The power of forgiveness

Editor’s Note: The following interview is adapted from “The Power of Forgiveness: Tommy Ford’s Story,” which aired March 21, 2025, on the Crimson Chronicles Podcast. Ford, who retired from a career at The University of Alabama (UA) Athletics Department, has written a dozen books chronicling UA football. In this interview, hosted by Rick Morton, Ford shares deep insights into how a Christ-follower practices forgiveness, even after personal tragedy. The full interview is available on most major podcast platforms.

How did you come to faith in Christ?

Tommy Ford: I don’t remember a Sunday that our family missed going to church. I was in youth choir, weekend retreats, church basketball. I did it all.

But sometimes you have to go outside the church to understand what you’ve learned inside the church. For me, that time came when I had just turned 13. Our youth group went to see a Billy Graham movie called For Pete’s Sake.

Watching that movie, I realized that I knew about God. I just didn’t know God. So, on the sticky-floored Pitman Theater in Gadsden, Alabama, I walked the aisle and gave my life to Christ.

I still have the ticket stub. And on the back, I wrote “Sunday, December 8, 1968. By seeing this movie, I accepted Christ into my heart.”

When did unforgiveness challenge your faith?

TF: Well, I was a freshman at The University of Alabama in 1975 when I answered a phone call, and a voice said, “Tommy, this is Bobby Ray.” Bobby Ray Halbrooks had been my youth pastor back home.

“Tommy,” he said, “what I’m about to tell you, I want you to take it like a man. Earlier today, a guy went into your father’s office and shot him.”

Optimist that I am, I asked, “How is he?”

There was a brief pause before he responded: “Tommy, he’s dead.” Those words have stuck in my mind for more than 50 years, since March 21, 1975.

And the images from that weekend are fresh in my mind still. The long ride home. Seeing the look of horror on my sister’s face. Hearing my mother sobbing, knowing that the husband she kissed goodbye that morning was never coming home again.

Did you ask God, “Why?”

TF: Well, obviously, yeah, but, you know, I never really dwelled on the why, because I believed Paul’s God-inspired words in Romans 8:28 that say, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” So, it wasn’t so much the why, but for me, my question was [this]: What could possibly come out of this that’s good? You know, what possibly could there be?

What were some of your first reactions?

TF: I don’t know if angry is the right word, but it certainly robbed me of a relationship with my father. I was 19 at the time. I’d been a good boy growing up, never got in any trouble.

You know, … I was a teenager still. And as I was exiting my teen years, I was really looking forward to getting to know my dad better and to tap into his wisdom.

How did you first manage the grief?

TF: I knew from the moment my father died that forgiving his murderer was what I was supposed to do. I had been schooled enough in the Bible to know that. But there’s a lot of difference between forgiving someone in your head and in your heart. Huge difference.

How did you move beyond that dilemma?

TF: The Lord had been sending those “hounds of heaven” after me for about 25 years. I just didn’t feel at peace. I still had bitterness and anger and resentment. I felt like the process of forgiveness now included me telling this man I had forgiven him.

I thought about Stephen when he was about to be stoned for his faith. He looks up into heaven, and he sees Jesus not sitting at the right hand of God the Father. He sees Jesus standing.

Think about that – Jesus was giving Stephen a standing ovation. Then later, as he’s being stoned to death, Stephen said, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”

For me, the next step was to mail the man a certified letter at the prison. I started it off saying … these three [words], “I forgive you.” I included the plan of salvation. Through an administrator at the prison, I know he received it, but I don’t know if he ever opened it.

Any OTHER insights for those trapped in unforgiveness?

TF: I saw recently that the word forgiveness, or some variation of it, is mentioned 150 times in Scripture. I knew about Christ’s forgiveness of the ones who nailed Him on the cross.

Then there’s a thing about the Lord’s Prayer that really stands out to me. You know, when He says, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Of all the things Jesus said in this prayer, the only key word He repeated was about forgiveness. Repetition in the Bible means it’s important. Jesus is saying to His disciples, “Guys, don’t miss this.”

And immediately after this prayer, Jesus said, “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15).

I believe He’s talking about the day-to-day lives of people and forgiving those with whom you have relationships. Forgiving others is essential for anyone to be right with God.