Devotional 5.6.24
…”Accept other believers who are weal in faith and don’t argue with them.”…
Romans 14:1-12
Dangers of being a Critic!
Have you ever criticized another person? How about another believer? I have, and I am not proud of it. I love being a socialite but all too often it is easy to get caught up in the ways of the world, gossiping about the and criticizing them. Too many times as believers we get caught up in our worldly environment, resulting in us having worldly ways and attitudes.
Like today I was sitting outside my dorm with a friend and a thought popped in my head about another offender regarding her circumstances. Before I knew it I had voiced the thought aloud. Thankfully my friend is a believer, and she gently held me accountable for my words. Thank you Father for each and every one of my accountability partners.
Brothers and Sisters my message for you is crystal clear. Stay accountable to the Lord for your words, deeds, and actions. Do not be a critic or immerse yourself in groups, where this is a prevalent behavior. If you do not have an accountability partner, find one because the Lord does not honor or bless criticism of his people.
Amen!
Devotional 5.6.24
…”Jesus had told him, “Your son will live.” Then he himself believed, along with his whole household.”…
Believe Without a Sign John 4:43-54
Have you ever had little or no faith? In the midst of your struggles, have you ever begged God for a sign, just to keep you going? I have so many times. You are not alone. Over the past 13 years, I have begged God for a sign to not only acknowledge he heard my prayers but that he was also going to answer them. I wish my belief came easy however it hasn’t.
Like the past 13 years I have had to keep believing without a sign for many things: my freedom, restoration with my four children, and restoration with my family. Although many of the situations I am believing for have not manifested in the manner and time frame I assumed, I keep on believing. Brothers and Sisters my message is clear and concise. When Jesus gives you a word, his word will come to pass. When his time and will line up with your belief and your will lines up with the Father’s, no sign will be necessary. Keep the faith and keep believing without a sign.
Amen!
Devotional
:…in God I have put my trust, I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me…?”
Ps 56:11NKJV
God is ultimately in control!
Psalm 56 was likely written when Dario was endangered by the Philistines. The psalm expresses the confidence a person must have in the Lord when they find themselves in tumultuous circumstances and demonstrates in terror you can still be composed with trust.
How many times do you forget God is in control and try to control the outcomes of circumstances in life? For me, there are times I do this daily, hourly almost. I often make the choice to forget God is sovereign over all. My fear and anxiety cripple me, and I forget anything which happens in my life had to be gifted through God’s mighty hands. Today, like many, I struggle with issues and loneliness and abandonment from my family. There are times when I don’t understand God allowing the valleys in which he has allowed for me to be in during this season in life. Even when outcomes from man are not what I hoped for, I must remember God is in ultimate control. In the valleys of my life, if I put my trust in God, knowing he is the only one really in control, I will not be afraid. Man can’t control where the Father is sovereign.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, the message is simple. The next time life’s circumstances happen or you find yourself in a valley of terror, simply place your trust in God. No matter the outcome, man is not the one in control. God is!
Devotional
“…Turn to me and be gracious to me for I am lonely and afflicted”.
Ps 25:16 NKJV
God is the ultimate relief!
Have you ever felt lonely and isolated in a room full of people? I have, still do and I currently live in a dorm with approximately 50 people. The environment which we find ourselves in is not ideal for cultivating personal, intimate friendships and our families cannot be with us currently. But God! Many of the best friendships, which I have engaged in, have been behind prison walls, allowing many of us to be our true self with all the stigmas of life. With God I have the ability to be completely myself, ALL THE TIME.
For instance, the other day, I was feeling low and bored while sitting in my bunk. Out of the blue, one of the ladies began to open her heart and share her story with me. During that moment I realised God used my loneliness and boredom to be a listening ear for this woman in her sharing her story with me. I was able to see her loneliness and hurt behind her mask of smiles. It was in this special, intimate moment, I identified with her.
Sisters and brothers my message is one of simplicity. God will use you if you make yourself available to him. The next time you find yourself bored and lonely, take a look around because God will provide you relief from isolation and loneliness if you will allow him to.
Devotional #1
…For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”
Mark 5:28 HC5B
Jesus’ power is so great!
The 5th chapter of Mark begins with a dramatic display of miraculous powers. Jesus triumphs over the demonic realm in death and chronic illness. Jesus’ tremendous display of divine power made the blindness and hostility of the world look ludicrous.
Have you ever needed divine healing? Personally, I did, and twelve years ago I received the healing of my soul which only Jesus could provide. From the throne room, seated at the right hand of the Father, Jesus broke through the barriers of time and healed me of all the soul infirmities which I struggled to carry for so long. In his mighty and divine power, Jesus lightened my load.
Like the other day, I was facilitating a class, sharing a brief excerpt of my testimony, when the Holy Spirit moved and participants began sharing parts of their personal testimony. I listened in astonishment and fully cherished the moment because I knew I had just witnessed a dramatic display of the miraculous power of the Father. During the class, I listened and smiled because I knew the gift of divine healing, which I had received many years before, was being bestowed to the ??? in that moment. I knew I was witnessing a miracle of the divine.
The message Mark presented in his gospel was Jesus’ power triumphs over all. Sisters, the next time you see a friend struggling with a soul wound, share a piece of yourself, pray and watch the display of divine power come and manifest, providing your friend with soul healing.
Devotional #2
…To him who led his people through the wilderness, for his loving kindness is everlasting.”
Ps. 136:16HC5B
He will lead you THROUGH the wilderness!
Psalm 136 showcases the loving kindness of the Lord. The psalm in totality alludes to praising the Lord for creation and deliverance. While highlighting his loving kindness through a responsive refrain, “For his loving kindness is everlasting.”
Do you struggle to remember God’s faithfulness when you are in the wilderness? Personally, I do. My time in prison hasn’t removed my fears and doubts. I love the Christian podcasts on our tablets, because I am almost always guaranteed to find an “on time” word from God when I find myself in a wilderness season.
Like today, I found myself stressing over the current legislative session, and in the midst of my “wilderness” moment, I had to talk to myself. I had to remind myself God is still in control. God is still on the throne. If passed, pending legislation may affect me and I of course want my freedom, but I reminded myself that this is another wilderness season. I had to remember how many seasons of wilderness God has already led me through. God helped me through and led me out of numerous seasons of wilderness. I must remember, if he did it before, he will do it again.
Sisters, the message is clear and concise. God will not only be with you in your wilderness, but he will lead you through and then out of the wilderness. God did it before and he will do it again; not for you, but for his glory.
Why Not Be a Hannah?
By Staci Mckithern Alvarado
In 1 Samuel, chapter 1, a godly barren woman named Hannah is introduced as one of the two wives of Elkanah. Hannah was the barren wife. Hannah was sad, and she weeped for she could not bear a child for her husband. In fact, her barren-ness broke her heart tremendously because she so desperately wanted a child.
From the very beginning Hannah had the heart of a mother. Hannah was a strong woman of faith so she prayed to the Lord, making a vow to the Lord, to give her son back to the Lord, all the days of his life. God answered her pleading and desperate prayer for a son. In return she kept her vow to God, and when she was finished weaning Sanniel, she bought him to the priest Eli, in the house of the Lord in Shiloh.
How many of us as mothers could bring our son or daughter, newly weaned to a church or temple and just drop them off to the priest or pastor? I am not sure if I could willingly do that on my own strength. In a sense incarcerated men and women, we are doing that due to our circumstances. Due to our circumstances, we must give our children in faith to God because we are not there and we really and truly have no choice. This does not mean we don’t have the ability to parent, and to be a parent right from where we are.
Here at the prison, I am a facilitator of a youth-based programme called Hannahs Mill and study is authorized by Dr Kristi Miller Anderson, she was once the director of our NOBTS (New Orleans Baptist Theological Summary) and when I filled the position of assistant warden at our facility, she saw the struggle of each of us as incarcerated women and incarcerated mothers.
As a mother incarcerated, i know my personal struggles as a mother, especially because I have three of my own children who still currently reside out of the country in Mexico. In this moment, I can understand the struggle of each and every mother and father incarcerated out there. I understand the need to talk and write to your children, while not having the ability to. I’ve been incarcerated for 12 years and have not seen my children since stepping foot in the prison. BUT GOD!
To all the incarcerated mothers and fathers, you can be a Hannah. Yes, I know Hannah was a woman, but guys this is for you too. As with everything, prayer is the key. The first step you can do is pray for your children. Give them to the Lord. Secondly you can pray all the time for them, even if you are not in contact with your children. If you have any contact with them, you can teach them about God, or teach them to pray. In my world being a Hannah, a praying parent, period has been the game changer.
You too can achieve many of the same results by learning to parent. I am right where you are, hence the saying “Bloom where you are planted” so why not let prayer dedicate your children to the Lord, why not become a loving mother or father? Why not teach your children about the Lord and prayer? Why not be a Hannah?
Engage Me Lord
By Stacie McKithern Alvarado
Engage me Lord
Engage me in Your work.
Help me Lord to love others as you love me.
Help me to sacrifice myself for Your will.
Antonio and Juan used me.
Luis loved me completely.
Antonio denied our dear Lord and our daughter as well.
Juan denied our relationship and our son as well.
Antonio cowardly walked away.
Juan left me holding the bag, when all came out.
Antonio left me without question or doubt.
Juan left me to be viewed as a crazy lion
Because to deem me a whole would have
Verified his guilt.
Show me Lord how to take each of these men,
Directing them to You
Show me Lord how to use each trial for Your glory.
Engage me Lord
Engage me for Your glory.
Battered and Broken
By Staci Alvarado
All these years wondering if there is something wrong with me,
Wondering if I am just a rotten, bad apple which fell from my family tree.
A woman who is battered and broken beyond repair
Living out the days of my prison sentence in despair.
Emotionally scarred and psychologically messed up before I married,
I brought the excess baggage and problems to my marriage, which I carried.
I added to the mountain of problems by sleeping around,
Becoming pregnant, living promiscuously, having no bounds.
Reflecting back, my life had no ethics or morals,
Because of this I multiplied my sorrows.
Sitting here in prison I cannot blame all on luis my spouse,
For I am the one who brought drugs and adultery into our house.
My husband should not have been the one who had to suffer
If I would have sought counseling for my problems, I might have provided a buffer.
Even though I was battered, broken, and torn down,
The answer was not to run around, being promiscuous, making Luis look like a clown.
After all I did, he stuck by my side through thick and thin,
I wish I could turn back time, which led to the end.
For all the days of my life I must live with this,
Adultery led to death, beginning with just a kiss
Void of Emotions
By Staci Alvarado
My emotions and feelings are all over the place
Feelings that welled up inside of me in a great haste.
I put my feelings for you back in a box
They are not to be played with like toy tops
My emotions and feelings are what I always push back inside
I erect a great wall, and become a master of learning to hide
Most of the time I feel you take my feelings for a joke
Just knowing your laughing at my silly feelings make me want to choke.
I should ’ve kept how I felt to me.
Never letting you know or allowing you to get that close to me
I feel like a vulnerable fool
Sitting here in my feelings writing this at school.
Now I’ve dulled my emotions void all over again
With that being said I’m right back to where we began
Don’t like having emotions that are hidden
Showed you a part of me that is not freely given
Protect me now, the box is back on its shelf
Never to be opened and played with like
My feelings and emotions
Were void
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