The words we say

If you are like me, you grew up having to say "I forgive you" when someone said "I'm sorry." As you got older, you may have learned people don't always say "I'm sorry." And the words "I forgive you" didn't magically make forgiveness happen.
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Or maybe you listened to stories, teachings or sermons on forgiveness and you were convinced that forgiveness was a good idea. But no-one really taught you how to forgive.

Forgiveness? No way!

• We have all been hurt.
  
• Sometimes that hurt can change us.
  
• Sometimes we can't let it go.
  
• Sometimes we just want to forget it ever happened.
  
• Sometimes we try to hide it.
  
• ​Sometimes we try and try and try to get rid of the anger, the pain, the disappointment, the shame, the uncomfortableness.
  
• We even yell at it to go away.
  
• But it's still here. 

Unforgiveness can feel like a backpack of rocks we carry around and add to everyday. Forgiveness can free us from this heavy burden. Forgiveness is an important factor in living a mentally healthy life. Forgiveness can help us deal with our anger, depression, anxiety, and trauma. 

There is hope!

For thousands of years philosophers and theologians have promoted forgiveness. Forgiveness is core to many worldviews. A few decades ago, psychologists and others began to test and research how people forgive and if forgiveness is good for us. The great news is their work has resulted in ways we can learn to forgive one another. AND what they have learned is available to everyone. It is available to you.

Tim Markle has been teaching forgiveness for over 5 years in Wisconsin. He has been on his forgiveness journey for much longer than that. He is available to speak about forgiveness and other topics. Tim's teachings are based on the fantastic work of Dr. Robert Enright, "the father of forgiveness research."

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