5 Lessons From Jail Everyone Needs To Hear
I had the privilege of joining Cry Freedom Missions on their jail outreach recently. A team from Cry Freedom Missions visits the female inmates in the local jail every week to provide educational classes, Bible studies, thought-provoking lessons, encouragement, and community.
What Is The Purpose Of Jail Outreach?
The purpose of the jail outreach is first and foremost relationship building.
Oftentimes, the individuals met during hotel outreach end up in jail for one reason or another. The team sees this as an opportunity to deepen their relationship with them away from their trafficker, drug dealer, or abuser. The hope is that the relationship will continue at the Cry Freedom Missions safe house after they leave jail.
My Experience
I joined two other Cry Freedom Missions team members, as well as a team member from Partnership For Children in Wayne County. I went in with open hands and an open mind. I had few expectations besides maybe those I had formed from seeing jails in movies and television shows.
If I’m being honest, my initial impression wasn’t far off from what I was expecting. Women in orange jumpsuits gathered around tables in the middle of a room full of charcoal blue cell doors, a cell number painted in white above each door.
The rest of my time was completely beyond what I ever imagined.
The girl across from me at the table shook my hand and introduced herself. She had beautiful braids in her hair, and we joked about how neither of us have ever mastered braiding our own hair. We bonded over both being mothers, and she told me about what she liked about traveling around a lot for her dad’s job.
Then Beverly Weeks, CEO of Cry Freedom Missions, began to speak. It was instantly clear how much she cares about these girls. The words she spoke to them were encouraging and full of truth. I furiously scribbled notes on a piece of paper as she spoke. The vulnerability that occurred throughout our time there was completely unexpected and extraordinarily beautiful.
I wondered what this blog might look like. Should I simply share my experience? Should I dive into the purpose of jail outreach? What I ultimately decided was that the lessons I learned from Beverly, the other team members, and the inmates were applicable and valuable to every single person. So I would love to share them with you!
5 Lessons Everyone Needs To Hear
1) No matter what you have done, you are precious in God’s eyes; so carry yourself with confidence.
The girl sitting across from me stood up and shuffled to the front of the room to share her response to the previous week’s assignment. Almost as soon as she started talking, Beverly told her to sit back down. I was taken aback, and so was she. But then Beverly began to share the importance of carrying yourself with confidence. Standing before a judge or job interviewer, it is important to hold your head up high and your shoulders back to exude not arrogance, but confidence.
She told them they can walk with confidence, not just for show, but because they are genuinely steadfast in their identity in Christ.
“You have been told that all you will ever be is a prostitute or a drug addict, but you are a child of God, and you can walk in confidence knowing that truth,” said Beverly.
The girl walked back up to the front of the room with her head held a little higher. Everyone needs to hear this: you can carry yourself with confidence knowing you are precious and valuable in God’s eyes.
2) We all need a healthy support system.
Beverly walked the inmates through the acronym “get a G.R.I.P.”
Go to God in prayer.
Rally your support team.
Ignore nay-sayers and negative thoughts.
Prepare for your battle in advance.
Rallying your support team is essential for every single person, not just those overcoming addiction. Human beings were never meant to walk alone. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” This life is hard as it is and even harder if you walk through it alone. We need healthy, loving friends and family surrounding us, uplifting us, calling us higher, encouraging us, and challenging us.
3) Sometimes we need to leave people, places, or things behind.
In creating this healthy support system, sometimes we need to leave certain people, places, or things behind. There are people who do not love, uplift, encourage, and challenge us. In fact, there are many people who do just the opposite. You might have someone in your life who makes you feel small and worthless. You might know someone who tempts you to do things that are unhealthy or unwise.
This will require you to set boundaries with the people around you. It might even require you to leave a friend group or find a new job. You might need to sacrifice certain hobbies or habits that lead you down the wrong path. It will ultimately lead to a healthier lifestyle and community.
Remember, boundaries sting to those who don’t set them. If you set boundaries with a certain unhealthy person and they are offended, it doesn’t mean you did the wrong thing.
4) Self-love is not selfish.
The team member from Partnership For Children shared about self-love. Each inmate received a worksheet with different prompts, like “what I’m good at” and “my physical features that I like” and “challenges I have overcome.”
The team member shared about her own experience with burnout from caring so hard for others that she neglected herself. The lesson she shared was incredibly valuable: you cannot pour from an empty cup. It is not selfish to take care of yourself spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Rest is necessary for a healthy lifestyle.
5) Don’t listen to the voices of your past.
“How do I learn to love myself again?” asked one of the inmates after the lesson on self-love.
Beverly asked the questions, “Who are you listening to? Are you listening to the voices of your past, or are you listening to what God says about you?”
Are you comparing yourself to others because of what you see on social media? Are the voices of a past abuser ringing in your mind every time you start to feel confident again? Do the words of a childhood bully play in your mind as you’re falling asleep?
Fill your mind with goodness and truth. Read what God says about you in Scripture. Surround yourself with encouraging friends who speak truth and life over you. Listen to songs that turn your thoughts into beauty.
One of the inmates shared that when she is feeling low, she listens to the gospel song No Weapon Formed Against Me Shall Prosper.
Bonus Lesson
This bonus lesson is a direct quote from one of the inmates. I hope it encourages you as much as it did me:
“You don’t fail because you fall. As long as you keep picking yourself up, you will never fail.”
Call Our Hotline
If you or someone you know is being exploited, call our 24-hour hotline at 919-988-9262. You don’t have to be in North Carolina to call!