September Letter

“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first                                                               heard it until now.”   
                                                                Philippians 1:3-5

Hello Fellow Believers,
      As the year zooms by the Gospel message has been proclaimed day after day. The message of the Cross never grows old and you have been a part of the work through your prayers and faithful support. As Paul expressed his heart to the church, I too want to express my heart to you. Thank you again for answering the call with me and letting the Lord use us as His vessels for His Glory. The ministry is huge and a mighty work has been done and will continue until He comes. So let us put our hand to the plow and not look back because there is a work to be done in these dark days. Jesus said “ I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world”. (John 9:4-5)
     Coming back from the mission field was a heart changing and mind blowing experience. As I returned to what God has called me to do here I realized that it is mind blowing and heart changing on a daily basis. So many things happen daily in my life as Senior Chaplain. Doors open and shut and people come and go. Times are good and at times bad. Solomon wrote “ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end”. (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
     When we trust in Him, He sees us through. As I do my “one on ones”, I see about 150 inmates in any given week. That does not include what my other chaplains are seeing. I wanted to give you a little insight into the scope of the ministry and for you to see and hear what the Lord is doing in the women’s hearts and lives. It is amazing! I was counseling and an inmate expressed how she was moved by one of our Sunday services. She said the teacher prayed that God would break them. She looked at me with her big blue eyes and said “I am in jail, lost my kids and everything I had. I thought I was broken. ” Then she lifted up her eyes and hands and said “Lord then break me some more.” WOW! God is at work!!
     Last week I, Chaplain Mrotzek and a team of faithful women passed out “Angel Tree” forms to the entire jail. This is a wonderful ministry through Prison Fellowship where children receive Christmas gifts from their incarcerated parent with a gospel message. There were 1,980 forms filled out from each inmate for their child to receive a gift for Christmas. My body is still sore from this big task.  Paul wrote that our body groans and mine is groaning. Praise Jesus for those that come alongside and make the load easier as I get older.
     Last week I had a call from one of the floors, in which an inmate had received some troubling news. When I had finished with her, I was asked by a Senior to talk to an inmate who was on suicide watch. As I approached she was crying and overwhelmed. I prayed with her and then returned to my office. When my assistant arrived to work, God place it on my heart to go back. Earlier I had heard this song “The King is Here”. I grabbed my boom box and off Rayna and I went. We approached her cell and when I called her over, she started to cry again. I said “I want to share something with you” I played the song and whispered to her...”You are not alone; the King is here in cell 5”. Tears streamed from her face as she lifted up her arms before God and genuinely began to pray and cry out to the Lord. Rayna and I were overwhelmed as the inmate felt the presence of the Lord that day.
                We are on this earth for kingdom purpose. Let us honor Our King in all we do!