What does true forgiveness feel like after someone has carried hurt for decades?

Here's what a woman named Kathy experienced.

It was liberating, it was joyful, and it was painful, too,

because it's like letting go something that's been a part of you so long that it almost hurts to get it out,

but once it's out, it feels so good.

This is the Revive Our Hearts podcast with Nancy DeMoss Swalcommon, author of Surrender for April 15th, 2019.

In April here on Revive Our Hearts, we're addressing some of the really tough issues of life.

Last week, you heard Nancy teach a series called Dealing with Depression and Doubt.

Well, if anyone would have a reason to be depressed, it would be today's guest.

We'll find out how God healed her from incredible hurt.

A panel of friends will join the conversation in a few minutes, Kathy Helvey, Kim Wagner,

Holly Ellif, and Maria Johnson.

Since this recording, our friend Kathy Helvey has gone home to be with the Lord.

We'll hear them talking with a Revive Our Hearts listener who's also named Kathy. Here's Nancy to get us

started. Kathy, we were on a break a little bit ago in our recording session today, and you and I got

into a conversation, and you were remembering the first time that you came to a revive our hearts

session. You sat through a day long teaching on forgiveness.

What were some of the things that you remember hearing what was going through your heart as you were listening?

I think the thing that I was focusing on the most was a very hurtful thing that happened to me in high school that I had never forgiven. I thought I had

many times. But deep in my soul, deep in my spirit, God spoke to me and said, no, you really have

not. You have carried this so many years and not told anyone and it has been buried so long that you forgot it for a while.

But I've brought it back and to live in freedom, which forgiveness brings, you have to forgive.

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