Life has its ups and downs. We go through good times and bad times. Some times are really bad times. Those mind-bending, I can’t believe this nightmare is happening to me, this is the kind of stuff movies are made of type of bad times. Other times seem bad in the moment, but in retrospect we can say it wasn’t so bad. If most of you are like me, my initial response when bad times hit is to begin to…
Do you believe God is able? Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced the option of being thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to the golden statue. While staring death in the face, they declared, “God is able.” “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power,…
“… always pray and never give up” (Luke 18:1 NLT). That phrase from the NLT version in the first verse of Luke 18 became seared in my mind after my son’s arrest. While my oldest son sat in a county jail awaiting trial, I cried out, “Lord our life is not supposed to look like this!” I prayed for my son to love the Lord his God with all his heart, soul, and mind. Now we faced a tragic situation…
As a mother who has an incarcerated son, I’ve had the opportunity to met other family members who also have loved ones imprisoned. In my conversations with others, I’ve heard heartbreaking stories how these loved ones did not receive a fair trial. They may be guilty of the crime, but received a sentence that does not fit the offense. Or they may be innocent, but convicted and sentenced to prison. The common thread in my conversations with others is that…
Thomas “Bart” Whitaker’s death sentence was commuted to life without parole by Texas Governor Greg Abbott just minutes prior to his scheduled execution on February 22, 2018. Bart Whitaker received the death penalty after being convicted of plotting the murders of his family in 2003 in Houston, Texas. Bart hired two accomplices to carry out the murders in the family home. After returning home from a family dinner at a local restaurant, Bart’s mother and brother were fatally shot upon…
How many of you attended a Billy Graham Crusade? Or watched him on TV? Billy Graham was a household name for most people in the U.S. and perhaps even around the world. This past week as I watched the tributes and memorials, I have prayed that all the television tributes, all the news articles, and all the social media links that have shared about Billy Graham’s life draw in another harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God. I agree…
In a place of heartbreak and confusion after my son’s trial, conviction, and sentencing, I was confused by the actuality that not all the facts and evidence were allowed to be presented in the trial for the jury to consider. Combined with the agony I felt because my son allowed himself to be placed in a situation that led to his conviction and the heartache I felt for the victims families, I ended up in a state of anguish. Though…
The day we received the phone call that our son had been arrested, my initial reaction was to write out Romans 8:28– “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” (NKJV). Then I turned that Scripture into a prayer. Honestly, when I prayed that Scripture back to God, my desire was for Him to keep my son out of prison. To me, that would be…
After watching the movie Walt Before Mickey, I was inspired by how Walt Disney never gave up his dream regardless of his circumstances. He found himself homeless and hungry, yet he kept his dream alive in his heart. As I ponder this past month of the new year, I realized I want this to be a year of significance. Significance for me, means touching lives and making a difference in my circle of influence because I have dared to dream…
We must hold onto hope! Without hope, we risk falling into despair. As families and friends of the incarcerated, we must hold onto hope no matter what challenges we face. Yes, the court may hand down a lengthy sentence. In the forefront of our thoughts we may think that we will never see our loved one in the free world on this side of eternity. But with God nothing is impossible! I met Joe who had two life sentences and…