Newsletter October 2009

Dear Friends,  

I first met Jerry in Bible Study. He rarely spoke. He would sit down at the stainless steel table and stare at the floor. Sometimes, the tears would flow.

Last week, I received a letter from Jerry that included this paragraph… “When I met you, I was going through one of the biggest storms in my life, if not for you and other Christians [inmates] there, I don’t even want to think about how bad it could have been. Since then, my spiritual life has gone from lukewarm to a heartly passion… I am ready to do our Father’s work for the rest of the time he allows me to walk this earth.”

Jerry went on to share how he has been reconciled with his teen age daughter- a miracle in itself. Praise God.

I just realized it’s been almost two months since you’ve heard from Kate and me. We took a week off in September to visit Montana and hike the high peaks in Glacier Park. We both needed the time away. However, it’s taken almost that long to recover and get back in the groove. As we stood on the Continental Divide at 10,000 feet, looking down “black canyons and visioned valleys” that great hymn- “How Great Thou Art” just kept running through my head. What a mighty God we serve. I realized that I have been trying to do too much in my own strength- everything in fact- rather trusting in His strength. I got it. I surrender.

During the past few weeks, the Spirit has shown me the power of relationship. Jerry barely spoke during the short time I was with him, but he listened and his life was changed. There are many ways to do prison ministry. You could say it has a thousand faces. For me, the only face that counts is the one before me- through the bullet-proof glass in the visitor’s area, in Bible study or across the table in Dunkin Donuts. That is where we will continue to serve.

Thanks for being there with me as I minister to men like Jerry, and with our mentors as they minister to men on the street. Your support makes it possible. Help us bring hope to those in the midst of the storm. Thank you for your gifts. If you haven’t joined our financial support team, please consider it.

Much grace and many blessings,

Mark