Just received some letters from Billy at Chillocothe Prison , and wanted to share some things he wrote . ( Billy is the one that lived on the river , and was in the video about Tent City . He has allowed Jesus to transform his life , but he has to do 18 months for parole violation . ) Billy had asked for the food box for Christmas because food is used as currency in prison . He has needed a new pair of shoes since he went in , and he wanted to have a radio . He also wanted some art supplies because he can sell his drawings in there for things he needs . He was going to use the food to buy all those things . In his last letter , he told me the food box was late , but that it finally arrived . He began trading for items , but said he was getting things like deodorant and toothpaste for the inmates that didn 't get anything from the outside . He put a little note on each item that he gave away , that said " Jesus loves you . " He had used up almost all his food for things for others . A guy that he had sold the peanut butter to came back to see him . He gave him a peanut butter sandwich , and said , since Billy had used up everything on everyone else , he ought to at least get a sandwich out of it . ( Billy said his shoes and radio were not a necessity and they can wait . ) Every time I write him , I send a few bible verses to encourage him . He said he uses my letters and those verses for a bible study group he has . They meet every day , twice a day , in his cell . I had no idea he was using my letters for bible study , but now I know ! Since there has been such a dramatic change in Billy , his counsellor called him in . He said he noticed that Billy wasn 't anything like the angry , violent person that his file says . Billy told him how Jesus had changed him , and he wasn 't like that any more . His counsellor didn 't believe him , and said he thought Billy was holding it all in and would just explode one day . Billy told him again what Jesus had done , and that he had only peace in his heart . He went on to testify and share his joy with the counsellorPosted by This is the testimony of Roger Richardson . Since writing this letter , he has reconciled with his family and has been staying with his father in Mason while battling his health problems . He has been a dedicated volunteer serving at the Healing Center , and outreaching to the poor and homeless . He has surrendered his life to Christ and is ready for whatever comes next . At this time , Roger is in the hospital with heart failure . When I was growing up in Mason , Ohio , I was being raised by two common but very loving parents . They tried to instill in me good vales and send me to church . I started out at Landmark Baptist temple . I was not mature enough to understand the words of the bible . But it is amazing how much you were taught in bible school that actually sinks in as you grow older . As an adult I backslid and chose the wrong path and forgot my roots . I got into drugs that totally took me over . I not only let myself down , but destroyed my relationship with my own family . By the time I quit the drugs , it was too late for the damage I had already done to my body . It remains to be seen whether my family and I can repair the damage that I 've done . I 've had a total of eight heart attacks , a 5 - way bypass and 10 stints in my heart . I had open - heart surgery on May 2 , 2008 . I died on the table four times , but God saw fit to let them bring me back every time . I think that God wants me to tell my story so that maybe someone else won 't hurt themselves or their family . I know when I died on that table God was just giving me a preview of the afterlife because it was the most peaceful , totally encompassing feeling I 've ever had . I have no fear of dying now that I know what my Creator has in store for me . I thank Jesus for dying on the cross for us and making a pathway to heaven for me . I hope these few words will help someone find their way . I can 't put into words the way I feel about myself and my relationship with God now . But what I can tell you is this is the happiest time of my life . God Bless . This letter was written several years ago by my friend . He is now ministering in Columbus , Ohio . He asked me to share this with you . I am writing this letter because of the people I met in Washington Park . They were church people from a church called the Vineyard . They would go to the park every Saturday with their friends to give out food for the poor and homeless . At the time , I was both . At the time , I didn 't talk to church people that much . But when I looked into their hearts , I could tell there was something about them that was different from a lot of others . They were for real about their work for our Lord . Seeing this made me want to write something about them . So I began to write a poem about what I saw them doing . I call it " In Washington Park . " Then I took it to show them and they loved it . I was hoping they would , because it came from my heart . As time moved on my life was going up and down . I came to love the people from the Vineyard because I knew that they loved me . There was a time when I didn 't know what to think about white people . Being black , I was told a lot of things . I was told that they were no good and that they didn 't care for black people . Well , I found out that was a lie . All I got from them was love and God 's Word . When I look back at them , I don 't see white people - I see God 's people doing His work and doing it very well . That 's why Saturday became my favorite , for that was the day that I would see them , and that made my day a little bit better . It 's hell being poor and homeless . On top of that I was a drug addict , and that 's how I got into trouble . The police found drugs on me and arrested me . They were going to send me away for this because I 'd been in trouble before . I didn 't know what to do , but I remembered all the things my friends from the Vineyard told me about Jesus . So I called on Him that night from my cell . Then I tried not to worry about it . I started telling the people in jail all the things that my friends told me about Jesus . And day by day theyPosted by Billy had always known violence as a way of life . His father was a Viet Nam vet and all his uncles had been soldiers . They taught him that to be a man he 'd have to be able to " stick up for himself " . Billy learned that meant that you always had to be ready to fight , whether it was during a war or at the local bar . Every time Billy came home from fighting at school , his father praised him for " not taking no sh * t . " So Billy got into lots of fights , and learned that he received respect from the people who feared him . So it was no surprise when he got into a violent fight when he was 14 , and was sent away for a couple of years at a youth facility . He still didn 't stop the violence there and ended up going to prison . More violence there brought more time . He ended up with 37 stabbing cases in prison which extended his stay from a couple of years to more than 24 years . He had been " brought up " by prison , and now that was the only way of life he knew . When I met Billy , he was recently out of prison and staying at a camp down on the Ohio River . Everyone knew he was quick to fight , and when he fought there were no holds barred . He suffered from the " fastest gun in the west " syndrome , where every new kid around would try to fight and beat him . So he always carried a weapon , and was always alert and ready for a fight . We talked a few times but he didn 't trust me and kept an eye on me to try to figure out my angle . After a while he realized that I really did care about him , and just wanted to introduce him to a better way to live . We had long conversations , and he started coming to church with me a few times . I could tell he really did want to change . The first test came when his girlfriend betrayed him . In the past , everyone would have steered clear , knowing he could take it out on anyone . But I was the only one around when he got the call . He stopped speaking , and put the phone down . I could tell he was seething mad , but he just gritted his teeth . After a minute he pounded a wall . That was it ! For the Posted by When the priest arrived for his assessment at the apartment at 13th and Vine , he was not prepared for what he would find . The priest was aghast when he saw Kenny , only weeks old , crying uncontrollably , already suffering from malnutrition and neglect . Besides the soiled and dirty condition of the baby , he had bruises covering his tiny body , and bleeding from his left ear . At the hospital , they discovered a broken arm , a broken sternum , and two fractured legs . His mother , a prostitute , insisted he only fell out of the crib , but Kenny was immediately put under the care of Child Protective Services and placed in a foster home . His foster parents , the Stegmans , were loving , caring people that Kenny adored . During his next seven years with them , Kenny grew to love them dearly . But in the 1960 's the state put emphasis on keeping families together , so every few months Kenny was returned to his biological mother for a visit . And each time , he would come back to the Stegmans hungry and beaten . Kenny would beg and plead not to be sent there for a visit , asking , " If you really love me , why would you send me back there ? " But that was the policy of CPS at the time . When he had to go on a visit , Mrs . Stegman would make sure he ate a good meal before he left , knowing he wouldn 't be fed until he returned a few days later . During the visits , the Browns would drink and scream constantly and his father would beat his mother . She constantly had different men in and out of the apartment . The apartment was filthy and infested with roaches . There was seldom food there , and the rats were the size of small dogs . When Kenny was visiting his parents , he always got into trouble . He was always trying to run away and would lie and steal . Kenny became labeled a " problem child " . Once , ( age 6 ) he was so filled with hatred for his biological parents , that he set their place on fire , and burnt it to the ground . Finally during one visit , his father was angry and yelling at his mother , and Kenny got in the way . He began punching Kenny andPosted by God 's will for us is joy . But the majority of the world seems hopeless and depressed . I see few Christians that are consistently joyful . But God has revealed to us just what it takes for us to be joyful . It involves a way of thinking , an attitude about everything - a turning of the mind . So why don 't we have that peace and joy ? Here are a few of the things that I have discovered block the peace and joy that we all should be experiencing . 1 . Lack of Faith - We need to make up our minds once and for all - do we believe the promises in the bible or not ? If we really believe , then it should be the foundation of our life . It should be our very basis for living every day - not just when we come to church . We have to choose - are we going to live for the things of this world ? Or are we going to live for God . We can 't serve two masters . Are we followers of Christ or not ? It 's all or nothing . . 2 . Fear - This world is full of fear - Fear of physical harm ; fear of being rejected , fear of people thinking we are weak , fear of losing something , fear of being wrong , etc . etc . etc . God knows what fear does to us - how it binds us and paralyzes us - so the most frequent command in the bible ? Fear Not . And God knows the power of the mind that he has given us . He tells us " as a man thinketh , so he is . " Not as a man doeth - as he thinketh ! What you concentrate on , you draw to yourself . If we continually allow fear to enter our mind , we attract the very things we are afraid of . Like Job says in 3 : 25 : " For the thing that I fear comes upon me , and what I dread befalls me . " Fear not . Fear is the opposite of trust . 3 . Guilt - the greatest tool of the enemy . The bible calls him the " accuser " who tempts you with the things of this world and then brings you guilt and shame when you give in . You think , " I 've done too much - I 'm too far gone for God to use me . And I 'm too weak to say that I 'm not going to do it again . " But how many times have you been told that the Holy Spirit will change you Posted by Al was big in the drug business . He was a well known dealer and made plenty of money from it . He was respected and feared , known for his enforcement of drug collecting efforts . Nobody messed with him . His years in Viet Nam taught him to be treacherous and cool in the midst of horror . He had enough money to buy rich clothes , flashy cars , and all the girls he wanted . It was life on the edge , and he loved it . He was big . Everyone knew him , and no one dared to cross him … . Until a couple of young ' hoods ' tried to make a name for themselves , and become ' big ' in the drug business . Al knew the boys and they laughed and hustled pool together . He knew their family and they knew his . They made a deal with Al for a large amount of heroin and arranged to meet in a secluded spot for the buy . In a rare moment of carelessness , Al went alone to meet them . They showed him the money , and Al brought out the stuff . As he was talking to one , the other crept around behind him and bashed Al on the back of the head with his gun . As he was going down they both started beating and kicking him . When he was unconscious , they took off with the dope and the money . After recovering in the hospital , Al was soon back on the streets again dealing drugs . His military training taught him to be cool and remain patient . He knew those boys would be around and they 'd make a mistake and leave themselves open . He never let on to anyone that he was intending to get his revenge . The day came that he spotted them in the local bar , laughing and unsuspecting . Al turned and walked casually to his car and pulled out his gun . He walked calmly into the bar , up to the boys and shot them both in the head , murdering them both . Al 's mom told him she had been praying for him all during the trial . And now that it was over , she was continuing to pray . She told him confidently , " Nobody 's gonna kill my baby " even if it did look hopeless now that he had been sentenced to death . Although she had mortgaged the house to pay for the lawyer , she wasn 't goingPosted by I was on my way downtown to pick up Bob , my friend who has 18 months clean . I first met Bob at Mt . Airy shelter , where he ended up homeless after years of using drugs and drinking . When I took him to church he said he felt like he was home , and started on his road to sobriety . After many false starts , he finally made it . But when I talked to him on the phone , he told me he was very frustrated trying to find a job . He had no money but was grateful that he had a place to stay and some food stamps to keep him from starving . He tries to help others as much as he can , but feels he doesn 't have much to give . His spirits are always lifted by going to church , so I told him I 'd pick him up . I was driving down Liberty Street on the way to pick Bob up , when an ambulance approached with its siren blaring . I pulled over to the side of the road . There I saw my friend Mario . Mario has lived all his life in OTR , and spent much of his life using drugs and robbing people to support his habit . With a lot of help from God , he 'd begun to pull his life back together . He was able to get off drugs , he was helping the minister that came down there on weekends , he 'd gotten a part time job , and he got his kids back . Life was tough , but God always gave him everything he needed for the day , and he made it through . When I pulled over , Mario ran to the car and exclaimed how glad he was to see me and how God had just had perfect timing . He hopped in the car and explained how his job had cut back on his hours and he was desperate for help to feed his kids . Hearing this cut into my heart , as I was experiencing some major financial problems myself , so I didn 't know how I was going to help him . He moaned that he was doing everything he could but now he was getting desperate . He was starting to get some of the old thoughts into his head , and said he was about to do something stupid . I knew he meant he was headed to steal something or rob someone . We talked about how maybe he was relying on his own strength to get things done , and maybe he Posted by Sometimes when I 'm down at Washington Park , the people there are concerned about me , and warn me about reprobates that hang around that they consider dangerous . They 'll tell me , " Stay away from so - and - so . He 's bad news . " When I hear that , I may be a little cautious , but I realize that means that ' so - and - so ' needs God even more than most . I learned that from Charles . I was in the park with the church during the " Good Sam Run " . The others from the church were busy handing out sandwiches , so I just stood to the side and asked God to bring me someone that I could minister to . Then I noticed a man standing with his friends nearby . He was very rough looking , with a mean expression on his face . He had only one eye , without a patch on the ' bad ' one , so it just hung in his socket like a white ball of mucous . He had not shaven and had a rough beard . His dingy pants were held up by ragged suspenders over his grimy t - shirt and his huge belly hung out over his pants . He approached me and demanded roughly , " What are you doing down here ? " I told him I was with the church , and that I was here to pray for him if he wanted me to . He grunted and walked away . After a moment he hesitated and then turned and walked back toward me . " Yeh - I guess I could use some prayer , " he said nonchalantly , almost as if he were mocking me . I smiled and took his hands , and asked if there was anything special he needed prayer for . " Nah " he replied . " Just some prayer I guess . " I asked his name and he told me " Charles . " I closed my eyes and began to pray with Charles . At one point I felt compelled to say , " Jesus wants you to know that he loves you very much , Charles , and that all your sins are forgiven . " As I ended the prayer , I looked up . I was surprised to see tears rolling over his cheek . He had a look of surprise and gratitude . He told me he had been praying and praying for forgiveness the last few months , but had not felt it until now . He had prayed with ministers and had said the sinner 's prayer many timPosted by When I first met Drew , he was at the shelter recovering from a gunshot wound caused by the point blank firing of a pistol to the back of his neck . The shot should have killed him but he survived it . He was in a coma for several days , and when he woke up he couldn 't move his body from his neck down . The doctors told him there was too much damage to his spinal cord and he would never walk again . The bullet lodged in his cheek , but they were unable to remove it for fear that he would lose his eye . However , there was hope that with much therapy , he would be able to learn to talk and feed himself again . Drew was devastated and " cried like a baby for days " while fervently seeking God and praying for His intervention . And God spoke to his spirit , Drew said . " He said very clearly , ' Surrender your life back to me and I 'll show you who your true friends are . I will make your body better than it was before . " After spending many painful months in therapy , Drew eventually regained some of his living skills and was soon able to take care of himself . He kept working fanatically at recovery , and within months , he was able to stand on his own , despite the doctors predictions . Soon he was able to take a step while holding himself up on the therapy rails . Many more months of grueling therapy and he was eventually able to walk on his own . Today , Drew continues to work out every day , but now at the Lord 's Gym in downtown Cincinnati , where he freely shares his testimony and ministers to those that are trapped in the street life . Not only has his body been restored , but his daily workouts have produced massive muscles in his arms , legs and chest . His determination paid off and today he serves as a personal trainer and an inspiration to others in ' the hood ' . His passion for keeping his body in great shape is only surpassed by his gratitude and praise for Christ for saving him . Drew gladly shares his testimony with anyone who will listen . He tells of his roots in California where he was a member of the infamous Crips gang in Posted by One day in Washington Park , I saw a dark - skin husky black man with dreds , sitting on a bench with his friends . He had his brown paper bag beside him and he looked over at me , as if he wanted to ask me something . So I walked over and we started a conversation , and as it turns out , a long friendship . James was drunk when I met him , and later told me he hadn 't been sober in over thirty years . He woke up in the mornings with a pint or two and downed those for breakfast . He kept a pint with him throughout the day . Since he couldn 't hold a job in that condition , he made his living " hustling " , selling items in the park . He was a very quiet man , but everyone in the park knew him from over the years . He stayed in abandoned buildings , or on a bench , or wherever he could find a spot . We would get together for coffee once in a while , and the conversation would usually turn to spiritual things . He would nod and smile and agree with me , and say what he thought I wanted to hear . But he told me later , that was just because he wanted company , and he really didn 't believe in all that stuff . He had always thought that all that religious stuff was just a way to control the masses . Many of his friends believed but he thought it was only " because they got nothin ' else . " Life was so oppressive that they had to believe there would be something better some day , or else there was no hope at all . After we began talking , he had been trying to find out the truth and started reading his bible . His motive had actually been so that he could argue with me and show me where I was wrong . But the Holy Spirit was working , and one day he said to me , " It 's true ! It 's really true ! " He was shocked and excited . I 'm not sure why he had such a revelation , but I was excited for him , too . After that , he had a sincere hunger for more truth , and I brought him spiritual books and tapes for him to study . James was still drinking steadily , but one day he approached me and asked me to get him into a rehab . I agreed , but then he said , " NPosted by The day I met Corey was the day he gave his testimony . He 's given me a copy to post here : My story begins as a small town Catholic in northeastern Ohio . By my mid twenties I had successfully become a fun loving , guilt ridden young adult . Drugs , alcohol , and the quest for money had overtaken me to a point I choose not to describe . If life was meant to be enjoyed , I had found a very unhealthy way of enjoying it ! I am grateful that my religious upbringing helped to educate me on Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father . Although I rarely thought about this divinity at the time , my heart always knew who I had become was not who I wanted to be . In my late twenties , God sent me an angel in the form of the most perfect human being I have ever met ( now my wife ) . As I grew , the drug and alcohol ambitions morphed into a modern day " Corporate America " quest for success . You see , I never went to College as a traditional student right out of high school . During the 90 's there was plenty of prosperity for a young aggressive salesperson willing to work the system . Luckily for me , working a system had always been my specialty ! In July 2000 we moved to Cincinnati . Both with a job & what appeared to be a bright future . Everything seemed to be moving forward just as planned . Then 9 - 11 struck and for the first time in a very short career I experienced being laid off . This was not a good situation for an ego driven , money hungry , young salesman with little more than the ability to convince other people that I really am everything I say ! So I decided to attend UC and got an accounting degree . Why accounting ? Years later I realized that decisions in Corporate America are based in " economic " theory . I thought , if I could understand this aspect of business , perhaps my ability to sell myself would improve ! Through all of this selling I had spent 15 years building an image that wasn 't really me at all . Many times I questioned this fact and tried to change these patterns , but I always seemed to steer myself back into the hierarchy of Posted by I 've known George for several years . We first met when he was at Mt . Airy shelter . He came to church a few times , and got his own apartment , but then started drinking again . A couple times since I 'd seen him with black eyes and bruises and stitches from being beat up . He 's called me several times threatening suicide , and the last time I called the police . Then I told George to call if he wants to talk , but I wasn 't responding to any more suicide threats . He continued to drink and get into trouble and still called once in a while to talk . I know God doesn 't give up on people , but I 'm human , and I have to admit , I was writing George off as hopeless . I encountered George at Washington Park , and we talked for a bit . He said he was too messed up to be of any use to God . I told him about Moses , David and Paul , all mighty men of God , but also all murderers . And I told him that since he was aware of how messed up he really is , he was a lot more use to God than someone that thinks they have it all together and doesn 't need God . I lectured ( witnessed ? ? ) him on his stubbornness and how the more he sat around feeling sorry for himself , the less he was able to help anyone else . We talked about fear and pride and anger and bitterness and depression , all things that keep us from being close to God and being used by him . We had talked about these things several times before , but nothing had changed . I left him with a prayer and a hug , and as I was walking away , he tipped up the brown paper bag to take a drink of his beer . A few hours later he called me . He was very excited - maybe overwhelmed is a better word . He had been praying since I left him , and then while in the park , he felt compelled to get down on his knees and pray for a woman there . Compelled , he said . He HAD to do it . And then he said he felt the power of God flowing through him . He said he had never done anything like that before in his life , but it was awesome . He felt so wonderful . He didn 't even care about everyone in the park staring at him . He said when they fPosted by This happened a while ago , but it crosses my mind often and I still feel joy whenever I think of it . I stopped at the Kroger 's downtown on Vine Street for a couple of items . Since that store is in the heart of Over - the - Rhine , it is generally the city 's poor that frequent there . As I was waiting in line , there was a young man of about 17 in front of me . He had a couple of gallons of milk and a large package of newborn diapers . He kept counting out his money and figuring and re - figuring how much he 'd be able to purchase . ( Obviously he was a new father , struggling to be able to buy what his new baby needed . ) Finally , he motioned for me to go ahead of him , as he returned one of the gallons of milk back to the dairy case . He returned with the diapers and the remaining milk and stood behind me , still counting out his change . The clerk apparently knew of his situation , and looked at him impatiently and asked , " Are you ready now ? " I wasn 't sure how to approach the subject , so I just blurted out to him , " Do you mind if I pay for those diapers ? " Apparently thinking I was just making fun of his situation , he answered , " Yea , sure . " I picked up the diapers and asked the clerk to add them to my bill . The young man almost fell over in disbelief , and exclaimed , " For real ? ? " The clerk was just as shocked , and as she rang the diapers up kept exclaiming , " God is good ! " I became aware of others behind us in line watching what was happening , and whispering to each other . ( Now I was a little embarrassed over all the fuss , and wanted to be able to sneak out the door . ) The clerk said she 'd worked at that store for 20 years and had never seen anyone do anything like that . ( Isn 't that a shame ? ) As I was leaving , the clerk and the young man both had huge smiles on their faces . They called out , " God Bless You " ! As the door closed behind me , I assured them , " He already has . " What a small thing , yet it brought such joy ! I receive my blessing over and over whenever I think of that young man . One Saturday , I went with some people from the Vineyard to hand out sandwiches at Washington Park . Afterwards , I hung around to talk to some of the people in the park . The park is known for drugs and violence , so everyone was pretty stern . Once in a while I 'd hear someone cussing and yelling in anger . But for the most part , it was pretty quiet . In my trunk I had an old badminton set that I 'd been hauling around . I was sitting on a bench with some people , and I asked if anyone was interested in setting up the game . I received some blank looks and silence . I was going to give up the idea when someone from behind the bench said , " I 'll do it . " I looked around and saw a young man that I 'd never met before . I rose and introduced myself . He smiled and said his name was Robert . I asked , " You really want to set this up ? " " Sure , I 'll do it for you " he responded . We walked over to the car and retrieved the set from the trunk . " How does this go ? " he asked . I admitted I didn 't know , and he said he 'd figure it out . We spread out the net and the poles and he started to piece it together . I wasn 't really expecting much , since I 'd received such a cold response before . Most of the people there were addicts or alcoholics , and sports wasn 't their thing . But Robert looked engrossed in the project , so I just let him go ahead . I sat on the bench talking , and most of the others in the park were eating their sandwiches and drinking their soda out of a brown paper bag . I received a call on my cell phone , and had to run a quick errand . I asked Robert if he 'd be in charge of the game , and I 'd be back shortly . He agreed , so I left . I was only gone about 20 minutes , and wasn 't sure what to expect when I got back . I guessed the worst that could happen is that someone took the game and sold it . If Robert did get it set up , it was probably just sitting there not getting any use . When I pulled up , I saw a crowd gathered over at one end of the park . As I approached I heard laughing and joking as if a big parPosted by Donald is a dear friend who attends the Vineyard regularly , helps in serving coffee , helps in serving the homeless and helps drive others to church . A couple of years ago he wrote this letter , and has agreed to let me post it here . About four years ago , I was homeless at the Mt . Airy shelter , struggling to overcome a drug addiction of about 30 years . I started using drugs when I was 14 , which led to me being incarcerated by 16 . The habit grew worse over the years , but I didn 't realize that it was out of control until I lost my job in 1987 . I tried to stop using and for years I was in and out of rehabs , but nothing seemed to work . I had been kicked out of my house and alienated from my family . But the only thing that mattered was drugs and alcohol . I did whatever I had to do to get more - lying - stealing - deceiving . I was depressed and hopeless and desperate for any hope . When my wife died , I began using even more heavily and could no longer take care of myself or my family . I lost the children and became homeless myself . Once in a while I would go to the soup kitchen to eat , but for the most part I didn 't take care of my health . But I didn 't care . I saw no way out and had lost my will to live any longer . There was no love or happiness in my life - only drugs . Then while at the shelter in 2004 , I prayed for God to deliver me from this life . While at the shelter , someone picked us up every weekend to go to the Vineyard . The church opened up new hope and possibilities for me . When I walked in the door , the people there embraced me from the start , and showed me unconditional love and support . They showed me how to love myself and they restored my self - respect . I began to see that GOD loved me and wanted to show me a new way of life . So I enrolled in Alpha , and took the class twice . I attended Growth and Healing classes on Mondays . I joined in outreaches with the church whenever the opportunity presented itself . I began listening to Joel Olsteen , Dr . Joyce Meyers , Dr . Charles Stanley and several others . Posted by Alan was 32 years old and had been a drug addict for twenty years already . ( When I first heard someone tell me they had been addicted since they were a child , I was shocked . But by now I had already heard it many times . Children are introduced to drugs by their parents or siblings in an environment where drugs are an everyday way of life . ) Alan had tried to overcome his addiction many times and had failed . He finally ended up in a homeless shelter , having lost everything he ever had . He was frustrated , hopeless and depressed . That is where I first met him , when I came around to pick up people for church . When Alan felt the love of God and the church members for him , he was amazed . He quickly found a new way of life , devoting himself to God and involved deeply with the church . He was overwhelmed that people could actually love him regardless of his past . And he passed this on to others at the shelter , helping them get food and clothing and lending a compassionate ear when they wanted to talk . Before long , we celebrated Alan having 6 months of clean time . He was quick to thank God for doing for him what he could not do for himself . Alan was ready to move on with his life , and had been looking for a job so he could get a place of his own . But his felony drug history kept blocking him from getting a job . Every week at church he asked us to pray for him to find a job . And though we prayed passionately , he continued to get doors slammed in his face . In his frustration , he cried , " I don 't understand it . I 'm doing everything God asks . Why won 't He answer my prayers ? " We continued to pray with him every week , and every week he still had no job . He continued to reach out to others at the shelter , and watched as they all seemed to pull their lives together , finding jobs and apartments . But Alan was still at the shelter , still unable to get a job and move forward in his life . When my uncle in Florida died , I thought since Alan wasn 't working , he could help me drive down to the funeral . He easily agreed and we heaPosted by Winter 2006 : Apparently the Drop Inn has had some trouble with people keeping food and trash in their lockers . So over the weekend they emptied out all the lockers , and told the guys they couldn 't keep stuff there during the day . So I had some gym bags I took down there . While I was there , my friend Daniel told me he had lost all his stuff in the ' clean up ' , so I invited him to go with me to Goodwill . Since it was predicted that the weather was going to be cold , I wanted to pick up some blankets or sleeping bags . We hit the mother load in blankets . I picked up all I could find , and we headed back downtown . I asked Daniel to come along to see if we could find anyone under the bridges that needed them . It was raining hard , and we weren 't able to find anyone in the usual places under the bridges . It was already dark , so I asked Daniel if he knew of any abandoned building where there might be people staying that could use the blankets . He said he did , so we headed up to around Republic and 15th St , the very pit of the drug culture . He said that the people in the building were very concerned about ' blowing their cover ' and didn 't want anyone to know they were staying in that building . So I parked about a half a block away . There was about a half a dozen drug dealers on the corner , and Daniel told me to stay in the car and lock the doors and not speak to anyone . He would go up in the building and find out how many people were there . As he was getting out , one of the dealers approached the van , telling me about some good stuff he had . Daniel shouted from the other side of the van for him to get away - that wasn 't what this was about . I looked at the dealer - he couldn 't have been more than about 17 or 18 - I smiled and said that I wasn 't here for that , but that I was here to pray for him . He backed away at first - and started to walk off . Then he came back to the van and said , yes - would I please pray for him . ( Daniel was dumbfounded - and couldn 't say a word . ) I asked his name ( Sean ) and we held hands thru the window anPosted by