there has not been more bloodshed and violence is a miracle.

12. - Mahatma Ghandi
“the weak can never forgive.
forgiveness is the attribute of the
strong.”

13. mothers of 9/11 victims and attackers
In hindsight, Aicha el-Wafi can see that the warning signs about her son
Zacarias Moussaoui were present as he was growing up in southern France.
"If I had known he would end up with this group of wrongdoers, I would have
attracted his attention ... but I did not see it coming," said el-Wafi. Her son
remains the only man convicted in the U.S. over the 9/11 plot. Phyllis
Rodriguez’s son was killed in the 9/11 attacks. They met and become close
friends. Phyllis suggested that things were particularly hard on Aicha,
because no one has comforted her on her loss. Their story has lost a little
bit of its luster, due to the sense from Aicha that Phyllis is more interested in
publicity than she is in maintaining their friendship.

14. ruminating is
not the answer
Rumination is similar to
worry except rumination
focuses on bad feelings
and experiences from
the past, whereas worry
is concerned with
potential bad events in
the future.[1] Both
rumination and worry
are associated with
anxiety and other
negative emotional
states

15. the dangers of
rumination
1. creates a negative cycle that enslaves
2. increases chances of becoming
depressed
3. could raise possibility of alcohol abuse
4. greater chance of eating disorders
5. can create negative thinking
6. impairs your ability to think creatively
7. increases our psychological &
physiological stress responses that can
lead to increased risk of heart disease

16. two types of forgiveness
• Decisional—Deciding to not dwell on
the negative thoughts associated with
the person who has wronged you
• Emotional—Fully letting go of the pain
that was caused and forgiving the
perpetrator. This does not mean
approval of the act in question.

17. R.E.A.C.H. for
forgiveness
Recall—Review the suffering as an
outside observer, without resorting to
self-pity or blame
Empathize—Walk a mile in the
perpetrator’s shoes
Altruistic—Think about a time you were
forgiven for something
Commit—Make a decision to move
forward
Hold On—Complete the process and
maintain a softened heart

18. ideas for moving forward
The Forgiveness Challenge—The work of Desmond Tutu
(https://www.forgivenesschallenge.com)
Learning to Forgive Others—Focus on The Family
(http://www.focusonthefamily.com)
The Forgiveness Project—Developed by Marina Cantacuzino
(http://theforgivenessproject.com)
Learning to Forgive Yourself—WebMD, Dr. Nazario & Jean Lawrence
(http://www.webmd.com)

19. - Matthew 6:14-15, NIV Bible
“For if you forgive men when they sin
against you, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you. But if you do not
forgive men their sins, your Father will
not forgive your sins..”

20. “ThreeBeautifulWords”
Lyrics
Three beautiful words set the heart free
What might they be?
First Word is “I”
To Represent You & Me
Second Word is “Forgive” the third
Word is “You,” It’s True
I FORGIVE YOU
These are three beautiful words
We long to hear
Causing our tears
One has to be “I” to represent you & me
Two this time is Love, three is still you, it’s true
I LOVE YOU
These are three beautiful words

21. Songs
• Christina Aguilera, Hurt
• Matthew West, Forgiveness
• Out of the Grey, Three Beautiful Words
Lyrics from Google Play

22. Sources
• http://www.matthewwest.com/the-stories/the-story-forgiveness/
• http://listverse.com/2013/10/31/10-extraordinary-examples-of-forgiveness/
• http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=7303
• http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/09/01/september.
11.moussaoui.mother/
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/september-11-attacks/
8754107/911-anniversary-mothers-friendship-ends-bitterly.html
• http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/09/01/september.
11.moussaoui.mother/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_(South_Africa)
• http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/forgive-forget?page=2
• http://www.apa.org/international/resources/forgiveness.pdf
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201306/
the-seven-hidden-dangers-brooding-and-ruminating
• http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2010/05/21/the-power-of-
forgiveness/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rumination_(psychology)
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/adult-health/in-depth/
forgiveness/art-20047692
• https://www.forgivenesschallenge.com

23. Contact
@kkeldsen
www.aligned-intent.com