Prison Ministry Assistance

I am learning the difference between love and Love. You can’t imagine the peace that I have received by releasing the bonds on myself and my used-to-be enemies and giving love instead of hate. I no longer talk to a “man in the sky” when I pray. I feel his presence in everything around me.

Three years ago, my doctors told me I was sick with leukemia. I was consumed with worry. Since coming to CS, my health has had a total change. The more serious I got with God, with MBE, the better I felt. I have overcome the sickness. The past year the cancer has been undetectable.

I spent 35 years incarcerated, but my relationship with a Christian Science chaplain led to my release. Recently I was hired as the manager of a housing facility, I obtained my driver’s license, and purchased a car. I attend the CS church regularly, and three weeks ago applied for Mother Church membership. Indeed, “with God, all things are possible.”

Now, I don’t do any of the things I used to do before I messed up and went to prison. And it’s because I’ve come to the truth — to the realization of what Christ is all about. Christian Science helps me to cast out erroneous thoughts by putting God first in everything I do.

Christian Science educated me on the nature of God. He is in almost everything. God is every minute all around. And I started understanding that I wasn’t alone. Even here in prison I wasn’t alone. God was always steady with me — I just had to recognize his presence in my life.

We are tempted to think that we are dependent on ourselves, that we are self-sufficient. We may go through this phase of thinking, only to learn that we are completely dependent on God. We are guided, guarded, governed by divine Mind, divine Principle, God.

No matter if you are behind bars or out on the street, you do not have to feel alone at the Christmas season. I am drawing closer to God. I fellowship with Him the best I can and thank Him for the birth of His Son. In the new year I will keep Him first in my life all year long.

I had a couple of healings through Christian Science when I was locked up. My knee was hurting real bad around 2010. I prayed on it and one of the CS volunteers prayed for me also. I was pretty sure it was going to be a permanent situation, but now I can run, jog, do everything with no pain.

I was going through a down spell, and I said to myself: “Look, something has to change.” So I picked up Science and Health and started reading — and I got a feeling of peace and home. The way the book explained the question and the answers, she made it into something I could really understand.

When I share Christian Science perspectives with other prisoners, I emphasize that we already possess the traits we desire. We just have to acknowledge the spiritual, inspired qualities that are our inherent nature. We only have to recognize that.

I heard about a Christian Science meeting in the prison. You know what I found there? It was a peace that I have never experienced. It just came over me and I relaxed and I felt like I should be there. I just love “Footsteps of Truth.” That’s my favorite chapter — it tells the truth.

I see the work God is doing for me. I have gone from walking around with a mean look on my face to a smile, filled with happiness. Now that Love has filled me, I can share it with my fellow inmates. My daughter has seen change as well — she says I’m starting to grow up!

People ask me how I made it through prison? I made it through with Christian Science — by knowing spiritual reality (knowing God as well), and all the stuff around me became illusion. I knew that the kingdom of God was within me and I didn’t have to be so intimidated by what was around me.

I am renewed in the spirit of my mind daily. You have to remember that not one word of God is going to fall to the ground — not one word! That’s a principle that I use daily.

[Christian Science is] so refreshing. When I read how God is love, God is spirit, God is not corporeal, I’m like “wow, I’ve always felt that way: like God was all things and everywhere and inside of me. Jesus says “the kingdom of God is within you” and it was brought to light by Christian Science.

A lot of things happened while I was in prison that proved there’s no denying the reality of God and Jesus. I’ve been in violent situations and I called on the Lord every single time. But I never got beat — not once in a life-or-death situation. And I believe it’s all because of God.

I now take time to say I love everyone, whereas before I was very selfish. Christian Science has ignited my life/heart in ways I cannot express in words. Today I have the missing pieces to the puzzle that has healed my heart. Love, peace, and happiness flows through my days.

Each year I feel elevated to becoming a better person. Miscellaneous Writings says “I find that the “Spirit of truth” will teach us all things if we will but practice well what we know.” I know and love the truth.

I would like to say, ever since starting my journey of Christian Science and studying with the local prison ministry group and then beginning a mentorship, I have felt more love and support than ever before in my life. It has revealed the truth to me of God’s infinite support of abundance and love.

In seeking an expression of gratitude recently, I considered how I’m woven into a beautiful garment of Love and caring — of community and family — of blessings. Reflection manifests expression in myriad ways . . . it’s something to ponder.

A holy life takes work. It is God’s work — and our work. We owe it to God, ourselves, our families, and our victims, to do the hard work of cleaning up our lives and our spirits. We don’t do it because it’s easy. We do it because we’re faithful.