October 6, 2025
New workbook ‘Growth and Flourishing Through Forgiveness’ guides Christians dealing with pain from the past
‘Hopefully, by the time you complete this workbook, you too will be able to forgive the things you’ve struggled to forgive, and you’ll become a more forgiving Christian’
LYNCHBURG, Va. — In an age where many are experiencing betrayal and hurt, it is important to assess how one may forgive an unforgivable act. After publicly offering forgiveness to her husband’s murderer, Erika Kirk, the widow of Christian conservative Charlie Kirk, is a profound testimony to the power of forgiveness. Studies also show that the act of forgiveness can reap huge health benefits, including lowering the risk of heart attack, improving cholesterol levels and sleep, and reducing pain, blood pressure, and levels of anxiety, depression and stress. People who hang on to grudges, however, are more likely to experience severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
AACC’s new workbook, “Growth & Flourishing Through Forgiveness: Finding Freedom and Grace” by Everett L. Worthington, Jr., Ph.D., offers practical tools for those wrestling with offenses and guides users towards forgiveness with grace. “Growth & Flourishing” is the first book in AACC’s new Growth and Flourishing series. This series focuses on issues that scientific studies prove enhance the quality of life. These are also issues that Scripture identifies as foundational principles for living a godly life.
“At some point in everyone’s life — perhaps many times — they’ve been hurt or offended,” commented Worthington. “And they’ve probably had to struggle to forgive it. They might feel resentment, bitterness, hostility, hate, anger, or even anxiety that the person will hurt them again, maybe worse next time. This workbook can help readers learn to forgive. You can avoid the misery of grudge-holding anxiety or depression that often comes from ruminating about injustices and hurts we all experience. The long-term solution is to work the strategies you find useful into your life routines.
“Hopefully, by the time you complete this workbook — perhaps alone, perhaps with a partner or loved one, perhaps with a group of friends — you too will be able to forgive the things you’ve struggled to forgive, and you’ll become a more forgiving Christian.”
AACC is committed to encouraging, strengthening, and serving Christian mental health professionals, including licensed psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, psychotherapists, marriage and family therapists, addictions counselors, and counselors, as well as Christian life and mental health coaches, pastors, lay counselors and the community at large. In addition, AACC is on a mission to help the church worldwide become more caring and mental health-friendly, as they seek to champion spiritual practices and spirituality within mental health care. AACC also hosts the biennial World Conference and the Mega National Christian Counseling and Coaching Conference to help men and women grow in their faith and counseling journey.
AACC’s Light University offers educational programs ranging from certification courses to continuing education for counselors and those wanting to become Christian counselors and coaches.
AACC Publishing is the publishing arm of the American Association of Christian Counselors, offering resources that are both clinically excellent and distinctively Christian for its members and the community of care at large. AACC Publishing features books and resources from leading Christian mental health professionals and renowned ministry leaders. The publishing arm of the AACC provides a broad range of resources from devotionals, workbooks, training manuals and professional mental health resources featuring cutting-edge research on issues in mental health care.
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To interview a representative from the American Association of Christian Counselors, contact Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, Dawn Foglein, ext. 100, or Jeff Tolson, ext. 108.
