Through our Twice Blessed, Manna House, and Jail Ministry programs, Reaching Up and Reaching Out has touched the lives of many women in the Mercer County area. Our ministries help women break the cycles of addictive and dysfunctional behavior to help them avoid reincarceration and get back on their feet. All of our work is rooted in the teachings of the Bible, and we share the Gospel with the women whenever possible. Over the years, we’ve helped many people find a new beginning in Christ.
Kayla’s Prayer
Kayla is one of the women who participated in our programming and accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. She wrote a prayer in which she expresses her yearning for forgiveness and to help others who have the same struggles find new life in Christ as well. Here is her prayer:
Reflections on Brandi
Brandi was an inmate at Mercer County Jail who completed the entire 12-step recovery program. Now she is being used by God to further His kingdom with her amazing testimony. Here is a reflection on Brandi written by one of our Bible study leaders:
Brandi is a personality that takes over a room when she enters. One night at Mercer County Jail, Brandi came in with an unbelievable thirst to read Scripture and to understand this relationship with Christ. She is one of the few women that actually completed the entire 12 steps in jail. We were all amazed by her ability to memorize Scripture and her complete devotion to this life of transformation. During her time in MCJ, she led Bible studies for the other women. I remember during the Christmas season she put together a Christmas Day Program and the women were so touched by her devotion and transparent love for Christ. Brandi left MCJ to go to Muncy Prison and then a very vigorous rehab program that was physically and mentally challenging. She then went to a residential rehab facility, where we reconnected as much as was permitted. Brandi shared her testimony at our second raiser and now she is connected with Reaching Up and Reaching Out in a different capacity. She feels God has called her to write the revelations that He gives her and her prayer is that in His time these will be published into books. Her first book is about David and we are helping her with the process of editing and publishing. We don’t know the final chapter of how God will use Brandi’s passion and testimony but we know that she clearly has broken the chains of addiction and is now addicted to her love of Jesus.
Inmate Artwork
Written testimony isn’t the only way that inmates express their feelings. Many of the inmates we’ve connected with have used artwork to communicate their new life in Christ. Here are a few examples: