VL - Issue 43- April 22

“Lord,” I prayed, “I know my life is in
Your hands. I am giving this situation to
You and letting go” (Psalm 31:14). I felt His
presence distinctly in that moment, and it
comforted me.
With fresh confidence that nothing was
going to touch my life that did not first pass
through His hands, I rested in Him and
His promise that I would be okay (Isaiah
43:1–2). I was safe in His arms. My job was
to fix my eyes on Him and keep pressing
forward. And as I did, peace came to my
dark valley.
The day I’d been hoping and praying for
finally came. On November 18, 2020, they
opened the prison gates for me, and I ran
outside and into the arms of my dad and
sister. God had shown up and worked in
Godly friends are what
will keep you standing
when the way gets tough.
my situation in a way that brought Him
glory. No, the road getting to this moment
was not pleasant. Still, the destination was
pure joy as I reunited with my family.
I struggle to describe how surreal and
wonderful it felt to hug and hold them. I
didn’t have to let them go for the first time
in ten years. We stood outside the prison
gates, holding each other, crying together,
and embracing this God-given moment
with our whole hearts. Then I remembered
where I was, and I turned to my family
and said, “C’mon y’all, let’s get in this
car and get out of here before somebody
changes their mind!” My dad and sister
laughed, but I was serious. I could not get
out of that parking lot and away from that
prison fast enough.
Once we were safely on the interstate,
the first thing I did was call my son. “Can
we do a video call?” he asked. “I just have
to see your face, so I know that this is real.”
That moment with my son was among
God’s most precious gifts to me as a mother.
It took time for me to believe that my
freedom was true. It was so surreal.
Unexpected realities of life in the free
world soon set in. After a decade of imprisonment,
I was in for a rude awakening as
new challenges hit me head-on.
It started with the ankle monitor they
attached to me when I got to the halfway
house. I knew it was coming, but wearing it
brought a significant degree of discomfort
and constant shame.
I had just walked out into a world that
was anything but ordinary. Nothing was
familiar. I was starting life completely over,
and I often felt like an alien who had just
arrived on earth.
Everything from my family to technology
had changed. And in case these issues
weren’t enough, the pandemic added extra
layers of anxiety. Social distancing, face
masks, restrictions on gathering
in places that I had looked
so forward to attending—there
were so many changes. The worst
thing was not being able to go to
church because of COVID-19.
Still, God had gone ahead and
prepared the way for me. He
knew I’d need structure and counseling
after years of incarceration. He provided
the right amount of both through the
Dismas Charities halfway house. I called
it home for over a year. They truly set me
up for success.
I have been out for just over a year now,
and adapting to my new normals hasn’t
been easy. Relying on the essential disciplines
I developed during my time in
prison has helped me stay focused and
encouraged. Maintaining my daily devotions
with God has been my top priority.
Spending time in God’s Word and in His
presence keeps me in peace and enables
me to move forward. I cannot overemphasize
the importance of studying and applying
God’s Word to your life. Seeking out and
walking with other Christ-followers is also
essential. Godly friends are what will keep
you standing when the way gets tough.
God has graciously kept me connected
to my church, which has been there for me
every step of the way. When I was a teenager
making mistakes, they loved me. When
I was arrested and attempted to take my
life, my pastor was right there by my side.
During my prison sentence, they loved me
through thick and thin, never once considering
me a lost cause. Their love has
modeled the unconditional, everlasting
love of Jesus, and God used them to draw
me to Himself (Jeremiah 31:3).
Their seeds of faith and teaching, sown
into my life before, during, and after incarceration,
have kept me standing. My
pastor, Bishop Richard Peoples Sr., has
constantly reminded me, “Don’t let what
you’re walking through cause you to get
ABOVE: Melisha celebrating being reunited with her
father outside the prison gates after being released
in November 2020.
LEFT: Melisha’s visits with her son were special days.
PHOTO BY ASHCROFT STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE ROOS
22 Issue 02 / 2022 VICTORIOUSLIVINGMAGAZINE.COM