Letter from a prisoner

I've done so many things that counted for nothing.I always rebelled against my father, who was a preacher, and grew up believing nothing could touch me.

I started by forging checks. Checks led to credit card crimes. The Feds got me on forgery and possession of marijuana.

But that didn't teach me anything.I still didn't believe anything really bad could happen to me. I got out of prison and decided 9 to 5 work wasn't going to earn me the kind of money I was used to. I was in so much pain, and had so much hurt. I picked up where I left off and got arrested again.

The cycle continued. Out of jail, then back in. And always the same feeling of not being able to forgive myself for shaming my family. I was so tired of my life.

I hit bottom after getting arrested yet again. I wanted to die so badly. I said to God, "You've got to give me something to hold onto because I can't go on."

I opened my Bible after that to Isaiah 54:7-8, and read words that burned into my heart.

 “For a brief moment I abandoned you,
   but with deep compassion I will bring you back.
In a surge of anger
   I hid my face from you for a moment,
but with everlasting kindness
   I will have compassion on you,”
   says the LORD your Redeemer. 

 

That was the beginning. There were more ups and downs. I had messed up my life from age 24 to38. It was time to stop testing God and to trust him with every part of my life.

 

I'm looking forward to starting over. I really believe my life up until now was orchestrated by God to bring me to him.

 

 

I'm going to serve him after I leave here. There are a lot of young people out there living like I did. God can do the same thing for them that he did for me.

 

I did so many things in my life that counted for nothing. Now my life is filled with joy following him.

 

-Morris Galliard

*Free On The Inside