Last week I received a letter from a teenager who is currently incarcerated. Not a typical teen but one who has been locked away from the rest of the United States population because he lacked self-control and ended up committing a crime(s) that no one could stop until he found the secret to his greatest need. Please read below an excerpt from his letter.
Hello Victor,
I am doing awesome. Today, I found out I passed all of my tests for the GED! So, I will be able to graduate on Oct, 2nd. I wanted to thank you again for helping me accept the Lord into my life. Ever since that day I have been able to control my anger, and to stay calm, even when other people are trying to get me upset. The way I think and interact with people have really changed ALOT.
I have been going to church on Sundays and bible study on Mondays. I got the last letter from you on August 22nd and that coming Monday I went to bible study and during the study we were asked to look up some versus in the bible and, they happened to be 2 of the 3 you sent me in your letter.
I try to every night read and understand at least one chapter of the bible. If I do not understand it I pray and ask God to help me understand and he has always helped me.
I think that the Lord was trying to tell me that no matter what He will always be there to help me. And I believe it. 
Wow! How many of us can take a lesson from this young man! He, still in prison mind you, “gets” it guys! Let’s break this it down in three easy points:
- Read the Bible.
- Go to church.
- Trust God is with you always and wants to help you and teach you about Him!
Now I was also touched that this young teen boy invited me to his graduation in October. I’d like to make it clear that he is not getting out of prison, he still has time to serve, but he’ll be participating in the graduation within the prison walls.
While unfortunately I will not be able to attend, I would like to ask any and all of you who are so inclined to please comment to this Blog and write James a word of encouragement! I will forward all of your comments to him, so that he may be encouraged that way! Please just include your first name and city and state when commenting, and I always keep email addresses confidential so only your comments will be forwarded.
God bless ya!
Victor
Precious and beloved child of God. I am so happy to hear of the change in your heart. Our Lord is an amazing Father and King. When we come to His throne He leans forward and draws us closer. That is when the change comes. I would love to tell you that it is a cake walk from here but the enemy is not going to give up. However, our Lord is not going to give up either. Remember that you are always in our prayers, always in His hands and that the war has been won….. you are His forever. Stay close to Him in the word and you will grow in His strength. He has a place for you in His plan.
Praise be to God always, Chris
Hi, rock on and praise the Lord that He has, by His glory, opened your eyes to know Him and ask Him into your heart. Knowing He chose you is the coolest part.
Remember to give the Lord the glory when he delivers you from sinful behavior such as anger. Don’t be confused: it is not that He has given you self control but that He IS your control now. When you ask the Lord to come into your heart, you are saying you are ready to serve Him and He is just to lead you to His perfection.
Your battle is just beginning. This will be a battle between the spirit and the flesh but do not be discouraged for Jesus is with you. Read your bible so that you can put on your armor of God (Ephesian 6:11-18).
2 Timothy 4:18
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve [me] unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Praise the Lord on high.
Dear James,
Congratulations on passing the tests for your GED! That is quite an accomplishment and took a great deal of commitment on your part. It was so encouraging to hear that you have asked Jesus into your life, that you are changing, and that you are taking the steps to get closer to Him day by day. The Lord has a great plan for your life, James. May He give you the strength and courage to stay strong in Him. Continue to do what you are doing and He will be faithful to speak to your heart and life through the power of His Word. What a tremendous blessing it is to know that one of His great promises is that He will never leave us or forsake us. Stay close to Jesus. Following Him is so worth it. May God bless you and keep you, James. – Patty
Dear brother in Christ, Congratulations on your GED tests! Isn’t God awesome? Since I gave my life to Jesus 10 years ago, I’ve been on a wild adventure. Some difficult valleys and some wonderful hill tops. Don’t give up. You are on a journey to a place that is so incredible and so beautiful that our human minds cannot imagine it. Do not let the enemy have a foothold in your life again. All he wants to do is steal from you, destroy you, and kill you. Cover yourself with the word of God daily and hang in His presence. There you will find a true friend who sticks closer than a brother and who will NEVER let you down or leave you. May God bless you, protect you, teach you, and keep you safe! MaryLu. San Jose, CA
Wow, congratulations James! That’s so awesome to hear this news
I’m a 14 year old sophomore from San Diego, Ca and I see kids all the time in trying situations like yours that never accept Jesus’ love. It’s so exciting to hear that you have changed, the Lord definitely has more amazing plans for your life than you will ever imagine. Keep your amazing faith in Him and lean on him in everything.
“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, REJOICE! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7
Your testimony is so great to hear. God bless you! -Brianna
Hello James and what wonderful news…you are walkling with our Lord Jesus Christ! Welcome to the family where someday we will meet in heaven! How awesome that you passed your GED, good for you James. You hang in there and be a good witness to others, God will surly bless you for that. Praise be to God. Good is Good all the time..all the time God is good. May our Lord Jesus bless you and keep you safe my brother in the Lord.
In HIS love, Jill
James,
Welcome, Brother. I’ll never tire of hearing people come to Christ. The change He can make in us is simply amazing. Although I can’t come to your graduation, I’d like you to know that I will be there in spirit as will Jesus Christ. He will never leave you. You have a player on your team that has conquered Satan and presents you to the Father holy and righteous. Man I love being on this team.
Congratulations on your graduation and your salvation.
Your brother in Christ,
Phil
James, Congrats on your salvation, new life in Christ! It took me 42 years to figure it out. Isn’t it awesome to know where you’re going to spend eternity! Jesus has already prepared a place for you in heaven, AMen! Remember the devils job is to try to steal, kill & destroy you & your loved ones. But, greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world. John 14:15-17 “If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” Feed yourself daily with Gods word & he’ll take you places you never thought you could go! Stay strong in Christ. God Bless, Pam
Hey James, God bless you and keep you! Thru Christ all things are possible and your testimony proves that. Way to go on your GED. Brother ,continue reading the word, continue going to church and pray giving thanks daily for what the Lord has done for you and will continue to do. I will pray that you are an example to the other young men whose hearts are filled with darkness and do not have the hope and assurance that you have thru Jesus. Your Brother, Mitchell
Dear James,
WOW! Welcome to God’s family ! You have made the most important decision of your life…eternity with God. It is so encouraging to know that a wonderful young man like you has been changed from darkness to God’s light. Congratulation on completing your GED! That is an awesome accomplishment. That just shows that you have it in you to move forward with positive things in your life. My prayers will be with you-that God’s Love will guide your every step. Stay close to the Lord in your daily spiritual journey-HE will never disappoint you. If we never meet hear on earth, I expect to see you in heaven. A praying Mom…
James.so happy to hear you are growing and stretching in your new walk with the LORD.HE truly is the answer to all life’s problems and situations.I have been blessed to minister to the women in TDCJ and it has changed my life.GOD will take you from glory to glory just as HE has done for me and countless others.HE cannot lie and will always be there for you.Share your love for HIM with others around you and watch HIM move in their lives as well.GOD’S PROPERTY…TINA
James, Congratulations first one graduation and then another! Just remember that there are those who will be praying for you and that God does have a plan for you. Part of His plan may even include using you where you currently are. Buddy – you hit the nail on the head. Read the Bible, go to church and trust/beleive in God.
Don
Kingman, Arizona
That is so wonderful that you finished your schooling, great job! It is so nice to see the impact that Jesus can have on our lives when we are willing to accept him, even those of us who seem like hopeless causes. I will keep you in my prayers! Keep going forward and even if times get rough don’t give up, HE will see you through it. He is faithful, take it from a big sister who never gave up praying for a brother who seemed hopeless, and He heard my prayers!!! Take care, and continue in His precious word!!
Wow it’s amazing how quick your life can change with the Power of God! I’m am excited for you to come this far and to except Jesus in your life. And it’s an amazing thing to know that you are graduating too! That is awesome! I am proud of people like you who can go all the way like with school and you know now that with “God all things ARE possible”! Congradulations!!!
Heya James! We (all your new family members in God) are so proud of how you’ve grown in the Lord! Congratulations on your GED. God’s got so much planned for you, that none of us on earth can begin to imagine. Don’t let go of the Lord, and the dreams that He will continue to place and bring up in your heart. Go for HIM without holding anything back. Take it from me, you will never EVER regret it when you give yourself to the Lord. He protects us, He teaches us, and most wonderfully — and from which all the other blessings come — He LOVES us. Never loose sight of that fact. That’s something that’s absolutely wonderful about knowing Jesus — when we dive into Him, there’s no end to His goodness, there’s no end to being absolutely floored by just seeing Him. Therefore, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. I’m so encouraged to hear you are listening to the Lord for yourself. Tuning your ears to hear Him for yourself is the best thing you can do — and the most fun!!!
Know that we’re all cheering you on in the Spirit! Looking forward to hearing all the glorious things the Lord does in your life once we finally all go Home to Daddy.
In Christ,
–Lisa
p.s. Have a blast with graduation!
Praise God! I am thrilled James to read how God has begun to change your life. Keep seeking out the Lord and He will reveal His blessings to you in such ways that you will know it is of the Lord. Remember James there is none righteous not one, we all need our loving Savior Jesus Christ, without Him there is no hope. I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of, actually very ashamed of. Through God’s grace I have been able to move beyond the guilt of my conscience and buried it in the past where it belongs. Through Christ alone we are new creatures. May God bless you and keep you my brother.
Romans 3:10
as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;
To Him be the glory!
Eddie
James,
You will never be alone again. The Lord has always known of you and has been waiting patiently for you. No one can lock Him away from you, ever! And now we know of you and are praying for you. I have really been trying to be obedient to God about prayer. I don’t know about you, but so often it seems like blowing smoke into the air. Where does it go? What did it do? How can it do anything in the vastness of the sky? I don’t know the answers, but I do know that the Lord says to do it and that it does do something. And that something is always good. It always fights evil. Sometimes when my head it attacking me, I lay in bed and just say, “Jesus is Lord, Jesus is Lord” over and over. If nothing else, I know it’s nothing Satan wants to hear. Maybe it’s like a child calling out to his father. I have a son and the most wonderful thing to my ears is to hear him call out, “Mom”. I never ignore that ! Jesus will use you right where you are now. Let Him. “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper yo and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.” Jeremiah 29: 11-14 In His precious name, Judy
I just love the good news of Jesus Christ,and love checking out ATP ministry happenings!! Congratulations to the man getting his GED. The basics is always what works the best,123!! Encouraged greatly by this ministrie.
GOD IS AWESOME! Isn’t he? I too was a baad kid! I too recieved my GED! I am now 28 years old and a certified paralegal and KNOW, as you are finding out, that God’s grace is the most amazing feeling one could ever have! Congratulations! There are no limits to what you can do!
Congratulations James, it is a blessing to hear of God’s faithfulness in your life! In Psalm 103:1-18 it says “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Remember James, Praise God from which all blessings come!
Danielle
Winchester, CA
Congratulations, James! It takes great determination to complete what was previously started & I pray that you would continue that determination, not only in seeking God’s calling for your life, but mainly in seeking God! God promises that, “if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29. I pray that God would be a light unto your path & a lamp unto your feet & that He would show you exactly what He put you here on earth to do for His glory! It’s like I tell my kids…..it’s not how you start, but how you finish that truly counts. Finish well…..seek God!!! God bless you in every way!
Awesome James! Blessings and Aloha from Hawaii. Keep up the good work and know that it’s not hard with Jesus doing that “work” in and through you. Welcome to the family of God! Praying for you Bro. Proverbs 22:4-
“By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.”
Hey bro, congratulations! If you ever, EVER feel like Jesus can be lost or that people can take Him away from you, read Romans 8:38-39. You will be instantly comforted. It’s a big sign of maturity and spiritual readiness that you are able to live as a child of God in prison.
Congratulations, James, on getting your GED! Your comments in your letter really inspired me, and I pray that Jesus’ love for you is what wakes you up in the morning, gives you joy through the day, and thankful praise as you go to sleep each night! I pray that you’ll always have joy in your heart, a smile on your face, and praise on your lips for Jesus! Keep up the good work!
James,
God’s mercy is new every morning and how blessed we are that He always shows us the way we are to go. I’d like to share with you the verse He gave me when I really needed it . . . Joshua 1: 9 Have I not commanded you, be strong and courageous, do not be discouraged or afraid for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go. Blessings to you!
Sue
Ramona, CA