Letters From Prison (Part 2 of 6)

The first Summit at Southeast Correctional Center in Missouri was held last August with the sponsorship and the support of the team at La Croix Church. They caught a vision to serve prisoners, unleash potential and change the culture of the prison from inside out, using the tools offered by the Global Leadership Summit (read more about the event here).

We received letters from several of the prisoners who were able to attend, and we are blown away by the powerful impact the Summit has had on these men.

Over the next couple weeks, we will be posting a series on our blog called “Letters From Prison,” highlighting the impact that the Summit has had on these prisoners’ lives. We hope you’re as encouraged, challenged and inspired by their words as we were when we received them.

A letter from Chris, GLS attendee, Southeast Correctional

“Absolutely awesome!” are words I would use to describe the Global Leadership Summit. I have to start from the beginning with the invitation I received from Mr. Hughes, the training officer, and Mr. Johnson, the chaplain here at the Southeast Correctional Center in Missouri. They were first willing to recognize some prisoners’ past good works and potential. There was a feeling and spirit of positive purpose, hope and community from the beginning. It was a sense of hope for building a better future together that is often not heard or felt in prison, and I would know. I unfortunately have 23 years of experience as a prisoner in four different prisons, counting jail time.

Through the subject of leadership, we were motivated and inspired with self-confidence, self-worth, and hope for improving our lives as well as the lives of others around us. We were connected again, somehow free to be a part of a global gathering and blessing of good people who were telling us we mattered and we have a greater, grander purpose that others “more fully” believed in.

None of the speakers used broad, political strokes, but they gave us specific, practical steps we can use to be more and do more daily. Many great leaders shared tips for success and effective leadership that seemed centered around concepts of love, gratitude, generosity, faith, integrity, forgiveness, diversity and my favorite, grit. As a prisoner, I think it was important for me to be reminded, even by the comedian, Michael Jr., that “God wants me to know He is here, He loves me, and to just open my eyes.”

It was also stated that a common thread among leaders is that someone influenced them. That might beg the question, “How are we influencing those who seem to be even the least among us?” And more to the point, “Can the GLS be life changing even to prisoners?” The answer is easily, “Yes.” And for me, it has been a great boost and slap back into reality, back into the work and direction I now I need to be heading. This work is what I consider to be living for God and the success of others, no matter where I am. I make too many excuses for myself and do far too little with the good things and people God has given me, regardless of my circumstances.

Numerous speakers helped me remember God has a purpose and potential for my life, right now where I am. And that true life-changing faith resides not in the past or the future, but in the present moment, no matter how hard or imperfect the moment seems. The Global Leadership Summit shines a bright light of questions into our dark, one that asks, “Where are we? What are the needs of the moment, or the needs of those around us? And have we truly tried to use our own God-given abilities for others? Have we trusted that God will make up the difference when we fall short?” I know that, for me, I need to repeat these questions over and over every day, until I finally “get” them enough to keep them. So, for all of these reasons, I know I cannot and will not ever forget my GLS experience, nor forget all those willing to make it happen for a thankful prisoner like me.

I would also like to give a special thanks to La Croix Church, here in Cape Girardeau, for their generous provision of this event. May God most fully bless you and keep you all.

Most Sincerely,
Chris, GLS attendee, Southeast Correctional

Please pray for our prison sites in 2016. This year there will be 25 prisons experiencing the GLS teaching. Imagine what God might do?