This is a very touching letter, a woman who has found God, and has found forgiveness in the most unlikely of places… Prison.

From our series of letters from the inside

The Love Letter

Letters from Prisoner/ Students

This is the introduction to a series of letters that will be read by the prison volunteers… members of The Park who dedicate some of their time, and resources to the prison ministry.

These videos will be approximately 5 minutes long, and I hope you will take the time to listen them, I think you might gain a different view of the incarcerated, and possibly even be uplifted a bit.

The first introduction is a little longer than I would have liked, but in the future there will be less introduction and more letter reading.

There are many examples in God’s word that reveals his power through the brokenness of people’s lives.

What that shows us today is how important our total surrender and utter dependence is in our own lives. No matter how broken you think your life is or how hopeless things look God is waiting for you to run into his arms and to put your faith in Him, so he can show how sovereign he is and how endless his power is. His power can reign in the brokenness of your life as it did back then. I dare you and challenge you to believe.

Genesis 21:2 and 5-7

2 Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the very time God had said to him

5 Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitzchak (Isaac) was born to him

6 Sarah said God has given me good reason to laugh now everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.

7 and she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Nevertheless, I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Even when they were past the age of having children God’s power made the impossible happen. Just because the world says its hopeless know that God says, “Yes I can.”, his power is revealed in our weakness.

Genesis 22:1-2

1 After these things, God tested Abraham, he said to him “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am,”

2 He said take your son, your only son whom you love Yit’chak (Isaac) and go to the land of Moriah. There you are to offer him as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will point to you.

Even after God has given Abraham and Sarah a child that was promised in their old age now, he was asking him to sacrifice him to God without question, Abraham obeyed. Israel was shown favor based on Abrahams’s faithfulness. Abraham’s willingness to give up his son was a mirror image of what God was going to do for us by sacrificing his one and only son Yeshua for our sins.

Genesis 50:19-20

19 but Yosef said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Am I in the place of God?

20 you meant to do me harm, but God meant it for Good-so that it would come about as it is today, with many people’s lives being saved.

Here Joseph was hated by his brothers, sold as a salve by them accused of rape falsely, thrown into prison. Al this happened over a 13-year period Joseph had every reason to give up. Yet he stayed faithful to God and God’s power was revealed. He was in charge of Potipher’s house, was trustee in prison and eventually became second in command in Egypt. Everything he did God blessed. Through all the broken times in Joseph’s life God’s power conquered. All this led up to the saving of many lives. So, if you’re at the end of your rope, hold on, help is on the way.

Exodus 3:8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land flowing with milk and honey to the place of the Cannaanites, and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites.

God use Mose to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Here Moses was hidden so he wasn’t killed. He murdered a man which caused him to flee for forty years. Yet God still revealed his power through him and his brother Aaron to Pharoah to free his chosen people.

Joshua 6:5 The they are to blow a long blast on the shofar. On hearing the sound of the shofar, all the people are to shout as loudly as they can, and the wall will fall down flat. The people are to go up into the city each one straight from where he stands.

God still used this people to conquer Jericho despite their doubts and unfaithfulness. Even though at times when they trusted in other God’s. So, know that God can still use you no matter what you’ve done. As long as true repentance and complete surrender takes place.

2 Kings 4:4 Then go in; shut the door with you and your sons inside; and pour oil into all those containers and as they are filled put them aside

This servant’s husband had died and left a debt. The children were to become slaves as payment for the debt. Elisha told her to take every container she could find and fill it with oil to pay the debt.

No matter how bleak a situation looks in your life God will provide a way and leave you amazed knowing oly God could have done this.

Psalms 51:1-3

1 God in your grace have mercy on me; in your great compassion blotting out my crimes

2 Wash me completely from my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

3 For I know my crimes, my sin confronts me at all times

Despite being a murderer, adulterer, and liar God used David to become king over his people. It was through his bloodline that the messiah was born.

Mark 14:72 and immediately the rooster crowed a second time, then Kefa (Peter) remembered what Yeshua said to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.” and throwing himself down, he burst into tears.

Lord Yeshua restored Peter although he denied him three times, He told him upon this Rock (Peter) I will build my church (Matthew 16:18) So, whether you have denied Jesus or rejected him he is quick to forgive and use you to reveal his power.

Acts 9:5 “Sir who are you?” he asked. “I am Yeshua, and you are persecuting me”

On the road to Damascus Jesus revealed himself to Paul. Up to this point, Paul was persecuting and even approving the killing of those who proclaimed Jesus. Paul from this point on began the journey of teaching Jesus to the Gentiles (us). So, if God can use a person who rejected Jesus to proclaim the good news of salvation through Yeshua, he too can reveal his power through your broken life. Just trust and believe.

Adam Gillespie

October 29, 2022

Thank you 🙂

Jolynn Gillespie

No matter how broken things are in your life God will use that brokenness to fulfill his purpose.

There are many examples in his Word where God is glorified through broken lives. He is always enough to see us through whatever trial and tribulation that life throws at us. Once you come to a place in your life that God is enough, you are always at peace even in the midst of a storm. It is in these storms that our faith will be tested. We must choose to run into the arms of the Father as he whispers to us, no one will snatch you out of his hand. “I will always be enough”. 

Genesis 12:1 now Adonai said to Abraham, “Get yourself out of your country, away from your father’s house, and go to the land I will show you”. 

Abraham was asked to take his family and go to an unknown place away from his kinsmen. God wanted him to go immediately and not hesitate. Abraham trusted in God and left everything in obedience to Him, just as the disciples left all to follow Yeshua. We as God’s children are called to leave our old lives and follow Him to be Holy and set apart.  

Genesis 40:15 For the trust is that I was kidnapped from the Lord of the Hebrews and here too I have done nothing wrong that would justify putting me in this dungeon.  

Joesph was sold to be a slave by his brothers who were jealous of him. He was thrown into prison for a false accusation of rape and forgotten there. Yet he still put his face before God and trusted in his sovereignty. When we trust that God is enough in our lives, he will use what looks like a defeated situation and allow us to come out looking victorious.  

Judges 7:19  Guideon and the hundred men with him arrived at the edge of the camp a little before midnight, just after they changed the guard. They blew the shofars and broke into pieces the pitchers that were in their hands.  

The broken jars are a symbol of how God uses our broken lives to accomplish his purpose. He used the small array of 300 men to defeat a massive army. Their fear was turned to faith once they God was enough.  

2 Kings 4:4 Then go in, shut the door with you and your sons inside and pour oil into all those containers and as they are filled, put them aside 

This woman was in a hopeless situation. Her sons were to become slaves to pay a debt her husband had before he died. Elisha instructed her to fill all the jars she borrowed with oil to pay the debt. God will use what little we have and increase it.  God will always be enough to fulfill our needs.  

Luke 9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fish and looking up toward heaven, made a brakhah, broke the loaves and began giving them to the talmid (Disciples) to distribute to the crowd.  

Only God can feed thousands with a small meal. Wherever an impossible situation presents itself in your life look to the heavens to our Father who will always make the impossible possible.  

Psalms 71:5-6

5 for you are my hope Adonai Elohim in whom I have trusted since I was young.  

6 from birth I have relied on you; it was you who took me from my mother’s womb 

Despite all the enemies David had coming at him in his life he trusted in God to be his hope and salvation. Let that be a reminder to us that no matter who is against us God is always for us.  

2 Corinthians 12:9 but he told me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is brought to perfection in weakness. 

Paul had a thorn in his side. He asked God to take it from him three times, but God says his grace is enough. Let this be a lesson for us that no matter the hardships we are going through that it is God who will see us through. It’s such a delight to know God is our rock and salvation.  

Luke 4:4 But Jesus answered him saying, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word of God.  

Satan came to Jesus after he fasted for forty days, knowing he was hungry he tempted him to turn a stone into bread. Jesus knew it was God’s word that will sustain him. So, when Satan comes to tempt you at your most vulnerable moment fight him off with the Word of God. God alone is our strength and shield. He will always be enough to guide us through times of darkness, times of storms, and times of loneliness, you can always trust in him.  

Adam Gillespie 

October 15, 2022 

A great witness to the value of The Prison Ministries

Inmate at Dick Conner’s Correctional Center, The Park Church of Christ has helped him find his way.