Forgiveness is easy when our daughters are little. But as our girls get older, we both may find it hard to let go of each others' failings, and our hearts become hardened. In The Unburdened Heart Five Keys to Forgiveness and Freedom (Harper San Francisco, 2000), Mariah Burton Nelson says this change is an opportunity. "When you forgive your daughter, " says Nelson, "you free both your hearts. " Nelson shares how to let forgiveness deepen your relationship with a daughter.
Here's an example of how forgiveness can evolve. A mom we'll call Mary came home to find her 15-year-old daughter and a friend hastily hiding marijuana. Mary was deeply disappointed, and the incident caused much discussion ...