Helping and Enriching Lives Through Prison Ministry

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The heat is on!

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The heat is on this summer. God’s work in the prisons continues to abound. There are always men to teach, correct, encourage and challenge. Every time there seems to be a little lull a letter comes in the mail, or a man comes up to me and asks to meet, or I am asked if I would be willing to teach a certain class to help a group of guys. Despite more brothers working in prisons in our area than since I began in 2005, there continues to be opportunities that we cannot take advantage of. There are several prisons within an hour drive of my house that I could be teaching classes at and studying with men there if I had time. The opportunities in the prisons continue to be almost endless. Would you like to come and help? Please let me know.

Recently I have been reading Psalms and was reminded of some things from the following passages…

Psalm 127:1–2 (ESV) Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. 

It is easy for me in the busyness of the work to forget that all my efforts mean nothing except that God be in this. I need to pray more and do less. I am guilty of thinking that if I don’t do certain things then they won’t get done. I forget that God is in charge of this work and my life. It is easy for me to preach this to the men in prison, but hard for me to trust in it at times. All my work will be in vain, all of my classes, my counseling, my preaching, my visits, if God is not behind what I am doing. I get frustrated at times, and over joyed at times because I forget this. All of the anxious toil is in vain because God is in control. He will make sure that things happen beyond my ability. That encourages me to work hard, but enjoy sleep also.

Things at the transition house are very good. We have four men in the program currently. This group of men have cooperated together better than any in a long time. They are all being faithful despite difficulties.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in God’s work in the prisons. I continue to owe you a debt that will only be able to be repaid in the next life.

Daryl Townsend

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