"Part of the Family" By By Inmate Jay

I was saved when I was 13 years old and was a teen evangelist for a summer in Hammond, Indiana. Then I came back to Ohio and my whole world changed. My parents split up and my brother and his friends were getting high and drinking. So I put God on a shelf and ran wild for the next 20 years. I did some things that I thought could never be forgiven. I contemplated suicide. I was eventually sentenced to 14-30 years in prison. I soon met Gary Koly and my interest in the things of God was renewed, but I was not growing.

Then, in 2002, I came to Grafton Correctional. Here I observed the living faith of my friend, Rick.  He was, at that time, the only Bible I read. I also met Mike Swiger while he was a resident at Grafton and I could feel Christ working through him. Then, in 2005, a friend sent me my very own Bible and I’ve been studying it ever since.  

In 2009, Mike and Gary started coming in and mentoring new Christians. I have been touched by the love of Christ through TFM. If a service is ever canceled, I feel a great loss. I am truly blessed to participate in the work of True Freedom, and I look forward to being of service to Christ through this ministry when I get blessed with freedom. I pray for God’s will for every member of my TFM family—I finally feel like I belong.