Man of Hope

There are many roads a person can take. Some lead to life, while others lead to death. Our choices, good or bad, have consequences, no matter who we are.

I am grateful that my God doesn’t wipe His hands of us when we choose destructive roads. He never gives up on His children, leaving us to figure out our lives. No, our heavenly Father journeys with us down the most difficult roads and lovingly leads us to where He wants us to be. At all times, He is fully with us in our consequences.

Never would I have imagined as a kid that I would become a drug addict and a murderer. Hurting myself and others and living 20 years behind bars was not on my radar. But neither was becoming a pastor and helping others, which is what I do now. God knew all of this, though. And He loved me through it all, every step of the way (Romans 5:8).

My two younger sisters and I were raised by both our parents. Life was “normal,” and our home was peaceful. Or at least it was until Dad cheated on Mom and became a heavy drinker. Then our house became an upside-down place of arguing and fighting. When I was 14, my parents divorced, and Dad left.

Our family was torn apart by Dad’s actions—as was my heart. I carried the weight of my family’s brokenness for years.

I was not an average kid. By seventh grade, I was 6’3” and as awkward and clumsy as they come. Other kids enjoyed picking on me. But something good came out of all that height—basketball.

Coach Don took great interest in me, teaching me the game and sending me to camps where I learned to use my height as an advantage. I excelled as a player and was told I had a future in the sport.

With my family unit dismantled, however, I was pretty much left to myself. At 13, I discovered marijuana. I enjoyed getting high after school, drinking, and getting into other trouble.

Then, junior year, my friend and I went to school drunk. That got me kicked out of school and off the team. My world crumbled. Basketball was my life.

I straightened up long enough to graduate from high school and get into Central Wesleyan College on a basketball scholarship. I played successfully until, again, my junior year, when I made another foolish decision. My friends and I decided to purchase some alcohol. We loaded up on drinks, climbed back in the vehicle, and went about our way. Did I mention I was driving the school’s vehicle and purchasing alcohol for my teammates?

The next day, I stood before the dean of the college. That foolish pitstop cost me my scholarship. With no means to support my education, I had to leave school and could not graduate.

I married my sweetheart and enlisted in the Army. We moved to Italy for my first duty assignment in 1988. My love for alcohol joined us on our journey abroad. In the years that followed, my constant drinking and alcoholic ways negatively impacted my wife and our young son. I cared only for myself and finding my next drink.

I was sent from the base in Italy to Heidelberg, Germany, to learn to operate equipment that could locate underground cables. Away from my wife and son, I spent my time drinking and carousing with the other GIs.

It rained heavily on the eight-hour drive back home, but that didn’t stop me from taking full advantage of the lack of speed restrictions on those winding European roads. Suddenly, as I prepared for a turn, I heard a loud voice say, “Rob, you need to slow down.”

It was the loudest and clearest voice I had ever heard. It was as if someone were in the car with me. I shook my head and kept speeding, driving more than 100 mph. Then, I heard the voice again. “Slow down!”

Startled, I decelerated and put my hands on the wheel just as the vehicle hit a pocket of water and hydroplaned. Thankfully, I did not lose control.

The whole encounter shook me to the core. Where had that voice come from? Today, I recognize it as the voice of God. I’ve often wondered what would’ve happened if I hadn’t listened. I’m not sure I’d be alive.

Much later, I also realized that God was warning me to slow down on the highway of life. I was speeding toward danger and testing the limits without regard for the consequences.

It took a terrible life crash before I realized that I was living out Ephesians 4:18–19:  “Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity” (NLT).

Living for my lustful pleasures led me to a less-than-honorable discharge from the Army for drugs. I was sent back to Maryland. My wife and son, however, went to South Carolina. And that’s when I met and quickly became a slave to crack cocaine.

“You become the slave of whatever you choose to obey,” Romans 6:16 explains. “You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” (NLT).

I obeyed the demands of my addiction faithfully, doing whatever I needed to obtain my next fix, paying no regard for anything or anyone else. It didn’t help that I had a hot temper and loved a good brawl.

One night, a drug altercation turned into a mob fight. Threats and accusations flew back and forth as those of us involved sat in jail. I remember looking at the man across the cell who was threatening me and thinking, You have no idea who you’re messing with. I don’t care about you or myself or this life. 

My heart had become so darkened by sin that my mind was completely depraved (Romans 1). But if I was aware, I didn’t care. To prove it, a few weeks later, I bludgeoned a 28-year-old man to death. I will forever be sorry for the sin I committed that day. It’s true—sin will take you further than you want to go and cost you more than you want to pay.

I went on the run to avoid arrest. I hitchhiked, walked, and ran from Seneca, South Carolina, to Livonia, Georgia. But three weeks later, I was apprehended in a random traffic stop. After running my name in the system, the officer made the arrest. Four months later, I was sentenced to 20 years to life in South Carolina’s McCormick Correctional Institution.

No one could believe that I had committed such a heinous crime. I had been such a happy-go-lucky kid. How had I become a man of such hate and violence?

My family, especially my mom and sisters, were devastated. I had caused them, as well as my wife and son, so much pain. I signed away my paternal rights so that they wouldn’t have to identify with me—a ruined and broken man.

Ezekiel 33:11 says, “As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness” (NLT).

My sentencing judge had told me to spend my time behind bars reading a book a week and the Bible every night. It took me two years, but I finally started reading the Bible for 15 minutes a day at 6 a.m. When I did, something interesting happened—I didn’t want to fight anymore. I also began reading a daily devotional given to me by a student I tutored in the literacy program.

At first, I didn’t want to read The Daily Bread, but he kept bringing the pocket-sized publications to me. Finally, I gave way. Renewing my mind with those daily seeds of truth transformed my heart and mind (Romans 12:2).

Soon after, I began attending chapel. Sitting under the teaching of God’s Word impacted my life significantly. I could sense God drawing me to Himself, just as John 6:44 says.

I fully surrendered to God after hearing a loud, wild preacher in the prison chapel. This powerful evangelist preached the Word with fire and passion, and listening to him stirred something deep down in my heart.

After the service and roll call, I hurried back to my bunk, knelt, and prayed. I bowed my heart before God Almighty and surrendered my broken life to Him. I didn’t feel some miraculous touch or power at that moment, but my heart instantly felt clean and calm. I had peace for the first time. I know it is because Jesus, the Prince of Peace, has taken residence inside me.

That was in June 1996. The following day, I went to the prison yard and saw a group of Christians. A light glowed around them, and I was drawn their way instead of toward my usual crowd of sinners.

My friend Terry began teaching me about following Jesus. The more I learned, the more I hungered and thirsted for the Word of God. I couldn’t get enough of it. I memorized Scripture and began teaching what I learned to others.

Over the years, I noticed how often people returned to prison after being released. It was sad to see how many cycled in and out. A few of my Christian brothers and I decided to start Jumpstart Ministry to help the men around us prepare for reentry into society.

Jumpstart is a 40-week discipleship program based on Rick Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life. Through the study, we help people discover their identity in Christ, as we know the only way they can experience a purpose-filled life and stay out of prison is through Christ’s strength (Philippians 4:13) and the support of others. The ministry works with organizations to help newly released people find housing and jobs. It brought me great joy to help others find freedom on the outside through Christ. Less than 4 percent of people who go through Jumpstart recidivate.

On June 9, 2014, after 20 years of incarceration, I was granted parole and released from prison. It was a happy day. Jumpstart helped me secure transitional housing and a job and to acclimate to life on the outside. Today, I serve as the Director of Mission Advancement of Jumpstart in North Carolina.

A few years after my release, I met an old friend from school and started a long-distance relationship. Helen, a mighty woman of God, loved me like Christ. She saw the new man I had become (2 Corinthians 5:17), not the man I had been.

A few years later, we were married, and not long after, we launched a ministry called No Limits to help the hopeless discover hope. My heart is especially drawn to the incarcerated. I want every incarcerated man and woman to know that God has a plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11). No matter what—God loves them and wants to give them the hope of a new life.

There are no limits with God (Jeremiah 32:17), and nothing is too hard for Him. God is bigger than all our past mistakes. I am living proof. God transformed my wreck of a life into something beautiful. And if He can do it for me, He can do it for you.

But before He can do that, you’ll need to slow down and surrender the keys of your life to Him. You can’t keep driving hard and fast down the dangerous road you are currently on. Quit testing the limits. Trust me, there’s a crash waiting for you ahead.

Save yourself and others the pain of yet another poor decision. Bow your knee and heart to the Lord today. Let the presence of His love and the power of His truth bring peace into your heart and mind.

You can be a man or woman of hope!

Rob Whitner is the founder and lead pastor of No Limits Ministry in Goldsboro, North Carolina. His passion is connecting people to God and each other. He also serves as the Director of Ministry Advancement for Jumpstart Ministry. To connect with Jumpstart or to bring a chapter to your facility, visit jumpstartvision.org.

What You Think Is What You Are

From the moment we’re born, Satan tries to convince us we aren’t enough. His lies come through what we see, hear, read, and experience. If we aren’t careful, his messages form a belief system within us that leads to unhealthy actions and devastating consequences.

Many of us have experienced harmful childhoods. If this is you, I am so sorry. I know your pain from my own experience, but I also know God wants to help you overcome all you’ve encountered. He offers you the hope of a better future (Jeremiah 29:11–14) and promises to restore all that Satan has stolen, corrupted, and destroyed in your life (John 10:10).

I love the symbolism of our lives being like a fruit tree. A fruit tree produces certain kinds of fruits. God wants our lives to make good, healthy fruit, and He helps us do just that through His Holy Spirit. Galatians 5:22–23 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (NLT).

Good fruit comes when we believe God’s truth about us. His truths lead us to become like flourishing trees planted by a riverbank and help us produce good fruit in every season of our lives—even in the hard seasons (Jeremiah 17:7–8).

I produced rotten fruit for years. The lies I believed about myself influenced my actions and reactions and life’s outcomes. My life was like a dry, prickly shrub in the desert. I hurt many people, including myself.

Is your fruit healthy or unhealthy? Unhealthy fruit includes harmful actions such as rage, eating disorders, addictions, sexual immorality, lying, and profanity. It causes unhealthy emotions such as fear, anxiety, depression, obsessive thoughts, shame, and unrelenting grief. It fosters unhealthy attitudes like complaining, unforgiveness, greed, and prejudice. And it allows unhealthy, abusive, neglectful, and destructive relationships (Galatians 5:19–21).

Your fruit exposes your underlying belief system, the root system of your life. It reveals whether you believe what God says or what Satan says about you. And who you believe determines your harvest.

So what does your fruit say about you? Are you peaceful and joy-filled or frantic and desperate? Do you have self-control, or does the littlest thing set you off?

Your fruit expresses your belief about yourself, the world, and God. Could it be that, at your core, you don’t believe God is good and that He cares for you?

Perhaps you have based your perception of Him on an experience. I often became confused about God and thought up my own ideas of what He was like (Romans 1:21), but that didn’t mean they were true. And our experiences do not change the nature of God.

Experiences made me believe I was unloved and unwanted. Maybe yours tell you you’re a failure, stupid, ugly, or unworthy. Those beliefs will hold us hostage until we give them to God—and He wants to set us free!

Ask Him to show you the lies you believe. Then let His Holy Spirit uproot them. Only then will you find freedom and be transformed. God works from the inside out.

Just like a tree needs a healthy root system to produce fruit, you need a healthy belief system based on God’s Word to do the same. Romans 12:2 tells us that God changes us into a new person by changing our thinking. Behavior modification alone only provides a temporary change of fruit. With time, harmful fruit always grows back. Trust me.

Instead, deal with the root cause. How?

1. Identify and confess the lies you’ve believed (Psalm 32:5).
2. Repent of the wrong decisions you’ve made because of those lies (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9).
3. Replace those lies with God’s truth (2 Corinthians 10:5).

Focusing on God’s truth instead of Satan’s lies is a daily discipline. But the outcome is worth it. You will become a different person, and your life will yield different results.

Remember: God is real, and He rewards those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). He is good and close (Nahum 1:7). He loves and chooses you (1 Thessalonians 1:4). You are forgiven and accepted, and through Jesus, you can triumph over sin (Romans 5:16–17).

Nourish your beliefs every day by applying the Living Water of God’s Word. You will soon reap a beautiful harvest.

Sheridan Correa is a Trauma-Informed Biblical Counselor. She’s a wife, mother of two teenage boys, singer, and avid runner who has been radically changed by Jesus. She is VL’s director of content development.

A Vessel For His Glory

A serious betrayal early in life messed up my thinking for years. I was just a sixth grader minding my own business when someone I trusted not only accused me of stealing but held me against my will, threatening me with jail if I didn’t confess.

As an 11-year-old straight-A student who never got in trouble, I was terrified, but I refused to admit to something I didn’t do. It felt like forever, but eventually I got to go home.

Like many people in vulnerable situations, I didn’t talk about what happened, but the incident traumatized me for years. Over time, determined that I would never let myself feel that vulnerable and unsafe again, I developed an unhealthy reliance on myself.

It was a survival mechanism, to be sure, but it only brought more harm. I would have to endure many trials before I finally came to the end of myself and let God take His rightful place in my life.

I graduated from Louisiana State University in 2002 and moved to Texas. There, I eventually landed my first job as a microbiologist and was determined to succeed. I loved my job and excelled. Life was good until the company was acquired.

My department avoided the layoffs at first, but in 2012, after nearly a decade of service and for no apparent reason, management eliminated my position. I felt humiliated as my former manager took my badge and escorted me to my car. I felt crushed and betrayed, just as I had as a preteen, by someone I trusted.

I pushed down the pain and went on with life. In May 2015, I married my husband, and right after our first anniversary, we found out I was pregnant. Excited, we arrived for my 11-week appointment and our baby’s first ultrasound. Our hearts sank as the monitor revealed our baby had no heartbeat. A blood test confirmed I had miscarried. I left numb.

I didn’t cry until days later when a nurse wheeled me into an operating room to have a procedure called a D&C. When the tears finally came, they wouldn’t stop. Another major disappointment struck my soul, and another pain went unaddressed.

While I didn’t have a close relationship with the Lord at the time, I knew I needed Him to step into my situation. I began praying for a child, petitioning for God’s help the way Hannah had prayed for her son, Samuel, in the Bible (1 Samuel 1:27).

God answered my prayers and granted me a successful full-term pregnancy. My husband and I welcomed our first healthy, beautiful daughter. I was grateful to God but didn’t learn to rely on Him. I got busy in my role as a new mother.

Eventually, my husband and I decided to have another baby. We got pregnant but suffered another miscarriage. It’s hard to explain the pain of losing an unborn child, but even if I could have then, I wouldn’t have. I just kept pushing through life. Two and a half years later, God blessed us with a second healthy baby girl. But I was no longer happy.

Day after day, life grew darker. And I grew more angry and bitter in my roles as a mother, wife, and career woman. I was lonely and discontented. And then, my friends began leaving, one by one. Before long, everyone I trusted and leaned on was gone.

It was this loss that brought me to my knees and caused me to seek God. I needed more than a quick answer to my prayer; I needed Him to show me what was happening. Why was I so sad? Why so angry? And why were the people I loved choosing to disappear from my life?

God met me right in the middle of my confusion and showed me that because of the past pain I had suffered, my heart had grown hard and distrustful. The walls I had built for protection were keeping even the people I loved at arm’s length. I reacted defensively toward anyone who got close. My strong, controlling personality pushed many wonderful people away as I desperately tried to protect myself.

In a pivotal moment, I realized these friends were actually drawing healthy boundaries for themselves. I wanted to feel offended, but how could I be? It took a good hard look at myself to understand that the real issue in my life wasn’t what others had done to me, it was me—I was the problem

But what hope did I have? I had no idea how to change or become a better person. And I was sure my changing wouldn’t bring the people I loved back into my life, so what was the point?

During this painful self-reflection, God stepped in and drew me close. I had grown up in the church and knew about Him, but I had never known Him by experience. This pain led me to Him. God opened His arms and welcomed me and all my hurts and problems.

I felt safe with God and prayed boldly to Him. I knew of King David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23–24, and it seemed appropriate for me. Search my heart, Lord. Know my anxious thoughts and let me know the parts of me that need to change for Your glory. I was serious—I needed God to show me what was happening and how my actions affected others and myself.

The first thing the Lord revealed was the unforgiveness in my heart. If I ever wanted to heal and be emotionally healthy, I had to forgive those who had hurt me. And if I wanted God’s forgiveness for my transgressions, I needed to forgive others for theirs. (See Matthew 6:14–15; Ephesians 4:31–32; and Colossians 3:13.) It didn’t matter if those past offenders ever apologized or acknowledged the damage caused by their actions; I needed to forgive.

God also showed me how, instead of looking to Him to meet my needs, I habitually filled the space meant only for Him with people, jobs, and status. It didn’t take a genius to realize that those things had only led to more emptiness. God wanted to give me lasting contentment and purpose.

God’s grace brought me to my senses just in time for the 2020 pandemic. The Lord was right on time to help me find my way out of this dark place. I would hate to imagine where I’d be had He not intervened.

God and I were still working on my identity crisis when an idea came to me about starting my own business. I didn’t know what that entailed, and I made my usual mistake of initially asking people instead of God for direction. Still, God worked through those people, and their ideas returned me to Him.

One of my friends suggested I encourage others through videos and inspirational posts on social media. Not long after, my ministry, OptimisticallyKe, was born. I posted my first inspirational video on April 16, 2021. Since that day, God has faithfully opened unexpected doors of opportunity. I have even published two books.

I want to point others to the Lord by sharing with them, through my posts, speaking engagements, and published works, what He’s been teaching me. I want people to know the power they can find in sharing their stories and that they can trust God to bring purpose out of things like betrayal, rejection, loss, and grief. God doesn’t waste a tear!

We can’t escape the pain of this world, but God promises that through His Son, we can overcome it all. With Him on our side, we are never defeated. Romans 8:37 says that we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus despite the hard things.

The key to being victorious, though, is our being in Christ. Faith in Him is what gets us there. It starts with surrendering our lives to Him, including our pain. Have you done that? Have you opened your heart to Him and become vulnerable to His loving care?

You can trust God; you really can. Trials and disappointments can deceive us into believing that God and people don’t care about us and that our lives have no purpose—but it’s not true.

Don’t do as I did. Don’t let painful events and harmful people harden your heart. That only leads to more pain. Give it all to God. Cast all your cares on Him; He cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). And then, be willing to go on a deep dive of your life with Him. God will lovingly and patiently reveal hidden things that, when you deal with them, will bring you to a place of freedom.

God has great work for you to do for His kingdom. It’s not over. God can bring you out of that dark place and soften your hard heart. And if you let Him, He will use everything about your story to mold and shape you into someone He can use as a vessel for His glory.

Na’Kedra Rodgers is a Southern belle with sass. She enjoys empowering women as a speaker, author, and podcaster. Her mission is to inspire, encourage, and point lost souls to Jesus. Connect with Na’Kedra at www.nakedrarodgers.com.

An Honest Crook

I’d just paid for a couple of bags of corn chips at the canteen at Mayo Correctional Institution, the prison where I was doing time for a first-degree robbery I had committed 18 years earlier.

On the way back to my dormitory, I noticed the canteen operator had given me three bags of chips, even though I’d only ordered and paid for two. It would have been easy to keep the additional bag; no one would have ever known. But I went back and returned it.

“Look, an honest crook,” one of the officers chortled—and he didn’t mean it as a compliment.

Although the bag of chips wasn’t expensive, I knew God wanted me to be honest. Honesty is always God’s policy.

The apostle Paul wrote, “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world” (1 Peter 2:12 NLT).

A dishonest life led me to spend many years behind razor-wire fences. I received a long sentence in 1990 for stealing a pair of jeans. Stealing jeans had seemed like a little thing, but because of previous bad decisions, it turned into a charge of first-degree robbery.

I choose, however, not to be chained to the past. Instead, I take the advice of former Secretary of State Colin Powell and focus on the windshield and not on the rearview mirror of life. God made me a new man when I put my faith in His Son, Jesus, for salvation.

Listen to how the apostle Paul put it: “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT). These simple words describe God’s change in my life. I once saw myself through my sins and mistakes, but now I see myself as a child of God (Galatians 3:26).

No matter who we’ve been or what we’ve done in the past, we become someone new when we trust Jesus for our salvation and receive the forgiveness offered through His cross.

The blood of Jesus liberates us from sin and sin’s dominating power and restores us to a new relationship with God—where we’re free to no longer live for ourselves but for Him. His transforming love compels us to live with a new identity and purpose and to make choices that glorify Him. And those choices will point others to our Savior, the One who can make all people new.

Returning a bag of chips may seem like a minor deal, but integrity in the little things sets in motion more incredible things, just like Luke 16:10 says: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (NLT).

How can God entrust us with more blessings if we aren’t faithful where we are? He can’t. Prove yourself faithful today by being a person of integrity. In doing so, you will position yourself for greater things, no matter where you are or what you’ve done. Live a life of integrity.

Roy A. Borges served 31 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, where he realized his need for a Savior. While incarcerated, Roy ministered to others through his writings, over 300 of which have been published. Roy’s book, 101 Short Stories from the Prison Cell, is available from amazon.com.

LOST BOY, Found

“You gonna be a man or a baby?” I was a fourteen-year-old kid when that question came my way. My response had consequences that changed my life forever.

As the middle of five children, I didn’t adjust well to my parent’s divorce. After they split, Mom moved us to a different town in Pasco County, Florida. The only thing that made the transition bearable was that I didn’t have to make new friends.

My best friend, Bobby, had the newest Nintendo system, so I practically lived at his house. That’s where I was on Super Bowl weekend 1992. After school that Friday, I jumped on my bike and rode 14 miles to Bobby’s. I would never return home.

The weekend started innocently enough, but trouble came knocking on Sunday when Alvin, the oldest in our group, showed up and started talking about robbing a house. He was nineteen, and I thought hanging out with him was pretty cool.

We glanced nervously at one another. Was he serious? Someone finally asked, “What if someone’s home?”

“You little babies need to man up!” Alvin sneered. My heart dropped.

Two of the kids wanted no part in the plan. They jumped on their bikes and took off, ignoring Alvin’s taunts and insults. That left me and Bobby alone with Alvin. By this time, we had walked down the street toward the target house.

We stopped in front of it, and Alvin turned and glared at me. “Okay. What about you?”

I was 14 miles from home, it was dark, and I had only my bike. What else could I do? Seconds later, the three of us were standing on the front steps.

The house was dark, as if no one were home. Gripping a shotgun, Alvin kicked in the door, and we went inside. A man’s voice shouted, “Who’s there?!” Awakened from their sleep, the owner of the home and his elderly mother emerged to investigate the noise.

I hid under a table as total chaos broke loose. Alvin’s shotgun blasted, and from my hiding place, I witnessed the kind of evil most people only see in horror movies. The first chance I got, I fled out the front door and ran from the scene where two innocent people lay murdered in cold blood.

When the cops caught up with us early the next day, I felt like I’d been rescued. I sat handcuffed to a chair, waiting for my mom so detectives could question me. In my head, I could hear her voice. “Tim, stay away from that boy,” she’d said the day she met Alvin. “Something isn’t right with him.”

When she arrived, she was clearly wrestling with shock. “Just tell them the truth, son. Everything will be okay.”

I talked with the detectives for hours without an attorney, telling them what I remembered, from Alvin’s robbery plan up to the murders. When the questioning was over, I thought I would finally get to go home with Mom and forget this nightmare.

To our shock and bewilderment, I didn’t go home. In fact, the nightmare was just beginning. The detectives charged me under the Florida Felony Murder Rule. This rule held liable anyone present during a robbery gone wrong, regardless of their actions or nonactions. That meant I was just as responsible for the murders as my codefendants, even though I hadn’t held a weapon.

I was booked into the juvenile detention center on two counts of first-degree murder. My first night was terrifying. I was stripped down to my underwear and left alone in a cold cell, locked behind a heavy steel door with only a blanket, thin mattress, steel toilet, and a light that never turned off. I cried myself to sleep, only to wake in panic, haunted by the sights, sounds, and smells of the terrible things I had witnessed.

During the nine days that I was in the juvenile detention center, the father of a football buddy paid me a visit. He was a pastor, and he didn’t come to scold or lecture me. He offered to pray with me, and I’ll never forget the first whisper of peace that washed over me as he spoke. His visit was significant because it was the first time someone showed me Jesus, even though at the time I didn’t see it that way.

The court decided to try me as an adult, and I was transferred to the Pasco County Jail to await trial. My attorney painted a grim, realistic picture—I could spend the rest of my life in prison.

Time stood still, and confusion mounted. How had this happened? What could I have done to change the outcome, not just for myself but for those who lost their lives?

I was climbing the walls and would’ve done anything to get out of that place, so I attended a Bible study. There, I met an old, tattooed ex-biker who came to talk to us about Jesus. He seemed relatable as he talked about how he’d done drugs,

drank, and did horrible things to other people. I wondered why guys like him wasted their time going into jails to talk to people like me.

And that’s when he said, “But then I met Jesus, and He forgave me and set me free.”

When the study was over, the man handed me a Bible. “Jesus has the answers to your questions, son. Start with Matthew and read through the New Testament. That’s where you’ll find Him.”

I took the Bible, put it in my cell, and forgot all about it. But God didn’t forget about me.

A few months later, a disciplinary write-up landed me in solitary confinement for 45 days. Reality hit hard in that lonely cell. With no distractions or anyone to talk to, I couldn’t escape the despairing thought that I might spend the rest of my life in prison. I was 15, and my life was over, completely without purpose.

Meanwhile, there was that Bible, sitting in my bin—it was all I had with me. Desperate, I finally did what the old guy said: I opened to the book of Matthew and just started reading. Jesus became so real to me as the stories of His life carried me out of my cell and circumstances. It was as if I were witnessing Him perform miracles and heal all those people, right there in front of me.

As I read through each gospel account of Jesus’s life, I would get to the crucifixion and wonder why everyone was always trying to kill Him.

When I got to John’s account of Jesus’s death on the cross, something shifted inside me. I’m the one who deserves punishment! For the first time, I realized that Jesus had come and willingly laid down His life for me, even though I had nothing to offer in return. He had overcome death and the grave so I could be forgiven and have eternal life. Suddenly, Jesus’s sacrifice was personal: He had died for me!

On September 12, 1993, while still in solitary confinement, I believed in Jesus Christ for salvation and accepted Him as my Lord. There was no earth-shaking experience, no fancy prayer, no response to an altar call. I simply realized and accepted that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had given His life for mine (John 3:16). I had no idea what following Christ would look like, but I was committed.

One year later, at 16, I received two life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years. I was scared to death the day I boarded a bus full of grown men and headed to an adult facility in the Florida Department of Corrections.

I had much to learn, both about prison life and God when I arrived, and the Lord sent Christian men to disciple me. They were like brothers and helped me steer clear of trouble. Through them, I witnessed what walking with the Lord looks like. I was baptized and developed spiritual disciplines like prayer and spending time in God’s Word.

Reading the Bible sowed many seeds of hope in my heart. The story of Joseph (Genesis 39–50) particularly impacted me. Joseph hadn’t asked for any of the circumstances that had altered his life, not even the accusations that landed him in prison for something he didn’t do.

I was particularly impressed with how, despite all the injustices he suffered, Joseph’s obedience and trust in the Lord never wavered. He waited patiently for the Lord’s deliverance, and God gave him favor in whatever he did.

I wasn’t innocent like Joseph, and I wasn’t always faithful like him either. I had tumbled into a pit because of my bad decision to go to that house that night. I was present when two innocent people lost their lives, and I was in prison because I deserved punishment. But still, Joseph’s story encouraged me. God was with Joseph through every hardship, and the Bible promised God would be with me too.

Understanding God’s level of mercy and love for me (Romans 5:8) changed how I did my time. I even thanked Him for my incarceration—it’s where I learned about my need for a savior. “It was good for me to be afflicted,” Psalm 119:71 says, “so that I might learn [God’s] decrees” (NIV).

I prayed for God to teach me to trust Him and be faithful like Joseph. Lord, I don’t want to be here forever, but as I wait, please use every bit of this time for Your glory. That prayer was a game-changer. Prison walls didn’t have to prevent me from experiencing the true freedom Jesus provides (2 Corinthians 3:17), nor did they disqualify me from being used by Him.

My first ministry assignment came after my story aired on national television. Letters of encouragement poured in, and God showed me an opportunity to help people. “Lord,” I said, “as long as the stamps keep coming, I’ll keep writing.”

I responded to every letter with a pen in hand and the hope of Jesus in my heart. Remember how Jesus multiplied loaves and fish to feed the multitudes in Matthew 14:15–21? Well, He did the same thing with the stamps. I never ran out.

Ten years into my sentence, my mom passed away unexpectedly. Losing her broke my heart. Satan took the opportunity to stir up old feelings of guilt and regret. “She’d still be alive if you hadn’t gotten into trouble,” he whispered. I was overwhelmed with grief.

The hardest part was not knowing if my mom was saved and then realizing she would never get to see what Jesus was doing in my life. I was allowed to attend her funeral—something almost unheard of in the prison system. God’s undeniable supernatural favor did the impossible on that one.

I cried out, “Please, Lord. Let my dad see me outside these gates with the freedom You have given me.” His only response was to strengthen me as I pressed on through my grief (2 Corinthians 12:8–10).

Seven years later, I was walking from the chapel to my dorm when God gave me a glimpse of His plan for my life. I was staring at the razor wire and fences around the compound when the Lord’s still, small voice told me, “Tell these fences to come down.”

I obeyed and commanded the fences to come down in Jesus’s name. I thought I would see the fences collapse. Instead, in my mind’s eye, I became like a giant. I could see myself stepping back and forth over those fences. Somehow, I knew in my spirit that God wasn’t going to let me die in prison. I wrote the date and vision in my Bible so I could reflect on it anytime I struggled to wait well.

In 2016, right before my 25-year mark, I was interviewed for my upcoming parole hearing. The investigator went through his scoring system and told me he wouldn’t recommend me for parole until 2027.

I would still have my hearing, but I wasn’t expecting much more than that. I thanked him for his time and started talking to God. “Father, please!” I prayed. “You know I can wait ten more years, but I don’t think my family can.”

I couldn’t attend the hearing, but during a call to my dad, a feeling rose inside of me that I couldn’t shake. “Dad, please! I don’t know why, but you’ve got to be there,” I told him. He thought I’d lost it.

“Why would I go all the way there just to be disappointed,” he responded. I didn’t know how to answer him, but he finally agreed to go.

Dad and everyone else in attendance witnessed a miracle that day. The room was stunned when Bernie McCabe got up to speak. It was the first time in the parole board’s history that a sitting district attorney spoke on behalf of an inmate. He acknowledged that the prosecution should have handled the case differently from the beginning and asked for my parole to be granted. He closed with these words, “He’s waited long enough.”

Mr. McCabe had examined my case because of a review Judge John Blue had written. Judge Blue had actually denied one of my appeals but had been troubled because he had to rule according to the law. He wrote a review before retiring which ultimately convinced Bernie McCabe to look into my case. God used Judge Blue’s review to set this history-making parole hearing in motion. By unanimous decision, I was granted parole and released from prison within six months.

On February 23, 2017, I walked out of those prison gates a free and redeemed man of God. The Lord had set me free, though, long before those gates opened (John 8:32, 36). He had made me alive even before I had been condemned, and He had been preparing me for my new assignment on the outside for all those years. Prison time was just one big preparation season.

To this day, I praise God for hearing the cries of a grieving boy who had lost his mother. With my release, He gave me the gift of almost seven years with my dad. I am grateful to God for every second I had with him. When Dad passed away in 2023, I not only attended his funeral but preached a message. And this time, praise God, I wasn’t wearing leg irons and a chain around my waist like I had to at my mom’s funeral.

Living free on the outside of the razor wire has had its challenges, but God has been with me every step of the way, just as He was when I was in prison. He’s helped me experience many milestones, like learning to drive, earning a paycheck, paying bills, completing parole, and marrying my beautiful wife, Ericka.

The Lord has also led me back to prison to share my testimony, including the one where I’d resided. There, I shared before hundreds of men how I witnessed God’s goodness on that same compound years before. I pray that each man will come to know God’s goodness for themselves.

My testimony is like the one penned by David in Psalm 40:1–3: “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.”

A day doesn’t go by that I don’t reflect on my years in prison and pray for the brothers I left behind. I pray for men and women everywhere who are bound, whether in prison or by circumstance. I long to deliver the Good News of Jesus to them, for I know that the power of the gospel can free anyone, regardless of where they are in life.

I used to wonder why people would give up their free time to go to prison and talk about Jesus. Now I know why, because the same love for Jesus and His Great Commission that commanded them compels me to walk back through those gates.

I have a burden to share the gospel—the Good News that Jesus saves and frees—with as many captives as I can in the time I have left. I can’t imagine doing anything else, for the gospel of Jesus Christ enabled me, a once thoroughly lost boy, to find his place as a son of the Living God.

Jesus strengthened and comforted me, and He transformed my life into one of purpose even while I was behind bars. He will do the same for anyone who comes to Him.

Timothy and Ericka Kane team up to bring the hope of Jesus and worship alongside their brothers and sisters behind prison walls. Tim is a business owner and serves with Generational Change, an outreach of Empowered to Change. In his role as chaplain, he helps give a voice to and restore the lives of others through various transitional programs. For more information, visit empoweredtochangeint.org.

Let Your Life Shine

Have you ever felt like you are on a journey to nowhere? Or that you’ve lost everything and everyone dear? Does your future seem bleak and hopeless? Do you feel alone with nowhere to call home? If so, don’t despair. God can redeem the most desperate situation.

The book of Ruth, found in the Old Testament, tells the story of Ruth and her mother-in-law, Naomi. It is a powerful testimony of God’s redeeming love and people’s sacrificial love toward one another. It also shows how our actions can honor our Lord and position us for His blessings.

These women’s lives first intertwined when Naomi’s husband, Elimelech, moved his wife and their two sons from Bethlehem to Moab because of a great famine in their homeland. There was a long, not-so-good history between the tribes of Israel and the land of Moab, and the Bible gives no indication that God led Elimelech on this journey. The decision most likely came through human reasoning and desperation.

Regardless, they settled in and, in time, their sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. Naomi and her two daughters-in-law developed a genuine love for one another. This became evident when Elimelech and the sons died, leaving the women alone.

Heartbroken, Naomi decided to return to Bethlehem. Now, legally and traditionally, after their husbands’ deaths, Orpah and Ruth could have returned to their homes, remarried, and started over. But both insisted on staying with Naomi.

Naomi didn’t want them to leave their families, and she encouraged the girls to stay. Orpah eventually did return to her family, but Naomi could not persuade Ruth to do so. Ruth even made a permanent vow to follow Naomi wherever she went and to follow the God of Israel.

The two poverty-stricken widows traveled back to Bethlehem with seemingly little hope for their future. It had been at least ten years since Naomi had left her homeland; could anything good be waiting for her there?

Upon their arrival, many asked, “Can this be Naomi?” Maybe they were shocked to see her back in Bethlehem or maybe they didn’t recognize her. I imagine the weight of her tragic life had impacted her appearance and demeanor. Naomi no longer reflected her name, which means “pleasant.” She had lost her joy and her confidence. She even asked her old friends to call her Mara, which means “bitter.” Then, she publicly blamed God for bringing such tragedy into her life.

I am so grateful that God doesn’t turn His back on us in these not-so-glamorous moments. Instead, He actively pursues, loves, and blesses us beyond anything we could deserve or imagine (Ephesians 2:8–9; 3:20). Such was the case for Naomi and Ruth. From the moment they returned to Bethlehem, God met their every need and more.

I get so fired up when I read about the incredible God-victories of these two ladies. I think my favorite part of the story is when Ruth heads out to gather leftover grain behind the harvesters. Ruth 2:3 says, “And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech” (NLT). Boaz was a kind, protective man and a relative with the means and heart to help these women.

I don’t believe for one second that Ruth just “happened” onto Boaz’s land. No way. Psalm 37:23 says, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives” (NLT). Ruth’s steps were ordered by the God she had committed to follow.

God delighted in the details of Naomi and Ruth’s lives by giving Ruth a husband in Boaz. Together, they had a child, Obed, who was in the lineage of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Wow! Talk about a redemption story. And He gave Naomi the joy of being a grandmother through this child.

I can’t help but wonder, though, how differently this story might have ended if Ruth had given up on Naomi, God, and the hope of a better future. What if she had taken on a victim mentality, grown bitter, and wallowed in self-pity? What if she had refused to do what she could to move forward and instead sat down and demanded that God just fix it all?

I think it is safe to say she would have missed her “Boaz moment.” Her courageous response to her situation positioned Ruth to experience God’s blessings in a profound way. God used her humble spirit, hard work, and selfless actions to draw Boaz’s attention to Ruth and Naomi’s plight.

We can learn so much from Ruth’s character, conviction, and commitment. I believe if we put these traits into action in our own lives, we would find ourselves blessed in unbelievable ways too. Proverbs 3:3–4 tells us that honoring God and His people brings about favor—both from God and others.

Let’s talk about Ruth’s honoring character. Never has there been a friend more loyal and kind than Ruth. And to think, she stayed with Naomi when her mother-in-law was at her absolute worst, even after she had just lost her own husband. John 15:13 says, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (NLT). In 1 Peter 5:6, we’re told that God honors such humility and will lift us up in His time.

Ruth was loyal, kind, and humble. She was also a hardworking lady. She rose daily, took to the fields, and did what was needed with integrity. And yet, not once did Ruth seek recognition for her kindness. She didn’t need to—God saw her good deeds, which she did in private, and rewarded her openly (Matthew 6:3–4).

Luke 16:10 is one of my favorite verses. It says, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities” (NLT). Ruth was faithful “in little things” by stewarding well her time, relationships, and the opportunities that came her way.

Notice, too, that with every blessing and opportunity, Ruth gave thanks. She never once demanded more or acted as though the world owed her for her hardships. “Be thankful in all circumstances,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT).

Finally, Ruth had a tender, teachable heart. She listened to and heeded the advice of Naomi and Boaz. She never ran ahead; she patiently waited for God and others to act. Proverbs 13:18 teaches, “If you ignore criticism, you will end in poverty and disgrace; if you accept correction, you will be honored.” Honored by whom? By God and mankind.

We often underestimate the importance of our actions. Whether in word or deed, our actions reflect to a watching world the truth of who we are at our core. And God-honoring actions naturally position us for blessings.

Here are some questions to ponder. What’s our reputation among the people around us? If someone examined our lives, who or what would they see? Hopefully, they see a person who is loyal, kind, patient, hardworking, honest, humble, full of integrity, and faithful. But more importantly, what does God see?

The way we conduct our lives is important. Titus 1:16 teaches that, even if we claim to be His, we can deny God by the way we live. May it never be so!

Instead, as Matthew 5:16 says, may our “good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise [our] heavenly Father.” Life is not about us or about our being blessed. It’s about honoring our Lord. And because He is so good, God will in turn honor us and meet our every need.

Kristi Overton Johnson encourages and equips people for victory through her writings, speaking engagements, and prison ministry. To learn more, go to kojministries.org.

On The Right Track

Do you ever feel like everything you do is wrong? And then, when it seems you’re finally headed in the right direction, some train comes barreling out of nowhere and runs you over?

I’ve been there. Lately, it’s seemed that there’s a whole line of people just waiting to send a train my direction, knocking me down and pointing out my failures.

It’s hard sometimes to believe anything other than that I am a failure. I’ve cried out to God countless times, begging Him to help me get up and back on the right track. It’s hard, and I’m struggling.

Studying biblical stories of people like Joseph (Genesis 37; 39–50) helps me find strength to keep going. He was knocked down a lot, yet he lived an incredibly fulfilling life.

Joseph was the youngest of his siblings and his father’s favorite. His brothers grew jealous of their dad’s lopsided affection. It didn’t help that Dad made Joseph a special coat of many colors or that Joseph had shared his dream that his brothers and father would someday bow down to him.

One day, his brothers decided to kill him. At the last minute, his oldest brother intervened and convinced the others to “just” throw Joseph into a nearby pit instead. But then along came a caravan of Ishmaelites, and the brothers sold Joseph into slavery. He was taken to Egypt where he ended up serving Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guard.

There, in Potiphar’s house, things started looking up. Potiphar liked Joseph and put him in charge of the household. But Potiphar’s wife liked him, too, and she tried to seduce him. When Joseph, a man of God, refused her advances, the rejected woman sought revenge and falsely accused Joseph of rape. Potiphar threw him in prison.

Joseph’s life once again seemed to be heading in the wrong direction, but then he interpreted the dream of a fellow prisoner, one of Pharaoh’s servants. The servant promised to remember Joseph when he was released from prison. For a moment, there was a glimpse of hope.

Once released, however, the man forgot, and Joseph stayed in that prison two more years. Then Pharaoh needed a dream interpreted, and the servant remembered his promise. Joseph was brought up from the prison to the palace, and after a successful interpretation, was made the second most powerful man in Egypt.

Joseph went on to save not only Egypt but surrounding nations, including his entire family, from an incredible famine.

Think about Joseph’s journey from the pit to the palace. He experienced verbal and physical assaults, abandonment, rejection, imprisonment, and isolation. He was sold into slavery, falsely accused of rape, and forgotten. He was a man repeatedly knocked down at no fault of his own.

It would’ve been easy for Joseph to grow angry, seek revenge, complain, or give up. But there is no account anywhere of him being spiteful or disgruntled or hopeless.

Instead, Joseph lived his life to the fullest wherever he found himself. He served God faithfully with integrity and excellence. He focused on what God said about him and his future, not what people and his circumstances said.

A closer look of the story reveals another beautiful truth: God was there. Joseph was never alone—not in the pit or the prison. Nor was he without hope. God was always at work, moving Joseph to where he needed to be and at just the right time.

In Genesis 45:7, Joseph told his brothers that God had sent him to Egypt, not them. God had taken what they had meant for harm and used it for good (Genesis 50:20).

I want to be like Joseph. I want to trust that God is with me and that He is in control and at work. And the Bible says I can!

Isaiah 41:10 promises that God is with me, strengthening, helping, and upholding me. Psalm 56:8 promises that He sees my sorrows and is keeping track of them. And Romans 8:28 says that God is working out all the pits of my life for my good and His glory.

He’s doing all these things for you too.

CARLA OWENS loves the Lord and seeks to know Him more intimately every day. She is Kristi Overton Johnson’s executive assistant and the administrative director of Victorious Living.

God’s Better Plan

In 1975, Henry and I met, fell in love, and got married, all within eight months. It was a whirlwind romance. Two years later we had a son, and five years after that, a daughter. Our family seemed complete.

Henry and I chased the American dream, working hard to provide for our family. God blessed us both with long teaching careers within the Maryland school system and other endeavors. Time passed quickly, and Henry and I began imagining our golden years. We saw much relaxing and reminiscing in our future.

In 2016, when our retirement finally came into focus, we felt God leading us to downsize and move to North Carolina. We were both excited about moving closer to family and experiencing a slower pace with the beautiful country life.

It was challenging, though, leaving our adult kids, who were both experiencing great hardships. Plus, our daughter, Nicole, was pregnant with twins. She was already raising two children as a single mom, under some very difficult circumstances.

The twins were due the same week the moving truck was to deliver all our belongings to our new home, seven hours away. Henry and I decided he should go ahead and meet the movers in North Carolina and that I should stay behind to help Nicole. I was thrilled to be in the hospital room when the girls were born.

Leaving our son, daughter, and grandchildren was among the hardest things I’ve ever done. I was guilt-ridden as a mother. Shouldn’t we always be there to help our children? Yet I sensed God urging me to trust Nicole and our grandkids to His care.

“Lord, I trust You. I’m just going to wait on You.” I prayed these words often. I was trying to walk out Psalm 27:14, which says: “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord” (NLT).

Fear attempted to settle in my heart, especially after our son was diagnosed with a long-term health crisis that required round-the-clock care.

I’m telling you—I was in a full-blown fight of faith to keep from giving way. I clung to Psalm 27:1, which says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (NLT).

In 2017, I encountered some physical challenges of my own when I was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer and told it had entered my lymph nodes. I wrestled with weakness and weariness as I underwent a lumpectomy, 33 rounds of chemo, and 16 rounds of radiation.

The treatments for my breast cancer took a heavy toll on my health. The hardest part was being isolated and unable to attend church services. I was so grateful when I finally had the strength to return. On that first Sunday back, I was overcome with gratitude and couldn’t stop praising the Lord. This challenging season taught me to appreciate the simple act of gathering with my church family. We often take our blessings for granted when we have our health and freedom.

Not long after that, Nicole’s health took a turn for the worse. I praised God that my cancer treatments were over so that I could focus more on helping my daughter through this time. The distance between us made it difficult, though, as did COVID.

I prayed a steady stream of prayers for God’s protection over Nicole and my grandchildren as I fought against a heavy spirit of despair. I repeatedly declared Psalm 42:11: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (NLT).

I had to remind myself daily to take my eyes off my circumstances and focus both heart and mind on the Lord. I made many “sacrifices of praise” to God during this season; in fact, I learned why Hebrews 13:15 calls them a sacrifice. It’s because praising God during those tough times was never easy. The act went against everything I felt.

Those were difficult years, but God brought us through. And then came a series of trials in 2023 that made the others pale in comparison. It started in May when my cancer returned, and I had to undergo a double mastectomy. I didn’t need chemo or radiation, but the healing process was still challenging. A few months later, Henry was in his car when it was hit from behind and totaled. We were grateful Henry only needed short-term physical therapy, but still, this was an expensive and painful inconvenience.

Then, in November, Satan delivered a terrible blow that I am sure he thought would take us down once and for all (John 10:10). We had just returned from church when the phone rang. It was our oldest granddaughter. “Grandma,” she said, “Mom died in her sleep last night.” I dropped the phone and screamed, “Oh, God!” It was every parent’s worst nightmare. God immediately came to my aid.

His presence poured into that space like a mighty flood. I had never felt Him with me so powerfully before. God was there, comforting me, a brokenhearted mother. Psalm 94:14 is true, “The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession” (NLT).

Our church family was at our home in what seemed like seconds. The funeral home director, a member of our church, immediately made plans for someone to drive us to Maryland so that we could get our grandkids and bring them back to North Carolina. They had no one there.

I thanked God for His provision through His people and that I was healthy enough to travel. It had only been six months since my breast surgery.

I also thanked Him for the text Nicole had sent just weeks before. In it, she’d shared how much she loved Henry and me and thanked us for always being there for her and the children. It was almost as if she knew something was going to happen. I will forever treasure the gift of her kind text.

Our granddaughters moved with us to North Carolina, while our grandson stayed behind with his mentor to finish high school. We look forward to him joining us soon, as he will attend college in North Carolina. He misses his siblings terribly.

Since Nicole’s death, God has helped our family pick up the pieces of our lives and move forward, one day at a time. He has lifted us, put us on His shoulders, and carried us like children; He’s infused us with His strength (Isaiah 40:28–31 and 2 Corinthians 12:8–10).

You know, people often believe that if they trust God for salvation, they’ll somehow be immune from life’s problems. That’s never the case. Every person, no matter their faith, will have trials and sorrows. Jesus even guarantees it in John 16:33. The difference is that those who follow Jesus Christ don’t have to walk through trials alone. They have the presence, power, and comfort of God’s Holy Spirit. And they are guaranteed victory over those trials (Romans 8:37).

I don’t know how anyone lives without the Lord. It’s only been through His loving care that Henry and I have survived these trials. Jesus and the hope we have in Him have kept our family upright when the turbulent waters of life tried to overtake us (Isaiah 43:2). That same hope continues to be “a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls” (Hebrews 6:19 NLT).

Through all our trials, God has never failed us. And that’s why I praise Him. “The Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation” (Psalm 100:5 NLT).

God continues to work everything out for our good, just as Romans 8:28 promises. For example, the insurance money we received from Henry’s car wreck helped us pay for our daughter’s funeral. In our retirement planning, we hadn’t anticipated burying our daughter or raising grandchildren. But God has consistently and faithfully made a way.

Looking back, I can see how our move to North Carolina was God-ordained. He was preparing a new home for our grandchildren. We now have a large backyard where the girls can play and a safe neighborhood where they can ride their bikes. They just got their first bicycles at Christmas, courtesy of Toys for Tots. Many people in our community joined together to ensure that our family would have a beautiful Christmas. We are so grateful.

To be sure, our golden years look nothing like Henry and I had envisioned. We’ve endured unspeakable pain. Yet, here we are, thriving despite the challenges. Through our beautiful grandchildren, God has made this season of our lives more amazing than we imagined (Ephesians 3:20). He has given us new life.

Today, our home is filled with laughter and music. It’s also busy with homework and after-school routines. I’m telling you, they don’t make enough Geritol for a couple in their 70s to raise twin seven-year-old girls. But we wouldn’t have it any other way. God has given us everything we need to do what He’s called us to do. And because of His faithfulness in the past, we can rest assured for our future.

All I can say is, “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation” (1 Peter 1:3 NLT).

How about you? Do you live with great expectation? I don’t know what you’re walking through, but you’re here on earth, so I’m sure there’s something. It might be small, but it might be huge. Whatever it is, draw close to God. He promises to draw close to you (James 4:8). Ask for His help—He will provide it (Matthew 7:7–11). And then receive the help of those He sends your way.

Let my story encourage you. With God’s help, you can make it through anything. He is a God of hope, no matter what. He will walk you through it.

In the meantime, pray and praise Him for who He is. Thank Him for what He has and is doing and what He will do (Philippians 4:6–8). Your sacrifices of gratitude and praise move God’s heart and usher in His presence (Psalm 100:4). I know it may not feel like it, but there is always something to be thankful for. Find it, then speak it aloud (Colossians 2:7). Praising God will bring Him to the forefront of your mind and strengthen you.

God’s got you. Trust Him. Don’t give up on Him or your situation. It might not look like it now, but He is doing a good thing. He’s working behind the scenes, preparing you and your family for His better plan. And His plan will be better than you can imagine.

Naomi Lewis and her husband, Henry, are enjoying their golden years raising their grandchildren. It is their goal to inspire hope and serve locally at their church as a deaconess and deacon.

Who’s Your Navigator?

“Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow” (Psalm 25:4 NLT).

When David and I were newly married, neither of our cars had a navigation system. Eager to embrace my new role as my husband’s helper, I seized the opportunity to assist him with directions whenever he drove somewhere unfamiliar. There was only one problem. I’m not a good navigator. In fact, my directions got us lost. A lot.

Even using a map app on my phone, we routinely missed turns and whizzed past the correct highway exits. David, who likes to be on time, finally drew the line when we arrived significantly late for an appointment. My wrong directions had us driving around in circles.

I was not only stripped of my duties as his navigation helper, but another woman soon replaced me. She wasn’t a relative or even a trusted family friend, yet I watched her influence my husband’s decisions, and it was a little annoying how much he liked her.

Who was this shameless, job-stealing intruder? She didn’t even have a name. She was the voice behind the navigation system in our new car, and to this day, she resides inside the dashboard. She has conquered my husband’s heart as his preferred resource for directions.

I must admit that “Dashboard Lady” is seldom wrong, so, really, it’s difficult to dislike her. She notifies us of dangers and detours on the road ahead, and when we listen to her directions, we get where we’re supposed to be—on time! She and I now coexist quite peacefully since she has proven to be more of a help than a hindrance in our marriage, particularly on long road trips.

In our cars and in everyday life, it’s easy to wander off the track at times. It’s easy to get lost.

As followers of Christ, the path we’re called to travel can be full of difficult circumstances, situations, and even people. If we aren’t getting our directions from a trustworthy source, we’ll wind up in places we could have avoided. When we go our way, we complicate life for ourselves and others unnecessarily. We stumble into conflict with friends, loved ones, and even strangers because we’re veering too far off God’s path (Proverbs 4:26–27).

In contrast, if we seek the Lord in all matters, He promises to direct our path and keep us from going in the wrong direction (Psalm 16:11; Proverbs 3:6). He equips His children with the best possible navigation system through His Word (Psalm 119:105), and provides unlimited access to Him through prayer and the presence of His Holy Spirit.

In Psalm 25, King David understood the benefit of seeking guidance from God. He trusted that the Lord would lead him with unfailing love and faithfulness (Psalm 25:10), and he depended on that direction to help him find his way through life.

God freely offers His direction, and we needn’t be one bit ashamed to admit that we need His help.

If today you’ve wandered a little too far from God or feel like you might be lost, don’t be discouraged. You just need some good directions or maybe some redirection. God is generous in helping you with His wisdom when you don’t know which way to turn or how to live, think, act, and speak. All you have to do is ask (James 1:5).

No matter how lost you think you are, your Creator knows your exact location. And He will never leave you stranded.

Open your Bible, listen for the Lord’s voice, and walk boldly in faith. Trust that when God is leading you, He has already gone ahead of you to prepare the way. He sees the dangers and distractions ahead and knows when you might need to make a U-turn or take a detour. He will never abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:8) and will always guide you in the best direction for your life (Psalm 32:8).

Christina Kimbrel serves as VL’s production manager. Once incarcerated, she now ministers hope to those held captive by their past and current circumstances while sharing the message of healing she found in Jesus.

A Willing Heart

As a little girl, I dreamed of being a singer, an FBI agent, or maybe a forensic investigator like you see on true-crime TV. What was not on my list was working in the prison system. In fact, I decided early in my life that working there was not something I was going to do.

Prisons surrounded our home in Raiford, Florida, and my parents and other family members worked at one of the nearby prisons. It wasn’t uncommon to see Department of Corrections (DOC) vans racing by our house, responding to escapes and other incidents. It was the only time we ever locked our doors in our tiny little town. But I had zero interest in anything that happened inside that razor wire.

My parents were young when they had me. They married and grew up faster than if they had waited to start a family. Soon after my youngest sister came along, they split up. My sisters and I lived with our mom and visited our dad on weekends and during school breaks.

Divorce brought many challenges, including a sense of uncertainty for my siblings and me. But we managed to adjust, even after both parents remarried. The upside was that we gained new brothers and sisters, whom I grew to love dearly.

My mom worked long hours, pulling double shifts to make ends meet. Dad was strict and protective of his daughters. He spoke his mind and tolerated no boys, nonsense, or disrespect in his home. I lived with him for a while in high school, and I remember complaining that I was the only senior who had to be in bed by 9:30 p.m.

The family as a whole made it a priority to keep us girls in church. We spent a lot of time there and at youth events. I learned to regard the Lord with reverence and fear (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10).

If not for the foundation of faith established early in my life, I could have easily become a negative statistic. But Jesus not only saved me for eternity, He also protected me from myself and the pitfalls of the world.

I developed a solid work ethic while in high school. My after-school job at Hardee’s helped me earn money for the things I needed. I worked hard for everything I had, including good grades. In May 1987, I graduated with a scholarship that opened the door for me to go to college.

Working full-time in fast food and attending a full schedule of classes was exhausting, but I was determined to finish what I’d started and graduate with at least an associate degree. While I hadn’t yet figured out what I wanted to do, I was sure my career wouldn’t involve corrections.

But God’s agenda for my life looked quite different from my plan (Isaiah 55:8–9), and He wasted no time putting the right people and opportunities in my path.

One day, a lady from church told me about a job opening. “We have a temporary position at the Reception and Medical Center (RMC). You would be a perfect fit!”

RMC was a nearby prison that housed newly sentenced inmates and those needing specialized medical care. Why me? I wondered. I was only 17, and the position would have me working in administration doing inmate banking. Surely I was unqualified.

But the salary increase was appealing to a starving student barely scraping by. It’s just a stepping-stone, I convinced myself. You won’t be there forever. Besides, you’ve got to pay your bills and eat somehow.

In August 1987, only three months after graduating high school, I accepted the temp job at RMC, gave Hardee’s my two-week notice, and changed my classes to nights to work full-time during the day. Not long after, God blessed me with a full-time position with benefits in the business office. He used what I thought was only a stepping-stone to build the foundation of my 30-year career with FLDOC.

The Lord surrounded me early in my career with women of faith. These spiritual mothers and sisters prayed with and for me and encouraged me in everything from finishing my homework assignments to applying for promotions. They celebrated with me when I married and became a mom. If I had a problem or a tough decision, they pointed me back to Jesus. They reminded me that He was the author of my story and the One from whom I should seek answers. I can’t tell you how important these women were in my life.

I worked in the business office until I earned my bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Then I pursued a master’s in educational leadership. With my degrees in hand, I felt better qualified to tackle whatever came my way.

I quickly learned that a willing heart was the only real qualification I needed to answer God’s call on my life. He would equip me for the journey. Desiring to go where God could use me, I surrendered to His lead.

“Lord,” I prayed, “I will go where You send me to encourage whoever You put in my path.”

I meant those words, but I didn’t anticipate He’d lead me straight into that career with the Florida DOC that my younger self had been determined to avoid. I wrestled with the notion, but the Lord continually reminded me that He equips the ones He calls for any task. He just wanted me to trust Him for provision and protection.

So I agreed to follow His will and pledged to keep Him at the forefront of my decisions as He directed my steps. What followed was amazing. Over the course of 30 years, I moved from that initial clerical position all the way up to warden and regional director.

The Lord opened my eyes to life within the razor wire. He allowed me to look past the differences that separated the staff from the incarcerated, so that I could see both groups through His eyes.

They were all His children, and each side had genuine needs and concerns that I had to consider when making decisions. Living and working in a prison environment can be depressing and downright dangerous; I needed the Lord to show me how I could improve things.

It took discipline and focus to avoid being overwhelmed by the challenges. To lead effectively, I needed to balance the scales of mercy and justice. I had to find ways to show compassion and hold people accountable for their actions.

Being a woman in leadership in a predominantly male field wasn’t easy. Some didn’t like or understand my leadership style or the culture I envisioned for the prisons I oversaw. Still, God gave me the strength and determination to stay the course and make decisions that would honor Him and help other people. My faith wasn’t always warmly welcomed, but it was not an area of compromise. I couldn’t run through every compound evangelizing, but I sure wasn’t quiet about Jesus being the Lord of my life.

My department colleagues provided me with fantastic mentoring and training that helped sharpen my skills. I was eager to learn and grow, so I soaked it all in from good and even not-so-good human leaders. My best leadership advice always came straight from the Bible, though.

I found examples of strong female leaders like Esther and Deborah in the Bible. These ladies lived in a culture that placed little value on women, but that didn’t stop God from using them in positions of great authority. I admired both women because they didn’t get caught up in selfish ambition or become power hungry. Instead, they focused on God and the welfare of the people they were leading.

I related to Esther’s story because of her humble beginnings. (Read the Book of Esther and see how God used this orphaned girl to impact the lives of many.) Her story gave me the courage to walk through any door God was opening, even when I didn’t know where He was leading or when it looked like I was heading somewhere I didn’t want to be.

Deborah was a warrior whom God called to lead the people of Israel in Judges 4–5. From her life, I learned that having the authority to make decisions was important, but I also had to be able to work through other people to get things done.

Deborah empowered and encouraged others, giving them the confidence they needed to fulfill the mission. I especially loved how she valued volunteers (Judges 5:9). She taught me to trust God in everything I did, to give Him the praise and glory for every victory, and to look at the big picture when making my decisions.

Whether I was working in classification, re-entry, as a warden, or as a regional director, I remembered how these women led their people. I viewed every job assignment as a mission—souls were at stake. God impressed upon my heart to consider the lives affected by the decisions I made.

Every person is a human being with a name and a story. Learning the key details of their story helped me understand why a person might behave or respond in a particular way. That’s when real problem-solving could happen.

I retired from FLDOC in 2018 as a warden at the Florida Women’s Reception Center (FWRC), but every decision, position, and relationship I encountered during my years with the department shaped and molded me for God’s continued call on this new chapter of my life.

I’m still on a mission today, but now I serve with amazing volunteer organizations. As a volunteer, I freely share the hope of Jesus with men and women in prisons all over Florida and even other states. I’ve been privileged to baptize hundreds of women who have chosen Jesus as the Lord of their lives. How exciting it is to help them start their prison journey anew with the light and hope of Jesus.

Wherever you are in your life journey, I encourage you to grow your faith roots deep in Christ. God will empower you every step of the way with inner strength through His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16). Listen to the promises of Ephesians 3:17: “Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong” (NLT).

No matter who we are or where we live, we need faith roots to keep us strong. And we need God’s love to lead and teach us how to live so we can influence the world for His glory.

All He needs is our trust and a willing heart.

Chris Southerland volunteers at her church and with The Jesus Infusion and Timothy’s Gift, two prison ministries that provide incarcerated persons with hope, healing, and the love of Jesus. Chris serves the “least of these,” from youthful offenders to lifers. Chris enjoys spending time with her three children and two grandchildren.