(This was my response to the Chaplain after telling the inmates about the Seniors who are praying for them.)
Dear Chaplain Gene,
It's just one of those things... I cannot get those beautiful joy filled faces out of my mind from your Senior Living service!
This past Saturday evening, I preached two services in prison. I shared with upwards of 150 inmates about my experience meeting you and the wonderful people at your Senior service. I shared how your precious Seniors have been praying for their anonymous prayer requests for the past nine years.
One of the many stories I shared with them was about your organist. She came up to me and shared that there were three specific prison prayer cards that really touched her heart. She feels called to pray for those three... "until eternity!" When I shared this with the inmates at Shakopee prison, they began to cry, reaching for tissues. They all were so touched and moved from the stories I told from the seniors as well.
The man who said; "I am a talker! I love to talk to people, I ask their name and start a conversation. After we have been talking awhile... I tell them about Jesus!" They laughed and loved it. I shared about the table of women at who had attended BSF in the past. (By the way, this year we started the first-ever BSF, in the world, at Shakopee prison.) Your table of women said; "We are coming back in the Fall for Revelation!" The Shakopee inmates who attended BSF this year hooted and applauded like they were all one big family. Last but not least, one Senior sadly said; "I wish I could meet the women I have been praying for... I recognize their handwriting over the months and I know its the same person that I had prayed for before." I told her, I believe Jesus will introduce you two in heaven. Jesus will say; "Job well done, good and faithful servant," as he introduces the two of you.
It was beautiful to see the inmate's eyes opened to the fact that Seniors would even care about them, all the more pray for them...until eternity!
I was the one deeply blessed to share all that God is doing on both sides of the razor wire. We all were reminded of a valuable truth, that those totally committed to God are totally committed to God's people. I am praying for prison awareness, that even more Seniors will join in the cause for caring for the forgotten in our society.
In HIM,
Shug
