I Wanted To Die (part two) From inside prison walls

“The Mysterious Figure” by Fred L. Durbin

dejected, I climbed out of the car, approached the front door, and just stood there —   motionless... (excerpt from part one.)

The babies yelled, “daddy’s home, daddy’s home, ” as I entered  the house “Play with us daddy, play with us, ” they  pleaded. Disregarding their persistent pleas, I walked in the kitchen where I saw my wife cooking supper. I told her I was going to the bedroom and wanted to be left alone and asked her to keep  the babies out.

The room was dark and stayed dark as I fell upon the bed. Some time later I arose, walked to the closet,

reached up, grabbed the shoe box, and began to feel for the Derringer. It wasn’t there! I knew it had to be there. No one else knew where I kept it, not even my  wife. Dismayed and angry, I returned supine on the bed, and in the darkness, with eyes shut, I asked GOD to take my life.

Half an hour or so later, suddenly, without a knock, the door flew open. Light illuminating from the kitchen made its way down the hall enveloped this huge silhouette. I was mystified! “Who and what?” I thought to myself as this “mysterious figure” entered the room. He calmly walked in, sat on my bed, and began to speak. His words began to penetrate my spirit and soul. The next thing I knew, I was sitting up and crying on his shoulder, literally bawling my eyes out.

After speaking to me, and to this day,

I have no recollection of what he said. He hugged me and began to pray. As he prayed, the presence of GOD overtook my broken spirit and began to heal my broken heart.

I don’t know how long I was wailing and don’t know how long he was there; all I know is a heavy-burden lifted off my shoulders and a peace beyond description overwhelmed me. As he stood up to leave, I thanked him and told him how much relief I felt.

After he left, I arose from the bed, walked to the bathroom, washed my face with cold water, dried off, and walked into the kitchen where I saw my wife loading the dishwasher. The babies yelled out from the living room floor “daddy, daddy.” I gave my wife a kiss, then jumped on the floor, grabbing and rolling with our babies in laughter.

As I sat to eat supper, I asked my wife how her uncle wound up in our bedroom. She replied that she heard a knock on the door, and it was Manuel. Manuel asked me where you were and I told him you were down the hall in the bedroom. He said “okay.” I asked her if she knew he was coming, and she said she didn’t. She said she had no idea why he wanted to talk to me.

Later on that night, as I laid in bed reflecting on the mysterious day’s events, my curiosity began to set in, and I wanted to know how Manuel knew I was in such distress. Before falling asleep, I made a mental note that I would call Manuel the next afternoon when he got in from work. I had to know!

 

Part three of this three part story will appear in the next edition ofthe “G-1 Newsletter. ”

 




Press On: From inside prison walls

by John Wood, G-1 Chapter Sponsor

“Brothers I do not consider myselfto have yet taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which GOD has called me heavenward in CHRIST JESUS ” —Philippians 3:13-14

For many years, this has been my “life ” verse. It has challenged me in many ways as a follower of JESUS. Although I have walked with the LORD for many years, like Paul I do not consider myself to have arrived or “taken hold of it; ” with “it” being the eternal glory I will have with my LORD and SAVIOR someday.

Paul’s emphasis on forgetting what is behind is crucial for all of us to be able to move in the direction of GOD’s calling and to not allow ourselves to be crippled by our pasts.

We must learn from our pasts so as to not make the same mistakes or commit the same sins again, but we can’t live in the past or we will never attain a full, personal relationship with the LORD.

I was a competitive long-distance runner for many years, and so I understand what it means to “press on.” In all the races I ran in over nearly a 40 year career, I never started a race that I did not finish.

There were many times I wanted to quit, but I managed to “press on ” toward the finish line. It is with that same determination (and even more) that I join the Apostle Paul in pressing on toward the goal of finishing life’s race and crossing the finish line in heaven.

I challenge all followers of JESUS who read this to “forget what is behind” and keep “pressing on.” Remembering that we are not running this race alone, that CHRIST is our strength, and that we are day-by-day achieving our eternal glory as we do not grow weary or give up!




My Passion

by Michael Geiger

(Michael is a prisoner at the Dick Conner's Correctional Center in Hominy OK. This is a message he posted to the G-1 newsletter, an inside newsletter dedicated to the Christian movement, by the prisoners)

I don’t know how, but music can really open the heart of emotions. We see the devil at work every time we turn on the TV, in movies, and in games, yet, I see more movies about faith and JESUS than I ever have before. Then I see a new age of passion.

My hope is that those who have doubt and do not believe, now believe. JESUS told Thomas “Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

We all have a call from GOD. As Scripture says, we all have talents that GOD has blessed us with, but we need to take hold and accept those gifts and talents.

GOD can and will move in our lives if we will allow HIM to. JESUS said for us to take heart because HE has overcome the world (the devil).

Take heart in all we do and give glory to GOD in all things, whether good or bad. GOD is with us and has our best interest, at heart.

I pray the message of GOD will be spread by you as well. GOD bless.