Faith

Matt McFarlane is a Chief Inspector with Nottinghamshire Police.

When Matt was nine years old he, his mum and siblings ran away from his father in Scotland and never returned.

"I was out playing and was told to come back in. My mum had a bag packed and said 'pick a couple of your favourite bags, we're going'."

Matt had to leave behind his school, friends, family and, most upsetting for Matt, his cats.

"If [my dad] hadn't of been controlling and aggressive then that wouldn't have happened."

When Matt was 15 the family attempted to re-establish contact with his father. The attempt failed.

"He was really angry. I thought 'I've tried my best. I don't need this in my life'."

Seven years later Matt realised he needed to try again.

Turning Point

Matt became a Christian in his teens.

When he was 22 he attended a Christian event. Speakers were talking about forgiveness. Someone stood up and said that if anyone needed to restore a relationship God would like to help.

Matt's girlfriend turned around to him and said 'Aren't you going to respond to that?'

"It hit me like a brick. I realised that [my father] didn't exist to me anymore. Then I realised that when Jesus was asked how many times you should forgive somebody he said it should be limitless."

Second attempt

This time the reunion went well.

"It was good. I remember sitting, having a beer with him in a pub and telling him 'this is all I ever wanted'.

"What I found is the impact upon him of everything that happened was massive. He's got me to see it from another perspective. That long period of silence when we weren't in touch with him, in his own way he needs to forgive us for that."

You can hear more 'Turning Point' stories on BBC Radio Nottingham's Sunday Breakfast Show (6:00 - 10:00).