FORGIVENESS -- NEVER EASY/ ALWAYS POSSIBLE

Here are people of the Bible trying to get along with each other, with their communities, and with God sometimes forgiving, sometimes not. In the Hebrew scriptures, you'll meet Cain, Abraham and Sarah, Joseph, Ruth, Jonah and others. Then in New Testament times, John the Baptist, Jesus, Simon Peter, Thomas, and others of the Twelve especially Levi Matthew who describes encounters as they impact him. These people learn to forgive as they themselves are forgiven.

But first, you ll meet a contemporary couple as they stumble onto the Inn of Friendships Renewed, where families torn apart by hurts or misunderstandings, and one-time friends who have forgotten how to be friends, gain courage to begin talking once again. And somewhere in these pages you might just be say, ''Why, that's me!''

Rev. August Karl Boehmke was born in Buffalo, NY. He studied at various church colleges and seminaries, receiving master s degrees from Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago, and Yale Divinity School. He served mission congregations in Washington, DC, Detroit, MI, and Rochester, NY; also at Church of All Nations, Hong Kong. He served as chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for 28 years, on active duty during the Korean War and Cuba Crisis. He led retreats in the U.S. and Republic of Philippines. He has been active in world relief projects, Refugee resettlement and Habitat for Humanity. He and wife, LaVerne Telle of St. Louis, are parents of three children. They live in retirement in Clayton, MO, a suburb of St. Louis.