All week long we run around Jeffery’s and the Eastern Cape doing ministry here and there. We’ve become very versatile volunteers since ministry is spit out by the dozen it seems like. But when ministry is constantly calling us, Sunday’s have become a very cherished day of rest.
While I could have gone for some rest, I couldn’t turn down Pastor Lucas’ invitation to go to a prison with him for a church service. More ministry!
My first experience at a prison was that Sunday. Two-hundred or more male inmates from the age of 14-60 some ready with their Bibles and some just curious were in the gymnasium past the pat down and 3 locked gate chambers ready for church.
Right away Lucas preached “Jesus is the way to salvation”, passionately. The worship team that came with us sang hallelujah songs. It was a worship experience where praise after praise of freedom filled the gymnasium.
Written on my hand to keep me focused on what matters during day or to pray for such throughout the day is a word. It’s something I’ve been doing for a while that helps me when life is messy.
Sunday when I was asked unexpectedly to share something to the crowd, I had a little panic in my stomach, but I took what little confidence I could muster up, bowed my head to pray for a message to share, saw my hand where I could faintly see the word “closer” written from two days before and that was that. I had a message I was quite familiar with, which was about drawing closer to God and God desiring a relationship with us no matter where we are or what we’ve done. It was refreshing to finally let God work the microphone. There in that prison I overcame my fear of speaking and found freedom in speaking. Ironic.
After Lucas continued to preach & inviting the men to share their stories with their brothers and worship, fifty-four men came to the alter to either accept Christ, rededicate their life, or receive prayer!
It was such a powerful morning. I thought rest was the answer, but it was what would have kept me from freedom; the prison was where I saw freedom in so many hearts and in my own heart.
Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.
– Acts 16:26
