Loaves & Fishes 27

me. I saw nothing but horror,
pain, and anger. I turned to look
toward a Bible another inmate
had given to me months earlier.
I hadn’t wanted it, but he had
practically forced it on me; so I
had taken it and thrown it on my
trunk, where it had been gathering
dust. I picked it up and began
reading at the beginning of all
beginnings, the book of Genesis.
I was amazed at the treasures
stored in that dusty old book.
Like a dry sponge, I absorbed
every word. I started to hunger
for the word of God! I read from
sunup until midnight, and I read
through the entire Bible in less
than two months.
I came across a verse that
changed my life forever: “Jesus
answered and said unto him,
“Most assuredly, I say to you,
unless one is born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God”
(John 3:3). But what exactly does
that mean? I pondered. I had
never heard that before. After a
few weeks of reading and asking
questions, I dropped to my
knees and begged the Lord’s
forgiveness for all the horrible
things that I had said and done
throughout my life. I cried and
cried what seemed an endless
ocean of tears. I confessed every
sin I could think of and asked
God to forgive me for those I
could not remember. I pled for
the blood of Christ to cleanse
and change my life. The Lord
does answer prayer! He made a
new creature out of me that day!
I was free at last! “And you shall
know the truth and the truth
shall make you free” (John 8:32).
I continued to read the Bible.
Within the first year, I read
it three times and started the
fourth time. However, it wasn’t
enough that the Lord had mercy
upon my soul, broke the chains
of sin, and freed me from Satan’s
bondage; He also called me into
the ministry of reaching out
to others who were as lost as I
was. The Lord has used me to
help many of my fellow men
who struggle with loneliness,
depression, backsliding, and
many other issues.
The biggest thing God is
teaching me is the need of
The Lord had mercy on my
soul and freed me from
Satan's bondage.
22 | Loaves & Fishes • Issue 27