Good morning!

What an evening we had last night with the boys on Gibbs Unit!   Renee had prepared last night's lesson and had a few challenges getting herself to the facility, but we entered without any delays or distractions.  Brace yourself, this is going to be a long message and it doesn't even hit all of what we saw happen last night!

As soon as the boys had entered, Renee called them to order and got started on her lesson.  Renee's lesson focused on choosing to either believe God and His message in Scripture, or to reject God and His offer of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.  There is no middle ground.  Her outline included:

• ·         He Loves His Children - Proverbs 8:17, 1 John 4:16
• ·         He'll Have Your Back - Isaiah 41:10
• ·         He is Trustworthy - John 12:46, Psalm 9:10
• ·         He Gives Peace - 1 Corinthians 14:33, Psalms 9:9-10
• ·         He is Faithful - Deuteronomy 32:4, Lamentations 3:22-23
• ·         He is Gracious - Matthew 5:3, 1 Timothy 1:14
• ·         He Restores - Isaiah 1:18
• ·         And her life verse... Jeremiah 29:11-14

When Renee started sharing with the boys about making a choice, she noticed a line on the floor right where she was standing.  God gave her what she needed to explain standing on one side or the other - the darkness and the light.   The boys were absolutely captivated right from the get-go.  A different boy read each of the verses above.  They were the most respectful, quiet and orderly they have EVER been last night and we had 19 present.  During the lesson, one of the guards even came out and took a seat to listen.  I love it when that happens!!

Renee took a plain piece of white paper and started telling a story about two guys in prison.  One is a believer and one is not. The believer was constantly preaching to the non-believer and the non-believer was tired of hearing what he had to say.  The non-believer loved origami and handed the believer a piece of paper and asked the believer to make a cross with the paper.  The boys are still absolutely silent and paying so much attention!  Renee folded the paper once and talked about the slippery slope into darkness.  She folded again and talked about Moses on the mountaintop talking to God.  She folded again and said we are to be "one" with God as she held up a number one out of paper.  She then tore the paper straight down the middle.  Pieces of paper started falling to the floor and she said, "Oh no, I think I messed up!" and Michael said, "Wait! Who messed up, you or the guy in the story?"  He could not WAIT To hear the rest.  After the pieces had fallen to the floor, Renee opened the paper and it was in the shape of the cross.  She then took the pieces and wrote the word HELL on the floor and talked about hell being a real place.  A new boy, Steven, stood up and moved to another place to be able to clearly see what was happening on the floor.  It was still absolutely silent.  Renee took the pieces of paper and rearranged them into the word LIFE.  And shared with them that Jesus gives new life.  SILENCE.  They absolutely loved it.  Then Renee asked who was a Christian - and around five hands were raised.  She then asked them to be honest and share why they have chosen NOT to believe in God.  No response... then she asked why they DO believe in God.  Tyquin asked her why she believes and she shared more of her personal life story.

We had a very quiet and enjoyable prayer circle, with many of the boys praying for Kemone, who left for the penitentiary last week. 

As soon as the prayer circle was finished several of the boys took pieces of paper to start figuring out how to fold and tear into a cross.  Kevin quickly succeeded and then said, "Susie, look at this!"  He had taken the pieces and made the word LOVE.  "It says love too!" he said.  Who would have thought... 

After the prayer circle, we had an abundance of time to have one-on-one conversations.  I want to share one of mine with you.

I shared with you a few weeks ago about a conversation I had with Manuel.  He was hurting and even cried with me as he shared his worry about his relationship with his daughter and how much more time he will be in prison.  I prayed for him, and he didn't want to let go when he hugged me good-bye.  He hasn't missed one of our visits since then and even asked for a Bible a couple of weeks ago.  Last night, Manuel couldn't wait to come talk with me, and he came carrying his Bible with many bookmarks.  I asked him how he was doing and if things were getting better and he said, "I don't worry about that stuff no more.  I want to change my life and I'm trying to find God and see how all this works.  I feel like I am two people - the one that messes up all the time and the one who wants to change. I really want to change myself and my life."

Over the last few weeks, God keeps taking me back to Psalm 40.  As I was listening to Manuel and thinking about his tears several weeks ago.  I asked Manuel to turn to Psalm 40 and he said he has a hard time finding his way through the Bible.  So I shared a bit with him about how to find what you're looking for and then I located Psalm 40.  I reminded Manuel of our prayer time together and how much he had been hurting.  I asked him if he felt better now and he said yes.  I asked him if he felt stronger, and he said yes.  I asked him if he felt more peaceful and he said yes. 

I started reading to him...  I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.

I said, "Manuel, God turned to you that night we prayed together and he heard you cry.  He heard your pain and He heard you calling out and asking for help."

I read further... He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.

I said, "Manuel, can't you tell by the peace you feel, the relief from all that pain and the hope you have that He is lifting you out? Just like it says here?"  He had the biggest smile on that tattooed face...

I read further...He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.

I said, "Manuel, I know you want to change your life, but the glorious thing about God is that once you share with Him that you want your life to change and ask for His help - he will change you.  If you try to do it on your own, it's too hard.  But when you ask God to change your life, He takes care of it for you. He gives you relief and makes it happen for you." 

I read further...He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.

I said, "Manuel, I can see on your face and hear in your words tonight that you have a new happiness, a new joy, a new peace.  God is already doing exactly what we just read here in these verses in YOUR life!!"

He took a piece of paper and put it into his Bible to mark the page and said, "I'm going to highlight that!"  He hugged me at least twice and said he needed to go call his girlfriend and apologize for something he'd said earlier in the day.

They never did ask us to leave last night, but we exited at 8:30.  This is the longest we have ever been allowed to stay and the conversations that Tom, Renee and I had with individual boys were such a blessing.

I could hardly get to sleep last night after seeing all of this happen.  Thank you again and again and again for all of your prayers that prepare us and prepare the boys for our visits. 

He HAS given ME a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to OUR God!!  :-)

Learning to love like Jesus,

Susie (and Tom and Renee!)

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Prayer Request

Please pray for my appeal, that they would see that 21 years isn't right for me.

~ Stephen

My mom is in jail in Madera County and she's having trouble in there.

~ Sterling

For me going to board to just guide me and show me the right way also bless over my dad who's having some downs right now so just god bless you.

~ Michael

I would appreciate it if you all were to pray for my cousin Ruben, that he is safe in all that he does, because he is being influenced by all the wrong people.  Pray for my mom and whole family and friends who help look out for my family when I am not home.  Give prays and thanks for Betty G. for her love and support and knowledge she has shared with me. Thanks and God bless.

~ Jordan

I would like you 2 pray for my grandma because she is not feeling well.

~ Tyquin