Prison Ministry

One of our new partners this year is The Polk Regional Juvenile Detention Center located in Bartow, Florida. We completed the necessary training, and background checks this past Summer. Thus, we have now been ministering to the youth at this facility for a month, giving up our Saturdays, which is definitely worth it.

We are pleased to say that our classes our going very well there as we are teaching our faith-based version of our Character GPS Program. Each week the "Rewards Group" of Youth are showing that they are cooperating and want to learn from their mistakes, now demonstrate that they are hungry to discover what they can do to live a productive life. This makes them motivated and interested in learning the Character GPS Life and Leadership Skills from our program that are based on Biblical Principles and Values, learning God's Truth .... so although they come to our Classes in physical shackles, they know the Truth will set them Free!

As we are able to witness to them that God can forgive them of their mistakes, this gives them hope that they can get onto the good path God has for their lives. We can tell that the Youth are changing their hearts as they write "Action Plans" to encourage their younger siblings to learn from their mistakes, so to not end up in jail like them, but get focused to find the great purpose God has for their lives.

We are able to start off our classes with prayer and they are "all in"! They are eagerly learning about how God made them "priceless", what their Myers-Briggs personalities/natural talents are with a little career coaching added in, how to do a budget, and challenged to sign our Drug-Alcohol Free Pledge after being educated about the dangers of addiction. To our total delight, all have signed the pledge so far, praise God!! These are just some highlights from our classes.

As we say goodbye to those who are released, we continue to pray for them to get on a crime-free path and ask them to stay in touch, hopefully with some good life stories!

Our work at the Detention Center is very fulfilling and brings to mind a song with a story behind it. "All My Hope" by David Crowder was written for a "Prodigal Party", friends and family gathered together to celebrate the release of a prisoner who had been in prison for 26 years. The lyrics are simple, but meaningful ( ie: we all have our own shackles, shackles of addiction, shackles of sin, shackles of disrespect or apathy etc.)

Romans points out that we are all sinners but are made perfect through Jesus!

All My Hope

Song by

Crowder

I've been held by the Saviour.

I've felt fire from above. I've been down to the river. I ain't the same, a prodigal returned.

All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God that yesterday's gone. All my sins are forgiven. I've been washed by the blood

I'm no stranger to prison. I've worn shackles and chains, But I've been freed and forgiven, And I'm not going back, I'll never be the same. That's why I sing...

All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God that yesterday's gone. All my sins are forgiven. I've been washed by the blood.

There's a kind of thing that just breaks a man, Breaks him down to his knees. God, I've been broken more than a time or two. Yes, Lord, then He picked me up and showed me What it means to be a man, come on and sing

All my hope is in Jesus. Thank God that yesterday's gone. All my sins are forgiven. I've been washed by the blood.

Thank you for reading our newsletters and praying with us.

Always, Your Friends in Christ at Character GPS,

Deb & Jeff Cain

Are you interested in donating to Character GPS? Please click here on this link:

Donate | Character GPS