He Sustains

Tags

Circumstances, Grace, Mercy, Restoration, Thankfulness

I have several friends facing health issues right now, ranging from serious to life threatening.  As I was praying this morning, the word “sustain” came to mind.  I decided to go do a word search on that word to see what I would find in God’s Word.

What I found was a tremendous blessing to me, and I pray it will be for my friends (and others) who are all facing difficult circumstances right now.

Cast your burden upon the LORD and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.  Psalm 55:22  

Letters to God #11 – Collision Into A Beautiful Life by Dana

Tags

Addiction, Consequences, Dana C, Grace, Gratitude, Inmate Testimonies, Jesus Christ, Letters from inmates, Testimony

Dana has written several “letters to God” – you can see them here.

Dear God,

Hello my Lord.  Thank You for this day.  Thank You for the life You’ve given me and thank You for the second chance I’ve been lucky enough to get.  For now my days are long with laughter, rather than short with burden, warm with friendship and faith rather than cold with pain and drug-induced despair.  Lord, thank You for letting me embrace each day with the glory of Your Word and for letting me grow in Your wondrous faith.  Praise God!

But my dearest Lord, lately I feel like I’m in a rut.  Like I’m stuck between who I used to be and who You desire me to be, which is whom I want to be. 

Letters to God #10 by Dana – “Forgiveness for 4 counts of attempted murder”

Tags

Addiction, Consequences, Conviction, Dana C, Forgiveness, Grace, Inmate Testimonies, Jesus Christ, Letters from inmates, Repentance, Spiritual growth, Testimony

Dana has written several “letters to God” – you can see them here. 

Dear God,

Thank you for another beautiful day in such an ugly place.  How ironic that I had to come to the “concrete jungle” of chaos and noise to find joy and inner peace.  Because it’s true, O Lord, I’m happier than I’ve been in a long while in one of the most unhappy places on earth.  For I laugh more than I have in years.  I smile almost constantly, and I wake up without guilt or sadness from the turmoil of my once lethal life.  Don’t misunderstand me Lord Jesus.  I know why I’m here and I haven’t forgotten my journey or just how many miles I need to go on my road trip to eternal life.  I just mean that finding You, the peace of the Holy Spirit, and accepting You as my Lord and Savior has done wonders for my soul and has made it easier to enjoy the simple things, see the big things and know what’s important.  So even though I’m fully aware that I’m incarcerated facing 40+ years, housed with other women deemed dangers to society just like me, I can appreciate that I’m happily sober, relieved to be safe and alive and sometimes overwhelmed with the beauty of Your love and enduring forgiveness for sinners like me.  So as my pod-mate says, “Lord, you really do have a sense of humor, and You work in mysterious ways.”  Praise God!

Letters to God #9 by Dana – “Winner At Losing”

Tags

Addiction, Consequences, Dana C, Grace, Gratitude, Honesty, Inmate Testimonies, Letters from inmates, Repentance, Salvation, Spiritual Warfare, Testimony

Dana has written several “letters to God” – you can see them here.

Dear God,

Lord, first and foremost I want to thank You for this day.  Lord, the last few days have been a little trialsome, but I’ve learned to appreciate the hardships regardless of how painful, due to the knowledge of Your wondrous Word that You continue to bless me with.  For I’ve learned that as long as I continue to have faith in You O Lord, that You will answer my prayers and never give me more than I can carry.  As it tells me in Matthew 24:13, “But the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved.”  So praise God that I continue to grow strong in faith and spirituality with each passing day.

The Honored Woman At The Well

Tags

Grace, Jail Ministry Musings, Jesus Christ, Mercy, Salvation

My partner Terry and I are teaching through the Gospel of John for our studies in jail.  We are doing 2-3 chapters at a time, and showing the corresponding sections of the movie “The Gospel Of John“.  The women seem to really be enjoying it.

I taught on John 4 a couple weeks ago, and as I prepared the lesson it really struck me that the FIRST person Jesus chose to reveal Himself to as Messiah was the woman at the well.

Letters To God #7 – “Ointment for My Wounded Heart” by Dana

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Addiction, Consequences, Dana C, Forgiveness, Grace, Jesus Christ, Letters from inmates, Repentance, Salvation, Testimony

A woman named Dana has been sharing her spiritual journey through a series of “Letters to God”.  You can find her first letter to God here.

December 2014

Dear God,

Lord, I still painfully walk through my days with so much baggage still attached that I don’t know how to shed.  It weighs me down and makes it hard for me to walk my spiritual path with a genuine and pure heart.  I pray that with the guidance from the Holy Spirit and the help and counsel of spiritual mentors this will lead me to break these chains of sin and free me from my pain.

Christina’s Testimony #2: Sentenced – Mercy and Grace

Tags

Christina M., Grace, Inmate Testimonies, Jesus Christ, Justice, Mercy, Testimony

Read Christina’s first testimony here.

12/02/2014

When I signed the state’s final plea offer of 15 years in the State of New Mexico Women’s Correctional Facility, it was as if my life at that moment was in slow motion.  My attorney, along with a court deputy, led me to a room furnished only with a long mahogany table and six chairs.  In the middle of the table was a stack of legal papers and a shiny silver ink pen – as if signing my life away with a fancy writing utensil would make me feel better about this outcome!  I couldn’t help but notice a framed 8×10 picture on the wall.  There she was, standing tall and proud… ribboned in a gold plated frame… Lady Justice… blindfolded.