Denton County Living Well Magazine Winter 2015 | Page 43

had happened. Amy admits she made
it her goal to see Brittany pay.
After two years the case finally went to
trial. Brittany was sentenced to seven
years in prison. Ironically Stephanie’s
mom had been a part of women’s
prison ministry. Now, each year the
parole board would hear Amy and
Stephanie’s victim statement against
Brittany. In the fifth year, Stephanie
was exhausted. She had to give Brittany to The Lord. The family’s only statement to the board for Brittany, “This is
the year we start praying for you.”
Some time later, Brittany contacted
Amy through a letter. Amy describes
the big bubble letter with big hearts
over the i’s. “It read as if my little girl
had written it,” said Amy. “I realized
that she was still that little girl. I really
think the Lord was allowing me to see
her through His eyes.” He told Amy
that Brittany was His child and He
loved her as much as He loved Amy.
God took Amy back to the time in her
life when she was that age, specifically showing her things in her life, that
without the prayers of her mother and
apart from His grace, she could literally be sitting in her place.
Amy went to see Brittany in prison.
She recalls the sergeant came in be-

The road to recovery
has not been an easy
one. Amy admits she’s
learned a lot about
forgiveness in

the last 12 years.

forehand and let her know Brittany
was very nervous. Brittany walked up
to Amy, she hugged her and began
to cry on her shoulder. All of sudden
Amy realized she was consoling her.
Amy believes in that moment, it wasn’t
her, but the Father. She told Brittany
all about the love of Jesus and that she
knew her mom would forgive her. Because of God’s grace and mercy their
whole family could forgive.
God was healing Amy and Stephanie
in every way. When Stephanie lay in
bed with a crushed pelvis and para-

lyzed arm, her grandmother would lay
her Bible open with healing scriptures
on her body and pray. On her 18th
birthday Stephanie began to move her
fingers. With a grateful heart she went
to her grandmother and said, “I have
a present for you today.” The road to
recovery has not been an easy one.
Amy admits she’s learned a lot about
forgiveness in the last 12 years. Stephanie has had more surgeries than she
can count. But their lives stand as a testament to a loving Savior. Today, all of
Stephanie’s dreams for a family have
come true. She is happily married and
while the doctors said she would never
have children, she miraculously gave
birth to two.
The girls shared their story in church
just before Brittany was released from
prison and took an offering to help
her get an apartment. When Brittany
came out they took her shopping and
out for dinner. People ask how they
could do it. They both agree, “We
know the price that was paid for our
forgiveness. Shouldn’t we be willing
to pay the price that’s necessary to
forgive?” Stephanie admits it wasn’t
easy, it required sacrifice, but said,
“When you get to the other side and
you see the beauty and the joy that
comes with true forgiveness it makes it
all worth it.”

Connect with Michelle at www.HandofTheKing.com.

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