Forgiving the Unforgivable- Dave Pelzer's Story
For the month of April, every Friday, Seele will focus on the topic of “FORGIVENESS”. We’ve all been hurt, betrayed, and mishandled by people. And some have been hurt in wicked ways and on deeper levels than most. How do you forgive the unforgivable? It’s very hard to do. But God takes forgiveness seriously, and some pastors have preached that God will take forgiveness very seriously on the day of judgement. “A person who cannot forgive has forgotten how great a debt God has forgiven them,” says John Bevere.
You’ll hear the real-life stories of four people who have found the strength to forgive what we’d think of as an unforgivable offense, and learn what was the driving force that helped them forgive. It’s only #Jesus who can melt the heart to truly #forgive the unthinkable.
Today is Dave’s story, an American who at age 12 was California’s worse domestic abuse cases. What he endured from age 2-12 by the hands of his mother is unthinkable and unforgivable. But somehow, he has been able to forgive his mom and his ministry focuses on propelling people to move past their past pains. Dave’s story is one of unbelievable triumph.
Dave Pelzer on CNN’s Larry King
Dave Pelzer is a #1 New York Times best-selling author. He nearly died several times by the hands of his mentally disturbed alcoholic mother. From her article: The Story of Dave Pelzer and How Four Regular Teachers Saved Him From His Mom, Giovanna Boldrini writes:
“Born in the San Francisco Bay Area in 1960, Dave Pelzer was the second of five boys. On paper, the Pelzer home seemed picture-perfect. Pelzer’s father was even a fireman, but there were secrets at home. When Pelzer’s mom drank, she morphed from loving mommy to horrific mother.”
When his mom was sober, Dave recalled her a loving mom who was there for her sons and made amazing meals. But at age 5 things changed as she drank more and chose Dave, not her other sons to strike at. This is called “target child selection.” His mother stopped calling him Dave and referred to him as “It.” She moved her son’s bed, an old army cot in the basement. She stabbed him in the chest without taking him to the hospital, she would hold his arm over the gas kitchen stove to watch the skin burn. And, his clothes were torn and raunchy. When his mother allowed him the luxury of food, it was nothing more than spoiled scraps that even the dogs refused to eat.
A school nurse who had seen his health room file of physical abuse signs on his body got some teachers together and they acted for Dave. At that time California didn’t have penal codes for child protection. Years later it was determined that Dave’s case was identified as one of the most gruesome and extreme cases of child abuse in California ’s then history.
At age 12 Dave was finally rescued and placed in a series of foster homes until he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force at age 18. Even with all that was against him, Dave was determined to better himself - no matter what the odds.
Today he is a motivational speaker to students and adults about overcoming life’s most unbearable situations. His talks on resilience, propelling people to forgive their abusers and make peace with their abuses are bold, and he doesn’t let people feel sorry of themselves for too long. If Dave Pelzer can overcome and forgive what was done to him, we can surely forgive what others do to us. We have a Savior Who helps us with these things.
Happy Friday and with love! God bless you and go bless someone else this weekend!
Dave’s Book
This book chronicles the unforgettable account of one of the most severe child abuse cases in California history. It is the story of Dave Pelzer, who was brutally beaten and starved by his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother: a mother who played tortuous, unpredictable games--games that left him nearly dead. He had to learn how to play his mother's games in order to survive because she no longer considered him a son, but a slave; and no longer a boy, but an "it."