My dreams for life are different than my reality. I never imagined I would be the mother a convict as I had different visions for my son’s future. Different dreams for my future with my family.
However, I cannot deny my reality.
Until this happened to our family, I admit I never gave much thought to prisoners and their families.
That is – until it happened to me.
By and large, a majority of the people I knew had NEVER been through having a loved one incarcerated. My family, friends, and church body showed me their concern. They encouraged me with the Word of God. They consoled me in the best way they knew how. They just did not understand the emotional trauma caused by someone you love going to prison.
- The pain.
- The grief.
- The loss.
- The devastation.
- The guilt.
- The shame.
- The stigma.
- The embarrassment.
- The sorrow.
My faith in God was tested on a whole new level. At the beginning of this journey, I wrote out my key scripture for this season in our lives:
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 NKJV).
Then I cried out, “Lord, this Scripture has been tossed around in Christian circles so often when someone faces trials in their lives. This verse has become a platitude. Nonetheless, it is still Your Word and I ask You to make it real for me and my family.”
Little by little and step-by-step, God has showed us His grace in my son’s incarceration. And with each step, the Lord gives me enough hope in Him to continue to take the next step.
And the next.
And the next.
At the time of my son’s arrest, I kept a firm hold on the only source of hope I could find–the Bible.
As I read God’s written word, I saw the people God used from a different point of view. These people were scoundrels! Some of them never did time for their crimes. For example, Moses who murdered an Egyptian man fled to the desert out of fear. Yet after 40 years in the desert, God called Moses to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of captivity.
Others in the Bible served prison time for crimes never committed. Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. The slave master’s wife longed for Joseph, but when he refused she accused him of attempted rape. Joseph was sent to prison where he served at least 2 years as prisoner after being a slave for about 11 years. After prison, the Lord raised up Joseph to be second in command to deliver Egypt as well as surrounding countries from a seven-year famine.
Plenty examples exist in the Bible of those who had criminal behaviors, but were raised up to be used in mighty ways by the Lord. They were liars, cheaters, adulterers, womanizers, prostitutes, murderers, thieves, and so on.
Just like those examples in the Bible, when God leads the rascals in our society to repentance and changes their hearts, He uses them in significant ways to advance the Kingdom of God.
If God used them—and He is no respecter of persons—He can turn around the life of my son or any criminal who accepts His love for them. Then use them in ways we cannot even imagine to advance the Kingdom of God.
Knowing God chooses “to use the foolish things of this world” in significant ways filled me with hope. The leaders God used in the pages of the Bible are not necessarily the kind we’d vote for office or hire in our businesses. But God used them—and He still uses restored lives today!
Once I truly grasped the concept that God sees all lives worth redeeming, my broken heart over what happened with my son began to heal. The Lord showed me His perfect love. He showed me hope for a future.
Through my grief and healing process, my heart has been drawn to other hurting families. Often I’m introduced to other hurting moms or wives with loved ones incarcerated. Just like I was, these families are suffering in silence as there’s not support for the prisoners of families.
Families of prisoners have very few places to turn for direction, support, or encouragement. So most of them keep silent about the situation due to the negative stigma attached.
The Lord has released me to share my story publicly so I can help other prison families overcome the negative stigma that is attached to having someone you love incarcerated.
God has now given me a new dream … a dream to build a community where families of the incarcerated can find support, hope, help, healing, and restoration we have in Christ Jesus.
Families who remain strong in the Lord and pray for their incarcerated loved ones, make a significant difference for the family member behind bars. As family on the outside, we need to be healthy and strong so we can show those inside that God loves them, we love them, and there is hope in Christ!
In January 2017, I am launching an email subscription newsletter with teachings specifically for prison families on how to walk in the freedom Jesus has for us.
For 2017, the Lord impressed on my heart that this is the year of RELEASE.
For more information about receiving this newsletter, click on the image above or click here.
Please share this information with those you know whose lives are impacted by having a loved one incarcerated.
God bless you!