The Meeting
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think . . .”
-Ephesians 3:20
God is always way out in front of us doing more than we often think is even possible. Eric had prayed for over two decades to be able to one day tell the family who was so tragically affected by his decisions that he was sorry and truly repentant and remorseful for his part in their loss and pain. Many years ago, Eric had written several letters; one to the family in general, and two letters to one individual in particular. At one point, Eric was going to wait until he was released to try and get the letters to the family, but before his release he had a Christian minister who attempted to locate the family and deliver the letters, but was not successful. God had other plans.
On August 19, 2023, the day before Eric’s four-year anniversary of being free, the oldest daughter of the family was searching the internet for her loved one’s obituary and she came across this very website, which Eric started developing the same year.
On August 19, 2023, Kay Huffman sent Eric an email requesting to speak with him. Kay was a Christian who had been saved at a younger age, but had struggled with true forgiveness. Eric had always prayed for the opportunity to apologize and to ask for forgiveness, but the first thing Kay said after introducing herself, was that she needed to apologize and to ask Eric to forgive her for not treating him like a Christian! To top it off, less than two weeks later on August 30, 2023, Kay would visit with Eric in person and he would have the privilege to personally place in her hand three letters he had written over two decades ago; two of which were addressed personally to her!
On the morning of the meeting, God spoke a couple things to Eric’s heart. One was that he was not going to visit the daughter of the victim in his case. He was going to visit an overcomer! He was going to visit a Christian who had overcome the bondage of bitterness and unforgiveness that had held her bound for so many years.
Secondly, what the devil had used for so long to define her, God was going to now use to refine her. Eric was going to visit a sister in Christ who had found freedom in forgiveness and was now at liberty to serve God the way she wanted to and the way God intends for her to.
On September 3, 2023, Kay attended church with Eric and sat on the same pew with him. Over 32 years ago, Kay and Eric sat in a courtroom as a victim and defendant. All these years later, Eric and Kay sat on a church pew together as a brother and sister in Christ . . . “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33)
Read below an excerpt from Kay about the meeting:
On August 30, 2023, Eric and I decided to meet in person. We had scheduled to meet at his church that Wednesday morning at 10AM. It was a two-hour drive for me. I listened to “In Jesus Name” by Katy Nichole, “God is in This Story” by Katy Nichole and Big Daddy Weave, and “I Speak Jesus” by Charity Gayle and Steven Mussu on repeat. These three songs had really been speaking to my heart over the last several weeks. I felt so close to God worshiping him, loving him, and claiming the words of these songs in my life. Hurricane Idalia was to hit land in Florida that day and parts of Georgia was supposed to get some bad weather. I was blessed with light rain through my trip from Augusta to Hope Bible Church in Jackson, Georgia.
When I pulled up to the church I could see Eric through the window, my heart sank! My phone rang, it was Eric asking if I just pulled up and telling me where to park in case the rain was bad when we were leaving. I moved my car to the area suggested under an awning while trying to keep my composure. The last time I had seen him in person was approximately thirty-three years prior in a courtroom as a 16-year-old. Even though we had been talking on the phone and texting each other for a week and a half we were about to see each other face to face. I had not been nervous the entire trip until that very moment. For some reason I felt the conviction that I had bestowed against him for those thirty-three years for my mother’s death. I also, thought of the conviction he was charged with. It made me think about the word CONVICTION. I would look it up later that evening.
*Conviction ~ the act or process of finding a person guilty of a crime especially in a court of law.
*Merriam-Webster Dictionary
*Conviction ~ the way the spirit of God tugs at the heart of someone and urges confession, repentance, and rightful direction.
*goodfaithmedia.org
Pastor David, and Eric walked out as I was getting out of the car. Brother David greeted me with a handshake and welcomed me. Eric extended his hand, and I reached both arms out to hug him. We shared some tears right there and, in that moment, I experienced true forgiveness. What will heaven be like if this forgiveness I just experienced felt so free. I know God has forgiven me of my sins (Psalm 32:1), but I cannot imagine seeing my GOD face to face one day to experience that true forgiveness with him in person. I can only hope the forgiveness I experienced with Eric that day was a glimpse of the grace and mercy I will experience from the father above!
To say my emotions were all over the place would be an understatement. We all then walked into the church. We sat in the sanctuary where Eric and I would talk, share tears, God’s word, God’s grace, God’s mercy, and childhood memories of our moms. He played the guitar and sang the song he wrote in honor of our mothers’ memory. He shared letters that he had written to my family while he was in prison. He explained that he had no intentions of sending them until he was released because he didn’t want it to be misconstrued in any way as an attempt to help bring about his release. There were two letters he had written to me “Mrs. Huffman” personally! Now I’m sitting here reading them! He had written them to ME, no one else in my family, but ME!! I know God orchestrated this! This is so surreal and is only a God thing! My God is so powerful that He can bring us out of our darkest moments! Four hours of Gods goodness was shared in the Sanctuary of Hope Bible Church that day. I know God has big plans for my (our) testimony to be shared to bring lost souls to his Kingdom all for his glory! I’m not sure what the future holds but I do know that I’m choosing to trust in God and follow his will for such a time as this. (Esther 4:14)
