After my son was arrested, I shared our situation with a trusted colleague. She told me over and over, “Shonda, remember to be kind to yourself.” Each time she said that, I said, “Okay.” But I didn’t know what to do to be kind to myself. I am a wife and a mother. I’m busy taking care of my husband and son. I’m busy volunteering at the sports field, working in the concession stand, running errands, etc. After some years,…
At Fortress of Hope Ministries our desire is to provide you with resources for your prison family journey. Our resources are scattered about in a myriad of locations, such as: the website & blog the closed Facebook group transmitted in emails shared on monthly Zoom meetings What we found is that not everyone visits the website and blog or has an opportunity to read every email that lands in their inbox. We have many members who are not on Facebook.…
I used to be someone until I was someone’s incarcerated loved one. “Someone” this world thought more of, that is. In an instant, it seemed everything changed. I wondered, “Lord, is it because I couldn’t change myself?” The Bible instructs us to die to this world. I still have work to do, but if there’s one thing the drama in my life has taught me – it is how to die. Lord, may I learn to do it without always…
Adam and Eve walked with God every day and knew Him on a very personal level. Due to this intimacy, they knew God’s heart. But then the serpent showed up? How did he get Eve to take the forbidden fruit? He did not force it down her throat, but he cunningly tricked her by asking, “Did God really say …?” Ever since Genesis, the enemy has twisted the truth, lied, schemed, and fooled believers. No one is exempt from this…
While the world’s scientists scramble to discover a vaccine for the Coronavirus, as believers, we are equipped with something more powerful, and stronger than any man-made vaccination. We have the completed work of Christ on the cross, the blood He shed by His stripes is for our healing, and we have HIS Word on it. By confessing God’s Word, it activates its intended purposes so the Word accomplishes the reason God gave it to us (Isaiah 55:11). I’m not opposed…
While the world’s scientists scramble to discover a vaccine for the Coronavirus, as believers, we are equipped with something more powerful, and stronger than any man-made vaccination. We have the completed work of Christ on the cross, the blood He shed by His stripes is for our healing, and we have HIS Word on it. By confessing God’s Word, it activates its intended purposes so the Word accomplishes the reason God gave it to us (Isaiah 55:11). I’m not opposed…
The following opinion piece was submitted by Tommy an inmate in a Texas prison. ~~~ The times we are living in right now are very troublesome. The fear that mainstream media is pushing out daily has not only our cities and state at a standstill, but the whole world is living in fear. As Christians, God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). As I…
The Lord is a personal God. He desires a personal relationship with each and every one of us. Jesus, God’s Son, was the Lamb who was slain so that we may have a personal relationship with the Father. If you did not have a healthy relationship with your earthly father, this may be a difficult concept to understand. However, the Lord desires to show His unconditional love as a perfect Father to you. The Lord desires for us to be…
One of the enemy’s tactics against believers is fear. He uses fear that something bad will happen to us, whether it is a tragedy, natural disaster, financial difficulties, disease, or anything else. Bad things do happen in our fallen world. Jesus said we will experience trials, but we can be courageous BECAUSE Jesus conquered the world (John 16:33). Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). So if Jesus is life and He has conquered the world,…
What do you think of when you think about Moses? Some common thoughts may be … He led the Israelites out of Egypt. He parted the Red Sea. He wrote the first five books of the Bible. The Lord gave him the Ten Commandments. Yes, we remember Moses for the great things he accomplished in his life. Moses is recognized as a man of great faith (Hebrews 11:23-29). Moses’ testimony is so powerful, especially when you know all of it.…