Genesis 50:20, New International Version

“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

Inmate Cady stood before the Celebrate Recovery weekly “behind the wall” meeting at the Monroe Prison and read the below poem. I liked it, I liked it a lot. I asked him to mail it to me. He also enclosed some of his testimony...

I have been in prison twenty-five years. At nineteen, I got off the chain bus and tried to fit in with the gangs and hate... Until “Kairos Prison Ministries” came into Clallam Bay in 2006 and I saw that real love of Jesus. Real Christians from every denomination came into our prison and loved me like I was their own son. Me, a murderer, a scumbag! I was shown that there is no sin so bad that the love of our God will not forgive. The devil meant for me to die in the “hole” but what he meant for evil, my God meant for good! Sincerely, a fellow servant, Cady.

I keep my bag right with me everywhere I go, 

in case I might need to wear it, so me doesn’t show.

I’m afraid to show you me, afraid of what you’ll do. 

You might laugh at me, or say mean things...or I might lose you.

I’d like to take my bag off to let you look at me. 

I want you to try to understand, and please, love what you see.

So, if you’ll be patient and close your eyes, I’ll pull it off so slow. 

Please understand how much it hurts, to let the real me show.

Now my bag is taken off, I feel Naked! Bare! So cold! 

If you still love all that you see, you are my friend, pure as gold.

I want to save my bag and hold it in my hand. 

I need to keep it handy in case someone doesn’t understand.

Please protect me, my new friend. Thank you for loving me true. 

But, please let me keep my bag with me until I love me too.

--Author unknown