I am finally in transit!  Praise the Lord!  I am hoping to be transferred this week.  I’ve been preparing for this since I got sentenced.  I sent my books home and I’ve already cleaned out my drawer.  It is most definitely time to go!

This has been my “home”  for the past 13 months.  Although I have lots of memories here…I’m not gonna miss much about this place.  The thing I will miss the most is Vickie!  She has been here for me the whole time.  I know she is a gift from God.  We hold each other accountable and encourage each other.  We know each other’s thoughts before we think them.  I couldn’t have done this time here without her.  We laugh together and cry together.  Then we use our frizzy hair as a distraction to turn a cry into a laugh…  “Your hair is so ugly”  really means “Help…I’m crying…make me laugh.”  I will never forget that.  But it’s only something we understand because one time we were trying to turn another girl’s cry into a laugh- but she didn’t think it was very funny when we told her that her hair was ugly…actually I think it made her cry more.   I guess it is so funny to us because if we were out in the free world our hair would be smooth and straight…looking good.  But in jail – it doesn’t matter how our hair looks.  We know how bad our hair is…we wash it on Mondays and take a comb to it about every other Monday.  So it is an ongoing joke about our frizzy hair.

I am going to miss praying togetheras well.  We constantly stay in prayer for one another.  And with Nathali and me both leaving – we have been worried that this dorm would be consumed by all the darkness and evil.  But God is faithful!  He has a plan and he is already setting up the dorm for our departure.  Just last week.  Keosha joined the West Baton Rouge Parrish Family.  She is bold in the Lord and knows the word.  And her bunk is right beside Vickie!

Thank you Lord!  He knows what we need before we even ask Him.  My prayer for Vickie is that she is accepted to work release for the remainder of her time.  And also please lift up a special prayer to restore her mother’s health.  James 5:16 says “The prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective.”  Thank ya’ll for your prayers.  And get ready to join me on my journey at a Real Prison!

We all got some “issues” I got issues…you got issues…even the preacher has issues.  Jesus said “In this world you will have trouble.”  Not “if” you have trouble…he said ” you will have trouble.”  Being enclosed in this one room 24 hours a day with other women has taught me a lot about “issues.”  Mine and everybody elses.

I am usually good about recognizing mine-facing them and giving them to God.  But sometimes it is easier for me to notice someone elses issues and put mine toward the back of my mind…and theirs to the tip of my tongue…”Ouch!”  (Sometimes it’s easier to say ouch than Amen.)

We’ve all done it.  At first it starts off as concern.  And we quote scripture:  “Whoever turns a sinner from error of his way will save him from death and cover a multitude of sins.”  (James 5:20)  Sometimes the problem with this is that some people won’t face their “issues.”  There is no way to turn them from their error if they don’t think they are living in sin.

So the next thing that happens is that somehow they become the topic of conversation.  We want to help…but we don’t know what to do..we pray about it…but for some reason we still discuss it among ourselves.  But then God taps us on the shoulder with:  “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”  (Eph 4:29)  Then he says ” Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it become more and more ungodly.”  (2 Tim 2:16)     Isn’t that the truth!

The more we talk about it…the more we notice it.  The more we notice it…the more it bothers us.  The more it bothers us… the harder it becomes for us to give it to God.  And until we give it to God…we can’t expect Jesus to bring deliverance.  We have to surrender all our issues at the foot of the cross and know that Jesus will deliver us.  He said, “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33)

Lord, help us to give our issues to you, and to pray for our sisters issues instead of discuss them among ourselves.  Amen.

Isaiah 49:4  “I have labored to no purpose, I have spent my strength in vain and for no other.  Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

I figured it out last night…I have not doubted God at all since I got sentenced.  I know God can do anything.  If He wanted to release me He would have.  I think it mostly makes me doubt myself.  What I did I do wrong?  What didn’t I do?  What issues do I have that God is still working on?  I guess He has 7 years to reveal them to me.

The scripture above is definitely what I have been feeling.  I thought I had this huge blessing coming (release), but 71/2 years is no blessing to me.  But I heard a song today that said “Sometimes our heartaches are blessings in disguise.”  Yes, I know that some how this is a huge blessing.  I don’t know what the end of the matter is…But God said:  “The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride.”  Ecc 7:8

Patience is one of my greatest virtues these days.  So I will just wait and see.

A Strong Woman works out everyday to keep her body in shape…But a Woman of Strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape.

A Strong Woman isn’t afraid of anything…But a Woman of Strength shows courage in the midst of her fears.

A Strong Woman won’t let anyone get the best of her…But a Woman of Strength gives the best of herself to everyone.

A Strong Woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…But a Woman of Strength realizes life’s mistakes can also be God’s Blessings and capitalizes on them.

A Strong Woman walks sure footedly….But a Woman of Strength knows God will catch her when she falls.

A Strong Woman wears a look of confidence on her face…But a Woman of Strength wears grace.

A Strong Woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…But a Woman of Strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong.

Author Unknown

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