My friend Jane's (name changed to protect privacy) husband has been in Flordia state prison for more than twenty years. He has been working on being paroled for the past five or so years. It looks promising every year they go before the parole board, but there is always that little "something" that they say they want to see him do over the next year and to come back next year.
He has been more than compliant, and is truly a changed man. He has surrendered his life to the Lord and has committeted his life to sharing the gospel with others. He has received many reccomendations from prison staff and other noteworthy people that think he should be paroled.
His parole hearing is always near the end of August and is held in Talahassee, FL. This year, something is different. The hearing is scheduled for the second week of September. We really didn't question why it is scheduled two weeks later than usual, but now we know why. God has a plan.
Just last week, only two weeks prior to the parole hearing, my friends husband recieved two DR's (disciplinary reports) and was placed in confinement. The DR's were for having unauthorized state property and lying to staff. Here is where the consistent inconsistency steps in.
My friends husband has been the overseer of a section of the "Lifer's" program at his facility. He has been given the task of teaching and training other inmates how to use the computer and such. So, with the permission of someone in the education department, he had a computer in his classroom. Keep in mind, there is no internet access. When the guards saw it, they questioned him on how he got it. He told them that he had permission from the education department. When the guards asked the education department, they lied and said he didn't. Hence the DR for the property and the DR for lying.
The completely insanse part of this is that the professor of the education department is on vacation and she could have set the record straight before the DR's were given. SO...here he is, sitting in confinement, contemplating the fact that this incredible injustice and inconsistency could rip the chances of parole right out from under him.
Fortunately, we serve a super humongous God, and He will make His will perfect! The professor has agreed to try to right this wrong upon her return and they are trusting the Lord to be glorified through the removal of the DR's or better yet, an unhindered parole date. We belive this is why the parole hearing is scheduled two weeks later this year. Had the date been the usual last week of August, the professor would not get back from vacation and have time to get things corrected before the hearing. God gave them a two week "buffer."
Here is an excerpt of a letter he wrote from confinement:
- I pray that your spirit is at peace. it is only God's peace and comforting Spirit that can calm the storm of life right now.
Our program teaches honesty, character building, and responsibility, but in prison, sometimes telling the truth can get you lied on and in trouble. My character was formed before coming to this program and will continue to stand through this.
Unfortunately, someone in the program "lied" on me. The DR states that "a confidential informant advised the warden that John (name changed to protect privacy) had taken a computer from an education classroom and moved it to the FIU Classroom."
He goes on to say: This is a very trying time and much grace is needed, but I do believe the Lord is going to see us through. It's funny how things work, because all this week I have been thinking about my walk with the Lord and since being in this program how people have "watched" my walk from afar and haven't said much to me. But when they need prayer, advice, or just someone to talk to, they tell me I'm the only one they feel they can trust. So, I do what I feel I should as a Christian. People watch us when we don't think they are, even in little things.
I have taken a very strong Christ-like stance since being here because over the years, Christ has been preparing me for this program and how to deal with my fellow brothers, as well as face this very hour. All of this is in preparation for the work He has for me. Who says standing up for the cross is easy? The influence to compromise is always around me, but even in the face of things like this I must still stand. What happened is not against me, but Who I stand for and to Whom I belong.
As I read these words from his letter, I was reminded that even in the inconsistencies of life, we must stand.
I will be attending the parole hearing on September 10th and will share the results of the hearing in my next blog.
Please join with me in prayer for this dear couple as they wait and trust the Lord with their futures. Also pray that the full parole commission would have softened hearts and that they would grant parole so that he could be united with his wife.
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