After a son does the unthinkable, how can a mother go on?
On October 2, 2006, a gunman entered an Amish one-room schoolhouse, shooting ten girls, killing five, then finally taking his own life. This is his mother’s story. Not only did she lose her precious son through suicide, but she also lost her understanding of him as an honorable man. It was a trauma that none should ever have to face.
But … should ever have to face.
But the biggest headlines came when her Amish neighbors did the unimaginable, reaching out to the family of the shooter with comfort and forgiveness. Today Terri lives in harmony with the Amish and has built lasting relationships beyond what anyone could have thought possible. From the grace that the Amish showed Terri’s family from day one, to the visits and ongoing care Terri has given to the victims and their families, no one could have foreseen the love and friendship that have been forged from the fires of tragedy.
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This book taught me how arrogant I can be in my refusal to forgive. I have always considered myself a pretty forgiving person, but I now realize that I’ve had very little to forgive. It is possible to act in forgiveness and love even when you don’t feel it emotionally. I was humbled by the raw emotions that so many involved in this tragic event were able to share.
Terri Roberts thought life was pretty normal — a loving husband and four adult children. But all of that changed when her oldest son went into an Amish schoolhouse and killed several girls and wounded several more. He then killed himself. The Amish people responded by reaching out to Terri and her family with a true forgiveness that was healing for all of them. It made a positive impact on the rest of the world and brought the Amish families into a special friendship with Terri and her family. This is a true story.
I read this book with a heavy heart. So sad but at the same time shows the healing forgiving can bring.
This tragedy and how the people involved related to each other, and the forgiveness shown is the greatest testament to God’s love and grace. This book is the best confirmation that God exists, no doubt!
A true heart touching story. A real inspiration to read. Highly recommend
Forgiveness is possible in the most difficult situations .
What an inspiring read. Truly uplifting.
It was a book of tragedy, but the reaction to this tragedy was exceptional. The reaction was like a pebble in a pool- far reaching. What a powerful story!
This story truly touched me. To say it was inspirational doesn’t do this story of forgiveness the justice it deserves. It was beyond inspirational.
The world needs forgiveness and care for each other.
As heart breaking as her story was, the lessons learned in the aftermath of the tragedy was what made the book so powerful. To understand the power behind forgiveness is a gift we all should seek.
Wonderful book, good to know there are still great & God fearing people out there.
Anyone who is harboring unforgiveness needs to read this book and learn how you can be free from hatred or bitterness by forgiving others. I learned that forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. The author will never know why her grown son committed heinous acts against young, innocent children, but she experienced great forgiveness from the children’s parents which helped her cope with the aftermath of her son’s actions.
Very relative story to everyone.
It wouldn’t read well as a novel. It is important that this really happened. But the emotions are as hot and real as in a thriller or a romance. It is a good story,
Lots of Christian non-fiction books preach but this one doesn’t. It shows how people with authentic and well-developed faith deal with evil. The Church used to use saints’ stories to show how a Christian should live, but only a few saints wrote books, and most of those books, preach.
Inspiring
A sad story of the tragic effect on the family of perpetrators of crime, but very inspirational because of its emphasis on the power of forgiveness.
a true story about life and the storms that come along, and how this mother remains standing amidst tragedies in her life and family.
The author sharesults her struggles and victories so honestly as she relates the wrong choices of the son she loved. His actions could have destroyed the lives of so many, but choosing to forgive instead brought healing to many.
Wonderful book with a message on forgiveness .