Three Strikes, You're Forgiven: Encounter a God Who Wants to Redeem Your Past, Restore Your Present, and Transform Your Future

by Micah E. Davis, Ian Simkins (Foreword)

When the going gets tough . . . When you’ve been let down repeatedly . . . When you’ve failed over and over again . . .

In those moments, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and lost. Failure can leave us feeling defeated and ashamed, and we often try to avoid it by striving for perfection. But the truth is, failure is a part of being human. We can’t earn our way into love, acceptance, or heaven, and life isn’t about success versus failure.

But there is hope! The gospel shows us that failure doesn’t have to define us, that failure isn’t final. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus took on all our mistakes and forgave them. In Three Strikes, You’re Forgiven, Pastor Micah E. Davis invites us to let go of our restless pursuit of perfection and to find rest in Christ.

Micah shares powerful spiritual truths about forgiveness and grace, guiding us through four necessary forgiving others, asking for forgiveness, forgiving ourselves, and forgiving God. He forgiveness is, what it isn’t, and how to practice ithow to understand biblical forgiveness and offer it to othersthe beauty of forgiveness and why it’s essential to healing relationships with others, ourselves, and GodThree Strikes, You’re Forgiven shows us that on the other side of failure is forgiveness. We’ll learn how forgiveness, mercy, reconciliation, and redemption can free us from bitterness and anger, releasing us into a life of peace, joy, and love.

Genres: Christian

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2025

About the author

Micah E. Davis lives and writes inside, “the loop” of Indianapolis, Indiana, with his wife, Rylei and their Australian Kelpie, Leo. He is the pastor of teaching and vision at The Sanctuary. Micah’s greatest passion is seeking, following, preaching, teaching, and writing about the Way of Jesus. He believes a life patterned after Him unlocks the fullest, joyous life possible.

Micah is also the author of Three Strikes, You're Forgiven: Encounter a God Who Wants to Redeem Your Past, Restore Your Present, and Transform Your Future and Trailblazers: A Journey to Discover God’s Purpose for Your Life.

Reviews

[Victoria Ochs · Rating 5 out of 5]

“[Forgiveness] is fundamentally unequal, irrational, and incoherent. It’s lavish. It’s merciful. It’s abundant. It’s necessary in experiencing what Jesus calls life and life to the full. We must put forgiveness into practice. But it’s easier said than done.”

I’ve always found the concept and practice of forgiveness to feel vast and daunting and definitely brought that tension into my reading of this book.

Aside from the theme being (inevitably) emotionally charged and highly personal, any conversation about forgiveness is also bound to stir up questions surrounding justice, abuse, confession, mercy, healing, and a whole host of other topics that demand care and nuance.

Three Strikes You’re Forgiven strikes an excellent balance between honoring the complexity of what it means to forgive/be forgiven while also providing immense clarity and practicality.

Micah writes with an approachable, conversational style that makes the practice + process of forgiveness simple to understand, even though it is far from easy to embody.

While he does touch on both the unfathomable stories of forgiveness from the Rwandan Genocide and the life of Corrie Ten Boom, he spends the majority of his time applying the ideas to the more common yet still life-altering wounds we all carry (or, perhaps, inflict). It’s a relatable yet theologically rich primer I expect to return to time and time again in my personal journey of forgiveness.

Thankful!

[Rachel Shively · Rating 5 out of 5]

The biggest thing I think that is missing from Christian books is the relatability pieces.

So many authors write books based on these life-altering massive things that have happened in their lives and it’s becomes hard to see yourself in the story and to relate to it and it becomes an entertainment book.

The way that Micah describes, unpacks, and pastors you through the “everyday” struggles of things like lack of forgiveness, abandonment, loneliness, fear of failure, lying, pornography, etc. is 100000000% more relatable than any book I’ve read.

Micah lays it all out for you in a vulnerable way, not to pity himself, but to explain to the reader “I GET IT!! I’ve been there!!” And this builds so much credibility. I always appreciate an author and pastor who doesn’t make himself the hero.

This book is for the “everyday man”. So it’s for YOU. There’s something for everyone to take away and learn and grow from.

[Cindi Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helps you understand how important forgiveness is for both parties. While many writers tell of horrific experiences that are often heinous crimes, Micah talks about things like abandonment and loss of trust (things we are all more likely to experience) so it is relatable. It is also wonderful to read something written by a younger pastor.