Shauna came to see me today and she said I needed to write more.  She said she still gets questions about how a sweet little Christian girl, like myself is doing 7 years at a federal prison.  And now that I am sentenced, I can go into more details about how I got wrapped up-tangled up- and tied up in the drug world.

I remember the summer that I first tried meth.  It was the summer I turned 19.  I remember that summer because it was my last year as a camper at Sooner Youth Camp.  I remember stopping by the “dope man’s” house on my way to camp in Oklahoma.  He sent me with a glass pipe that was loaded with meth, ready to smoke.  So off I go to church camp with drugs in my glove box.  Of course I did not use them while I was at camp.  But I had them and that was bad enough.  But I didn’t think about it then.  Camp was amazing!!!  I left on a spiritual high and I wanted to go share my spiritual high with the dope man.  I didn’t share my high with him, I traded my spiritual high for a temporary high on drugs.  I let the devil take over from there and I didn’t even think twice about being at church camp just the week before.  All the devil needs is a foothold.  And I opened the door wide for him to come right in!

Hey Readers!!  I am finally settled in at Carswell.  And I have so much to be thankful for.  If I ever thought I was at church camp… it is now!  We get to be outside all day long.  I don’t have a job yet so I am just soaking up the sun…relaxing… feeding the squirrels out of my hand.  I have been walking the track in the mornings, praying and singing.  The track goes down by the lake.  Yes… we have our own lake and this morning the fish were jumping around. 

I joined the church choir.  The religious library is awesome.  I can watch sermons on my free time and there is a piano I can play on as well.  I haven’t played in years but I’m sure it will come right back to me.

Well let me tell y’all about this place.  It really does not feel like a prison at all.  The housing is like an old motel.  I share a room with 2 other women.  We have our own air conditioning, a bathroom with a tub and shower,   and a little kitchenette with a sink and counter.  The campus is not fenced in like the medical center.  We have he freedom to walk off the base if we dare…but of course the escape charges are not worth that! 

We have 3 different workout rooms, a weight room, a leisure library and a religious library.  The religious library has walls and walls of sermons by TD Jakes, Kenneth Copeland and Joyce Meyers.  I can go watch them on my free time.  There is a track to walk on and a softball field, soccer field, and 2 volleyball courts.  Oh, and horse shoes of course!

  The food is great here.  We had french toast and sausage for breakfast on Labor Day and pork chops for dinner!   That was the holiday meal-but the other meals have been real good as well.  It’s a good thing they have a workout room…cause I might just gain a few pounds the way I’m eating.  I don’t have a job yet but when I do I will write all about it.

God is so good.  And I give Him all the glory for all the good things in my life right now.  “Rejoice evermore.  Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”                                (I Thess 5:16-18)

“Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand would be with me…And God granted him that which he requested.”  (I Chronicles 4:10)

God is blessing me indeed!  This is a new scripture for me and I have been praying the Jabez Prayer everyday since I read it in Oklahoma.  And let me tell you how God is blessing me!  For starters, I am back in the DFW area!  The biggest blessing of all because I will see my family more.  I got a bottom bunk and my money was transferred here in time to make commisary.  I have a great bunkee who is a prayer warrior!  I get to stay outside all day long!  We have puppies running around the camp being trained.  And birds and squirrels too.  Oh it’s so great!  We even have our own lake.

My mom is in town this weekend for the holiday and I put her on my visitation list but my counselor told me it wouldn’t be approved until next week.  But my God is a way maker!  So this morning, Terry (my bunkee) and I walked the track and prayed.  We prayed that God would make a way for my mom to be allowed to visit.  Then we walked over to the chapel and the cleaning ladies informed me who my mom needed to contact to get approved.  Then at 3 pm, Terry came and told me the counselor was looking for me.  She said, “It’s got to be about your mom… let’s pray before you walk over there.”  So we prayed ” Lord bless me indeed.  Thank you for your favor.”  And sure enough, he had me fill out another visitation form.  Other women have told me that this counselor processes his paperwork right away.  Where as my counselor does not and he is not working today, so I get to go to this one.  Therefore, my mom will be approved to visit this weekend. 

So to top it all off, as I was walking back to my room – Thanking God – a girl stopped me and gave me a whole bunch of clothes.  Sweat pants and sweatshirts and a t-shirt.  Wow God!!! He is awesome!  He says in Zechariah 9:12,  “Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee.”  The New Living Translation puts it this way:  “Return to me, O prisoners of hope and I will restore two blessings for every on of your troubles.”  Oh yes Lord!! He promises double for our trouble!  That’s a promise I stand on!

Hello All,

Just wanted to let you know that Randi has been transferred to a women’s prison in Ft. Worth, TX. She is now at Carswell Federal Medical Center & happy to be there.  Well, as happy as she can be. I have talked with her twice since she got there and my mom was able to get a special visit on Saturday while she was in town. I hope to visit this week if they get me approved on the list.  Federal prison sounds like it is a lot better than her living conditions over the past year. I will let her tell you about it but I just wanted to give you an update!

Please pray for Randi as she gets acclimated to new people and new surroundings.

I am so excited to see my sister and hug her neck in the next few days!