Erin Merryn on CNN
Yesterday I appeared in a live interview on CNN. How did this happen? Well I got a phone call on my birthday from CNN asking to do an interview on me about Erin’s law. I was told they do this segment on the Brooke Baldwin show called “We Can Do Better” and they wanted to feature me as someone who was doing better through Erin’s Law. With Erin’s law being introduced in 10 states this Spring I have agreed to travel to all 10 states and testify before lawmakers on this law. Help me get there by donating to the foundation I work with. Much appreciated! Donate here: http://www.cordvanderpool.com/#!donate
What people behind the scenes don’t know is often in these interviews I don’t know what I will be asked and yesterday I didn’t. I had no idea they were going to mention my first book “Stolen Innocence” in the interview. I had no idea she was going to begin by asking me about the words “I am sorry” from the relative that abused me. Nor did I know until after the live interview aired and the camera man at CNN played the video back that they were showing pictures of me at a young age taken from my Erin’s Law FB page. I also didn’t know they were plugging my Erin’s law facebook page or telling people to follow me on my twitter account at Erin Merryn.
When my mother watched the interview after she got home from work she said, “Erin you never get twisted with your words it is like it always comes out perfectly rehearsed.” I have been doing this long enough and passionate about it enough the words are always just there even if I don’t know the question that will be asked.
My mission as I have said all along is all 50 states and we are making huge steps in that direction this year alone. Incredible things to report on in the days to come. Indiana Senate just passed Erin’s Law and it is on to the House. Pennsylvania just introduced the bill. Among several other states across America this year.
My interview on CNN began on the words “I am sorry” well this Sunday at my church people will hear what the words “I am sorry” brought me to.
I encourage those of you in the Chicago land area to come join us in Bloomingdale for the service. I promise it will be a powerful one. We all have those in our lives who have hurt us where forgiveness seems too hard. I promise you it will set you free. Look what it has done in my life.
Everyone is welcome to attend. Check out Mission Church.
While I will upload the entire service online next week I would love to meet many of you for the first time that have been following me for a few months to a few years.
Forgiveness was the greatest gift I have ever given myself. After years of being robbed of joy and happiness, forgiveness gave me pure joy and love. I am no longer suffering in darkness, but holding my head up high, not ashamed of the past I carry, and not seeking revenge.
My hope is that you do not allow other’s actions to steal another moment of your happiness and joy but turn the pain into something positive, beautiful, magnificent, and courageous. Do not let days turn into weeks, months, or years and find you are still in the same dark place you were in when you were first hurt. For years, when I refused to forgive, it allowed the men who hurt me to hurt me all over again through the memories that haunted me. By holding on to my anger and hate I kept myself stuck in a foggy haze every day, allowing Brian and Richard to still have a grasp of my soul. I arrived where I am right now because I used the F word on the two men who hurt me most in my life. Author Lewis Smedes once said, “Forgiveness does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into hope for our future.” Living for Today -197
