Often when I go to the prison, I wonder what it is like for the guys to sit and have a normal conversation and maybe forget what their reality is for just a brief while. Tonight’s conversation with one of the guys who has been inside for 14 years revolved around his schooling how well he was doing. He had not been successful in the public school system and when he ended up in the juvenile offender system he did not get credit for courses that he finished. The system lost track of them.

Sometimes the odds of doing a 180-turnaround for these guys is a challenge. They have a lot of circumstances that do not allow them to keep walking on a good path. This man seems keen to do the right thing and to work with people to help them turn their own lives around. He would love to be a social worker but doubted that was possible given his record. He admitted he was in for a violent crime.

Society keeps the unkeepable away from second chances. They put them far away, behind bars. This photo of an elk ranch made me think of inmates. People are somewhat curious and often slow down on the highway for a better look but they would rather continue on their journey than stop and really pay attention to the scene before them. Some visits I walk away with the inmate still on my heart. I know that God is niggling me to pray.

Life inside is far from “fun” and much courage is needed to try to change. Would you pray for the incarcerated now for a moment? It would mean a lot. Thank you.

Peace,

Suzanne