By Loren Gier

SINCE I WAS A CHILD CLICHES HAVE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. I’M
IN THE MID FORTIES NOW AND I STILL ENJOY RESEARCHING CLICHES OF
OLD. AS A CHRISTIAN, CLICHES HAVE BEEN SURPASSED IN INTEREST BY
THE INFALLIBLE TRUTHS OF SCRIPTURE. AS OF LATE, I LIKE TO THINK OF
CLICHES AS A TYPE OF COMPACT PARABLE OR MYSTERY BY WHICH
GOD’S TRUTH MAY (OR MAY NOT) BE REVEALED; HAVE YOU EVER
WONDER ABOUT HIS WAYS WITH YOU?
IN PROVERBS CHAPTER 1 MYSTERIES AND SECRET SAYINGS ARE
REVEALED BY PROVERBS (WISDOM OF THOSE LONG BEFORE US
WHO’VE SOUGHT SIMPLE TRUTHS FOR A COMPLICATED LIFE).
SCRIPTURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT SAYS THAT GOD IS KNOWN BY THE
THINGS HE’S CREATED, THEREFORE EVERY PERSON IS WITHOUT
EXCUSE OF MISSING THE BUS (ROMANS 1).
ONE CLICHE RECENTLY HELD MY ATTENTION IN A SERVICE ABOUT
DAILY CHRISTIAN DIFFICULTIES. I DID NOT HEAR THIS CLICHE IN THE
SERMON BUT RATHER WAS REMINDED OF IT IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE.
LET ME EXPLAIN:
(NASB) 2 CORINTHIANS 4:15-18 SAYS,
“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is
spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to
abound to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart; but though
our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by
day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal
weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the
things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the
things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen
are eternal.”
IN OTHER WORDS, BECAUSE OF THIS UNDERSTANDING, LET YOUR
PROBLEMS FALL OFF YOUR SHOULDERS LIKE, “WATER OFF A DUCK’S
BACK”.
A QUESTION BEGAN TO RISE UP IN MY MIND TURNING HEART.
“WHAT DOES A DUCK HAVE THAT I DON’T?” I’M A MAN. I CAN BUILD,
CREATE AND IMPROVISE ON A MUCH HIGHER LEVELTHAN AN ANIMAL
I’M CREATED IN THE CREATOR’S IMAGE WHICH MEANS I’M INTENDED
TO BE LIKE HIM. HE IS MY MODEL, NOT A DUCK. BUT EVEN THOSE
THINGS GOD HAS CREATED MAY BE USED TO CONVEY, TO RELATE AND
REVEAL THE MYSTERY OF GOD’S SIMPLE POWER FOR LIVING
VICTORIOUSLY.
IN THE PRESENCE OF A TRIAL OR THE MYSTERY OF THEM, TWO OF
MANY ANSWERS WHICH SURFACED WERE:
(1) A DUCK HAS FEATHERS (COVERING) AND
(2) A DUCK HAS OIL ON THOSE FEATHERS (PROTECTION OF EASE).
THE PRESENCE OF OIL ON FEATHERS ISN’T RESTRICTED TO DUCKS
ONLY. FOR EXAMPLE, AN EAGLE, AT SOME POINT OVER 40 YRS OLD
HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MANY STORMS THE OIL ON THEIR FEATHERS
FADE. OIL KEEPS THEM LIGHT AS THEIR FEATHERS AND WHEN THEY
DIVE INTO WATER ARE NOT WEIGHTED DOWN BY WET FEATHERS. IN A
CHRISTIANS LIFE OIL IS TYPIFIED AS A LIKENESS OF GOD’S SPIRIT.
HOLY SPIRIT’S PRESENCE IN OUR THOUGHTS AND HEART
CONVERTS LIKE OIL ON OUR BACKS, OUR RELATIONSHIPS AND
UNPREDICTABLY DEMANDING CIRCUMSTANCES IN LIFE.
FEATHERS ARE A COVERING. GOD COVERS US WITH HIS
SALVATION (AKA REST: HIS PROMISES HIS WAY). WE HELP BY GOING TO
HIM FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION, WAITING FOR HIS ANSWER.
AS WE WAIT ON THE LORD HE HAS OUR PERMISSION TO COVER
US MORE THAN HIS PROMISE WITH EXTRA BLESSING (AKA DOUBLE
PORTIONS).
JUST LIKE OIL SPILLING ONTO YOU, WHOEVER YOU TOUCH,
WHATEVER YOU TOUCH BECOMES COVERED. WHEN YOU GOT GOD ON
YOU AND IN YOU, WHATEVER HIS SPIRIT HAS WILL TRANSFER ONTO
OTHERS AND THEIR PROBLEMS LIKE YOUR OWN.
(SEE ISAIAH 61:1-4 AND LUKE 4:18-19)
FRIENDS, WE ARE COVERED. THAT’S THE PROMISE OF JESUS. BUT
THE PROMISE DOESN’T STOP THERE. THE PROMISE CONTINUES WITH
JESUS AND OUR FATHER’S PRESENCE, HOLY SPIRIT, COVERING US WITH
HIS SALVATION AND COATING AND PROVIDING VITALITY AND LIFE TO
LIVE, NOT JUST PLAIN OLD LIFE EITHER. WE ARE OVERCOMERS, MORE
THAN CONQUERORS.
(SEE ACTS 2:12-21 AND ROMANS 10:3-4,6-13)
IT’S TIME TO BE THANKFUL FOR THOSE THINGS THAT TRUMP ALL
THINGS. A FRIEND OF MINE RECENTLY DEFINED THE GIVING OF THANKS
AS THE ACT OF GRATITUDE. GRATITUDE IS THE EXPRESSION OF
THANKFULNESS. WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR? DON’T KEEP IT TO
YOURSELF, BUT LET IT OUT AND THE OIL WILL FLOW. IT WILL GET ALL
OVER YOU AND EVERYTHING YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH. DO THIS
EVERY DAY. BECAUSE OF THE TRUTH’S YOU DISCOVER IN THE SCRIPT
OF GOD, LET THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE ROLL OFF YOUR BACK. IS THE
CREATOR ALIVE IN YOU? LG

To Whom It May Concern:

July of 2018 was when I came to realize I’d been chosen to be a light bearer for Christ.

Unfortunately, I was in Tulsa County Jail at the time, but the effect was still the same.

One night while in my bunk I finally said to the Lord, in so many words, I don’t want these burdens anymore PLEASE TAKE THEM FROM ME AND I’M YOURS FOREVER.

Guess what? HE did!!!!!!!

I immediately had such an overwhelming feeling of a huge weight being lifted from my entire being and I finally found what had been missing in my life.

Crazy thing is, I had no idea that this is what I’d been missing this whole time.

In retrospect, deep down inside, I always knew something was missing; I guess it would be better described as a certain type of emptiness, but I just assumed that was me missing my birth mother so very much.

Now, I’m so happy and my life has a purpose. I feel so fulfilled, bright, spiritual, and powerful in my day to day like never before.

My life and spirit were so broken, that just about every day (if not every day) I’d look at myself in the mirror and hate the individual I saw looking back at me. Like all us humans, we are our own worst enemy at times and sell ‘destruction kills the soul.

Growing up the way I did, then becoming a young father at 21, and then on top of all that, my 3 yr. daughter Whitney passing away of complications 10 months after a near fatal car accident in which she, her siblings and birth mother were all involved.

Thank goodness no one died immediately, but the point I’m making is, Him, knowing all these things, plus all the other good and bad things I ever did or thought, He still loved me so much that He gave His life on the Cross for all those things and beyond.

He forgave me when I couldn’t forgive myself … man what a life changing revelation.

He forgave me, so I could, He died and arose, so I could, He loves me, so I can. Being falsely accused of a crime is very difficult to deal with and I know for a fact that things happened the way they did so I would be totally dependent on Him because without Him I couldn’t do it.

Thank You Jesus!!! Amen.

1 wanted to share this so that others can know God is real and you can make it through anything with Him at the Helm.

God Bless you all. Sincerely,

Anthony P. Miller, Jr

AKA Miller Thyme an

inmate at Dick Connor Correctional Center

My name is Reginald Wilson and this is about my conversion moment.

I’m not sure when it happened so to say.

I guess I can say it happened in county jail. I was sitting there with a bond that was so high I couldn’t get out and didn’t do what I was charged with. I found myself praying to God for help because I couldn’t get out, but I knew I was going to get out because of the fact that I  didn’t do it, so I started reading my Bible and seeking God.

This was something I knew to do from growing up in church, and when I got old enough, I stop going to church. I don’t think I really accepted Him as Lord of my life or else I wouldn’t be here.

So, my seeking has sent me on a journey, it seems like the more Bible studies I would do, the hungrier I became for the Word of God. Today I sit here a changed man, it’s been seven years since that day in October of 2014 and I have not stopped following Him.

Before Christ I wandered aimlessly from place to place but, since accepting what Christ done for me, I have a purpose now and that’s what He does for you when you choose Him.

It’s been a life of peace since that day, and I am very thankful for my choice. I will never turn away from Him I’m with Jesus till the day I die.

May God Bless You and keep you

My name is Andrew Williams

For me leaving the darkness of life to live in God’s marvelous light wasn’t so easy. I have constantly struggled to get rid of violence, anger, addictions, and foul speech. God has done a complete restoration in my life, and I have learned to appreciate my growth a lot more due to the struggles of change.

I have learned that, in order to fully grasp and enjoy growth it starts with step one.

You cannot enjoy step 10, if you do not go through the pain, and life lessons that lived between one and 10.

I thank God for the strength he provides, and I asked that whatever you may be going through, know that it is only temporary, and God has amazing things in store for you. Amen.

When Jesus came into my life as my savior and Lord, I was five years into a life sentence. Some guys I worked with in the kitchen invited me to church to hear a group coming in that had a great music program.

I went that night and listened to them, and a preacher got up named Don Boatwright and it seemed he knew me and where I had been because he preached my life to me and said you have tried everything but Jesus and if you will try him you will never go back.

I got up with the intention of leaving and to this day I can’t tell you how I walked passed the door and knelt at the altar, but I said God, I don’t know if you want this life but if you do it’s yours.

 It felt as if the building was lifted up off my back and for the first time in my life, I knew  love. That was 37 years ago and Don was right if you truly taste the love of God how could you want or need anything else. I tell everyone. I sold out and I’m gonna hold out.

Richard Fox

Prison Report  

The Park Prison Ministry 

Update for November 15, 2021, We have made a lot of progress in the last few months. 

• We have over 700 students, and over 600 are active.  We keep those released in our database so we can know if they return, only one student has returned. 
• In the month of October, we mailed out 440 lessons, a new record.  Now this means, 440 lessons had to be graded, 440 new Course had to be sent, and 440 had to be prepared for sending… this amounts to very large amount of work…
• Our volunteer home graders are doing a fantastic job, with Jake S being our grader of the month, as he grades many lessons for us and is always uplifting to our students.  However, all of our volunteer graders were a close 2nd. We also were blessed to add Fran and Rochelle to our list of volunteers!  Praise God! 
• We are adding new students weekly, with a new record set.  Two of our ladies at Mabel Bassett CC sent us 37 referrals for new students in less than one week!   
• In the past we have mailed out only ½ a course per month which resulted in a high drop-off rate, so in January we began returning lessons as quickly as possible which resulted in fewer dropouts, a higher number of referrals, and of course, higher costs. 
• In March Jody decided to start challenging the students for referrals with a great success rate. 
• Jody also developed two new courses for correspondence and has had great success with them. We have revived many inactive students with these courses and received numerous letters from inmates telling her how much they loved the courses, and how it has helped and inspired them. 
  • Forgiveness 
  • How well do you know God? 
• The problem with higher success rates, means higher postage cost. So, in October we decided instead of just ½ a course we would mail complete courses. This will save on postage and increase participation.  One reason we think this may happen is due to the work of the men at DCCC.  One inmate Andrew W (who has earned 2 Doctorate degrees in Bible Studies while incarcerated) handles the NLB for us with a group of men at DCCC who all want complete courses and they have been successful in completing these courses in a timely manner. 
• In October, 2 more men at DCCC received their bachelor’s degrees in Bible Studies: Dewey  K  and Gary C. 
• Andrew W has been a great help to me at DCCC, and I am sure will become a great Christian leader when released. 
• All of the chapel workers have received their bachelor’s degrees and Reggie W, whom The Park sponsored for obtaining his masters degree, is about to complete his studies and should graduate in the next few months.  I will keep you posted on that. 
• I still teach 3 Christian Apologetic Courses at DCCC on Mondays and Wednesdays. This week on Wed afternoons I will be teaching a class on the minimum side, which will be 4 classes taught each week, for a total of 20 Bible classes a month. 
• I also preach one sermon a month on Sunday morning on the medium side.  Jim Pinkston and I each preach two sermons a month on Tuesday and Sunday nights, for a total of 5 sermons a month. 
• Ray V also works with the Sheriffs dept as a volunteer Chaplain and performs death notices, crime scene management, rides alongside with the deputies (Which they minister to as much if not more than the inmates, and special assignments, working 8 hour shifts during the Tulsa Fair. 

Jail visitation is still locked down. The Jail volunteers were allowed back in for only about 4 weeks this spring. 

•  I have reached out to Danielle S concerning The Angel Tree Project for the children of inmates and she is making progress in that area.  I also mentioned to her the need to teach Christian Apologetic lessons to the children, starting at an early age so they are well equipped to defend their faith on the school yard and classroom.  She informed me she was already looking into that.  We are blessed to have her looking over the education of our children. 
• I talked to Kevin P and Tim M concerning a Prison Outreach program to help us have contact with the prisoners’ families who live in the Tulsa area.  If we can take care of the families, showing love to them, the prisoners will respond in a positive way.  My hope is we can get the families to study the same New Life Behavior courses with their spouses who are incarcerated. Kevin is working on this, attempting to find someone who can oversee the project.  I am not allowed to have contact with the families of inmates because I go inside, one of the rules for volunteers. 
• I also talked to Ken and Kevin about having a couple of our young preachers obtain a badge for prison visitation, hoping we could encourage them to start preaching on the inside.  I feel this would give them an opportunity to use their preaching skills more often, and help us bring young people into the ministry to follow up behind us for when the time comes, we must step down. 
• Our overall goal is to turn the prisons into Christian Centers rather than Correctional Centers…

   

My Testimony

My Attitude: Has changed in ways that others comment (for the good)

My Behavior: Has changed in so many new ways

My Goals: to continue doing Bible Studies

My relationship with God: Has gotten even closer

Other Changes in my Life: Been able to use the Bible studies to change things in my life

My Testimony

My Attitude: My attitude has changed towards others and I have learned to consider their perspective and no be so condemning.

My Behavior: I have learned to take the time needed to control my behavior. Walk away when all else fails.

My Goals: My Goals are obtainable with Christ and they include family. I look forward to the future!

My relationship with God: Has been strengthened by learning more through Park Prison Ministry.

Other Changes in my Life: I want to live my life in a way where others can look at me and know I am a Christian. I believe your Bible Studies have helped me achieve that goal