To say that today’s service in prison was good, or ‘yes it went well thanks’, feels like it gives God none of the true glory he deserves for what happened today in prison! I am not sure that writing a blog post is giving him full glory either, but at least I have the space to express what happened today in a bit more detail.

Today I lead the service with Lydia playing worship-beautiful voice. All the girls think she should go on The Voice! Before the service starts, the chapel doors swung open and I saw ‘Nikki’, she looked straight at me and marched over, I was a bit worried!

Nicky is on our anger-management course at the minute and is one of the most violent/disruptive women in the prison. Yet I really wouldn’t believe it from what I see of her. She is really enjoying the anger management course and it is having such a positive impact on all the women. Through our connection she came on Tuesday to Reflex group, discipleship, where we just explore more about God and what its like to live with Him everyday.

We spoke about 1 Corinthians 13 and what God’s love is like for us. Then towards the end I told the girls to look for God speaking to them. It doesn’t need to be a booming voice, ask him to speak to you through music you are listening to, through a film you are watching, through the bible or any other way-Look for it, or you could miss it.

Then didn’t think anything of it, in today’s service Nicky comes & plonks right next to me,

“Right, what verse did we look at Tuesday, that one about Love yeah? Well I was asking God to tell me if that was true, if He did still love me-cz I have done a lot of bad & I used to believe but stopped.. Then I got this letter in the post, I opened it and look…” 

The card was 1Corinthians13..

With tears in her eyes she nodded at it with disbelief! She had the confidence and deep love that she knew this was a message from God to her. She said she knew God was saying he forgave her and loved her, beautiful to see her get it!

During the service I performed ‘The Middle’ monologue, about God knowing the end of our stories, yet being with us in the middle. Then I spoke about Trust. I shared honestly about my current struggles with panic attacks and how God has been speaking about what it means to really trust Him, to fully trust Him with situations would mean the worry leaves and in exchange I gain peace.

I shared examples of this, some amazing blessings we have seen recently through this time. I shared how big God is and yet how intricately he made each of them different and beautiful. Looked straight into a broken woman’s face, to tell her how perfectly God knitted her together in her mothers womb, He chose for her to have those eyes-and only she has those eyes. What an honour.

Then I handed over to them, that they can start to Trust God, Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3

On the colourful paper I had left under their chairs they wrote their own messages to God, telling Him what they wanted to Trust Him with and how He can help them. I have all these pieces of paper and will continue to pray for them. Tomorrow at work is ‘PrayerDay’ and I will be asking people to pray for these girls and individually pray for the women’s prayers.

Today was such a blessing to me, it really is amazing to continually be amazed at what a living God we love. He is very present, and does more than we could ask or imagine. Girls left saying

‘I felt mesmerised‘

‘That was just what I needed to know’

‘I knew what you meant about the storm, I feel like my life’s in a storm but Thank You for this-I feel like I have Hope now’

I really take no credit for how this service went. I just know that I completely gave it to God, as did Lydia, and when we lay down-He stands in our place. I love seeing what He is doing..Thank you for your prayers. They made it happen.