Kairos cookies

 I just wanted to share about this past Kairos weekend at Hancock State Prison. We had 41 inmates participate in this weekend. This was my fourth Kairos and each time I am rewarded with such a blessing. Spending time with and getting to know some of these men really reminds me of how much God loves us no matter what we have done. It really reminds me that God is so powerful He can forgive us and remove our sins "as far as the east is from the west". I am reminded because sometimes it is hard for me to do that. It is hard for me to forgive what some of these guys have done but I see God loving on them and moving in them and breaking their hearts toward Him and it opens my eyes to how powerful He is and reminds me that He is in control and not me, each time my own heart is softened and I realize my sin is no different, and yet "while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Glory, Glory, Glory to God!
I want to share what one of the participants told me. I was sitting at the table of St Peter this weekend with 5 participants. If you aren't familiar with  "four day weekend" I will say that we try to explain the importance of bible study and community while pouring out the love of Christ, basically we give them a lot of homemade cookies over the weekend. The guy next to me, I will call him TC, has really been opening up to me. He was really avoiding me at first but now it is Saturday and we have had a few days to joke around and he is getting comfortable. I have been talking and encouraging him to get involved with a small group and bible study within his dorm. So now it is Saturday morning and I ask him how his evening was and he says it was great. He had gone to bible study. It was actually a bible study that he had been involved with now for several months, just a few guys. But he said last night was great because he had taken some cookies back to his dorm, something he is not supposed to do..I did not ask how he got them there...but anyway, he said he had brought them back to the dorm to share with his bible study group, well two other inmates saw that he had cookies and they asked  to join the bible study group. So TC looked at me and said "man it is amazing what God can do with some cookies." I agreed with him. It is amazing what God can do. I know whoever baked those cookies had no idea that a inmate would sneak them back to his dorm and because those cookies where there two guys would sit in bible study and be introduced to the Lord....it is amazing what God can do with some cookies.
It is amazing what God does! God moved in these men's hearts this weekend. I saw repentance and forgiveness and brokenness and intense joy and peace and a lot of love. Here are some remarks I wrote down from the closing on Sunday. Enjoy,
"can't describe....my heart floods"
"I have passion"
"I thank God for providing light to shine in the darkness"
"I have received a new family"
"I cried last night" (my favorite one)
"I'm incarcerated but I am free, I'm filled with the sweet Holy Ghost"
"Thanks for bringing us God's way"
"God is real"
"People love us, God loves us"
"Joy, joy I have been searching for joy"
"I hope I can return the favor and be a true representative for Christ"

Most of these guys will spend the rest of their lives in prison but they will not be in bondage. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. John 10:10











Blessings,
Joel and Tara