In Ethiopia…
for ministry.
And I loved it!
Over 4,000 men in 4 different prisons heard the Gospel preached and hundreds accepted Jesus as their Savior. It was incredible.
Most would right off these men as a lost cause. Most would have seen prison ministry as a waste of time. Most would assume prison is a hopeless place. And typically, most would have been right on all accounts. But not here, not in Ethiopia. Prison was flooded by the Holy Spirit. Grace was showered over those men and lives were redeemed.
It was an honor to bring Jesus to those men and to tell them that its not too late, they aren’t a lost cause and God has not forgotten them. God sees them and He knows them and He still loves them. Yes, they made mistakes, some bigger than others, but none of those mistakes are too big for God to redeem. Nothing is bad enough that God will turn away from His children and stop loving us. And at the end of the day, those men were still God’s children and they need God’s saving grace just as much as the rest of us.
I also had the opportunity to share my story at the women’s prison. I was able to share where I have been and how God met me in the hardest, darkest moments. I also was able to share the gospel and tell how Jesus came so that we can have life and have life abundantly (John 10:10). And it was such a beautiful reminder to me that God can use anyone, can use any circumstances for His glory and for His divine purpose. He reminded me in the sweetest way that He isn’t done with me yet, He is still writing my story and He still has more for me.
Prison was an amazing experience and I will never forget how God showed me He can work in any place, in any moment, for His glory. God’s love will always be big enough and He will forever reign over this place.
“…for when I was hungry you have Me food, I was thirsty and you have Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was in prison and you came to visit Me…Assuradly I say to you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to Me.” – Matthew 25
Praying God will show himself to you in the most unlikely of places!
– J
