MJ, May God bless you and your family always. Well I received your GNL Friday…I always look forward the them. Well, Like I said I do look forward to your letters, but you asked me if I pray and seek God out. My answer to that is no. I feel as if I’m not worthy enough, not anymore. I’ve committed so many sins that I know I’m not worthy enough. I feel that he has given up on me and my family has given up on me, especially my mom…
Shane is one of 40 or so participants in our prison ministry. He has received our mailing and corresponded with me for about 3 years now. This is the first paragraph of the longest letter he has ever written. It is the first time he really opened up. He shared his pain, frustration and, in response to my request for snake stories, a childhood memory about catching snakes at camp. My letters and the Good-News Letter are the only mail he gets these days.
I wrote him back and I told him that he was in a better state than those who think they are “worthy”; that it was for SINNERS that Christ came and I backed my words up with Bible quotes. I told him the story of the first man saved—St. Dismas the patron of this ministry! I told him about some of my own struggles, about things I’ve read or listened to and everything else that came to mind to give him hope and incline him to repentance. I also sent him the Canon or Repentance.
Please remember Shane in your prayers and ask God to help him see that what I told him is true: that there is no limit to God’s mercy and all of heaven rejoices when a sinner repents. Pray that God grants our brother Shane tears of repentance and that he turns back to the Lord!
There are many ways you can support our efforts and receive the blessings of “visiting those in prison”. Pray for the Prison Ministry and all our participants. Commit to putting a dollar or 2 in our jar donation jar on the candle table every week. Consider becoming a pen pal to an established member of the group! Ask Mary-Jo for details.