The book Unbroken is the true story of Louie Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who came to the United States as an Italian immigrant. As a boy, he was beaten, made fun of, and always in trouble. His brother encouraged him to run, and it changed his life. His Olympic career was cut short by World War II when he was drafted. He became a bombardier. One fateful day, his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean, leaving him afloat on a raft for forty-seven days. Rescued by the Japanese, Louie was then put into a war camp prison. He kept repeating to himself words from his brother, “If you can take it, you can make it.” Louie promised God that he would do anything the Lord wanted if He would just get him safely home. And the Lord did! 

After the war, Louie became an evangelist, traveling the country preaching forgiveness. When he returned to Japan to make peace with his captors, the worst abuser refused to see him. But he forgave the man anyway. Later in life, at the age of eighty, Louie carried the torch at the Olympics in Tokyo. He did not allow the horrible treatment he had experienced to ruin the rest of his life. He found healing through forgiveness. His true gold medal will last for eternity, and so will yours. Forgive those who have hurt you as God forgives us.