The past weekend was awesome.  I was privileged to observe a miracle that only God could do.  It was through Christian 12 Step jail ministery that a volunteer spent time to lead a recovery group and an inmate chose to listen and heed the words of the facilitator.

Saturday I attended the college graduation of that particular inmate.  He graduated with honors and is now training as a candidate for ordination to the ministry.  When I review his rap sheet for past offenses and observe where he is today it is an undeniable miracle that only an all powerful God could perform. 

Let me encourage all volunteers serving in jails and prisons all across the world that you have answered the call to share the good news but it takes the workings of our all sufficient God to regenerate the heart.  We are called to be obedient not successful.

A great time of inspiration and fellowship was enjoyed by a large number of members of our community including local church pastors, faith based ministry staff as well as local and state officials that attended a recent breakfast hosted by the Christian 12 Step Ministry.  Chaplain Larry Durham (Marion Correctional Institution), Chaplain Sam Franklin (Marion County Jail), and Sheriff Ed Dean (Marion County) presented an inspirational challenge of utilizing faith based ministries to impact the lives of the incarcerated.

If two thirds of our high school students dropped out of school prior to graduation or if two thirds of our roads became impassable in our county or if two thirds of the bridges on our interstate highway system were to collapse over a brtief period of time there would be a public outcry to do something.  However, we seem to overlook the fact that two thirds of inmates in the prison system return to prison within five years of their release.  Where is the public outcry?