Episode 133: Forgiving the Unforgivable: Pastor Mark Sowersby's Testimony

We all go through moments where forgiving someone is really hard. But in this podcast episode, you'll hear a different perspective on forgiveness. Our guest, Pastor Mark Sowersby, bravely talks about his tough childhood marked by abuse and how he struggled to forgive and heal. He talks about how abuse affects the mind and how there wasn't much support or awareness back then. Pastor Mark also shares how he found faith and a supportive community, and how forgiveness changed his life. He opens up about confronting his abuser and the relief he felt after forgiving them. Pastor Mark ends with words of hope and prayer for anyone who has been through trauma. In this podcast, Pastor Mark Sowersby shares a strong message about God's grace and why being true to ourselves in our relationship with Him matters. Chapters 00:00 Podcast's Introduction 01:35 Guest's Background 02:50 The Start of the Years of Abuse 05:32 Impact of Abuse on Pastor Mark's family 07:27 Effects of Abuse on Mark's Mind 09:24 The Turning Point of His Life 12:03 Finding Refuge and Protection 14:41 Finding Faith and Joining a Church 16:57 Seeking God's presence 19:21 Receiving God's Answer 20:45 Reading the Bible and Meeting His Future Wife 23:39 Struggle with Forgiveness 24:48 Moving the Mountain of Forgiveness 26:30 Putting the Cross in Front 28:18 Confronting the Abuser 30:27 Understanding Forgiveness 34:50 The Journey of Forgiveness 37:02 Mark's Future Projects 38:24 Encouragement and Prayer Resources mentioned: Forgiving The Nightmare Website "Forgiving The Nightmare" Book Guest's bio and social handles: Instagram Facebook Pastor Mark Sowersby accepted the position of Lead Pastor at Calvary Community Church in the summer of 2021. He grew up in North Attleboro, MA, and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Zion Bible College/Northpoint Bible College. He has been an ordained minister with the Assembly of God for 25 years. Pastor Mark also leads a ministry called Forgiving the Nightmare. In 2019 he went through a time of great healing and began speaking about the experiences of his past, God’s grace, and the transformational work of forgiveness in his life. He now speaks about his story through his ministry and book Forgiving The Nightmare. When he isn’t serving his congregation and his community through ministry, teaching, and support, you can find him on all the trails and lakes of New England, spending time with his family. He and his wife Jennifer are blessed with four healthy children. Call to action: Make sure to visit yourbiggestbreakthrough.com for your FREE access to our e-book and audiobook, "Unstoppable: Divine Intervention in Overcoming Adversity," showcasing six powerful real-life stories. Get ready to be inspired by these mind-blowing breakthroughs! To learn more about Wendie and her Visibly Fit program, visit wendiepett.com To find out more about Todd and his coaching program for men, find him on the web at toddisberner.com. All the links you need to subscribe to the podcast are at both our websites! And if you feel so inclined, we'd be honored if you were to leave a rating and review of our show. It definitely helps with us being more visible to more people. And if we like it, we might just read your review on the podcast!