Autumn 2022 Newsletter
NEWS and SHARING from CPP PRISON MINISTRY OUTREACH!
Greetings Beloved in Christ,
Well, y’all, here it is Autumn again. I think most people are ready now for fall – me, not quite, summer was too short. But I do agree fall is a wonderful time of year with all God’s glory displayed in the colors, the cool clear air, and planning for the holidays that will soon arrive. God is so good to us, there is always much to be thankful for; most of all, being forgiven of all sin and restored to our God who made heaven and earth. Being thankful to God for our blessings and benefits naturally brings praise, rejoicing and joy, don’t you agree?
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
1 Thess 5:18
“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ephesians 5:19-20
Father God,
You are our mighty and glorious God, full of mercy & lovingkindness, there is none like You. Thank You for choosing me and forgiving me, loving me unconditionally, making me Your daughter. Lord, help me use my mouth to speak words of Gratitude and Praise that will honor You and uplift others in my daily walk with You. Please bless the persons reading this newsletter and draw them close, surround each with your presence. I ask in the sweet name of Jesus.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Inmates:
Please keep praying for Christopher; we’re asking for justice and pleading for truth. God’s grace and light upon him as a witness to God’s goodness and power to deliver in answer to prayer. There has been some good media coverage, God is working.
Kevin turned away from Christianity to follow Islam, he thinks it’s a better fit for him and that we all worship the same God, just with different names. There are other Muslims who believe this way. Please pray for Kevin and the others to have their eyes opened to who Jesus is and God’s plan of salvation.
James K. in NV is asking for our prayers for his mother and father to come to Christ and be saved; his mom is an alcoholic and his dad is distant and cold, they need Jesus and restoration.
Volunteer Pen Pals:
Claudia: health problems, God to lead and bless her, bring healing.
Dale: grace, strength, and healing of body, relief from cough, God’s leading.
CPP Ministry:
REMEMBER THEM CHRISTMAS PROJECT. Please pray God to help with thiss. We need volunteers to mail greetings and gifts again in 2022.
KEEP PRAYING!!!!!!! Asking God to send more and more new volunteer pen pals and churches faithful to His work! Pray for the church groups and ministries who have been working with CPP to get the inmates matched with a Christian pen pal; the strength to endure trials, to equip and provide, and bless each one with a bountiful harvest. The church ministries are really working out great!
Please Pray about being a pen pal to some special needs inmates, especially Muslims, and also mental health issues, transgender or sex offenders, drug addiction, etc. Contact us cppministry@gmail.com
LETTERS RECEIVED
From an Inmate:
Jenny, before I start responding to your email I would like to just say something! On Wednesday I was going through some of my stuff and I came across a date that I had written in a notebook! That date was the date I had written to the Christian pen pal organization, which was a little over a year ago and I was just thinking to myself that “I might never hear from anybody related to that organization!” So you can imagine how astounded \surprise\and shock I was when I received your email Last Night! I couldn’t believe Jenny ain’t that something huh:-) . Manuel
Mr. Jesse, for the first time in my life I shed a tear, yes, I cried from the joy that I felt when I heard my name called at mail-call. Everyone was hooting and yelling; boy, I had butterflies in my stomach. Now, I have shed many tears in my life but never for joy – it was a new feeling to me, one that I will never forget. Thank you Jesse, you’re the best!
I am kind of new at praying, but I did ask God to do something nice for you Jesse, and Beth as well.
I’ve been in prison since 1996, max out 2037, I will be 74 the day before my release on Jan 6th. 14 more years, I feel I am short now. It’s been many a year with no one to write to. I don’t know a lot about God, but I feel your letter was a blessing from God. I picture God with a big smile on His face.
I would like to write again next month if it would be alright – I don’t want to be a burden, if it’s OK, please let me know. You have already done so much, thank you for all the joy you have me.
Jeffrey, SC inmate
From CPP Pen Pals:
I just want to say THANK YOU for allowing me to be part of the Christian Pen Pal Ministry. My journey with CPP and writing inmates has led me into a whole new journey, I am now taking courses at Christina Leaders Institute to help better equip myself to minister to others, even if it is just one Letter at a time.
I am also hoping my journey with CLI will help me with in my local church as well.
I have also sent off a letter to Leon as well.
Thanks Christy
I count this a great privilege to be able to serve God this way. I can’t imagine being where they are. Can’t imagine…. Ann R.
Good morning! As Christmas approaches, I wanted to report back to you about my correspondence with Michael and Craig. I have written to each of them almost every week. Michael has sent me several letters each week, and Craig has written each time I have sent him a letter. Both are great artists, and I have been gifted with many lovely pictures/cards. Both seem sincere in their quest to grow in their faith, in spite of being in situations in which that is difficult.
Michael is able to put himself in the very vulnerable position to be totally honest with himself and with me. I suspect there is little I don’t know about him! 🙂 Craig is a “loner” who has been told by the parole board that he must learn to reach out to others more before being considered for parole. I have been blessed by having the privilege of knowing them, and I pray that I have had a positive influence upon them, as well.
I’m grateful to you and your ministry which makes these relationships possible. I could not have fathomed how isolated these men are and how devoid their lives are of a caring presence! The pen pal ministry meets a HUGE need, and I thank you for seeking to meet that need. A joyous Christmas to you and your family.
In Christ,
Lin D
From a Ministry:
Good morning Beth,
Thank you for the information. I am not sure if you are familiar with the ministry of Teen Challenge, but this is the ministry I am in. Over the years I tried to connect with prison ministries and they never responded. I am very blessed with the spiritual integrity of your ministry, feedback and personal involvement. I have informed my Director in the School of Ministry I am in about your ministry. It is my hopes that the other students will get on board. Have a blessed week Beth.
Carolann Keleher
Brooklyn Teenchallenge
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Special Needs Inmates
Pray about being a pen pal to some special needs inmates. We are getting quite a few who are in Islam religion, but most have a background in Christianity.
REMEMBER THEM Christmas Project
It’s autumn and I need to start now with the greetings and gifts to inmates still waiting to get a pen pal. We need all the help we can get, this has gotten to be a BIG project and taking much of my time. I will be sending out a SPECIAL NOTICE on it soon
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY
- Prayer Partners: we can never have too many Believers praying for CPP.
- Volunteers to help do administrative tasks on the internet: If you have some time to spare, and/or some stamps, please pray about serving with us.
- Corrlinks Coordinator: We are looking for a volunteer to help with new inmates who contact CPP through Corrlinks.com to find someone they can correspond by email with.
Contact Beth for more information & opportunities to serve: cppministry@gmail.com
THANK YOU
CPP Ministry BOOKS
“VISIT PRISON IN AN ENVELOPE” by Beth Michael – Motivational & Training Manual, can be ordered through Amazon, either in paperback or eBook. https://www.amazon.com/author/bethmichael
“YOUR CRY HAS BEEN HEARD” by Beth Michael can be ordered from www.christianbook.com or by mail from: CBD, PO Box 7000, Peabody, MA 01961 ($16.19 + Shipping, Stock #WW93570X or order from Amazon.com
Hello Beth, I’m almost finished with your book (Your Cry Has Been Heard); Very powerful stories. I greatly admire your ministry. Feel free to send me the names of 3 more inmates. I’ve been searching for a ministry for years that I love and that utilize my spiritual gifts. I finally found it, and let me tell you it feels great! I’ve tried doing everything, but when I came across your website I knew that was it. Thank you for allowing me to serve the Lord in the way that maximizes my strengths and abilities. Like I told Gene Mooney, I got just as much out of his letter as he got out of mine. Bless you for your ministry; I’m sure it hasn’t been an easy one.
David S. CPP Volunteer Pen Pal
CPP CHAT
This is a way of connecting and supporting each other. Now that summer is over, we hope to get the chat room going and growing. At this time, we have grown to 4 chat times, I hope one will fit your schedule and you will join with us Sunday at 4 PM in Zoom, Tuesday and Friday at 7 PM, Wednesday at 12 noon, Thursday at 10 PM time in the CPP Chatroom (all eastern time).
Become a member at the website and you will get notices of chat times.
RESOURCES
FUN MAG
Humor, jokes to share with our pen pals:
Global University: Writing to Global University
Attn: SED Prison Ministries is free. Submitted by Ken who tells us “the free courses were awesome study.”
Free Book
To place an order for a book to be sent to an inmate or to make a donation, visit www.freeprisonbooks.org. Books are free for inmates only but can be purchased at www.aapublishing.org.
For more information, contact: Tampa for Christ Church, Attention: Free Prison Books
P.O. Box 1192, Thonotosassa, FL 33592
Email: contact@freeprisonbooks.org
FREE BIBLE
I found Bible Truth Publishers online, and to request a Bible for an inmate(s) you just contact them at the e-mail address below with the complete mailing address for the inmate(s): BTPmail@bibletruthpublishers.com
WORDS TO ENCOURAGE:
I have been studying this verse my whole life…
“Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
Matthew 6:33
You know, I have heard this verse my whole life. However, I really didn’t think about what it actually meant. Matthew 6 speaks about our needs and wants. I thought so often that God doesn’t care about our wants, but only our needs. I have learned that when we are in pain, when we are in need or want of something, to “seek” God first. As sinners it is so easy to search for something else other than God to get our needs and wants met.
The word “seek” in the definition is, to seek God means to orient themselves to God and to pursue God rather than other goals.
Definition of seek:
resort to, go to, to go in search of, look for, to try to discover, to ask for, request seeks advice.
When we go to Christ to fill our deep longings in our hearts he will bless us by fulfilling our needs in accordance to his will.
Let’s look at ways we can seek God in our lives at the moment. I think about christian singles and how they long to get married. They must look to Christ first. He can fill their deep longing for companionship. He is all we want. The same could go for finding employment as well as having children.
God is all we need. The Lord knows about our heart’s desires. He knows about our struggles. When we seek God first, he promises “and all these things shall be added until you.”
God knows what we want. He knows what we need. Let’s seek God first in everything and in turn he will fulfill the desires of our hearts according to his perfect will and plan.
Love, Jenny
CPP Volunteer
“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for prosperity and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
Jeremiah 29:11
IDEAS to Share: CPP MINISTRY
REMEMBER THEM Christmas Project is a wonderful opportunity to share CPP with others!
Can you help us spread the word about CPP Ministry, this opportunity for God’s people to serve? We have many inmates waiting to hear from a Christian who is walking with God outside. Inmate need the light of Christ and it is displayed through God’s people – you and me.
We have the Christian Pen Pals brochure and other tools to give out. Let me know if you want them. Also, you can send people to the CPP web site or pass around the video we have there on FB or other social media. Pamela made this newest video, I think it’s great! Have you watched it?
I know some of you have already shared CPP with your church and we are grateful; if it only brings one or two people, it will make a difference. Please share with us any ideas you have to increase our writers so all the inmates can have this Christian support.
POEMS
A Joyful Return to Zion
Psalms 126
When the Lord brought back [a]the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the [b]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes [c]forth weeping,
Bearing [d]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again [e]with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.
Best Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is here, so our minds have turned
To what time has taught us, to what we’ve learned:
We often focus all our thought
On shiny things we’ve shopped and bought.
We take our pleasure in material things,
Forgetting the pleasure that friendship brings.
If a lot of our stuff just vanished today,
We’d see the foundation of each happy day
Is special relationships, constant and true,
And that’s when our thoughts go directly to you.
We wish you a Thanksgiving you’ll never forget,
Full of love and joy—your best one yet!
By Joanna Fuchs
CLOSING
We take this opportunity to thank all the Volunteer CPP Staff, pen pals, all our supporters, prayer partners, and friends on Facebook. Together God is working awesome things behind the prison walls!! We feel privileged to have a part in it
“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre! He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills. He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry. His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love“
Psalm 147:7-11
We thank you, Lord, for our daily bread with abundant grace and love, with faith and hope, with family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
In Christ’s love,
Jesse & Beth
Jesse & Beth Michael, Executive Directors
Christian Pen Pals / Pen Pal Connection
cppministry@gmail.com www.christian-penpals.com
Member of International Network of Prison Ministries
www.PrisonMinistry.net/cpp