Earlier today, I wrote a letter to my friend, Mica, who helps direct Just Released Ministries in Chicago, Illinois...
Mica has a desire to help prisoners and their families.
She and her church help find jobs and housing for those who are about to be released or who have just been released from confinement. She assists them in readjusting to society. And these things are tasks in themselves because as a general rule ex-offenders are not welcomed back into their communities with open arms.
In addition, she and her ministry co-workers help mentor inner city, at-risk youth. In a recent journal entry, I wrote about these precious teenagers and how many of them sent letters of thanks to me after viewing my film, The Choice is Yours. That these kids even go to church, sometimes, is a miracle in itself, being that they live in one of the most violent neighborhoods in both the city of Chicago, and in the United States. Peer pressure to join a gang, use and sell drugs, or become involved in some form of criminal activity is tremendous.
I know they always need lots of encouragement to avoid these traps. I tell them that they're survivors in a fierce spiritual battle for their souls, and I believe this is absolutely true. And my friend Mica needs daily doses of encouragement as well. She has seen many a teenager pulled out of church and into the streets. Plus, she has to deal with lots of kids who have obvious learning disabilities and behavioral problems. And therefore, the small staff at Just Released Ministries find themselves challenged to the limit.
So today I believe the Lord wanted me to remind sister Mica that her labor of love for the Lord, and for these kids, is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
D.B.
She and her church help find jobs and housing for those who are about to be released or who have just been released from confinement. She assists them in readjusting to society. And these things are tasks in themselves because as a general rule ex-offenders are not welcomed back into their communities with open arms.
In addition, she and her ministry co-workers help mentor inner city, at-risk youth. In a recent journal entry, I wrote about these precious teenagers and how many of them sent letters of thanks to me after viewing my film, The Choice is Yours. That these kids even go to church, sometimes, is a miracle in itself, being that they live in one of the most violent neighborhoods in both the city of Chicago, and in the United States. Peer pressure to join a gang, use and sell drugs, or become involved in some form of criminal activity is tremendous.
I know they always need lots of encouragement to avoid these traps. I tell them that they're survivors in a fierce spiritual battle for their souls, and I believe this is absolutely true. And my friend Mica needs daily doses of encouragement as well. She has seen many a teenager pulled out of church and into the streets. Plus, she has to deal with lots of kids who have obvious learning disabilities and behavioral problems. And therefore, the small staff at Just Released Ministries find themselves challenged to the limit.
So today I believe the Lord wanted me to remind sister Mica that her labor of love for the Lord, and for these kids, is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).
D.B.
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