Power of Forgiveness: Forgiving Others

Dawn Smith Jordan, Miss South Carolina 1986, has gone on to become a Christian speaker and artists.  Part of her testimony is the story of the murder of her sister, Sheri, in 1985.  The man who kidnapped Sheri, led the family to believe she was still alive for weeks, although he killed her that first day.  He later killed an eight-year-old girl and tormented Dawn and the Smith family for close to two weeks.

While sharing her testimony, Dawn shares that one day her sister’s murdered reached out and asked her to forgive him.  She admits that this was a process for her that took about two years.  Dawn often references the letter her sister wrote asking the family to “not let this ruin your lives.”

There are times when a trespass occurs that seems too great to forgive.  

Forgiving someone that hurts us is much easier than someone that hurts a family member or in this case, steals that family member from us.

In her testimony, Dawn testifies that she lives by 2 Corinthians 12:9, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’” and Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Such forgiveness is a time when we cannot do it on our own.  We have no choice but to lean on the Lord and ask for His assistance and grace to forgive.  Once we do forgive, we will feel as if a weight has been lifted off of our shoulders.

Have you struggled to forgive others?

To read interviews Dawn has provided:

Interview one

Interview two

Interview three

To hear Dawn provide her testimony: