April 1, 2014
A journey of self-discovery after terrible loss. On April 19, 1995, a day many people will never forget, the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City was bombed, killing 168 people. For Sanders, it was also the day her Christian faith was rocked to her very core, as her two young grandsons, Chase and Colton, were among the victims. The author details the moments, days and years after that fateful morning as she struggled to understand why someone would harm innocent people and why God would allow such a destructive event to occur. She was determined to get answers and reached out to the one person who might be able to provide them: Terry Nichols, the co-conspirator in the bombing. Although she often questioned her decision to befriend this murderer and received no sympathy for her actions from the families of victims, Sanders continued her pursuit, knowing her decisions were based on God's idea of forgiveness. Through letters and phone calls, she connected with Nichols to the point where she was able to tell him, "I love you." She also extended her forgiveness and friendship to Nichols' mother and sister, inviting them to her home. Honest in her self-assessment, Sanders doesn't hide her overwhelming grief at the loss of her two grandsons or the profound comfort she felt when she let God help her toward finding the truth about the bombing. "While looking for the truth about the Oklahoma City Bombing, I found something much better," she writes. "It has restored my joy and put a smile on my face....My victorious life is wrapped in forgiveness." Strongly Christian-based, the author's testimony shows how extreme faith can overcome overwhelming situations and allow kindness to replace bitterness and despair. A moving account of how one woman's life was changed forever after the Oklahoma City bombing.
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