March 31, 2010
Wednesday, 8:00 p.m.
Letter #129: Prayer Moves Mountains
Dear Family,
Greetings! I’m so grateful I can toss you all a letter at any time I need to, so you can pray! I’ve got a rather urgent prayer need I want to let you know of.
After church two Sundays ago, a young guy came up to me to compliment my piano playing. As he told me he appreciated my joy and enthusiasm, I could tell he has a similar demeanor as me. When he mentioned he was going home soon, I told him I’d like to keep in contact with him, then found out he’s paroling on April 3rd! I asked about his “plans” when he got out, and just like most others, he had none. We set an appointment to discuss it the following Wednesday, during choir practice. I ended up turning practice over to someone else, and Sammy and I spent over 2½ hours creating a parole plan for him.
Well, the crazy part of all this is that the parole plan involves Sammy transferring his county of parole to Santa Clara County, which we are working to achieve right now. It looks as if it may be difficult to accomplish, but I believe that Sammy will have a much better opportunity for success if he paroles to an area where he has a big support network. And … that’s where all of you sweet people come into this picture: SURPRISE!!
Since we talked, a week ago, my parents, a few close friends, and I have been in overdrive mode, working, praying, writing, calling, and petitioning to get Sammy transferred from Eureka, California (Humbolt County) to Santa Clara County. He would have housing, a job (working for my parents), and an accountability partner as part of his support structure. Besides this, Sammy has chosen to place on himself a lot of restrictions to help him stand strong—such as an early curfew and no control of his paychecks.
As many more details need to come together for him—a bicycle, clothes, a Metro PCS used phone, etc.—please pray for God to work mightily through the system to allow the transfer to take place. I believe God is about to do big things in the life of this young man. Let’s stand with our brother to restore him!
And finally, I’m bringing you the answer to your prayers for Tony, the guy who had to be transferred to a Level 4 prison, yet wanted to go to one of the two prisons near his mom: Mule Creek or New Folsom. Unfortunately, he told me, those prisons are full, and only certain medical needs prisoners were getting endorsed to transfer there.
As you may recall, I’d told Tony that God was going to do this for him. I told him about Elijah and the prophets of Baal, how God proved He is God to the unbelievers. He told me he’d once believed in God, but after something painful in his family, he turned from God in bitterness. I told him God had never turned from him, and “I’ll be fasting and praying, because God is going to prove Himself to you.” (Three days later, God had me end my fast, letting me know the answer had come.)
Well, Tony came to my door yesterday saying, “Christopher! I got the answer to your prayers! I’m going to Mule Creek!”
I was a little stunned, and my brain tried to remember if that was one of his two choices. He’d looked so happy—almost smug—that I thought he was being his usual anti-Christian, defiant self. Realizing he’d just confirmed that my God had won the battle, I slapped my door—HARD!—and yelled, I TOLD YOU SO!!”
He’d walked away, needing to get back in front of his cell to allow a cop to unlock it for him. I dropped onto my bunk and just buried my face in my hands and sobbed, the adrenaline rush of the Holy Spirit overtaking me.
I rushed back over to the door and pounded on it to get Tony’s attention, and he came over again. I told him how some 50 people were praying for him, and he said to let you all know “Thank you!” Then, he shared with me that he’d made God a little deal after he and I had talked: if God allowed him to transfer near his mom, he’d begin attending church! Praise God!
Thank you for your faithful, mountain-moving prayers! We serve a BIG God who cares about the Tonys and the Sammys of the world. I do too.
Love,
Christopher