We recently asked you to send a note of encouragement or greeting to our Adults in Custody. You responded with such grace and cheerleading. We are receiving multiple responses from the men and women these notes were directed to. We kept saying, “Wish YOU could read these!”
Here’s a great example. Please take time to slowly read what Brandon has to say to you and see how important your message was:
Greetings from yours in Christ Jesus, our Lord. My name is Brandon. I am an inmate at Snake River Correctional Institution. A little about me: I am from Salem Oregon and gave my life to the Lord back in 2015 when I was sitting in the Marion County Jail facing 25 years in prison. The Lord has delivered me from such a hard life.
I thought i was bulletproof and unstoppable
I grew up in a drug and gang-infested area. The Lord brought me out of a life of gang banging, dealing, and smoking drugs, living in sexual bondage, and more. I grew up around the church but lived a life of rebellion. There are many times that I should have died out there, but since I didn’t, I thought I was bulletproof and unstoppable. But when I was healed from my blindness, I could see that God had His hand around me the whole time because He had a much greater plan for my life than I could ever imagine. He gracefully and mercifully brought my life together and flipped it around.
I now use my gifts and talents for Him. I’ve always been an artist, but instead of using my art on the side of a building or bridge, I use it to donate to Visions of Hope for the kids of Otino-Waa. Instead of rapping with gang violence in my lyrics, I now am part of a Christian rap group here at SRCI. We are called, “Blessed 4 Real”. Instead of being a follower of gangs, I am now a follower of Christ and in a leadership position in our rap group. I am also attending International Christian College and Seminary for a degree in Christian Leadership.
i want to point out how great it was to hear from the children who wrote–their faith and love for jesus had such an impact on my faith!
The reason I write to you today is that I am incredibly grateful for the letter that you have sent us with multiple encouragements from multiple people. Such a blessing. Thank you all! But even though I found such encouragement in every letter, I want to point out how great it was to hear from the children who wrote. Their faith and love for Jesus had such an impact on my faith. I really admire that.
Even though i know that god has a purpose for me…i still struggle with a few things
I still have some struggles of my own that I feel led to ask if you can keep me in your prayers. Even though I know that God has a purpose for me, even in here, and that I am not alone; I still struggle with a few things:
1.) Being in here away from my family during such a crisis.
2.) Not being able to reach them with the gospel as much or as effectively as I would like to.
3.) Having a hard time forgiving myself for the people in my past who I have hurt and pushed out of my life due to my actions. I love them and miss them so much and desire to be a part of their lives again but cannot reach out to them.
I have been praying for reconciliation but so far…nothing. Please keep me in your prayers for these struggles of mine. And thank you all for the wonderful encouraging letters that I needed to hear. God bless you and be with you all.
Yours in Christ Jesus,
Brandon W.
Do not miss the next opportunity to send more encouragement to those like Brandon. Your simple words of inspiration or reassurance will impact hundreds of lives!
We will be mailing another note very soon, so please email a note right away!