Forgiving What You Can't Forget

Discover How to Move On, Make Peace with Painful Memories, and Create a Life That's Beautiful Again

By: Lysa TerKeurst

Narrated by: Lysa TerKeurst

Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's Summary

Number one New York Times best seller

You deserve to stop suffering because of what other people have done to you.

Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of unresolved pain, playing offenses over and over in your mind? You know you can't go on living like this, but you don't know what to do next. Lysa TerKeurst has wrestled through this journey. But in surprising ways, she’s discovered how to let go of bound-up resentment and overcome the resistance to forgiving people who aren’t willing to make things right.

With deep empathy, therapeutic insight, and rich Bible teaching coming out of more than 1,000 hours of theological study, Lysa will help you:

• Learn how to move on when the other person refuses to change and never says they're sorry.
• Walk through a step-by-step process to free yourself from the hurt of your past and feel less offended today.
• Discover what the Bible really says about forgiveness and the peace that comes from living it out right now.
• Identify what's stealing trust and vulnerability from your relationships so you can believe there is still good ahead.
• Disempower the triggers hijacking your emotions by embracing the two necessary parts

©2020 Lysa TerKeurst (P)2020 Thomas Nelson

Heartfelt and practical

pros
very gentle and compassionate words and voice
practical tools to help you forgive and more forward
all founded on the blood of Jesus

cons
the tenderness and analogies can be a little over the top and be distracting. I saw a review that said that earlier and was like "whatever I'm sure it's fine" but wow. I get it now.
it seems more practical and helpful if there's hope for reconciliation. I was hoping more for how to move forward in a relationship when there's forgiveness but not reconciliation. maybe I just need to re-read "Boundaries" for that. This author's story shows her finding peace and forgiveness without the offender, and then walking through reconciliation with the offender. im stuck in limbo where I can continue on in relationship and find peace and forgiveness, but the offender likely will never admit wrong so im trying to figure how to navigate that without being stupid but also not letting bitterness take root. This did help me a little but would likely help people who are either cut off completely OR reconciling completely. that weird in between isn't really addressed.

When the student is ready to receive the teacher appears

This book was written for me
Soo many things paralleled my journey
Told in such a way that I could understand & not feel ashamed that I have not been able to forgive
To understand that what happened to me was devastating but not the end of who I Am
With gratitude Lysa...

Should have sampled first

I bought this book after listening to an interview the author gave. She was interesting and had a great story of forgiveness and redemption. I only wish she would write like she speaks. When nonfiction authors use phrases like "dance in the sun drenched meadow of redemption" (not her exact words) I want to gag. Maybe because I am a to-the-point person I want to read to-the-point books. I'm sure she gave great advice on forgiveness and I still admire her greatly for her testimony, but I only made it halfway through the book. It was too melodramatic for my taste.

Worth the Read

If you're struggling with forgiveness of others over some really difficult issues then this is the text book to move towards healing. We each have to do the work to heal, to forgive. Lysa's book helps you do just that.

Lysa Terkeurst does it again

Continuing to use her story to help share life experiences with others is so encouraging.

Very Helpful and Encouraging

As someone who, like everyone, is struggling through pain; I found this book to be a very helpful and encouraging resource. I hope to use this wisdom on my journey through forgiveness.

The best book of 2020... or ever

Lysa literally could have been talking about me. Maybe not the exact circumstances, but the thoughts, responses, hurts and learning processes were spot on. This is more than a book on just plain old forgiveness. This is real, raw truth about every piece of real life hurts and how we deal with them. This is also direct and honest about what GOD says about forgiveness, NOT what people say. I've read pretty much all of Lysa's books and this was the most guy wrenching, honest, nod-my-head-in-agreement book she's ever written. Who says God can't take the worst heartache and make good come from it? It's proven right here on the words in this book. Don't miss what is offered here!

forgiveness

Hearing these words and putting my situation into play, I knew I needed to forgive. I played this in the car and someone riding with me started listening. They started to ask questions about forgiveness and if they needed to forgive. This book of conversation and I enjoyed the read.

Waste of time and money.

Title should have been "How I managed to forgive my husband". Dull book about an interesting topic.

Too religious

Give it a religious name because i'd like some info from a real professional, not a bible-thumper.

Quick summary

I’ve just listen to around 2h, but this book is apparently not for me due to my religion beliefs. Too many mentions about god made me to stop listening to that recording. I’m greatly convinced that Christians will appreciate that book.

A sensitive approach to a big challenge

Working as a counsellor and being constantly faced with the reality that forgiveness is tough, not just for my clients but personally. Finding peace after being hurt or betrayed is sadly a challenge familiar to many, and it is entirely individual how long, or how difficult the journey to a better emotional place can be.
I agree with many other reviews, in as much as this book holds some really helpful, and thought provoking chapters. Never trivialising the enormity of the task in hand and giving the listener a great deal to reflect on without judgment.
It is Christian focused, and a belief in God is useful to understand many of the points raised, but I think anyone can gain from this book if they enter into it with an open mind, knowing that when you are living with emotional pain the best way to freedom is to embrace any opportunity which moves you from being stuck in the overwhelming weight of an unforgiving state of mind.

Most practical book on forgiveness

Genuine and helpful book on the challenges of forgiving that shows it is still possible.

Believe in god give it time

In the end I couldn't finish it. The long winded point is: Don't be angry, believe in god, its all part of his plan (with that logic so is this review). You can be cheated on its all part of the plan. Your emotions are not god and not valid. There are no techniques just tragic stories and how after time, god's plan and bible chapters it will be alright.

Talked about God, herself and financial decisions a lot

Would highly recommend

Would highly recommend this book for anyone who thinks that forgiveness means reconciliation with someone who hurt them, means the one who hurt them has to recognise the hurt caused or means letting the person who hurt them get away with it. It is none of those things; it is freedom from the poison inside that is constantly boiling up and creating anger or self-loathing. It is a gift from God to help us heal from hurt