I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Removing pain
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Lord, let my words
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Heal a heart that hurts
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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I want to spend my life
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Mending broken people
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Hello and welcome
to another 3ABN Today
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program. I'm Jill Morikone,
and we are so delighted
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that you have taken time
from your day to share it
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with us. You know, I
love the Today program. It's
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a time when we
can bring you at-home
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ministries. We
feature ministries that are
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doing incredible
things for Jesus, or people's
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personal testimony
of what God is doing in
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their heart and in
their life. In this program-
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in all the
programs on 3ABN-are only
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possible because of
your prayers and financial
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support of this
ministry. So, we thank you for
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standing with us,
some of you for 34 years-
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from the very
beginning of 3ABN-and some of
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you, just recently,
and we thank you for that.
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Today, we have an
incredible ministry to
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feature. It's a
ministry that's actually very
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near and dear to my
heart, as well. I have
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done just a little
bit to know a measure of
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what these people have
done; but just a little
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bit of this ministry,
myself. I'm speaking of
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prison ministry.
Jesus calls us to reach out
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to those who are
in bondage, those who
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are shut up, away from
society, those who, maybe,
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have made a
mistake just like you and I
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have done, but maybe a
different type of mistake
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that landed them in
prison, and God calls
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us to reach out and
minister. The ministry
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today has just
an incredible way of
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doing just that, so
I'm excited to introduce
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them to you at
this time. Right here on
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my right is Carol
Paden. You are the coordinator
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of the-I need to
get this right-LAMBS and
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Knitting Hearts
Together with Jesus. Carol,
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we're so excited to
have you here. - I'm excited
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to be here. - This is
your first time, right,
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on the 3ABN Today
program? - Yes, it is.
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- Okay, but it's not
your first time at 3ABN.
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- No. I came and
cooked at 3ABN for the spring
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camp meeting this
year. - And we loved to have
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you here. She did a
wonderful job in the
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kitchen. Thank you. -
It was wonderful. Good
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blessing. - Yes. So,
tell us just a little
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bit about your
family. I know your son has
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a program on 3ABN,
Raw Questions-Relevant
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Answers, and the
Lord has blessed him with
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the anointing of
the Holy Spirit. Because
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when he shares, it
touches hearts and lives. So,
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you're the momma.
We're just so excited to have
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you here! - And I've
gotten from him being
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my son, to now, I'm
"Mark's mom." [laughter]
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We're just fine.?
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I have two older boys,
so I have Matthew, Luke,
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and Mark. - That's
precious. You needed a
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John. - Well, I
have a John. My oldest
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son got married,
and his- her cousin is
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John. And when they got
married, he informed me,
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"Now I am
officially your John." - Aww.
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- So, now I have a
John. - That's nice.
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And you and your husband
live... - We live in Dripping
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Springs, just about 35
miles outside of Austin.
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- Nice. Okay. - And I
am a registered dietician,
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but I stayed home
and homeschooled my boys.
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That was such an
incredible blessing
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to be able to do
that. - Amen. Now, we want
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to find out how you
got involved in prison
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ministry; but before
we do that, sitting next
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to you is Peggy Serra,
and you're our teacher at
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LAMB and Knitting
Hearts Together for Jesus.
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We're so glad you're
here, Peggy! - Me too.
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- So, tell us just a
little bit about your
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family, and your connection
with Carol, too. - Carol
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and I have known
each other for 13 years.
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We've been in church
and different ministries
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together. I left my
employment a few years
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ago and was blessed
to be able to make a
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decision on what
I want to do that I
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really enjoy- what
would, as my husband put it,
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what would make me
really happy. That's
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how I got involved
with ministry, not knowing
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for sure what I
would do. I just made the
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decision that I
would ask God, and He led
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me in this way. My
children: I have a son
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and a daughter,
Madison, who's 23 now, and my
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son is 20. I live
in Austin, and I'm just
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really happy to be
able to be a part of
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this and glorify God
in this ministry. - Amen.
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And we want to find
out how you got involved
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in the ministry, too,
and what this ministry
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actually entails. But
next to you is Jay Yi,
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and you are a co-coordinator
for LAMB and Knitting
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Hearts Together
with Jesus, and we're so
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glad you're here. -
Yeah. Thank you for inviting
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me. I am actually
very blessed to be here and
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to talk about our
ministry. I've known Carol for
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about the same time
as Peggy has known her.
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We grew together in
the ministries that we
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do at church, so
it's really a blessing. I
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have two children,
both girls. They're both
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away in college, so
I'm by myself; but I
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keep myself busy
with the lots of things I
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do for church and with
this ministry, as well.
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- Amen. So, tell me:
what is this ministry?
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We know it's about
prison ministry, but
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exactly what is the
ministry? Then we'll
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step back and find
out how you got involved.
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- Okay. The two
ministries we did- the first one
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is called the LAMB
Ministry. LAMB is actually an
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acronym that stands
for "Love a Mother's Baby."
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Then the second
ministry is our Knitting Hearts
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Together with
Jesus program. We call it
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the "Knitting Heart,"
but actually, we teach
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them to crochet.
[laughter] - Kind of a little
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oxymoron. - Yeah...
When we titled it, we
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hadn't decided
which one we were going to
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do, but then we just
decided that crocheting
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probably worked
better, and you can do a little
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bit more with crocheting
with stuffed animals and things,
00:07:02.65\00:07:05.12
so we just opted to
go crocheting instead.
00:07:05.19\00:07:07.66
- Yes, yes. So, when
I look at each one of
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you, I wouldn't
imagine that you would be
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involved in prison
ministry, you know?
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You don't look like
people who'd want to
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be involved or be involved, so
tell me. Like, everything always
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went good in your
life and you know you had
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a great life and everything's
good, so what put on
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your heart the
burden, the passion, to be
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involved? - I would
be happy to share that.
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I want to start, though,
by reading a text. - Good.
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- This morning as
I was thinking about
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the program and
praying that God would give me
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the right words to
say and that God would be
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seen and that I
would not be seen, and that
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God would speak
through me, I was thinking of
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the text in Exodus
where God tells Moses
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that He will be with
Moses' mouth and give
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him the words to
say. So, I went and looked
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that up, and I read
another verse and it
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just really touched my
heart, and I'm going to
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rephrase it slightly
to fit the prison. So
00:08:02.74\00:08:06.61
it is actually in
Exodus 3 verses 7 to 8. It
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says-and this is out
of the King James Bible-
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"The Lord said, I have
surely seen the affliction
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of My people which
are in prison, and I have
00:08:18.99\00:08:22.26
heard their cry
by reason of their
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taskmasters for I
know their sorrows, and I
00:08:24.77\00:08:28.80
am come down to
deliver them out of the hand
00:08:28.90\00:08:31.11
of the
Egyptians... out of the hand of
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Satan, and to bring
them out of that land
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unto the good
land, and a large- unto
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a land flowing with
milk and honey." - Yes...
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- That verse just
really hit me, because as we
00:08:48.79\00:08:52.16
go into the prison,
we want to help them come
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out of the bondage that
they're in. That's really
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our goal - to come out
of the bondage of their
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past lives. So,
I never saw myself
00:09:01.14\00:09:04.87
getting involved in
prison. That was just
00:09:04.94\00:09:06.81
NO place on my
radar! None. But as I look
00:09:06.88\00:09:12.01
back at my life, I can
see how God has actually
00:09:12.08\00:09:14.85
led me step by step
and prepared me in a
00:09:14.95\00:09:18.12
way that I didn't
realize. That actually
00:09:18.22\00:09:20.72
started shortly after
I graduated from college
00:09:20.79\00:09:23.83
when one of my
friends from my academy years
00:09:23.93\00:09:27.83
was incarcerated,
and I went to see her.
00:09:27.90\00:09:31.53
When I was home, I
would go see her, so
00:09:33.13\00:09:35.64
that kind of started
it. - Was she in for just
00:09:35.70\00:09:38.14
a year or two, or
did she have a long
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sentence? - She was in
for 10 years. - Oh, wow.
00:09:39.61\00:09:41.51
- 10 years. And so
I was actually living
00:09:41.61\00:09:43.55
at Loma Linda at
the time, and she was in
00:09:43.65\00:09:45.55
Tennessee, so when
I would come home on
00:09:45.61\00:09:48.12
vacation, I would go
visit her. So, that's
00:09:48.18\00:09:51.09
kind of when it
started. Then, I got married.
00:09:51.15\00:09:57.09
We lived in Michigan,
and we moved to Texas.
00:09:57.16\00:10:01.60
About 6 months after
we moved- well, there
00:10:01.66\00:10:04.70
was a family there
at our church that had
00:10:04.77\00:10:07.27
just become Seventh-Day
Adventist. - In Texas
00:10:07.34\00:10:09.10
or Michigan? - In
Texas. They had just
00:10:09.17\00:10:11.04
become Seventh-Day
Adventist, and the family
00:10:11.11\00:10:14.31
stuck out in my mind
because they were new
00:10:14.38\00:10:16.54
Adventists and
because the son would come to
00:10:16.64\00:10:18.91
me on potluck
Sabbath and say, "I made
00:10:18.98\00:10:21.68
something vegetarian.
Would you please come
00:10:21.78\00:10:23.95
try it? I want to
know what you think of it."
00:10:24.05\00:10:26.72
So, I would taste it
and give him my input.
00:10:26.79\00:10:29.32
Well, sadly, 6
months after I got to know
00:10:29.42\00:10:32.79
them, the whole
family was incarcerated. The
00:10:32.89\00:10:36.46
mother has 80
years, the son had 60, and
00:10:36.56\00:10:40.24
the daughter had a
hung jury with 20 years.
00:10:40.30\00:10:42.67
- And the son? -
He had 60 years. The
00:10:42.74\00:10:46.47
mom 80, son 60, and
the daughter had a hung
00:10:46.54\00:10:49.61
jury, and the
boyfriend got life. - I'm so
00:10:49.68\00:10:55.28
sorry. - The circumstances
were just really tragic.
00:10:55.38\00:10:58.39
There were issues
involved, but I think
00:11:01.49\00:11:05.36
they got way more
than they deserved. It just
00:11:05.43\00:11:08.93
broke my heart. I
just decided at that point
00:11:09.00\00:11:11.37
that I would reach
out to them even though
00:11:11.40\00:11:13.57
I didn't know them, they
were not personal friends;
00:11:13.64\00:11:15.80
I just decided to
reach out to them. So, I
00:11:15.87\00:11:17.94
started visiting
them. That was 20 years ago.
00:11:18.01\00:11:21.24
So, I have been
working with this
00:11:22.21\00:11:23.85
family for 20
years, and I know it's been
00:11:23.91\00:11:26.82
a very tragic
situation in their lives, but I
00:11:26.88\00:11:30.52
would not be doing
today what I'm doing
00:11:30.59\00:11:32.02
had they not been
incarcerated. So, God
00:11:32.05\00:11:35.36
has brought good out
of it. So, I worked with
00:11:35.42\00:11:39.16
them, and then as I
mentioned, I homeschooled
00:11:39.26\00:11:41.63
my boys. And when
they were- shortly after
00:11:41.70\00:11:45.37
we moved to Austin
in 2005, I had a friend
00:11:45.43\00:11:49.10
that was doing the new
Discovery Bible lessons,
00:11:49.14\00:11:51.51
which is correspondence
lessons, and I thought...
00:11:51.57\00:11:55.78
I was always looking
for things for my sons
00:11:55.84\00:11:58.18
to do, and I
thought, "Oh, that would be a
00:11:58.25\00:11:59.71
great opportunity,
because they could reach
00:11:59.81\00:12:01.65
out to the
incarcerated men and women, and
00:12:01.72\00:12:04.95
they could also be
studying the Bible at
00:12:05.02\00:12:06.89
the same time! It's
a win-win situation!"
00:12:06.96\00:12:09.12
So, we started
that. Because we were out
00:12:10.29\00:12:13.40
of town for a little
while, I started writing
00:12:13.46\00:12:15.23
to some of the
inmates just to apologize, and
00:12:15.30\00:12:17.67
that started me
writing to them. So, I
00:12:17.73\00:12:21.10
have actually been
working with incarcerated
00:12:21.17\00:12:24.67
men and women
through Bible correspondence
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.88
now for 13-14 years.
- Oh, wow. - And I have
00:12:26.98\00:12:30.38
built just an
amazing... It's been amazing to
00:12:30.48\00:12:35.78
me to work with these
men and women. They have
00:12:35.88\00:12:37.85
truly become my
brothers and sisters in Christ.
00:12:37.92\00:12:40.99
I mean, I could go
on for hours about the
00:12:41.06\00:12:42.76
blessings that I
have received working with
00:12:42.86\00:12:44.99
them. So, when I
was working with them,
00:12:45.03\00:12:49.03
Texas Conference did
a seminar on the prison
00:12:49.10\00:12:54.47
ministries. And so I
thought, "Oh, I'd like
00:12:54.54\00:12:56.94
to go to that." So, I
went up to it, and the
00:12:57.01\00:13:00.78
prison ministry
director from the Florida
00:13:00.84\00:13:03.38
Conference of Seventh-Day
Adventists did this part
00:13:03.45\00:13:06.08
of the program on
their LAMB program, which
00:13:06.15\00:13:08.98
was very
different. They basically took
00:13:09.05\00:13:11.89
formula and diapers to
newborns of incarcerated
00:13:11.95\00:13:15.32
mothers. So, that
started me thinking-and it just
00:13:15.42\00:13:19.49
kind of sat on the
back-burner for about
00:13:19.56\00:13:21.33
4 or 5 years because I
was still homeschooling
00:13:21.36\00:13:23.37
my boys. But then
when they went on, then, I
00:13:23.40\00:13:27.34
thought, "You
know what? I'm ready to
00:13:27.40\00:13:28.74
move forward with
it!" So then, I was down
00:13:28.77\00:13:32.17
at the Lockhart
Correctional Facility
00:13:32.24\00:13:34.28
and I actually
talked to the warden about
00:13:34.34\00:13:36.24
the LAMB program! He
was very excited about
00:13:36.31\00:13:40.25
it. He thought it
would just be an amazing
00:13:40.32\00:13:42.28
ministry. So, he
asked us to come down and
00:13:42.35\00:13:45.45
talk to them, so
we went and talked to
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.32
them and showed
them what we were doing.
00:13:47.42\00:13:49.72
After we talked to
them, then they ask us if we
00:13:49.79\00:13:53.96
would be willing to
come and teach their inmates
00:13:54.06\00:13:56.30
to crochet or knit
and do small group Bible
00:13:56.36\00:13:58.93
studies with them.
They said, "We specifically
00:13:59.03\00:14:01.27
want small group Bible
studies. We have people
00:14:01.37\00:14:03.27
come in and
preach, but we want small
00:14:03.30\00:14:05.44
group Bible studies."
- You know what I see?
00:14:05.51\00:14:08.14
I see a heart in
you that is willing and
00:14:08.21\00:14:12.11
open to follow the
leading of the Holy
00:14:12.15\00:14:14.25
Spirit. When you connected
with- first, your academy-
00:14:14.32\00:14:18.39
was is academy roommate?
- Mhm. - But then, years
00:14:18.49\00:14:20.22
later with this
family who was incarcerated
00:14:20.29\00:14:23.53
for years, then God
put on your heart to visit
00:14:23.59\00:14:26.86
them and to reach
out and minister. Then,
00:14:26.93\00:14:29.90
every step of the
way, it's not like, all of
00:14:29.96\00:14:31.73
a sudden, LAMB
ministries is born. Every step
00:14:31.77\00:14:34.10
of the way, you were
obedient to visit them
00:14:34.17\00:14:36.30
then, and then years
later, God opens up this
00:14:36.37\00:14:39.64
door for you to
correspond and to begin ministry
00:14:39.67\00:14:43.11
that way and do Bible
studies, then the LAMB
00:14:43.14\00:14:46.21
ministry grows out
of that. It's like a
00:14:46.28\00:14:48.28
step-by-step
process how God leads us.
00:14:48.35\00:14:50.85
- Very much. And it
wasn't until I looked
00:14:50.92\00:14:53.19
back that I saw how
God had led. Actually,
00:14:53.25\00:14:56.39
as I've done this,
I also thought how God
00:14:56.42\00:14:57.99
had led in my early
life, because I'm so
00:14:58.06\00:14:59.76
grateful to my mom
who taught me to sew
00:14:59.86\00:15:02.56
and who taught me
to crochet and knit,
00:15:02.66\00:15:05.03
because if she
wouldn't taught me, I wouldn't
00:15:05.07\00:15:06.40
probably be doing
this. So, God has just,
00:15:06.43\00:15:08.87
step by step through
my life, prepared me.
00:15:08.90\00:15:11.71
It's been amazing
to me to watch the way
00:15:11.77\00:15:13.91
God has led. -
Amen. Well, we'll stop for
00:15:14.01\00:15:15.78
just one moment
with your story before we
00:15:15.84\00:15:17.68
keep going with LAMB,
and I want to hear from
00:15:17.75\00:15:19.45
Peggy how you got
involved with the prison
00:15:19.48\00:15:21.72
ministry. - Well,
I love what you just
00:15:21.78\00:15:25.22
said, Jill, about her
being willing, because
00:15:25.32\00:15:28.06
not everyone is
willing to obey what God says.
00:15:28.12\00:15:32.46
To keep this as
short as possible, I just
00:15:34.66\00:15:37.40
want to say that it
was an opportunity when
00:15:37.50\00:15:40.34
I was- was actually
in 2014 the first time
00:15:40.40\00:15:44.54
that I felt that
this is probably what I
00:15:44.61\00:15:48.74
should be doing.
There was a kind pastor that
00:15:48.84\00:15:51.18
reached out to me
first and said, "Why
00:15:51.31\00:15:55.08
don't you just
get certified? Just go
00:15:55.15\00:15:56.48
through the
criminal..." What is it? Texas
00:15:56.52\00:15:59.55
Department of
Criminal Justice, and get the
00:15:59.65\00:16:02.82
certification. - To
be a volunteer. - To be
00:16:02.89\00:16:05.99
a volunteer, then
you can choose- there
00:16:06.06\00:16:08.26
are different things
you can choose on this
00:16:08.33\00:16:10.30
list. It doesn't
have to be the prison
00:16:10.37\00:16:11.97
ministry where you go
in the prison. I remember
00:16:12.07\00:16:15.57
him calling me.
In fact, he called me
00:16:15.64\00:16:18.64
several times and
texted me about this.
00:16:18.71\00:16:22.31
Finally, I said,
"Okay, I'm going to do it."
00:16:22.38\00:16:24.75
So, 2014 is the
first time. I went in, got
00:16:24.81\00:16:27.58
certification, but
I had no intentions of
00:16:27.62\00:16:30.59
going in the
prison. Fear was- just all
00:16:30.62\00:16:34.22
these fears about all
these doors that close,
00:16:34.29\00:16:37.79
and you can imagine all
the 'what if.' You know?
00:16:37.86\00:16:41.30
They're pretty clear
with you in the training
00:16:41.36\00:16:42.70
that you, once
you're behind the doors, you
00:16:42.73\00:16:45.47
are not their responsibility.
So, I remember thinking,
00:16:45.53\00:16:51.24
"I am not going in the
prison. I have no desire. So
00:16:51.34\00:16:54.08
I'm just going to
help someone else, like
00:16:54.18\00:16:56.38
the young ladies.
When they come out, they
00:16:56.48\00:16:58.45
need someone to
talk to, or maybe that
00:16:58.51\00:17:01.18
program..." Some
other program. My intention
00:17:01.25\00:17:05.75
was to do that. It
didn't happen. Different
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.92
things in my life
happened that caused me to put
00:17:08.99\00:17:12.89
that on the
back-burner. So then when I left
00:17:12.99\00:17:17.00
my employment, my
husband had said to
00:17:17.07\00:17:21.37
me, "I really want you
to do what would really
00:17:21.44\00:17:25.37
be a blessing and
what you want to do in the
00:17:25.44\00:17:30.21
volunteer area," 'cause
I was looking for different
00:17:30.28\00:17:32.58
things to do. So, I
just remember feeling fearful
00:17:32.61\00:17:38.52
and thinking, "I
don't want to do that," but
00:17:38.62\00:17:42.86
every time I would
pray about it-and I
00:17:42.92\00:17:45.03
did pray about it
even though I didn't feel
00:17:45.09\00:17:46.46
like it-I remember
praying about it and
00:17:46.49\00:17:48.90
saying, "God, make
me willing to be willing
00:17:49.00\00:17:52.50
to do Your will."
That was my prayer. So,
00:17:52.53\00:17:55.87
again, I just
reached out to this pastor
00:17:57.74\00:18:00.44
and I said, "Okay,
I can't remember the
00:18:00.51\00:18:02.24
name of the
program, and I'm sure my
00:18:02.31\00:18:03.98
certification has
expired. I just want
00:18:04.05\00:18:07.02
to do something
small, like help the young
00:18:07.08\00:18:09.08
girls that come
out that need maybe
00:18:09.15\00:18:10.92
someone to talk
to." He said, "Have you
00:18:10.99\00:18:13.46
talked with Carol
lately? Carol Paden?
00:18:13.52\00:18:16.36
She has a program
going on called the LAMB
00:18:16.42\00:18:18.36
and Knitting Hearts.
I think you should get
00:18:18.43\00:18:20.30
involved with it.
It's in the prison." "Oh,
00:18:20.36\00:18:23.23
no, no, no, no,
no." You know? Yes! Okay,
00:18:23.30\00:18:27.14
so, fast-forward.
I went back, got the
00:18:27.20\00:18:29.90
certification,
and the whole time I'm
00:18:29.97\00:18:31.91
doing this, I'm
feeling like, "I don't really
00:18:31.94\00:18:34.08
want to do this. I
don't want to do this!
00:18:34.18\00:18:36.78
Why do I have
these fears? I want to be
00:18:36.85\00:18:40.38
a blessing to
someone, but this is not what
00:18:40.45\00:18:42.88
I want to do."
So, finally, Carol was
00:18:42.98\00:18:45.95
encouraging me and
she said, "Just go with
00:18:46.05\00:18:49.42
me and see what
you think." So I went
00:18:49.49\00:18:51.43
and I decided that
it wasn't as scary, at
00:18:51.49\00:18:56.30
first, as I thought.
You can hear the doors;
00:18:56.36\00:18:58.93
they're very heavy;
close behind you, and
00:18:58.97\00:19:01.34
it does make you
think, you know? So, finally,
00:19:01.40\00:19:05.34
I just decided,
"God, just take my fear and
00:19:05.41\00:19:11.55
help me to trust
You and help me to be a
00:19:11.61\00:19:14.98
blessing, not think
of myself, but think of
00:19:15.02\00:19:18.65
someone else." And
honestly, I spent the
00:19:18.75\00:19:21.76
day just watching and
just looking at it. And
00:19:21.82\00:19:25.86
when I left, what I
realized was that the
00:19:26.70\00:19:34.14
reason that I was
there was because it
00:19:34.20\00:19:38.27
brought a
blessing to them and it was
00:19:38.34\00:19:42.54
something that if I
viewed myself in their
00:19:42.64\00:19:44.31
position, I would
love to have someone come
00:19:44.41\00:19:47.48
and visit me. If I
was an inmate, I would
00:19:47.52\00:19:50.75
love to have
someone come. So, that's how
00:19:50.82\00:19:52.69
I got involved.
That's what I was doing. It
00:19:52.72\00:19:57.89
was great. -
Amen. Prison ministry is
00:19:57.96\00:19:59.69
life-changing. -
Totally life-changing. - We
00:19:59.79\00:20:03.37
have the privilege
here at 3ABN- several people
00:20:03.40\00:20:05.97
are involved in prison
ministry. Brian Hamilton
00:20:06.03\00:20:07.84
helps coordinate that.
But I had the privilege
00:20:07.87\00:20:11.61
of going into the
women's jail here in
00:20:11.67\00:20:13.91
Benton. Maybe 5
years, every Monday night, a
00:20:13.98\00:20:18.65
different woman
from church would go in
00:20:18.75\00:20:20.22
in teams. So, I
would do it once a month
00:20:20.25\00:20:22.58
and we would rotate
through. But just to
00:20:22.68\00:20:25.62
see the brokenness and
the pain... Almost every
00:20:25.69\00:20:32.26
woman in there,
missing her babies-they're
00:20:32.36\00:20:34.93
all moms-and
wanting to be with her kids
00:20:35.00\00:20:37.57
and missing them
desperately. To see
00:20:37.63\00:20:41.24
God work and the
transformation begin
00:20:41.30\00:20:43.77
to happen and
lives change... I know
00:20:43.81\00:20:46.44
this is your
program and we want to hear
00:20:46.47\00:20:48.51
all about what God's
doing with that, but I
00:20:48.58\00:20:50.58
just want to say
prison ministry's incredible,
00:20:50.71\00:20:52.78
and during this
program, we want to encourage
00:20:52.85\00:20:54.98
you at home to become
involved, and Carol and
00:20:55.05\00:20:58.29
the team will
share with you how to do
00:20:58.35\00:20:59.92
that...but I want to
hear YOUR perspective
00:20:59.95\00:21:01.46
on that. - As I've
worked with the inmates,
00:21:01.52\00:21:04.73
both the men and
the women inmates, their
00:21:04.79\00:21:07.60
stories have
deeply touched my heart.
00:21:07.66\00:21:10.60
They have come
from- so many of them have
00:21:10.67\00:21:13.10
come from such
difficult, heart-wrenching
00:21:13.17\00:21:16.00
backgrounds. It's
just broken my heart. As
00:21:16.10\00:21:20.18
I've listened to
their stories, I realized
00:21:20.24\00:21:22.74
had I grown up in
their circumstances, I would
00:21:22.81\00:21:26.11
probably be
exactly where they are. So,
00:21:26.18\00:21:29.78
I cannot be
critical of them. I just have
00:21:29.88\00:21:33.15
to recognize- but for
the grace of God, there go
00:21:33.19\00:21:35.89
I, and God has
put such an incredible
00:21:35.96\00:21:38.53
love in my heart for
these people. - Amen!
00:21:38.63\00:21:41.46
That's wonderful.
What about you, Jay? What's
00:21:41.56\00:21:43.37
your story? How did
you get involved? - My
00:21:43.43\00:21:45.93
story is probably
like what everybody else
00:21:46.00\00:21:48.54
will go through;
it's very simple. I was
00:21:48.64\00:21:54.94
actually nominated to
be a personal ministry
00:21:55.01\00:21:58.08
leader in my
church, and I'm thinking in
00:21:58.15\00:22:00.45
my head, "What
does a personal ministry
00:22:00.52\00:22:02.18
leader do?"
[laughter] I was thinking, "What
00:22:02.25\00:22:05.35
am I going to do?"
At that time, both my
00:22:05.42\00:22:08.69
children have gone to
college, so I was left
00:22:08.76\00:22:12.06
with nothing to do.
So I was thinking, "Okay,
00:22:12.13\00:22:16.16
what am I going to
do?" Then, Carol comes to
00:22:16.26\00:22:18.60
me and she says, "I
have an idea for our
00:22:18.67\00:22:21.60
program for our
church." And I said, "Oh, good."
00:22:22.87\00:22:26.34
Now, I'm going to
have to think of an idea.
00:22:26.41\00:22:27.74
So, she thought of
an idea, so I thought
00:22:27.78\00:22:29.91
this was a great ministry-prison
00:22:29.98\00:22:31.75
ministry. She
brought me to the Lockhart
00:22:31.81\00:22:35.58
Correctional Facility,
and we had our interview
00:22:35.65\00:22:40.92
with the warden
there. It started from there,
00:22:41.02\00:22:43.69
and I'm thinking,
"What is a man doing in a
00:22:43.76\00:22:46.86
woman's prison?"
I'm thinking, "Okay, I
00:22:46.93\00:22:50.47
think I can do this."
Then they said, "We're
00:22:50.60\00:22:53.20
going to be doing
knitting." And I go,
00:22:53.27\00:22:54.94
"Knitting?" [Jill laughs]
"Uhh... I have never done
00:22:55.00\00:22:57.24
knitting in my life
before." So, I'm proud to say
00:22:57.34\00:23:01.01
that I've learned
how to knit? prison.
00:23:01.04\00:23:03.55
- Yay! - So, I did
manage to knit and I
00:23:03.65\00:23:07.52
did get involved,
and it's been a real
00:23:07.58\00:23:09.08
blessing to me. So,
I just wanted to say
00:23:09.15\00:23:12.15
that I didn't intentionally
go out to do it; it
00:23:12.25\00:23:16.93
came to me. And
I'm thinking a lot of
00:23:16.99\00:23:18.79
times, God calls
you when you don't even
00:23:18.89\00:23:23.70
ask God what to do
with your life. So,
00:23:23.77\00:23:27.87
it's been a real good
blessing for me. - Amen.
00:23:27.94\00:23:30.81
When you least
expect it. You know,
00:23:30.87\00:23:32.37
the call of God
comes, and each one of you
00:23:32.47\00:23:34.34
were willing to
step out in obedience to
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.95
that call. Well,
let's talk about LAMB. I
00:23:37.01\00:23:38.91
know it stands
for "Love a Mother's
00:23:38.98\00:23:40.72
Baby," but what
exactly does that entail? And
00:23:40.75\00:23:43.72
we have a lot of fun
things in front of us,
00:23:43.79\00:23:45.59
too, I hope you
talk about. - Yes. Love
00:23:45.69\00:23:48.16
a Mother's Baby
has been an incredible
00:23:48.22\00:23:49.96
program. As Jill
said, the mothers that have
00:23:50.03\00:23:54.56
children that- the
incarcerated mothers
00:23:54.60\00:23:57.57
that have
children have just deeply
00:23:57.63\00:23:59.77
touched my heart.
I love my three sons,
00:23:59.83\00:24:02.34
and I can't imagine
being incarcerated and
00:24:02.40\00:24:05.21
separated from them.
So, as I was thinking
00:24:05.27\00:24:07.51
about the LAMB, reaching
out of these, I thought,
00:24:07.54\00:24:10.28
"What can I do?" And
the thought came to my
00:24:10.35\00:24:12.75
mind, "What about
if we did a blanket and
00:24:12.81\00:24:18.19
a stuffed animal and
a Bible story book and
00:24:18.25\00:24:21.59
let them read- write a
letter to their child?"
00:24:21.69\00:24:25.23
So, this is actually
what we came up with.
00:24:25.29\00:24:27.40
They can make a
blanket. - I love it! - Isn't
00:24:27.50\00:24:32.07
that precious? -
It says, "I woof you!"
00:24:32.13\00:24:35.60
Awww. I didn't know
if we could get it out.
00:24:35.64\00:24:37.54
That's beautiful.
- You can open it up
00:24:37.61\00:24:39.84
if you want to. - Oh,
this is perfect kid-sized!
00:24:39.91\00:24:46.48
- It's perfect kid-sized,
it is! - Look at that!
00:24:46.58\00:24:49.58
It's always cold on
the set. I might keep
00:24:50.22\00:24:51.75
this on. - Go for
it! So, because we're
00:24:51.85\00:24:56.79
making it child-sized,
we had a little bit of
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.79
extra fabric and we
didn't want to waste
00:24:58.86\00:25:00.30
it, so we thought,
"Well, let's make a
00:25:00.40\00:25:02.06
pillow to go with
it!" And actually, the
00:25:02.16\00:25:04.47
kids love the
pillows. They just love the
00:25:04.53\00:25:09.07
pillows. So, you can
have the pillow. Then,
00:25:09.14\00:25:12.37
we have, as you
can see, the stuffed
00:25:13.21\00:25:15.08
animals. - Yep.
There's a whole pile of them.
00:25:15.14\00:25:19.21
They can choose a
stuffed animal, they
00:25:19.35\00:25:21.75
can choose a Bible
story book, then they can
00:25:21.82\00:25:26.59
write a letter to
their child, and we developed
00:25:26.65\00:25:29.79
cards. We have a whole
different group of cards
00:25:29.86\00:25:33.43
that they can
choose from that they can
00:25:33.50\00:25:35.43
write a letter to
their child. - I love that.
00:25:35.53\00:25:38.37
"I love you." So,
who makes the blankets?
00:25:38.47\00:25:40.67
- We have a group
that meets every Tuesday
00:25:40.74\00:25:42.80
afternoon, so every
single blanket is handmade
00:25:42.90\00:25:46.17
because we think that
it touches their hearts
00:25:46.24\00:25:49.91
more if somebody has
actually made something
00:25:50.01\00:25:52.48
for them. So, we meet
every Tuesday afternoon.
00:25:52.55\00:25:56.05
We have a group from
our church that meets
00:25:56.12\00:25:58.32
to make blankets.
- And Peggy and Jay,
00:25:58.39\00:26:00.79
do you all make
blankets, too, or you're not
00:26:00.86\00:26:02.46
involved in that? -
No, not involved with that;
00:26:02.52\00:26:04.33
but you'd be
surprised how many members of
00:26:04.43\00:26:06.23
our church, who
never got involved, make
00:26:06.29\00:26:09.40
these blankets. -
People that were not involved
00:26:09.46\00:26:12.47
that were just
sitting, not involved, have
00:26:12.53\00:26:15.37
become very actively
involved. We have one
00:26:15.44\00:26:18.04
lady that's 92, and
she comes faithfully.
00:26:18.07\00:26:21.11
So, she takes some home
and works on them. Yeah.
00:26:21.14\00:26:25.48
They've gotten very
involved. - Amen. - Then,
00:26:25.55\00:26:28.85
we give each one of the
women a Steps to Christ.
00:26:28.92\00:26:32.89
- Now, that's not
for the kids or that is
00:26:33.69\00:26:35.19
for the kids? - No,
this is for the mothers.
00:26:35.22\00:26:37.79
We let the mothers
select the blanket,
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.86
the stuffed animal,
the Bible story book,
00:26:40.93\00:26:43.23
then they wrap it
up according to the one
00:26:43.30\00:26:46.17
that is there with
the ribbon. And if the
00:26:46.20\00:26:50.14
family comes to visit, then
the wardens keep the blanket,
00:26:50.21\00:26:54.31
and when the family comes
to visit, the warden gives
00:26:54.38\00:26:57.58
the blanket to the
inmate, and that woman
00:26:57.65\00:27:00.45
goes and gives it
to her child. - Aww. So
00:27:00.55\00:27:03.92
they can hand-deliver,
like the gift comes from
00:27:03.99\00:27:05.79
Mommy then. - The gift
comes from Mommy. Sadly,
00:27:05.89\00:27:08.92
I would say 90%
of the women, their
00:27:09.59\00:27:12.79
children never come
to visit them, so we end
00:27:12.86\00:27:16.00
up mailing the
blankets to them. But they still
00:27:16.06\00:27:20.60
are very touched
and they know it comes
00:27:20.64\00:27:22.44
from Mommy, because
they have the letter
00:27:22.54\00:27:24.04
that says it comes
from Mommy. - I think we
00:27:24.11\00:27:26.37
have a picture of
that, right? - Yes, we do.
00:27:26.44\00:27:28.14
- We have a picture,
I think, of them writing
00:27:28.21\00:27:31.21
the cards; is that
right? - That's the picture
00:27:31.25\00:27:32.78
of them writing the
cards to their children.
00:27:32.85\00:27:35.42
Then, we have a
picture of one of the mothers
00:27:35.48\00:27:40.22
giving her daughter
the blanket. - Aww...
00:27:40.29\00:27:44.26
Yep, I can see
there's the stuffed animal on
00:27:45.16\00:27:46.76
top and the card,
then they have some sort
00:27:46.86\00:27:50.37
of Bible story, you
said. - Mhm. The Bible
00:27:50.43\00:27:52.13
story book, yeah. -
I love that. - So then,
00:27:52.23\00:27:56.67
we give each mother a
Steps to Christ and we
00:27:56.77\00:28:00.14
send a Steps to
Christ to each of the foster
00:28:00.21\00:28:03.78
parents. So, each family
is getting two sets. - Yes!
00:28:03.85\00:28:08.78
- So then, after
the mothers finish, then
00:28:08.85\00:28:12.05
we get all the mothers
together. God has given
00:28:12.15\00:28:14.42
me an amazing object
lesson that has deeply
00:28:14.49\00:28:19.23
touched the women's
hearts. So, this box
00:28:19.29\00:28:23.77
represents God's
heart. This is a really common
00:28:23.83\00:28:27.44
toy, and it has the
different shapes in it,
00:28:27.54\00:28:30.97
so we pass it around
and we let each woman
00:28:31.04\00:28:33.44
take a shape. - Okay.
- And we talk about how
00:28:33.51\00:28:36.51
this box represents
the heart of God and how
00:28:36.58\00:28:39.98
each one of us has
a unique shape that
00:28:40.05\00:28:44.15
nobody else can
fill. And in God's heart,
00:28:44.22\00:28:48.16
each one of us has a
special place that nobody
00:28:48.22\00:28:50.99
else can fill. So,
we pass the box around,
00:28:51.03\00:28:54.16
and I tell them,
"Put it in the wrong hole.
00:28:54.23\00:28:57.07
Try to put it in
the wrong hole." Then
00:28:57.13\00:29:00.07
we talk about, it
doesn't fit. So, we
00:29:00.14\00:29:02.60
talk about, nobody
else can take your place.
00:29:02.64\00:29:04.87
God has a place in
His heart for you that
00:29:04.94\00:29:07.64
nobody else can
take. Then I let them put
00:29:07.71\00:29:11.81
their shape in, but
then I say, "What happens
00:29:11.88\00:29:14.92
if you say,
'Thanks, God, for everything
00:29:14.95\00:29:18.69
You've done, but
I wanna live my own
00:29:18.75\00:29:20.66
life.' What
happened?" There's always an
00:29:20.72\00:29:23.73
empty place in
God's heart because your
00:29:23.79\00:29:25.99
shape is not in God's
heart. - That's beautiful.
00:29:26.06\00:29:30.03
- So, we talk about
how important each person
00:29:30.10\00:29:32.53
is to God, and
nobody else can take their
00:29:32.60\00:29:36.10
place. Then, we
talk to them about the
00:29:36.17\00:29:38.84
fact that when they
go home... Oh, and I
00:29:38.91\00:29:42.58
give them a little
card that has this so they
00:29:42.64\00:29:45.55
can take it home,
they can keep it, and they
00:29:45.61\00:29:48.42
can remember it. So
then we talk to them
00:29:48.45\00:29:51.02
about, what happens
when you go home, or
00:29:51.05\00:29:54.09
even here, and you
fall? There's a song,
00:29:54.19\00:29:58.89
"He Didn't Throw
the Clay Away." Have you
00:29:58.96\00:30:01.73
ever heard this
sung? - Oh, yes. - So, I
00:30:01.80\00:30:04.60
give them a card
that I made that has the
00:30:04.70\00:30:06.87
lyrics to that on
it, and we talk about how
00:30:06.97\00:30:10.14
when a potter is
making something and it gets
00:30:10.24\00:30:12.91
messed up, he doesn't
throw it away; he just
00:30:13.04\00:30:16.11
starts over and
over, and he may have to
00:30:16.18\00:30:19.81
start over many times
until he finally gets it,
00:30:19.88\00:30:23.12
but it becomes a
beautiful vessel. We talk about,
00:30:23.22\00:30:26.86
that's what God
wants to do in their lives.
00:30:26.96\00:30:30.86
- There's so much shame-
you know?-and condemnation.
00:30:30.96\00:30:34.63
I remember that
distinctly- that the woman feels
00:30:34.70\00:30:37.40
so much guilt and
false sense of shame and
00:30:37.43\00:30:40.54
feeling like God
can't forgive them. So,
00:30:40.60\00:30:42.34
each one of these
tools are ways that you're
00:30:42.40\00:30:46.11
re-establishing
their value in God's eyes
00:30:46.17\00:30:48.98
and that God can
forgive and transform. I just
00:30:49.04\00:30:52.01
want to jump in one
second for Peggy and Jay.
00:30:52.08\00:30:53.95
Are you all
involved when they do the
00:30:54.02\00:30:56.69
giveaway and
stuff, or is that separate
00:30:56.72\00:30:58.05
from when you go
into the prison? - We're
00:30:58.15\00:31:00.62
in together, but
it's a separate program,
00:31:00.69\00:31:04.13
the way it's set up
in the room. - Okay.
00:31:04.19\00:31:06.33
- We do the Knitting
Hearts with Jesus. We're
00:31:06.39\00:31:10.27
both the teachers, and
we are grouped together.
00:31:10.37\00:31:14.27
We read the Bible and
knit together. - Okay!
00:31:15.90\00:31:18.07
Wonderful. - I just
want to make one other
00:31:18.17\00:31:20.51
comment. One
other thing that we talk
00:31:20.58\00:31:22.41
to them about, we
talked about the verse
00:31:22.51\00:31:24.01
in Proverbs that says,
"The righteous man falls
00:31:24.08\00:31:26.21
7 times and rises up
again, but a foolish man
00:31:26.28\00:31:29.32
falls and stays down."
So, we talked about the
00:31:29.42\00:31:32.35
only difference
between a righteous man and a
00:31:32.42\00:31:34.32
foolish man is
that when the righteous
00:31:34.42\00:31:36.89
person falls, they
ask God to forgive them
00:31:36.96\00:31:38.96
and get back up.
So, we encourage them,
00:31:38.99\00:31:41.46
"You're going to
fall when you go home, but
00:31:41.56\00:31:44.07
ask God to forgive
you and get back up and
00:31:45.13\00:31:47.64
keep going, because
God wants to make you
00:31:47.70\00:31:49.77
into a beautiful,
beautiful vessel."
00:31:49.80\00:31:53.24
- Amen. That's
precious, Carol. I see you have
00:31:53.31\00:31:56.34
a letter here, too,
before we jump to the
00:31:56.44\00:31:57.78
Knitting Hearts
program, 'cause our time is
00:31:57.81\00:31:59.71
going. It always
goes too quickly, so let's
00:31:59.78\00:32:02.55
hear a letter. - Let
me read this. This is
00:32:02.58\00:32:04.39
from one of the
women that participated in
00:32:04.45\00:32:06.76
our LAMB program. She
says, "I just got done
00:32:06.82\00:32:11.43
making two packages
for my two daughters with
00:32:11.49\00:32:14.46
you, and as I
write to you right now, I
00:32:14.53\00:32:18.00
have tears in my
eyes. The love and kindness
00:32:18.07\00:32:21.34
that went into making
those beautiful blankets
00:32:21.40\00:32:23.47
and getting those
books and teddy bears so that
00:32:23.54\00:32:26.14
my connection? with my daughters
00:32:26.17\00:32:29.91
is overwhelming. I
was sentenced to 6 years
00:32:29.94\00:32:33.42
in 2012 for a drunk
driving car wreck that
00:32:33.52\00:32:36.79
almost killed my
best friend and I. My only
00:32:36.85\00:32:39.82
child at that time
was 6 weeks old. I served
00:32:39.89\00:32:43.36
2 and a half years
and came home in February
00:32:43.43\00:32:46.43
of 2015. Life was
difficult upon my release. I had
00:32:46.49\00:32:50.77
a very abusive man in
my life, my daughter's
00:32:50.87\00:32:53.50
father, and I was so
full of guilt and pain
00:32:53.60\00:32:56.57
for leaving my child
for the first 2 and a half
00:32:56.67\00:32:58.97
years of her life that
I was stripping to make
00:32:59.07\00:33:02.54
great money. In my
mind, stripping made
00:33:02.64\00:33:05.35
it possible
financially to do extraordinary
00:33:05.41\00:33:07.92
things for my baby, and I?
00:33:07.98\00:33:10.69
I became pregnant
with my second baby.
00:33:10.79\00:33:14.92
I danced until I
was 5 months pregnant.
00:33:14.99\00:33:17.73
I wanted to turn to
God at that time but
00:33:17.79\00:33:20.46
was, again, full of
guilt, now because I
00:33:20.53\00:33:23.30
was trying to live two
different lives. I felt
00:33:23.40\00:33:26.17
I couldn't go to
God until I was ready to
00:33:26.23\00:33:30.61
live right. I loved
God but wasn't living the
00:33:30.64\00:33:33.41
life of a godly
woman. When my second baby
00:33:33.48\00:33:36.28
was three months
old, I picked up my third
00:33:36.38\00:33:38.78
DWI while also on
parole for drunk driving
00:33:38.85\00:33:42.25
car wreck. I was sent
back to prison. I have
00:33:42.35\00:33:45.95
missed both of my
girls' first words,
00:33:46.05\00:33:48.39
first steps...
I've missed it all. The
00:33:48.49\00:33:51.03
guilt that I carried
with me the first time
00:33:51.13\00:33:54.66
is only intensified
now. I struggle with
00:33:54.76\00:33:57.67
my one-year-old
because I feel I'm
00:33:57.77\00:34:00.27
wrong for showing her
love when my 4-year-old
00:34:00.34\00:34:02.94
is the one left
hurting. My oldest and I are
00:34:03.04\00:34:06.98
so close, I thought
I could make up for the
00:34:07.08\00:34:10.31
lost time when I
came home last time.
00:34:10.41\00:34:12.61
Unfortunately, time
is the only thing that
00:34:12.71\00:34:15.32
once we lose, we
can't get back. It's not
00:34:15.38\00:34:18.22
possible for me to
put into words how much
00:34:18.32\00:34:20.99
it means to me and
my girls to be able to
00:34:21.06\00:34:23.73
send them this
package. I felt connected to
00:34:23.79\00:34:26.83
them as I sat with
the teddy bear and blanket
00:34:26.93\00:34:29.26
in my arms,
knowing it would soon be in
00:34:29.33\00:34:32.23
theirs. Thank you
so, so much. I don't know
00:34:32.30\00:34:36.10
where you and your
church came up with the
00:34:36.17\00:34:37.74
idea to even help
mothers in prison. I often
00:34:37.77\00:34:41.24
feel like the bad
momma. I put things before
00:34:41.31\00:34:44.15
my daughters. I
used to look around my
00:34:44.21\00:34:46.68
church and wonder how
I got so far off track
00:34:46.75\00:34:49.55
in my life. If I
would've just put God first.
00:34:49.58\00:34:52.95
Money has always
been the demon in my life.
00:34:53.05\00:34:56.16
I should be
released in February. So much
00:34:56.22\00:34:59.36
of my time of my
daughters' lives I
00:34:59.39\00:35:01.23
would have missed.
Will I try to compensate
00:35:01.30\00:35:04.53
for all my time
gone again or will I let
00:35:04.63\00:35:07.34
God lead? Only
time will tell. When you
00:35:07.40\00:35:11.37
prayed with me,
that is the first time
00:35:11.44\00:35:13.31
anyone has taken
the time to pray for me
00:35:13.41\00:35:15.78
and my children. I
can see God in you and
00:35:15.84\00:35:18.88
couldn't stop
staring at you. I hope one
00:35:18.95\00:35:21.88
day, I'm more like
you- a beautiful, godly,
00:35:21.95\00:35:24.29
selfless woman.
Thank you from the bottom
00:35:24.35\00:35:27.26
of my heart. Today
reminded me of what I
00:35:27.32\00:35:30.33
have to live for:
myself and my children.
00:35:30.39\00:35:33.46
You gave me that
reminder and filled me
00:35:33.56\00:35:36.20
with the hope I had
lost. I will hold onto
00:35:36.30\00:35:39.63
that during my dark
days. God bless you and
00:35:39.73\00:35:42.74
all the women who
made it possible for me to
00:35:42.80\00:35:44.81
reconnect with my girls
with this gift." - Amen.
00:35:44.91\00:35:48.54
It's beautiful.
It's beautiful to see how
00:35:51.85\00:35:53.75
God can use each
one of you, how God can
00:35:53.85\00:35:57.05
use you at home. At
the end of the program,
00:35:57.12\00:35:59.95
we'll talk about ways
you can get involved to
00:36:00.02\00:36:02.12
touch people's
lives for eternity. What
00:36:02.19\00:36:05.09
we want to do right
now, I want to make sure
00:36:05.16\00:36:06.96
we get this video
in and we don't run out
00:36:07.03\00:36:08.73
of time. So, we're
going to go to a video that,
00:36:08.80\00:36:11.20
actually, Carol's
son, Mark, put together. In
00:36:11.27\00:36:14.90
addition to being
able to speak and share
00:36:14.97\00:36:16.67
the Word of God, he's
an excellent videographer/
00:36:16.74\00:36:19.27
cinematographer.
We want to go to
00:36:19.37\00:36:21.94
an overview video of
the LAMB and Knitting
00:36:22.01\00:36:24.25
program now.
00:36:24.28\00:36:26.11
There's tremendous
need-often an unseen,
00:36:33.66\00:36:37.16
unknown need of
incarcerated men and
00:36:37.23\00:36:40.60
women. Many of
these men and women have
00:36:40.66\00:36:42.93
grown up in really,
really sad situations
00:36:43.03\00:36:46.43
that have led them
into a life of crime
00:36:46.53\00:36:49.24
and into a life
of drugs and alcohol.
00:36:49.34\00:36:52.47
And yet, their
hearts are crying out. They
00:36:52.57\00:36:56.08
desperately want
something better, and
00:36:56.18\00:36:58.85
their hearts are crying out for
00:36:58.95\00:37:01.52
understanding, for
help. That need has
00:37:01.58\00:37:05.42
deeply touched my
heart. As I thought about
00:37:05.52\00:37:09.86
what I could do to
reach out and help these
00:37:09.92\00:37:12.49
suffering men and
women, my heart was really
00:37:12.53\00:37:15.40
touched by the
thought of the women who
00:37:15.46\00:37:18.13
have infants,
toddlers, and young children,
00:37:18.17\00:37:21.44
and they're
separated from these children.
00:37:21.50\00:37:24.44
My mother's heart
that loves my sons
00:37:24.54\00:37:28.34
thought, "What
can I do to help these
00:37:28.41\00:37:30.75
mothers show, in a
tangible way, their
00:37:30.81\00:37:34.02
children how much
they love them. So, we
00:37:34.08\00:37:37.92
decided to start
the program called the
00:37:37.99\00:37:40.26
LAMB program. It's
an acronym for Love
00:37:40.36\00:37:42.69
a Mother's Baby.
In this program, the
00:37:42.79\00:37:45.93
mothers are allowed
to choose a handmade
00:37:45.99\00:37:48.50
blanket, a stuffed
animal, a Bible story
00:37:48.60\00:37:51.37
book, and to write a
personal note to their
00:37:51.47\00:37:54.27
child. As these children
hold the stuffed animals,
00:37:54.34\00:37:59.17
as they hold the
blanket, they can feel in a
00:37:59.24\00:38:02.91
tangible way that their
mother really loves them,
00:38:03.01\00:38:06.72
that their mother
cares for them, that their
00:38:06.82\00:38:08.68
mother is thinking
about them. We've talked
00:38:08.78\00:38:12.15
with the women about
the fact that the best
00:38:12.25\00:38:15.16
gift they can
give their children is
00:38:15.22\00:38:17.79
themselves, and
the only way that they
00:38:17.89\00:38:20.40
can give themselves
to their children is if
00:38:20.50\00:38:23.30
they develop a personal
relationship with Jesus.
00:38:23.37\00:38:26.80
So, we offer them the
book Steps to Christ so
00:38:26.90\00:38:30.34
that they can learn to
know Jesus for themselves. - We
00:38:30.41\00:38:35.84
send our kids cards all the
00:38:35.94\00:38:37.28
time that we make,
and handkerchiefs, but
00:38:37.35\00:38:39.88
this is something more
intimate. Like, they get
00:38:39.95\00:38:43.18
to touch and feel.
Whenever they think
00:38:43.25\00:38:45.25
about us, they get
to touch the softness
00:38:45.32\00:38:47.76
of the animals,
the blankets... We're
00:38:47.82\00:38:50.66
not close to them,
so it's something to
00:38:50.73\00:38:52.43
make them feel like
we're close to them.
00:38:52.49\00:38:54.43
"Our mom is right
here," and not just
00:38:54.46\00:38:57.37
the card where you, for a
while, put in a photo album.
00:38:57.43\00:39:00.67
This is something
that you touch, so it's
00:39:00.74\00:39:02.50
more intimate. - A lot
of times, women... They're
00:39:02.54\00:39:06.68
separated from
their families, they're
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.51
separated from their
kids, they don't have
00:39:08.54\00:39:10.68
the bonding that
they normally would have
00:39:10.71\00:39:12.58
with somebody on
the outside, so this
00:39:12.65\00:39:14.88
gives them an opportunity
to actually start the
00:39:14.95\00:39:17.12
bonding process again
with the kids. Hopefully,
00:39:17.19\00:39:21.32
by the time they get out,
they'll be able to continue
00:39:21.42\00:39:23.39
it. - Another
amazing ministry that God has
00:39:23.43\00:39:27.53
given us is the
Knitting Hearts Together with
00:39:27.60\00:39:29.70
Jesus program. In
this program, we have
00:39:29.76\00:39:33.03
about 40-50 women
that we break into small
00:39:33.13\00:39:36.74
groups that we
teach to crochet. This
00:39:36.81\00:39:40.98
teaching them to crochet
is teaching them a skill.
00:39:41.04\00:39:44.38
It's also doing a
lot to build their sense
00:39:44.45\00:39:47.28
of self-esteem
and self-worth because
00:39:47.38\00:39:49.65
they're mastering a
skill. When they have
00:39:49.68\00:39:52.85
learned to
crochet, then they have the
00:39:52.95\00:39:55.02
opportunity to
make a baby blanket, a
00:39:55.09\00:39:57.93
stuffed animal, scarves,
or various other objects.
00:39:57.99\00:40:01.76
These objects, we have
been using to give back
00:40:01.86\00:40:04.60
to the community to
help children and other
00:40:04.67\00:40:07.74
people. So, this
gives the inmates a sense
00:40:07.80\00:40:10.44
that they're
really contributing to the
00:40:10.51\00:40:13.07
wellness and health of
somebody else. As we're
00:40:13.14\00:40:16.91
crocheting with
them, we also have the
00:40:16.95\00:40:19.45
opportunity to
study the Bible with them.
00:40:19.48\00:40:22.18
We've been going
through the book Steps to Christ
00:40:22.28\00:40:25.25
as well as the Bible,
encouraging the people
00:40:25.32\00:40:28.29
to develop a personal
relationship with Jesus
00:40:28.36\00:40:31.99
and to learn how
to walk with Him day
00:40:32.09\00:40:34.66
by day. - The Knitting
Hearts has been amazing
00:40:34.76\00:40:38.13
for the women-women
that sometimes think they
00:40:38.20\00:40:41.84
can't do anything.
They've never been told, "Good
00:40:41.90\00:40:45.24
job," you know? "Look
at what you made!" They
00:40:45.34\00:40:50.78
take that and
they find out that they
00:40:50.85\00:40:53.48
can be creative. -
It gives you a sense of
00:40:53.55\00:40:55.65
pride. It makes you
feel like you're actually
00:40:55.72\00:40:57.35
doing something good.
It makes me feel like,
00:40:57.42\00:41:00.42
because I've
manipulated people so much in
00:41:00.52\00:41:03.93
the past and I've
used people, it makes me
00:41:03.99\00:41:07.53
feel like I can
actually change and do something
00:41:07.60\00:41:10.57
better for folks
instead of, "me, me, me."
00:41:10.67\00:41:15.04
- Well, initially,
when I started this program
00:41:15.80\00:41:18.21
about 7 months ago,
I thought, you know,
00:41:18.27\00:41:21.78
it was just
something to do, but the Bible
00:41:21.81\00:41:25.85
study that we did,
the Steps to Christ, has
00:41:25.91\00:41:28.25
helped me come to my
salvation. Being able to
00:41:28.32\00:41:31.85
give back to the
community... I'd always- before
00:41:31.92\00:41:35.59
my incarceration,
I was always in the
00:41:35.69\00:41:37.63
taking and never
giving back; but since I
00:41:38.49\00:41:42.13
received Christ
through this program, it's
00:41:42.16\00:41:45.27
just opened up a
whole new world to
00:41:45.37\00:41:47.04
me. Without
this program, I don't
00:41:47.17\00:41:52.27
know... I'd still
be lost. - Amen. What
00:41:52.37\00:41:57.25
an incredible
roll. It makes me want
00:41:57.31\00:41:59.78
to get involved.
We hope it makes you
00:41:59.85\00:42:01.88
want to get involved
at home, as well. Now,
00:42:01.95\00:42:03.75
we talked about the
LAMB program, but we
00:42:03.79\00:42:05.72
haven't talked about
the knitting program.
00:42:05.75\00:42:07.46
So, Jay, you want to
talk to us about that?
00:42:07.49\00:42:10.23
'Cause this was your
first time even getting
00:42:10.33\00:42:11.66
involved with knitting.
Or, crocheting, actually.
00:42:11.69\00:42:14.26
- Yeah! Knitting
and crocheting. I said
00:42:14.30\00:42:16.77
in the beginning I
didn't want to do it,
00:42:16.83\00:42:20.20
'cause I never
really learned how to knit
00:42:20.27\00:42:22.67
or crochet before.
And as a man, I'm like,
00:42:22.74\00:42:25.67
"Okay." Then the
first day I got there, I
00:42:25.77\00:42:28.74
see everybody
knitting, and I'm thinking, "I
00:42:28.81\00:42:31.95
can't just sit here
and do nothing." So,
00:42:32.01\00:42:34.18
I got involved and I
said, "Okay." Then, we
00:42:34.25\00:42:36.52
tried. It was very
easy. I think as a man
00:42:36.62\00:42:40.86
coming into a woman's
prison, it has a little
00:42:40.92\00:42:44.56
bit of impact a
little bit, because a lot
00:42:44.66\00:42:48.83
of time, these
women don't have very good
00:42:48.90\00:42:52.53
role models of men.
That's probably one of
00:42:52.60\00:42:55.30
the reasons why
they're there. So, I think it's
00:42:55.37\00:42:59.31
giving a good impression
on them to- as a man can
00:42:59.37\00:43:03.61
get involved in
these kinds of programs, as
00:43:03.68\00:43:05.55
well. - Yes. Now,
you go in- is it once a
00:43:05.61\00:43:07.65
week that you do the
knitting program with
00:43:07.68\00:43:09.22
them, or...? - We
do twice a month, two
00:43:09.25\00:43:10.99
Sundays, and we
are there for about 3-4
00:43:11.09\00:43:16.69
hours. We work with
them and we knit with them,
00:43:16.76\00:43:21.96
we crochet with them, and
then we have Bible studies.
00:43:22.03\00:43:24.43
- You mentor them,
too. - Yes! Mentoring
00:43:24.50\00:43:28.07
is important. -
Mentoring is huge. They need
00:43:28.14\00:43:31.64
that time to be
able to talk and share
00:43:31.71\00:43:33.78
about how they feel
and to have somebody
00:43:33.84\00:43:36.11
listen. - Amen.
We have some pictures
00:43:36.18\00:43:38.75
of the knitting
program, I think, Jay. Let's see
00:43:38.78\00:43:41.55
if we can look at
those knitting pictures.
00:43:41.62\00:43:43.15
Crocheting pictures!
It's wonderful. So, what
00:43:43.18\00:43:47.62
sort of things do
they make? We can just
00:43:47.72\00:43:49.06
roll through the
pictures. What sort of things
00:43:49.09\00:43:50.43
do they make? - They
make blankets, sometimes
00:43:50.53\00:43:54.70
they make smaller
blankets, and you can
00:43:54.76\00:43:58.73
see some of the
examples over here. - Nice. And
00:43:58.80\00:44:02.07
they put it together
into a big blanket. We
00:44:02.14\00:44:03.64
saw that in the
last picture. - Yes. - I
00:44:03.71\00:44:05.74
love that. - Sometimes
they make little stuffed
00:44:05.77\00:44:08.18
animals. There are
some examples of stuffed
00:44:08.21\00:44:10.65
animals, and some
purses like that. - Aww,
00:44:10.71\00:44:15.38
how cute! I love
it. Aw, that's precious.
00:44:15.52\00:44:21.09
So while they're
crocheting, you're
00:44:21.16\00:44:23.09
doing Bible studies
with them, right, Piggy?
00:44:23.12\00:44:24.53
- Yes. We all- Jay and
I, and there are 6-8 other
00:44:24.59\00:44:29.16
volunteers in total
that are also helping
00:44:29.23\00:44:33.90
and teaching. So,
I just wanted to say
00:44:33.97\00:44:37.57
what a blessing it
is that I did not know
00:44:37.61\00:44:41.88
how to crochet when
I first came in to the
00:44:41.94\00:44:44.28
prison. I was
taught by one of the ladies
00:44:44.38\00:44:48.62
there, but I'm
coached constantly by the
00:44:48.68\00:44:53.05
inmates. Some of
them know how to crochet
00:44:53.15\00:44:55.82
immediate- I mean,
they have known since
00:44:55.92\00:44:57.56
they were little,
and they just pick it up
00:44:57.63\00:44:59.33
again. So, it's
really been amazing for me
00:44:59.39\00:45:02.16
to learn from them,
and they love to teach.
00:45:02.26\00:45:04.70
But the Bible study
is a huge blessing for me
00:45:04.80\00:45:09.20
and for them. Particularly
one lady that I work
00:45:09.30\00:45:14.61
with, she is so, so on
fire to know the answers
00:45:14.68\00:45:20.82
to things that
some may think are just,
00:45:20.88\00:45:23.69
"Oh, why would you
ask that." Sometimes,
00:45:23.79\00:45:26.69
she even feels, "Oh,
I shouldn't ask that.
00:45:26.79\00:45:28.66
It just is such a
dumb question," but I tell
00:45:28.72\00:45:31.23
her, "Ask anything
and we'll go to the Bible
00:45:31.29\00:45:33.70
and we will find
the answer," and we do.
00:45:33.80\00:45:36.73
That's one of the
things that makes me really
00:45:36.80\00:45:40.50
excited to sit down
with them: to listen to
00:45:40.57\00:45:43.51
them and to study
with them. It could
00:45:43.57\00:45:46.34
be something as
simple as, "Why do we pray?"
00:45:46.41\00:45:49.14
I was just asked
that. Why DO we pray if
00:45:49.24\00:45:51.75
God knows everything
already? - It's a good
00:45:51.81\00:45:54.12
question. - I just
said to her, "Let's
00:45:54.22\00:45:57.99
look in the Bible
and let's just talk about
00:45:58.05\00:45:59.92
why we pray-what God
says about prayer and
00:45:59.95\00:46:03.69
how it's such a
beautiful way of communicating
00:46:03.79\00:46:05.99
with Him. So, we do
study with them through
00:46:06.09\00:46:10.87
the Bible and Steps to
Christ and we point them
00:46:10.97\00:46:13.67
always to the
Bible to find the answers
00:46:13.77\00:46:16.77
to any question that
they may have. - It's
00:46:16.84\00:46:19.31
just like your Bible
study groups at church.
00:46:19.37\00:46:22.71
It's just that
you're around in a circle,
00:46:22.81\00:46:25.35
and they're all
very, very good people. I
00:46:25.41\00:46:29.78
feel like these are
just like church friends and
00:46:29.85\00:46:32.25
church brothers and
sisters who are with
00:46:32.32\00:46:34.92
us, studying
together, and it's been a really
00:46:35.02\00:46:37.89
amazing journey that
we have gone through.
00:46:37.96\00:46:41.43
- Amen. What
powerful testimonies. We have
00:46:41.50\00:46:43.23
one more video we
want to go to right now.
00:46:43.33\00:46:45.60
- As I've worked with
these inmates, God has
00:46:46.94\00:46:48.77
put such an
incredible love in my heart for
00:46:48.84\00:46:51.64
them. They have truly
become my brothers and
00:46:51.71\00:46:54.44
sisters. It's true
that they've made mistakes
00:46:54.54\00:46:57.51
in life, but they are
God's precious children,
00:46:57.58\00:47:01.95
and God is calling us
to reach out to prison
00:47:02.05\00:47:06.22
inmates. I love
the passage in Matthew
00:47:06.29\00:47:08.69
where Jesus says,
"As you've done it unto
00:47:08.76\00:47:11.36
the least of
these, my brethren, you've
00:47:11.43\00:47:13.36
done unto Me. As
you've gone into the prison
00:47:13.43\00:47:16.00
to visit these
people, you've been doing it
00:47:16.10\00:47:19.23
to Me." - Visiting
people in prison gives
00:47:19.30\00:47:23.61
them a sense of
value. If you can take the
00:47:23.67\00:47:28.31
time to commit yourself, once
a month, once a week, or once
00:47:28.38\00:47:34.62
every two months and
share the love of God
00:47:34.72\00:47:37.39
through this program,
it will impact more than
00:47:37.49\00:47:43.22
you know. It will
give years of value, years
00:47:43.29\00:47:46.96
of encouragement to
someone who might not've
00:47:47.03\00:47:51.83
had that experience in
their lives. - If you are
00:47:51.93\00:47:57.07
considering doing
this in your area, do it.
00:47:57.14\00:48:01.04
Every prison
facility that I know of, it's
00:48:01.14\00:48:04.91
always looking for
volunteer work, anything that
00:48:05.01\00:48:08.58
can help the
offenders do better, think more
00:48:08.68\00:48:12.82
positively, give them
more pro-social skills, this
00:48:12.89\00:48:16.19
actually helps
them do that. - When the
00:48:16.26\00:48:17.83
people first
started here, I noticed that
00:48:17.89\00:48:21.46
some of them were
kind of apprehensive,
00:48:21.56\00:48:23.13
especially some of the
older ladies. Now, it's
00:48:23.20\00:48:28.14
just like it's
their family, and they see
00:48:28.20\00:48:31.07
how it helps the
offenders so much that they
00:48:31.34\00:48:34.94
have truly received a
benefit from it. I think
00:48:35.04\00:48:38.75
that they can't
wait to come and to be a
00:48:38.81\00:48:42.98
part of it! They
enjoy it and they talk about
00:48:43.05\00:48:45.35
how much of a
blessing it's been to them.
00:48:45.42\00:48:47.79
So, if you have the
capability, it's going
00:48:47.86\00:48:50.33
to be wonderful
for everybody. Anybody
00:48:50.39\00:48:52.43
that is capable of doing
it should. - Amen. Praise
00:48:52.49\00:49:01.80
God for what He
is doing through LAMB
00:49:01.87\00:49:04.01
and Knitting
Hearts Ministry there in
00:49:04.07\00:49:06.47
that prison. Carol, I
know the Bible studies-
00:49:06.51\00:49:09.58
before we went to
the roll, we talked about
00:49:09.64\00:49:11.21
the Bible studies
that you all use. You're
00:49:11.28\00:49:13.38
using a special
Bible study series through
00:49:13.45\00:49:15.18
Young Disciple. -
Yes. We're using a program
00:49:15.22\00:49:17.39
called Light for Learners. It is
00:49:17.49\00:49:19.55
part of the
Young Disciple Ministry
00:49:19.62\00:49:21.26
Bible lessons which
they are redoing specifically
00:49:21.29\00:49:24.59
for the prison. -
Nice! - These lessons have
00:49:24.66\00:49:27.56
been well received; not
only the Steps to Christ,
00:49:27.63\00:49:30.13
but I use these lessons
that I mail into inmates
00:49:30.17\00:49:33.30
across the country,
and inmates have told
00:49:33.37\00:49:36.10
me that they love
them. They teach practical
00:49:36.17\00:49:39.84
Christianity. "How
do I live a Christian
00:49:39.91\00:49:42.58
life?" Through Thoughts
from the Mount of Blessings,
00:49:42.64\00:49:46.31
Christ Object Lessons,
how do I live a practical
00:49:47.92\00:49:50.19
life? We've been
told by the inmates that,
00:49:50.22\00:49:53.49
in their opinion,
they're one of the
00:49:53.56\00:49:55.96
top Bible lessons
that come into the prison.
00:49:56.02\00:49:59.16
They love them, so
I would encourage our
00:49:59.26\00:50:01.36
viewers to get in
contact with Young Disciple
00:50:01.40\00:50:04.47
Ministry and to
use these Bible lessons
00:50:04.53\00:50:07.67
in the prisons. My
goal would be to get these
00:50:07.74\00:50:11.31
Bible lessons in every
prison across the United
00:50:11.41\00:50:13.71
States because
they are having such a
00:50:13.81\00:50:15.54
phenomenal impact
on incarcerated men
00:50:15.61\00:50:19.61
and women. - Amen.
I know we have their
00:50:19.71\00:50:21.28
address up on the
screen now, but if, per chance,
00:50:21.38\00:50:23.55
you didn't get to
write that down, you can
00:50:23.65\00:50:25.95
always contact us
here at 3ABN and we'd love
00:50:26.05\00:50:27.99
to put you in touch
with the Young Disciple.
00:50:28.12\00:50:29.59
That is a blessing.
- Such an incredible
00:50:29.69\00:50:32.63
blessing, such an
incredible blessing.
00:50:32.73\00:50:35.13
- Amen. - So, I
would just encourage our
00:50:35.20\00:50:38.83
viewers to get
involved. This has been just an
00:50:38.90\00:50:41.90
amazing journey.
God has put such a love
00:50:41.94\00:50:44.21
in my heart and
Peggy's and Jay's and the other
00:50:44.31\00:50:47.11
teachers for these
people beyond what I
00:50:47.18\00:50:50.08
ever dreamed. I
would encourage people to
00:50:50.15\00:50:52.45
get involved, to reach
out to prison inmates, to
00:50:52.51\00:50:55.68
see the great need.
There's a slide that
00:50:55.75\00:50:59.35
shows the tremendous
increase of numbers of
00:50:59.45\00:51:02.92
people that are
incarcerated today.
00:51:02.99\00:51:05.16
Since 1980, it has
jumped almost 2 million
00:51:05.23\00:51:09.03
people. - Oh, that's
tremendous. - That is
00:51:09.10\00:51:12.57
just... So, in my
opinion, it is one
00:51:12.63\00:51:15.40
of the greatest
mission fields in the
00:51:15.44\00:51:17.04
world. We don't
have to go to Africa, to
00:51:17.11\00:51:19.44
China. We have a
mission field in our
00:51:19.57\00:51:21.91
backyard that can
have a profound impact in
00:51:21.98\00:51:25.71
changing people's
lives. - Amen. Well
00:51:25.81\00:51:29.18
right now, what we
want to do is put up
00:51:29.25\00:51:30.59
the contact
information for this incredible
00:51:30.65\00:51:32.75
ministry. Just as
Carol said, you don't
00:51:32.82\00:51:36.19
have to go overseas.
You have a mission field
00:51:36.22\00:51:38.16
at your next door
with those who are
00:51:38.23\00:51:41.33
incarcerated. So,
if you would like to
00:51:41.40\00:51:43.20
support this
ministry with your prayers or
00:51:43.26\00:51:45.83
financial support,
if you would like to get
00:51:45.90\00:51:48.17
involved and
want advice on how to
00:51:48.27\00:51:50.24
start a similar program
in your church community,
00:51:50.31\00:51:55.24
in a local prison
near your church, here
00:51:55.34\00:51:57.75
is how you can
contact them for yourself.
00:51:57.81\00:52:00.45
- If you've been
touched by their testimony,
00:52:00.48\00:52:05.22
we invite you to
prayerfully consider
00:52:05.29\00:52:06.79
supporting the LAMB &
Knitting Hearts Together
00:52:06.86\00:52:09.62
with Jesus Programs
and their special ministry
00:52:09.66\00:52:12.79
to offenders and their
children. We also invite
00:52:12.86\00:52:15.93
you to consider
starting up your own prison
00:52:16.03\00:52:18.63
ministry in your
church. To find out more,
00:52:18.73\00:52:21.30
please visit their
website, AustinSouthSDA.com.
00:52:21.40\00:52:26.21
That's AustinSouthSDA.com,
or call (512) 442-7888.
00:52:26.27\00:52:34.62
You may also write to
them at LAMB & Knitting
00:52:34.68\00:52:37.79
Hearts Together
with Jesus 132 Eberhart
00:52:37.85\00:52:41.79
Lane, Austin, Texas 78745.
00:52:41.82\00:52:46.49