Our ministry received this note a few days ago from a prisoner we sent one of my books to. We’ve edited it lightly for readability:

Hi, Happy Holidays Eternal Perspective Ministries. I just want to thank you guys for the tremendous job you guys do “sending hope to the hopeless.” I was sitting in my cell and thinking about all the damage that I had done to my loved ones in order for them not even want to answer the phone when I call. They see the call is from the Detention Center, and there’s no answer. So by now you can imagine how big of mistakes I did to them. That has finally led me to read the Bible the right way and really start to understand its real meaning.

Don’t get me wrong, I always have tried to have a close relationship with our Creator. It’s just that this time I really got offline.

Again, thank you, and thank you for the book. It just got here on time as my birthday present. I am never going to forget how just when I was sitting in the jail cell thinking that the next day was going to be my birthday, I get a present that had a message that I was just waiting for.

Matthew 7:7 – “Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you” – Forgiveness from my family.

In his letter, he mentioned his birth date, which is six months to the day after my youngest daughter Angela’s. It touched me to think of how different people’s lives turn out.  

I'm thankful for all those who don’t have to live lives like this guy has, and haven’t broken their families like he has, and thankful also that the Holy Spirit appears to be working in him. Praying the transformation will continue and that he will become the kind of man his family might forgive. But thankful above all that God has and will forgive him.

I love the simplicity of his letter and am touched even by the childlike spelling which probably reflects his disadvantages growing up, and which you can see in the image at the top of this blog. (I did nothing—none of us did—to deserve a decent family and a good education.)

Many thanks to Amy Woodard at EPM who follows up with prisoners and oversees the sending of the books. Across the nation, God is at work in prisons, drawing men and women without hope to Himself. Continue to pray for them, as they face extra challenges in this era of COVID.

If you’d like to partner with us in reaching prisoners for Christ, we’d be honored if you’d prayerfully consider supporting Eternal Perspective Ministries with a year-end gift. Financial gifts to our General Fund support our operating expenses and staff, and allow us to continue giving away the royalties from my books. (On our donation page, you can also give to our Books for Prisoners Project to directly support that part of our ministry.)

Note that a tax-deductible online gift in 2020 must be received by 11:59 p.m. PT on December 31.

If you wish to mail a check, our new address is 39065 Pioneer Blvd., Suite 100, Sandy, OR 97055. All envelopes must be postmarked by 12/31/20.