Forgiving My Daughter's Killer

Forgiving My Daughter's Killer

Written by: Kate Grosmaire

Book Description

                                          Forgiveness is possible even in impossible circumstances.

On March 28, 2010, Kate and Andy Grosmaire received two pieces of news that would change their lives forever.

The first was their worst nightmare: “Ann has been shot.”

And the second was the dumbfounding addendum: “Conor was the one who shot her.”

Their nineteen-year-old daughter had been killed by her boyfriend, a young man who had lived with the family and had come to feel like part of it.

In a beautiful, tragic testament to the liberating power of forgiveness, Kate Grosmaire tells the story of her daughter’s murder at the hand of her boyfriend—and the stunning, deliberate forgiveness and help that Kate and her husband offered to the young man who shattered their world.

Part memoir, part spiritual testimony, Forgiving My Daughter’s Killer is the story of a family whose faith was put to the test and so found the capacity to do far more than they could have thought or imagined.

My Thoughts

What an amazing story of forgiveness and living like Jesus. Showing others a Christ like love, even when they have hurt you. Even if, and especially when, your life has been dumped upside down and your heart is aching for the loss of a child, one taken too soon by somebody you cared about.  How do you wrap your head around that?  It is hard enough when somebody we know and love dies from cancer or old age or some other ailment, but when taken by a weapon... I don't know what I would do in their situation. I would like to think these parents have set quite the example, though I hope and pray they are never footsteps I have to follow in. This book grabbed my attention from the moment I read the title. Having two children of my own, I was intrigued by the title. I remember thinking if something ever happened to one of my boys, I don't know that I could forgive the person who did it. This book held my attention, I didn't want to put it down. I smiled as I read memories they shared about their daughter, I cried as I read how they were with her when she was removed from life support, I felt angry as I thought about the boy who killed her and how could he? but I also wondered how hurt he was, long before he ever pulled the trigger. Not saying that is an excuse, but I have heard the saying before, "hurt people, hurt people." I felt bad that he reached a point in his life where he wanted to end his life. I highly recommend this book. Two quotes that really stood out to me, so much so that I wrote them down are these - "When we fail to forgive others as God commanded, we fail each other." The other one is, "Forgiveness is not a pardon. But it is a refuge: a place where broken people can come for healing, where the guilty can come for relief, where the wronged can come for hope."

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”