“Great storytelling from Steve Arterburn! Read The Encounter and learn things about yourself that you never knew were there.”—Andy Andrews, New York Times best-selling author, The Traveler’s Gift and The NoticerThe past can be a dark and haunting place - full of secrets and mysteries too deep, too painful to confess.For Jonathan Rush, a wealthy and famous entrepreneur, this is an agonizing and startling reality — one he never knew existed in his life until now. On a mission to Fairbanks, Alaska, to uncover the truth behind his mother’s abandonment when he was only four years old, Jonathan comes face-to-face with his unresolved bitterness as well as a mysterious woman named Mercy who holds the key to unlocking the secrets of his past. Somehow he must convince Mercy to confide in him, learn how to forgive his mother, and — even more painful — learn how to forgive himself. The Encounter, from best-selling author, counselor, and speaker Stephen Arterburn, artfully reveals the power of your story, the fierce need for acceptance, and the true hope of healing. Discover in its pages the radical joys of forgiveness both toward others as well as from the ultimate healer and forgiver: Jesus Christ.Through the truth and hope revealed in this gripping parable, learn to step out from the darkness of a painful past and into the healing light of a forgiven future.