Been in the federal system almost 10 years am coming to the end of my 12 year sentence this year. Prison life is hard. Period! Read a saying the other day that speaks volumes to anyone that is in prison, “A mind that has known freedom, will know when it’s not free.” The crazy thing is that applies to anyone in prison or out in the world.
Does not matter if it is one day or a life sentence, it is felt. Does not matter if daddy is gone, my child is good, it is felt. The ripple effect is huge!
It is not until faith is found that everything changes. Now there are two kinds of faith:
- Physical faith
- Spiritual faith
Physical faith is used daily; meaning trust and reliance. For instance, when you sit in a chair you have faith it will hold you up. You work and in pay day you rely on that pay check. This physical faith has to be exercised in the BOP, with programs, and other things to get people home to their love ones.
Spiritual faith is trust in or reliance upon something or someone despite a lack of concrete proof. This my friend is what a want to share as faith in prison. Its not until one know there is a better life, its not until their is hope that everything in a persons being changes.
Once I placed my trust in the person of Jesus Christ and relied on His atonement. Paradigm shift happen. Everything changed, not only did I see where I needed change, but how to go about it. Today I can say once I got my faith active if am released I have a job. Have a church family, have my education because not I know who to go about things the right way.
Totally understand that not everyone is in the Spiritual faith. And that okay but even if law makers, wardens, Federal system apply physical faith in people they will trust in new programs, and rely on its effectiveness. Not everyone that is in prison is a lost cause. There is this faith that changed everything and its found in Jesus.
— Javier L.