Hank’s Story

Recently we received a note from a prisoner we’ll call Hank. He’s behind bars for a serious crime that involved his ex-wife, her new boyfriend, and a federal agent. The aftermath left him dealing with anger and bitterness.

Here’s his story in his own words:

Was I being sincere when I asked God to forgive me? Was my repentance even real? Every time I turned around, I was thinking of revenge, getting even, and then right back to asking forgiveness. This was to the point of questioning my salvation.

Then he read “An Anchor for the Soul.”

He included this quote from page 114:

Mark it down. God saves the ungodly while they are still ungodly. That’s the miracle of justification. And when you come to Christ—still dirty and unclean—not only does He save you, but He begins an inner process of cleansing that changes you from the inside out. But He saves you first; then He cleans you up.

Hank said he figured it meant this:

1. It’s my job just to trust Jesus.
2. It’s Jesus’ job to clean me up.

Let me pause and say that Hank knows his theology better than a lot of church people. He’s grasped the truth of justification by faith alone. God bless this brother who understands that it all depends on Jesus!

He ended his letter this way:

Thank you, my friend. I needed that. Boy, did I really need that. Thank you again.

And I want to say back to Hank, “Thank you, my friend, for reminding us that God is at work in prisons across America.”

As is almost always the case, we don’t know how that copy of Anchor ended up in Hank’s prison. We thank God for our ministry partners who take this little “gospel book” and distribute it in prisons and jails in all 50 states.

Thank you for your gifts and prayers that make this ministry possible. Because of your generosity, this man has been delivered from anger and bitterness.

Let’s pray for Hank that he will stay strong.

He is a “living stone” in the church Jesus is building behind bars.