I avoided jail through prayer
Testimonies February 1st, 2008About 9 months ago I was locked up in the St. Johns County Jail for a lot of reasons.
The only person I had to blame was myself, but I decided to put the blame on God. I kept saying it was His fault that I was in the situation I was in. Even though I had given up on Him and stopped loving Him, He never stopped loving me.
It’s funny how things work out - especially prayer.
My mom and I know a lot of others were praying that I would come to love Jesus like I had before, but in my heart I wanted nothing to do with Him.
On May 30, I heard what I think was an angel speaking through my best friend’s mouth saying he had just prayed and felt like a weight was lifted off his shoulders. I prayed that night (and I mean I prayed). I poured my heart out to God and asked Him back into my life.
And when I was done, I felt this relief from my addiction to drugs and the life I was living before.
I was reborn and it felt so good.
Soon there after, I got a bible and started reading it and reciting verses to others I was locked up with. One of the verses that stuck out to me was Proverbs 3:5, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”
That verse hit me so hard.
No matter what happened, I knew that God was going to protect me and guide me through whatever lay in my path.
About a month later, I was sent to a rehab instead of serving the county time, praise Jesus.
Well to make a long story short, I was kicked out of rehab and because of that I violated my probation. When I was locked up again I went into the jail a whole new person. I was a child of Christ.
While in jail, my mom told me about the fast and what I should do for the fast and what it was all about. I then began to fast even though I was locked up and I began the pray that God would have his way in the court room.
There were a lot of people praying for me and hoping I would get out on the 16 of January. When I went to the courtroom that day, the state attorney had other plans for me. They offered me another rehab and I didn’t take it so then they offered me 9 months in the county. I still didn’t want to take that so at the last minute I cried for help. I asked God to give me the courage to speak up for myself and He did.
I told the judge about my schooling with me being so close to graduating and she considered me for drug court which meant I got to come home in a week.
I trusted in God and he delivered just like He always does.
It may not be the way you want it to be, but God does answer prayers and my prayer was to come home to my family and friends at Celebration.
February 2nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
joe, we were in the courtroom that day. God gave you the words…that’s what you fasted for. thank God.
March 4th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Today is March 3,2008, I am the mother of an inmate who is currently in jail now, for what? Because of his drug addition. He’s been doing drug for so long, I cannot count the years he is in drugs. To make the story short, he will have a preliminary hearing this coming thursday, and not too long ago, I received a sopoena that I will have to be there, I don’t want to be a witness against my own son, I dont want to be one. So, I decided to get a prayer on the e-mail. Please pray for my son, what ever he does wrong, he is still my son, and I love him. Thank you.
April 11th, 2008 at 9:28 pm
After reading the blogs above, I was touched by the testimony of the young man and I was touch by the women hurting for her child. You are right. It doesn’t matter what our children do, we still love them.
God feels the same way about us. God loves each of his children more than we could ever love them. He desires that we all serve him with all our heart. Because of his great love for us, he sometimes steps back and lets us see that we can’t make it without him. I would like to share my testimony with you.
I asked the Lord into my heart at an early age in life. During my teenage years I stopped attending church and went my own way. I married at an early age and began to have children. In 1981 I realized that something was missing from my life, (Jesus Christ). He was calling me back to him. After serving the Lord for about 15 years, I was faced with a devastating divorce in which I lost my husband of 16.5 years and a best friend of 12.5 years. This left me broken, unloved, unloveable, beaten down, and no self esteem. I was left to go from being a housewife and mother to working a full time job and raising 3 daughters by myself.
I could not understand why God didn’t save my husband and I became angry at what was happening to me. I decided that I was going to walk my own way. I had lived for everyone else, now it was time I live for me. I had a saying that I use to say all the time.
Sin takes you farther than you are willing to go; it keeps you longer than you are willing to stay and cost you more than you are willing to pay.
I knew this in my head but I began to learn it by walking it. The next couple of years would find this saying to be more true than I ever knew. The word of God says that we are drawn away by our on lust and entice, when lust is conceived it brings for sin and sin when it is finished it brings for death.
To make a long story short, my road took me places that I never dreamed I would go or could go. I done things that I did not know if God would ever forgive me for. My sin took me far away from the father. I done things that I had never done before even before I was saved.
Here is the hope….. God never gave up on me. I don’t have any idea who was out there praying for me. I do know that my heavely father was making intercession for me. He had bought me with a price and he said, she is mine. Satan couldn’t have me. He called to me and called to me. I was broken because of my sin. I did not think I could ever walk with God again. He, God is the lifter of my head.
There is an old song that explains how I feel. It says something like this…..
He let me try my wings because I asked him to, knowing all the time I could not fly. The easy way was bright and gay without a cross to bear, but my road took me far away from God. But now I’m beginning to understand, he bought my life and he already had it planned. Oh foolish me I could not see, sin had my visioned dimmed. He let me go just so I would know that I can not make it without him.
I got beat up and banged up out there in the world of sin, but that walk, eventhough it sounds so bad, sifted me and broke me and I don’t ever want to be that wandering sheep that wanders away from the fold again. He carried me on on his shoulders as a shepherd would carry his wounded sheep all the way back to the fold. He allowed me to be broken by my sin and rebellion which is a way of(his chastening) in order for that sin to die and to me sifted from me. His love picked me up bound up my wounds, placed a ring on my finger and a robe around me,said lets have a party, my child has come home.
I praise God for his love and his chastening. He chastens us because he loves us.
Now I can say from the heart…..
SIN TAKES YOU FARTHER THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO GO; KEEPS YOU LONGER THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO STAY AND COST YOU MORE THAN YOU ARE WILLING TO PAY. (THIS IS SIFTING)
THEN
GOD’S LOVE, BRINGS US BACK FROM THE PLACES WE HAVE GONE, WRAPS US WITH THE ROBE OF MERCY AROUND OUR SHOULDERS AND HIS CHASTENING, LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY CREATES A LOVE IN US THAT WE NEVER WANT TO STRAY FROM HIM AGAIN.
WE LEARN TO HIS RECEIVE CHASTENING, LOVE, GRACE, AND MERCY FROM HIM AND IN TURN WE LOVE HIM FROM AN ACT OF THE HEART AND NOT JUST BECAUSE IT’S WHAT WE ARE SUPPOSE TO DO.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:42 am
My Dearest Joe,
From the first time I saw you in Church at Celebrations I knew you were someone I had to get to know. I too was angry at God for the loss of my younger sister 6 years ago. And I had just meet with Big John and his group. I too was released from the grip of the evil one, from anger and sadness, and bitterness. I just wanted to say that you have been a true inspiration to me over these past several months, your smile and presence lights a room up. To see the love you have for GOD and everyone around you is truly a blessing for us to know you. You are not my child, but I have adopted you in my heart and want you to know that I pray for you and we love you so very much. You are a GREAT Man, I look forward to seeing you grow into The MAN GOD wants you to be.
Michael & Yevette
St. Johns Youth Services