Just finished watching the video from the Solitary Confinement Conference which was very difficult for me to watch, but very necessary - the Lord got me through it. So much emotion, yet I am so thankful to know that there are many, many moms (dads, sisters, brothers, grandparents, siblings, children, aunts, uncles and friends) that are going through the same thing and that we have a means of support (M.I.S.S.)
Thankful for this group/site that I stumbled across some months ago. Personally, I have to be very guarded as to what I watch, read or listen to when it comes to the topic of incarceration...I have not allowed myself to let the enemy of our souls (satan) mess with my head which is the reason behind my caution; I could become a basket case very easily if I allowed myself to "dwell" on my sons situation (life without the possibility of parole). I have issues with the prison system in the state of MN for several reasons - to name just a few: my son spent two years in solitary confinement for throwing juice at a Correction Officer that my son felt was harassing him. Two years! The man who shared/preached at the conference said that "for every person that is incarcerated there are three or four people on the outside that are doing time with them" and I surely agree with that statement. My husband and I have seven children, our son Daniel that is in prison is child number 6 and for all of us on the "outside", which amounts to six siblings, two parents, a grandmother, four nieces and one nephew - we are all doing time with Daniel.
I rejoice with and for those whose children will someday come out from among those bars and barbed wire; I turned 60 this past October, I was 50 when my son went to prison and it has not gotten any easier though it has been ten years now. I do want to share a wonderful breakthrough with you all though - because despite our reality, our pain and our struggle, we put our hope and our trust in Almighty God and know that no matter what, He has our back (as the one sister so beautifully demonstrated at the conference - I can't remember her name); we have to have each others backs and lift one another up to the Throne of Grace in prayer. Now, back to my testimony. My sons Jacob and Daniel are 11 months apart in age, growing up they were connected at the hip (figuratively speaking) - when Daniel went to prison it took a huge toll on Jacob; so huge in fact that Jacob has not seen Daniel for ten years. The first few years Jacob was so angry that he would not talk about Daniel, wouldn't visit and wouldn't write or even talk to him on the phone. Several years down the line Jacob came to faith in Christ and put himself in Bible College. Fast forward to 2012, Jacob is now finished with Bible College, is married and is a pastor/preacher of the Gospel. He began writing and talking on the phone with Daniel when he enrolled in Bible College, but for various reasons he still had never been out to have an actual visit with his brother though he tried on several occasions. I have been praying for ten years for Jacob and his sister Michelle (who is the next closest to Daniel in age) to go and visit their brother. This past week Jacob was officially approved for visiting, which means that any day now these two brothers will finally see one another face to face! I believe this will be not only a physical breakthrough but a spiritual one; you see Daniel was walking with the Lord at one time and he fell away and ended up in the situation that put him in prison. My heart is overwhelmed - what really matters here is that Daniel would once again surrender his life to Christ. That is the cry/prayer of our entire family and we stand upon the Word of God and exercise our faith in believing every promise that the Lord has given us in the scriptures. He will restore the "years" that the cankerworm has eaten...Joel 2:25, For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable...Rm 11:29 - to name of few.
On those days that are difficult I take a deep breath and raise my eyes toward heaven and thank the Lord for all that He has done in our family and continues to do; we are a work in progress as a family. He is restoring, and reconciling, and healing; He has delivered my children from gangs, drugs, alcohol, lives of violence and addiction and raised them up in ministry with us and they are now reaching others with the love of God, they are encouraging parents, grandparents and others to never quit praying. Our youngest son is a Christian Rapper (goes by the name G.U.Y. - God Uses You) and he just finished writing and singing a song called: Parents Who Pray.
I will not let my natural/carnal eye influence me, I will continue to look life in the spiritual realm and take God at His Word and I encourage you all to do the same. Together we can bring change: to ourselves, others and to the Correctional System. God Bless You All.
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