A Story of Growth

Today I’d like to share a couple people that shared quotes that I really like. One is Toby Mac. He’s a Christian rapper and singer, and he’s often said “I don’t care how much scripture you can quote but how you treat people”. Another guy I really admire is Cory Booker, he’s a senator in Washington D.C. and he’s over 2^nd look. He says “don’t talk to me about your faith, show me your faith”. I’d like to share that I’ve done those things for 40+ years and I’ve found a purpose in discipleship whether I’ve been popular in prison or not and sometimes it’s not always popular in a place like this.

The Ky Parole Board threw me away thinking I would live my life in a different way. But there in the quiet of being forgotten and thrown away, I found something that was very unshakable…and that was my faith and myself!

I am one of the realest stories that there are—coming from a 21-year old that made a grave mistake to now a 62-year old who appreciates most everything. I love different and I lead different. I try to stay humble never forgetting the victim. I try to stay really hungry to share my life and my experiences cause I think that could help other people. I like to say I live so the lost life can have a legacy so him losing his life can mean more than hatred and a serve-out telling me I have to die here. I’m gonna stay true whether truth is accepted or not.

The step of a serve-out in my life is some days unbearable. I can say that some positives that have come out of is renewed my hope for wanting forgiveness, redemption, restoration and try to walk in a good purpose. I feel like comfort sometimes is the enemy of our calling in life. God’s put me through a lot of growth zones, not comfort zones over the past 4 decades. So I can share here and share with people who will listen to me  and feel a worth in my life.  I know we all continue to grow throughout our life. I’ve done the work and feel like I’m past the development stages  because…my mental, emotional and spiritual spaces have shaped me for a second chance. Now I taken steps to grow daily, past a serve-out because sometimes that can cause me to collapse under the fear of dying here…but having a chance to pray and cry for a second chance gives me strength.

For 40+ years…every phone call, every visit, every message once we got tablets, every picture I get from family and friends, a video visit, getting to record on prison radio it’s all a blessing but it can be hard too.

I feel a need today to ask people to…before they assume, learn the truth, before you judge, seek to understand the how and why’s of people’s lives. Take a moment to realize what I didn’t realize at 21, was that every word has a ripple effect and consequence. We gotta choose empathy over assumption, choose compassion over criticism, choose wisdom and forgiveness over haste and hatred…if we are gong to let understanding guide our steps and kindness shape our words.

I’m testimony that one moment can change and shape a life forever for the good or bad. I knew someone for two months and six days but yet I’ve been in prison over 40 years because of that chance meeting. There’s a lot of ‘if’s’ in my life….IF I had not changed jobs, IF I had not given up my morals, IF I had not trusted a lawyer who turned down a 15-year plea offer…I could have made a difference out there years ago instead of begging for a second chance. I have never asked anyone to erase harm that’s been caused but I do have people to recognize growth…and I ask people to help me advocate for second look laws and second chances!