Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with My Sister's Killer

by Jeanne Bishop

When her sister was murdered in cold blood some twenty-five years ago, along with her sister's husband and their unborn child, Jeanne Bishop thought she could forgive the teenage killer and move on with her life. She became a public defender, an outspoken opponent of capital punishment, and a supporter of mandatory life sentences for juvenile killers. But all the while she never once spoke the name of her sister's killer aloud, never once cared what had happened to him after he was convicted of the crime.

Over time she realized that God was asking more of her. Her responsibility as a Christian was not to simply tell herself that she'd forgiven the young man while secretly hoping he languished in prison the rest of his days. As Christians we have an obligation to work to reconcile with those who have harmed us.

"Change of Heart" is the story of this transformation, from someone who actively sought the killer's imprisonment for the rest of his life to one who now visits him regularly in prison. It has not been an easy journey, and at times the personal cost has been high. But this change of heart has brought Bishop to a better understanding of what it means to be a person of faith.

Genres: Nonfiction, Social Justice, Memoir, Book Club, True Crime, Adult, Spirituality

184 pages, Hardcover

First published February 18, 2015

About the author

Jeanne Bishop is a criminal defense attorney, activist, and author. Since the murders of her family members, she has spoken around the U.S. and the world in support of gun violence prevention, abolition of the death penalty, forgiveness, and the role of victims in the criminal justice system. Her written work has appeared in The Huffington Post, CNN.com, Sojourners.net, The Christian Century, the Chicago Sun-Times, and the Chicago Tribune, among other publications. She has been featured in several documentary films, including Too Flawed to Fix, Deadline, and The Innocent. A graduate of Northwestern University School of Law and a recipient of its alumni award for public service, she practices law with the Office of the Cook County (IL) Public Defender.

Reviews

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have two words to describe this book...powerful and insightful. It is a quick read, but one that will stay with you long after you put it down. Jeanne Bishopchronicles her struggle with the death of her sister and her killer in Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with My Sister's Killer. Jeanne describes, in gut-wrenching detail, her sister's murder, the trial, and the impact it had on her family. This is the story of love, loss, anger, faith, but most of all forgiveness. One of my favorite quotes is "We can't determine the response of the one we are forgiving. We can only say to him, "What you did was unspeakable. You have left a hole in my heart that can never be filled. Yet, I forgive you.' He might choose to accept that forgiveness or to reject it. The bottom line here is not success; the bottom line is faithfulness." What an emotional read! Truly inspirational!

[Sharon Paavola · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea what a profound effect this book would have on me when I started to read it. Immediately I was riveted by Jeanne's harrowing story. I've never know anyone close to me who was murdered. Her struggles are many; how to come to grips with who the killer is, how to move on from this event, and what changes will come from it all. She is a highly intelligent woman and educates herself to be the best at defending the helpless. The book takes you on a journey and you suddenly realize that while on this trip you will come face to face with your own values. The depth, the angst, and the yearning to discover her destiny after her sister's murder pulls you in and you must find out, too. Her acquaintances influence and support her as she ponders what she feels she must do. I believe I had a change of heart after following her steps toward peace and forgiveness. Yes, I did, which really surprised me. Read this story and see if you agree with her change of heart. You won't regret it.

I highly recommend Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy and Making Peace with My Sister's Killer by Jeanne Bishop.

I received an e-copy of this book from NetGalley and have written my honest review.

[Quo · Rating 4 out of 5]

In reading Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy & Making Peace with my Sister's Killer, one feels rather at a distance from the emotional response of someone who has lost a loved one to a random act of violence and Jeanne Bishop lost both a beloved sister and a brother-in-law. Beyond that, her sister was expecting a child, adding further to the tragic loss. It is almost impossible to suggest how one would react under similar circumstances but Jeanne Bishop's life-altering loss in time somehow led to a soul-altering transformation, one that is beyond comprehension for many and which involved not just an eventual forgiveness but a reconciliation with the murderer. For one can forgive at a considerable distance but reconciliation in the case of Jeanne Bishop involved meeting the murderer in prison and learning to form a bond with him as a fellow human being, created in God's eye ultimately of the same material as Jeanne.

Early on, the book involves a reconstruction of the murder scene and an attempt to comprehend the killer's motives, such as they proved to be. This was not an intentional murder as in the famous case of Leopold & Loeb many years ago, two bright, well-off students at the University of Chicago who decided to commit a "perfect crime" for reasons that seemed almost philosophical. However David Biro, the murderer of Jeanne Bishop's kin & also from a wealthy Chicago-area family, demonstrated a similar lack of empathy for his victims, even though robbery & not murder was apparently his initial intention.

While Jeanne was trained as a lawyer, this book is about the power of compassion and the way in which deeply ingrained Christian values are translated into forgiveness and then a much more visceral and apparently beneficial confrontation with the murderer. Following the murders, Jeanne meets with her pastoral counselor, John Boyle, someone who was present at the liberation of Dachau and who provides a visual framework, simple but efficient, for coping with the anger caused by the senseless murder of loved ones, a method for keeping the tragedy in focus while attempting to gain insight. The insight begins by placing a clenched fist in front of one's face & then slowly lowering the clenched fist, gradually allowing unobstructed vision.

Beyond that, Prof. Mark Osler, author of Jesus on Death Row, among other books, introduces the concept of kairos, a turning point in one's life or a propitious moment for decision or action as something that Jeanne Bishop can build on, using her deep-seated sense of Christian morality to fuel a search for understanding of the tragedy that befell Jeanne & her family, each of whom reacts differently. Osler contends that

Each of us is somewhere between the murderer and Christ and our common experience meets the murderer in the precise place where it meets the life of Christ. There is elegant symmetry between the life of Christ who is perfect beyond our comprehension & the murderer who is flawed beyond our comprehension. Although Christ & the murderer come from opposite directions, something inside of us compels us to try to understand both.

This represents a tremendous leap for anyone, regardless of religious background or lack of it but it also embodies a profound attempt to deal with one's own flaws in a way that seems both deeply intellectual & exceedingly personal in the case of such an emotional trauma as Jeanne Bishop suffered. The tragedy at the hands of David Biro, who was 16 at the time of the murders, occurred 20+ years ago & resulted in a sentence of a life in prison without the possibility of parole. Remarkably, well beyond forgiveness and after several meetings with David Biro at the place of his incarceration, Jeanne Bishop now argues for his eventual release, in part because he was a juvenile when the crimes were committed and she feels that he has come to a fuller if not a complete consideration of his life-altering crime.

More recently, there is a new phrasing for the kind of transition that Jeanne Bishop has made in her life, "audacity of forgiveness" and it most certainly is typified by the forgiveness of those who lost loved ones at the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina at the hands of white supremacist Dylann Roof in June of 2015. A recent issue of The New Yorker refers to this capacity for compassion & forgiveness on the part of many at the church as "spiritual fortitude forged in the crucible of terrorism". In that article, an organizer for Black Lives Matter in Charleston, Muhiyidin D'baha, whose mother is a Baha'i and whose father is a Muslim, commented that those at the Charleston Church where nine were slain "are at a spiritual level that I haven't attained." Jeanne Bishop is quite definitely at that level of compassion & forgiveness and the portrayal of her transformation in Change of Heart was both stunning and uplifting to behold.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Would you believe after reading a John Grisham novel I changed my belief in the death penalty. In one of his novels he painted an appalling picture of the death penalty. Reading novels like that put you in the shoes of real people and I realized that I could not put another human being created in the image of God to death. In Jeanne Bishop’s account I was driven to tears. Another startling fact is the horrendous crimes now being committed by young people and I mean children. It is appalling and terrifying and in all honesty just shows our need for a savior and the evil of all sin.

Jeanne’s sister was brutally murdered along with her husband. She was pregnant at the time and the killer actually intentionally shot her in the stomach. The narration is done in Jeanne’s voice. She is a lawyer and her passion is for human rights. Her resume is remarkable. She is intelligent, compassionate, and is a woman of great faith. Everything she stood for was tested as she and her family went through this terrible time. Her father found her sister’s family, and in a short time, the killer was apprehended because of tip. He had bragged to a friend and the friend turned him in. It was not a stranger that killed but a young man whose family exchanged Christmas cards with Jeanne’s family. David Biro was a name that Jeanne wanted to forget and never mention again.

How do you confront evil? How do you walk in forgiveness? The first thing that struck me was Jeanne’s statement to herself- “I do not want to hate”. She did not want to repay evil with evil. Her story is our story. She does not play the victim-she confronts evil with truth, love and the cross. Playing the victim only puts the attention on self and by confronting the evil, she was able to restore, redeem and rejoice in God’s mercy.

Jeanne came to a point where she was able to pray for David Biro and say his name. She is an advocate for juveniles that are sentenced to live imprisonment. She fights for justice but believes that life is precious and if at all possible is redeemable. I really like her because she is like Jesus.

A special thank you, Westminster John Knox Press
and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

[Bill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine: Your pregnant sister and her husband, your brother in law, have just returned from dinner with one another. A kid – not quite 18 – has broken into their home, had sat down, and awaits them, a gun in his hand.

Your brother in law opens the door, sees the kid, and immediately pleads with him not to shoot your pregnant sister, to just lock them in the cellar, take what he wants and leave.

The kid takes them to the cellar handcuffed and then instead of locking the cellar door, stealing what he wants, and leaving, he shoots your brother in law in the head an twice shoots your sister in the stomach.

Would you forgive this kid, especially since he bragged by his killing to a friend and at his trial, tried to blame someone else, showing no remorse?

That’s what Jeanne Bishop does – not right away – but over a period of over 20 years – she comes to terms with the killer who tore her family apart, meets him in prison, and forgives him.

Would you be able to forgive someone who killed a member of your family? How did Jeanne Bishop accomplish this astonishing reconciliation? Read this amazing book and find out.

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ordered this by request for one of my prison pen pals and decided to read before I sent it to him. It's an inspiring and difficult story, although I wish the author had explained her shifts in a way that wasn't always 100% tied to Christianity and scripture. I accept that this was her motivation, but it was hard for non-religious people like me to relate to.

[Melinda Kramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

An inspirational and thoughtful dialogue on unspeakable loss and reconciliation. Although I’m not a religious person, I felt that the reasoning and journey that Bishop shares from pain and anger to relief and reconciliation is something that everyone can think about. I was struggling with daily anger for the thug who recently shot and killed our beloved Commander Bauer here in Chicago and read this to help me reason with it. This book provides a lot to think about and discuss in this era of mass killings and gun violence.

[Robert D. Cornwall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can one forgive the murderer of beloved family members? Can one move beyond forgiveness to reconciliation and even restoration? Can the deaths of ones close to one's self lead to a transformation of one's life and vocation? The answers to these and other questions emerge from Jeanne Bishop's powerful story of how the senseless murder (as if any murder makes sense) of her pregnant younger sister and her husband by a young man -- just 18.

Bishop's story is rooted in her faith, and a growing sense that not only would she commit herself to making the world a better place to honor her sister's memory, but that it would transform her very being. A corporate attorney making a good salary and promotions in her future, after the shooting deaths she becomes a public defender, and from there is drawn into the movement to abolish the death penalty (for her on grounds rooted in her faith, especially Jesus' own execution), and finally to restorative justice. While for the first twenty plus years after the murders she served as an advocate for those seeking to abolish the death penalty and speaking of the importance of forgiveness, she had neither mentioned the name of the murderer nor visited him. Finally she realized through the influence of spiritual advisers that to forgive meant being able and willing to name the one publicly whom she was forgiving, and finally that she ought to pursue reconciliation. This led to the writing a letter to this man, which led to regular visits to the prison.

This is an extremely moving book. If, like me, you are an opponent of capital punishment on religious grounds (can we follow the crucified one and support the death penalty?), you will find yourself understanding even more clearly what is at stake. For those who are of a different view, Bishop may not convince you -- she has faced tremendous criticism and has taken a lonely path even among her family members, but hopefully she will raise important questions about the justice system and the way we treat one another.

One of the questions she raises in the book is a profound one for Christians -- and that has to do with whether we consider every person as being redeemable. If we do, then should we not pursue that possibility?

If you're a preacher -- this is a book you should read!

For a more indepth review -- http://www.bobcornwall.com/2015/03/ch...

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bishop's insights and views into "restorative justice" where "the perpetrator's role is to listen to the victim. The victim's role is to tell their story. The community's job is to make sure the perpetrator hears the harm he has done and to decide how to repair the harm." She is a public defender in Chicago and opposes juvenile life imprisonment without parole.
Bishop leaves corporate law to become a public defender after her twenty five year old sister, Nancy, who is pregnant with her first child and Nancy's husband, Richard Langert, are killed in cold blood in their Chicago townhome one night by a neighbor boy, David Biro. The crime was senseless and somewhat random. Biro was just looking for a home to break into to steal cash and a car from the homeowners upon their return. Nancy and Richard's back gate was unlocked so they were the unlucky victims. Biro was sixteen and an inexperienced killer, in that, he had no other thugs mentoring him to avoid all the stupid mistakes he made which led to his being caught.
Bishop is a very religious woman and she puts a lot of her change of heart into her Christian faith and belief. The book is quite heavy with religious views and quoting the bible. As a reader, I chose to accept her belief in faith leading her to her mercy and forgiveness of Biro for its face value. I found her religious journey less interesting but as I am an advocate of wrongful incarnation, discrimination, question the criminal justice system with biased lawyers, juries and judges, and wrongful death sentencing while waiting on death row, I wanted to understand Bishop's thought process.
Like in "Dead Man Walking" Bishop faces Biro as a now grown man. They talk indepth about Nancy, Richard, the night of the murders, why Biro committed the acts, the impact of the murders on Bishop's parents, the impact on Biro's parents, and what Biro hoped for in his life. Juvenile crimes, many often horrific, and subsequent incarceration will be a topic we as a society will grapple with for many decades to come. Thought provoking book.
"He never asked me to take his side if he were resentenced someday. What he seemed to want, above all else, was some sort of understanding-for me to know who he was-and for some kind of connection, for us to have a relationship, human to human."

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a goodreads first reads winner of this book. Jeanne Bishop and her family had a horrific thing happen in her family. Her younger sister Nancy, Richard, Nancy's husband and her unborn baby were murdered by a teenager named David Biro. this happened in 1990 when 25 year old Nancy and husband came home and Were murdered in cold blood. The young man showed no remorse for the crime and spent the rest of his years in jail. For 20 years Jeanne Bishop could not even say his name. she became a defense lawyer had a family but had a huge hole in her heart over her sister's death. When Nancy was murdered she lived for a few minutes and in her own blood wrote a heart and a U. this showed the loving heart of her little sister.
Jeanne Bishop kept her faith to keep her going. Twenty years after her sister's death she decided to put her faith to the test by deciding to forgive David Biro the man who killed her sister.This was not an easy task. she used bible passages to help her go in the direction of forgiveness. this included deciding to write David Biro. Months later David wrote back. Over the last few years they have been meeting at the jail every other month. to talk and share their feelings. this was a diffucult thing for Jeanne Bishop to do. she used her religious beliefs to try and find a way to forgive ,but not forget. she also used some cases of other families who have lost a family member violence. a good read. a very inspirational read.

[Mindy W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Just wow. I came across this book by way of reading Jeanne Bishop’s book, Grace From Rubble, which I was captivated with and wanted to learn more about this author. I am not a biblical person. I don’t go to church. I am a survivor of rape and the man who raped me is in prison for 100 years. He broke into my home in the middle of the night. I was somehow never angry at the man who raped me and I’ve never fully come to understand why exactly. That said he is a sociopath with no remorse so I never considered there would be a path to getting any sort of reconciliation from this man. Jeanne’s story and the remarkable journey that led her to forgive the murderer of her sister and forge, dare I say, a friendship with him truly has my brain spinning. I loved this book. It is profound. I will read this book again. Jeanne. If you read this, you are amazing.

[Laura Cheifetz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pity the colleague who walks into my office while I am re-reading this book in order to write discussion questions...

The writing is great. The story is compelling. The theology and biblical references are solid. Faith, narrative, quotes from relevant authors, are all woven together in this story of the transformation of a family member of murder victims/a Christian/a lawyer.

The first time I saw the manuscript, I couldn't stop reading it. I have had some exposure to the work toward abolishing the death penalty and ending mandatory minimum sentences, and this personal story is an invaluable contribution for those concerned with restorative justice for the good of all the community, not just with punitive justice.

Difficult, beautiful, and worthwhile.

[Mike Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely the most meaningful book I've read this year, if not several. As a person who's greatest challenge to implementing Christian values is my daily commute to work, it's almost otherworldly to experience the grace, mercy, and forgiveness within the pages of this book. It's a tear jerker and a heart breaker, but it is precisely the kind of message conceived from the Gospel that we could all benefit from.

[Oona · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible book that should be required reading for every Christian. I am so grateful to my pastor for referencing this in one of his homilies several months ago, and my only regret is that I didn't read it sooner than now.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeanne Bishop’s “Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with My Sister’s Killer” is a powerful memoir.

The book never mentions the familiar line, “Love the sinner, hate the sin,” but that message comes through.

It begins when Jeanne, her parents, Jeanne’s 25-year-old sister Nancy and Nancy’s husband go to a restaurant to celebrate Nancy’s becoming pregnant. After dinner Nancy and her husband returned to their townhouse where a 17-year-old boy waited in the dark for them to return. The boy murdered them.

Wrote Jeanne, “The darkness of it overwhelmed me. I stopped eating and sleeping. I lost ten pounds in a week . . .” Six months later the boy was arrested. At trial he was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole.

The book is Jeanne’s long journey from hate to reconciling with the killer (it took years). Jeanne is a strong Christian and much of her change came when she is confronted with Bible verses and The Lord’s Prayer.

For example, when someone told her to reconcile with the killer, she asked him, “Tell me what trying to reconcile with someone who isn’t sorry would even look like.”
He said simply, “It would look like Jesus on the cross.”
Tears started in my eyes. He did not need to say the words. I knew what they were: Father, forgive them.”

And the Lord’s Prayer: “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”

She was told to pray for him. How could she pray for killer? How could God forgive him? Well, according to the Bible, Moses killed an Egyptian who was beating a Hebrew, and buried him in the sand. David, king of Israel, sent word to his commander to send Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, to the forefront of the hardest fighting and to draw back so that Uriah would be struck down and die,” which is what happened. Saul, later called St. Paul, savagely persecuted early Christians. If they were restored, couldn’t her sister’s killer be restored?

There’s more along those lines.

The night I started reading, I thought I’d read two hours before bedtime. I put it down after four hours and finished it the next day.

My rating: Five Stars

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly don't know if I could be as strong as Jeanne Bishop was in forgiving her sister, brother in law and their unborn child's killer. You really have to do some soul searching and praying in order to be able to forgive their killer. Jeanne is an outspoken opponent for capital punishment. When she forgives the killer, she forgets about him as well. That is all she wants to do, but what Jeanne is challenged to read a book and act as Christians are to act, things begin to change for her.

Could you forgive your sister, brother in law and their unborn child's murderer? I think I would have a really hard time with this one. Jeanne Bishop shows us in this book that it is achievable and you just have to have your heart in the right place to be able to do that. I think this is a great read and could even help those that are in the same position.

[C.S. Areson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I disagree with Jeanne on the abolition of the death penalty, but much of what she talks about is so true. I agree fully that forgiveness is vital. I speak as someone whose Grandmother was murdered by a serial killer. I do not believe reconciliation isn't always possible or should even be sought in this life but should be hoped for in the life to come.
Those who believe in the death penalty are most often displayed as angry and unreasonable but in deference to the author, this is often the case in those who speak out on the issue.
God's ultimate goal is to change hearts, I rejoice in how this took place in Jeanne's heart, though I disagree with her ultimate conclusions about a few issues.
At the end of the day, I was very glad I read it.

[Margaret Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This provocative memoir centers around the radical nature of the Christian ethic to love one another. The author's pregnant sister and that sister's husband --three family members -- were murdered by a 17 yr old boy who is subsequently sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. The concept of restorative justice, whose root is the gospel of Christ, is an approach the author gradually finds herself able to enter into with the murderer of her family members. A very strong testament to the power of love.

[Nancy Jurss · Rating 3 out of 5]

Moving story of a woman whose pregnant sister and brother-in-law were murdered by a young man who was actually a family acquaintance. She spends 20 years as a public defender gradually changing her beliefs on the death penalty and life without parole for juvenile defenders. This comes about as a combination of experience and her faith journey. She explains how she ends up meeting with the killer monthly and the peace it gives her by being able to give mercy to him.

[Charles Bellavia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ms. Jeanne Bishop's book is not another book about a murder in her family and then she forgave. Her book is a well written documentation of her journey and its consequences. Ms. Bishop uses many people who assisted her in this journey. Personally, her journey and this book has deepened my understanding of forgiveness in my life.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what spiritual integrity looks like. There are passages in the Bible that make no sense until you need them, and then there they are, whether you wanted them or not. And they tell you what you must do. Jeanne Bishop is a very brave person.

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Difficult to interpret

A story about redemption, forgiveness and following God’s teachings but also a story of murder. Murder of the author’s pregnant sister and her brother-in-law. Jesus teaches us to forgive but murder ?

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

captivated from the beginning. easy read and touching all the way through. I read it in one night

[Marylou · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful

This book looks at forgiveness from the point of view of the victims family. It is a powerful testimony and I highly recommend it.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful story on forgiveness.

[Debi Stout · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw the name of this book, Change of Heart: Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with My Sister's Killer, by Jeanne Bishop, I knew it was something I wanted to read. At that time, I had no idea that the book was actually something that God wanted me to read and was leading to read.

When I read this book, I had no expectations. The story is devastating but well written, and while I couldn't even begin to imagine being in Bishop's shoes, I was very grateful that I wasn't. Throughout her journey, Bishop shows God's love in a very powerful and insightful way. I love the way the Bible verses are woven throughout the story along with showings of Bishop's faith for the end result of a 20-year walk with forgiveness.

A very strong quote from the book for me is this: Her friend wrote to her once: "That is the point with God: we don't get all the i's dotted and the t's crossed in advance. We're asked to say yes, knowing the path ahead is clouded in uncertainty - to say yes in faith that God will be with us no matter what." I say Amen to that.

The other point that hit me hard in this book was when Bishop discusses Matthew 5:39 and how she had her "Aha" moment in understanding it. I was completely with her and it allowed me to have my "aha" moment. I was just faced with a situation where I was led to read Matthew 5:39 and I even prayed about it as best I could at that time. Bishop writes, "[Jesus] wasn't asking merely that we refrain from striking back. He was asking us to say to the one who opposes us: I know you are angry and in pain. You think that hitting me will make you feel better. It won't - only God can heal that - but I am here. You can hit me as long as you want, till you get tired. I won't hit you back or flinch. Hit me on the left cheek; I will give you my right. When you are worn out by your rage, you will stop, and then we can talk. I get it now: you absorb another's anger and respond with love."

Funny thing for me lately - my lessons seem to keep coming from the Beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount - my pastor's sermon referenced it, an album I just reviewed was based upon it, and now in this book, Ms. Bishop references Matthew 5:11 where it reads "Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account." She explains that doing the work that Jesus calls us to is transgressive; it is drawing outside the lines. It discomforts people and they disapprove. If she is (or we are) truly obedient to Christ's call to follow him, coming under attack meant she was (or we are) doing something right! It was at the heart of the joy of that journey.

Another powerful paragraph of the book is when Ms. Bishop quotes Hulitt Gloer, a professor, pastor, author, and man of deep faith, who says: "We put God in a box and say, that person is beyond the reach of God's redemptive power. No one is beyond the reach of God's power. There is nothing God wants to do more than change the lives of people. Are we not willing to let God do that work in people's lives? Or are there barriers we set up because we believe that person could never be of value to anybody."

When addressing the subject of mercy, Ms. Bishop contemplated the depth of Christ’s mercy and stated: “I’d always thought that the only thing big enough to pay for the life of my sister was a life sentence for her killer. Now I understood: the only thing big enough to equal the loss of her life--- was for him to be found.”

Near the end of the book, Ms. Bishop shares what she had learned about grace - that it is given, not earned, a function of being loved rather than of worldly accomplishment. Love bears you up. That changes everything.

This book is definitely a "must read" if you have the opportunity to do so. I believe it can help others learn how to act in a more godly and Christ emulating way with their own life experiences in the matter of forgiveness.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book has certainly caused me to think about and reflect on what I believe about forgiveness. It is not an easy book to read due to the subject matter, as well as other stories Jeanne shares. Some of the brief descriptions of other crimes caused me to feel physically ill and overwhelmed with heavy feelings. However, I am glad that I read Jeanne's account and experience and I am grateful she has chosen to share it with us.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Donadee's Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Change of Heart by Jeanne Bishop

I received this from NetGalley, it is great to have a membership with them and get to read the latest books out before they hit the shelves. Change of Heart begins with tragedy: the murder of Jeanne Bishop's sister Nancy, along with Nancy's husband and their unborn child, in their home some twenty-five years ago. In her dying moments, Nancy wrote a message in her own blood at the crime scene: a heart shape and the letter "u," last words of love. When the killer, a local teenager, was arrested for the murders, he denied responsibility for the crime and showed no remorse. After the murderer was tried, convicted and sentenced, Bishop determined to forgive and then forget him. Bishop became a public defender, an outspoken opponent of capital punishment, and a supporter of the sentence her sister's killer received: juvenile life without the possibility of parole. All the while, she never once spoke the name of her sister's killer aloud, never tried to engage with him.

Then she met a law professor who gave her a book espousing a radical idea: that as Christians, we have an obligation to work to reconcile with those who have harmed us. Bishop challenged the book's author about that idea, and was challenged in turn to take seriously the prayer of Jesus on the cross and move beyond simple forgiveness to the hard work of personal reconciliation. Change of Heart is the story of that uneven journey to confronting and reconciling with a murderer. The book takes on the larger issues of restorative justice, life sentences, and incarceration in the criminal justice system. It unflinchingly acknowledges the personal cost of advocating for mercy for people convicted of serious crimes. In the end, the book is a story of moving beyond mere forgiveness to the deeper waters of redemption and grace.

What did I like? This was a very interesting book. I have lost people in my family but never to a death of this nature. I can see the ups and downs with the grief but I had a hard time getting my head around the change in her feelings toward the killer. I was sensitive to her questioning her faith to supporting the killer in any possible way. In the end I was completely turned to her way of thinking. So I think that if anyone was to read this they would be able to cope with the change and the sister’s decision.

What will you like? The first thing is the depth the author took this book to. It is well written in completely everyday language. The time that the author took telling her story and then the descriptions and explanations that she included took you from her feelings of the actual murder to the change of her heart in the end. This book is not for everyone and definitely the explanation should be read before reading this book. There is no graphic scenes but the subject matter is very delicate. Justice, Mercy, and Making Peace with Her Sister's Killer.

[Cindy Sanford · Rating 5 out of 5]

"To err is human, to forgive, divine."


When Jeanne Bishop's sister, brother-in-law, and their unborn child were killed by a deeply disturbed teenager, I recoiled at the senselessness of the crime. When I read about her sister's tragically beautiful attempt to leave behind a message of love before she died, I wept. How do you forgive the "unforgivable?" Even though I never met any of the people in this gut wrenching story, my anger against the "subhuman" who committed these horrible acts exploded. How do you forgive a "thing" like that?

Jeanne's story takes the reader through the horror of learning a loved one has been murdered to the divine state of grace that enabled her to forgive him. We live in an age when grudges are held over perceived slights and rage is sparked over traffic mishaps. In our deeply "fallen" world literally no-one expects or anticipates forgiveness for a murderer: Lock them up, throw away the key, and when possible, execute them. That's society's view and one I once fully embraced.

But over twenty years later, Jeanne writes to the killer and offers forgiveness. At that point many of us would be asking ourselves, "Is she crazy?" I was certain that act of kindness would be lost on such a despicable creature and when Jeanne received a letter from him in response, I steeled myself for the worst.

But that is where this story brings us into a whole new realm; the possibility that the “least of these” (and who but a murderer scrapes the bottom of that pit?) can evolve to the point of genuine remorse. Until recently, it was a concept I could not fathom.

As a Christian, I have long believed in redemption, yet somehow withheld applying that possibility to those who committed society’s most heinous crimes. I did not grant “lost sheep” status to murderers because I once believed they were beyond that. But, incredibly, Jeanne offered that forgiveness before any evidence of his remorse---and that is where her actions approach the divine.

One of the most moving parts in this beautiful book is when Jeanne reaches a point of grace where she contemplates the depth of Christ’s mercy and writes this: “I’d always thought that the only thing big enough to pay for the life of my sister was a life sentence for her killer. Now I understood: the only thing big enough to equal the loss of her life--- was for him to be found.”

There are times that life is so challenging and disappointing that I question the reality of God who cares. Jeanne’s book and her miracle of forgiveness restored my faith. One simply cannot reach the spiritual summits she scaled without the help of a God deeply in love with the human race.

[Julie N · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing
I was quite impressed with the quality of Bishop's writing, both in terms of its literary merit and in terms of its thoughtfulness. I expected it to be mainly memoir with some musings about forgiveness, with a mostly inspirational bent. And while Bishop's story is certainly inspiring, I was very pleased to find that she spends just as much time discussing her belief that Christians should oppose the death penalty as well as her own personal views regarding Christianity and the imposition of a life sentence without the possibility of parole for juvenile offenders. It took a much deeper intellectual and theological route than I expected, but in a challenging and thought-provoking way that I greatly appreciated.

Entertainment Value
I think this will appeal to a pretty wide range of readers, although it should be noted that the author is a Christian and comes at the issue from a decidedly Christian viewpoint. A large portion of the book examines her work in the justice system attempting to outlaw the death penalty and her growing concern and activism against sentencing juveniles to life without parole - most of her reasonings coming from a Christian worldview. Of course the book is also filled with inspiration surrounding forgiveness and what it means to forgive without condoning or excusing criminal behavior based on the author's personal experiences. I found it to be very compelling reading and devoured it in just two sittings. I had planned to read it a chapter at a time over the course of a few weeks, but found that I couldn't put it down.

Overall
I think this is definitely a must-read for Christians who have an interest in issues of social justice, as well as those who enjoy inspiring stories centered around forgiveness and mercy. It may also appeal to those who oppose the death penalty and are interested in looking for ways to discuss their opposition with Christians from a theological stance. I also think it's a book that can appeal to those who do support the death penalty, but who are interested in hearing other points of view. And it's absolutely idea for readers like me who are or have been on the fence.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.