The prison that locked me up now trusts me to lead

Darryl was serving a 50-year sentence in prison when he realized his life was falling apart—in a wonderful way. He had encountered Jesus, and a lifetime of shame, guilt, and fear was finally taken off his shoulders. His life would never be the same. As a child, Darryl’s older siblings and their friends were his community and fitting in meant everything. The price of admission to belong to this crowd went from alcohol to drugs and eventually to crack cocaine until, at the age of 23, Darryl was arrested and began serving 50 years in prison. Thanks to one cellmate’s persistence, he visited a church service. There, he learned his cellmate hadn’t been exaggerating: Jesus was real. Darryl was never the same after encountering God that day. “When I mentioned the name of Jesus, it was like everything in me began to unravel,” Darryl says. “The weight I was carrying on my shoulders was being released.” He took part in Prison Fellowship Academy and learned what a relationship with Jesus and with those around him meant. He learned the value of true community and the power of facing his past wounds in light of God’s grace. Released in 2002 and now on staff with Prison Fellowship, Darryl still remembers meeting the ministry’s founder, Chuck Colson, when Colson visited Darryl’s prison. Because of Colson’s dedication, Darryl says, “Not only has my life been impacted. My wife, my children, my community, the state, and nation are being impacted because one individual said, ‘Yes, Lord, I will do what You call me to do.’ And Prison Fellowship was born from that.” Darryl’s use of drugs started from his need to belong, but, as he says, his willingness to surrender to God led to a life of hope and purpose. “This is what we’ve been designed to do,” he says. 🙏 Bring hope and restoration to those affected by incarceration! Your support helps transform lives through Christ-centered programs. Give today: https://prisonfellowship.org/SeekJustice ❤️✨ #HopeInPrison #PrisonMinistry #PrisonFellowship Subscribe to Prison Fellowship:    / @prisonfellowship   Learn more: Website: http://bit.ly/2S2OyG4 Newsletter: http://bit.ly/31EkmV6 Blog: http://bit.ly/3bjrp9W Follow us: Facebook:   / pfministries   Instagram:   / prisonfellowship   X:   / prisonfellowshp   TikTok:   / prisonfellowship   LinkedIn:   / pfm