Dear Tommy,

Dear Tommy,

I met with our girls again today. The Wednesday bunch. The PWHDs (Princess Warriors in Human Disguise). Goodness, everytime I go I learn something... and I leave wishing I could and wanting to do more. Of course, I see doors opening all around me, and my new ADOC's (AL Dept of Corrections) guy keeps pushing me fast through each one before I have a clue as to what I am doing. Tis interesting to say the least. And often, a whole lot sad. But what we're hoping to do is quite promising. And I do dearly love the hope in futuristic things! ("For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future..")

Today there was a somberness in the group. A sadness. A mourning. An aggravation.......

Lauren had been so excited last week. Her parole hearing was on Tuesday. She was looking forward for her release date. Eleven and a half years living locked up is a very long time. She was past ready to get out and go home. She had her 'home plan' ready. A job lined up. Her medicine taken care of. A place to go. Lauren's a redhead, with soft loose curls haloing her head. Her eyes are a blue that's almost too beautiful to be fair. She's just plain out cute, pretty, beautiful, GORGEOUS... all wrapped into one.

She was the one that should be so sad. And she was! Though she talked very positive. She held back her tears. She had cried buckets of those last night in her bed. She found out yesterday that her parole was denied. Not only that, she won't have a possibility of parole again. She'll have to stay until her EOS (End of Sentence), which is sometime late in the year of 2014.

She reminded us that God has a plan, that He has a reason, that He has a purpose, and that she believes that and will have to trust Him in it.

Is she hurt? Yes. Disappointed? Horribly. Devastated? Tremendously. But life does goes on..... even in prison, even sometimes when you don't want for it to.

Then, Tommy, it was time to leave. She was giving me more of her details. Trying to encourage herself as she tried to encourage me. And then mid-sentence she stopped, totally change the subject, and said, "How's Tommy?"

And then, "Tell Tommy that since I have 4 1/2 more years left in here, that he can't wait. He has to find a way. He has to come."

So there, Tommy, dear friend. Your girls in the prison need you. They need your encouragement. They believe in you, because they believe that you believe in them. They have a wonderful picture of Jesus in you! Oh my, I hope that one day God will make it work and that you really will be able to visit them. It's not me asking you to this time, it's those behind bars that are asking. :)

When I think of you, Tommy, and I think of them, because of all that you've said to me, this is the scripture that reminds me of you two: "When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we [the captives] were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we were filled with joy" (Ps 126:103).

For those who don't know him... meet Tommy: