I hate drugs and the horrible toll they take on people. They are truly a demonic force and cause nothing but heartache.
We lost our 20-year-old daughter, Ashlynn, when she was given a lethal dose of fentanyl. She was a beautiful girl who loved the Lord. She was a great student and a high school cheerleader, but then she started experimenting with drugs. She began hanging around a different group of friends, her grades plummeted and she would show some concerning mood swings. It was a nightmare for everyone.
We got her into a rehab program and after some time, we thought she had turned a corner. But her struggles continued. She was in and out of rehab. Then, we discovered she was hooked on heroin. One night in January 2016, she thought she bought some heroin, but her drug dealer gave her fentanyl instead. We grieve our loss and miss her beyond words can express. But we know she went to be with the Lord and was instantly healed and freed from her pain.
The drug dealer who sold her the lethal dose had been previously convicted nine times. On this occasion, he was sentenced to 20 years without parole. We talked as a family before his trial, and determined we did not want him to hold us in bondage. We knew that Christ died for him, just like He did for you and for me. He is no less of a person in God’s eyes than the rest of us.
So at his trial, we gave him a letter saying we had forgiven him. Forgiveness does not fix the horrible thing he did to our daughter. It does not reconcile that. But forgiveness does free us from the bondage some people experience. It will not hold us back on what we are determined to do in our lives. If we can show him the love of Christ, if we can be an example to him, then perhaps we can bring him to the Lord. Christ commands us to do that, with all people.
5 Comments
TERRY BOBERSKY
November 8, 2017 at 11:07 amGOD BLESS YOU. I BELIEVE THAT WE CAN ONLY FORGIVE BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST AND THE PRICE HE PAID FOR ALL OF US AT THE CROSS. FORGIVENESS IS FOR THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN HURT. IT FREES US FROM THE BONDAGE OF HATE AND UNFORGIVENESS AND HOPEFULLY THRU THE WORKING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IT WILL DRAW THAT PERSON TO A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST.
Debra
November 8, 2017 at 10:58 pmso so sorry for the loss of your daughter……….so very thankful she was His child and is in His Presence…….thank you for sharing this so that others may be helped by your journey……………..
Ellyn
November 9, 2017 at 7:46 amYou are truly the love of God in action. May your strength and courage draw people to the truth found in the Lord.
My most sincere condolences on your family’s tragic loss.
Dorothy
November 11, 2017 at 9:36 amThank you for sharing this story. Forgiveness is a difficult in most any situations. This one exceedingly so.
I am thankful that 1) The dealer was taken off the street and 2) You found the courage to share a portion of your story, Love for Christ, and hope in the future.
My son passed July 28, 2017 from the same. My heart goes out to you and yours. Without the bond I have in the Lord, I honestly don’t know if I would have made it through those immediate days following. HEAL for Loved Ones has been formed. (Hope, Experience, Acceptance, Love) All attributes of the Lord, but also the processes of loving an addict.
We have so many things to be thankful for. I thank you for standing tall in your faith. God Bless, Always
Della Moreno
April 22, 2020 at 4:56 pmI thank you for sharing your story. I too lost a child my only son at 28 years. I was angry and fell into depression for weeks until one day a minister told me I had other living children who needed me and that my son was with GOD. He was a weekend security guard and worked warehouse during the week. I too told the young man of 23 years of age, I forgave him. It was hard to say yet I explained to him, it was Christ’s LOVE in me that can forgive. I left the court house and embraced his mother and expressed my heart to her. Not only did I lose a son but so did she. Her son was given 54 years. A mothers LOVE.