My eyes widened in amazement, and my heart leapt with great joy as I beheld the layout of my article printed in the Reach Up magazine! I was honored and humbled, both in the same instant. “How do you sit behind bars and watch your work be published and distributed in multiple languages”, I asked myself?! The impact was global! I knew God himself was blessing me. I re-read the article with new eyes, and once again I embraced the message of what God was doing in the lives of so many behind bars. Drawing to the close of the article, though, I noted an error regarding my “status”. The publication had stated, “I was in prison serving time“.  My first response was, “no, I’m not”! However, the error quickly became minute to me. Actually, I was awaiting trial, or dismissal, but lately those facts had become irrelevant. The truth resounding of my earthly status; “arrested by the justice system. I was in a detention facility, awaiting trial. And according to the Lord of the Heaven’s, I was guilty without his saving grace”. We are all quick to jump to the defense of “not guilty“ and while I can declare fully, that is my situation regarding my charges, I am silenced by my God.

Before my Heavenly Father, I am nothing, but sin, and in His mercy, he has reached down to design redemption for me. How dare I strut around or wave a banner of “innocence“?!  How dare I esteem myself better than my fellow inmates, some of whom are charged with drug trafficking, battery, murder, DUI, or grand theft, and then try to measure them to the “white collar, accusation“ labeled against me?! My God is Lord of all, and he sees me no different, loves me no more, than those I am dwelling with.  For years, I was plagued with a church mindset. We tend to create a ‘pedestal’ for ourselves based on our years in church, or how well we are educated. We measure our “kingdom works“ and think we have attained Heavenly access because we have attended church, paid our tithes or have ministered to others? However, my eyes and heart are now opened to who Christ died for.

The lost.

The brokenhearted.

The captive.

I live in a den, and what most might deem a “cesspool”, among some of the lowest forms of life; the rejects, the criminal minds, those crawling through life without hope. I am convinced the instruction of Isaiah is very relevant in my life, and Jesus loves us all the same. The good news of Isaiah 61:1-9 must be shared continually with my sisters. In my God‘s eyes he looked down and found some area in my life where I was guilty and he has allowed this season so that I can be transformed. Like my fellow sisters in the unit, we are all on this odyssey of change. So while the justice system lingers the blood of Christ renders me “not guilty” and forgiven from my sin. And today is another opportunity to seek the souls of the guilty and give them the hope that is in Jesus Christ.