My favorite part of the book was the story she shared about a woman named Tammy and an inmate named Matt. Matt had been convicted of a serious crime against Tammy's mother and was in prison. Tammy went to a women's conference years later and heard Carol Kent speak about her experiences with JP. Tammy wrote Carol a letter, thanking her for her honesty and saying that she thought JP was in the same prison as Matt, the person responsible for her mother's death. Tammy had been trying for years to forgive Matt and wanted a way to get in touch with him. Carol asked JP if he happened to know Matt, and of course, in God's sovereign plan, they were close friends at the prison. More than that, JP(a Christian) knew that Matt had also become a Christian while in prison. Carol was able to connect Matt with Tammy and it eventually led to letters, meeting in person, and most importantly, forgiveness.
What an amazing God we serve! Both men were guilty of their crimes and yet God had mercy on them and allowed them to experience not only His forgiveness, but the forgiveness of others as well. I love how His sovereign hand placed both men in the same prison, at the same time, and allowed them to become friends. Carol's books do give details about the tragedy of having a son imprisoned for life - but they are also full of God's goodness in the midst of adversity. Her words are so encouraging to me and they are full of hope - as in Ephesians 1:18 where Paul says, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints". Both Matt and JP may never walk in freedom in this lifetime, but they have placed their hope in something unseen and eternal. And that is the true definition of freedom.
I remember you talking about one of these books at last year's women's retreat. I'll have to start the series.
ReplyDeleteI own a "A New Kind of Normal" if you want to borrow it.
Delete