50 Days In: A Journey of Growth for the Incarcerated Christian

By Dr. Joseph E. Preble

Becoming a Christian is wonderful, but living the life of a Christian is so much more. To dedicate oneself to the service of the Lord is one of the most wholesome experiences anyone can imagine. Yet, with their newfound faith, many lack the knowledge of how to properly live the Christian life. This can be true for anybody but even more so for the incarcerated Christian who has to deal with the hatred, violence, and misery that prison culture so often brings them. Many end up impeded in the advancement of their faith.

Having lived the life himself and overcome its challenges by the grace of God, this book is written by an inmate for other inmates; and it details how to begin to understand what it means to be a Christian, how to follow God's will for your life, and how to triumph through the difficulties and setbacks prison plays on those of the faith trying to find God in seemingly godless circumstances.

Not only will this fifty-day journey be life-changing but also it will help you come to terms with the past, give you hope for the future, and guide you in developing a proper understanding of God's will for your life. Ultimately, it will lead you to the healthy relationship God so desires for you to have with him. This is for those truly looking to know God, to worship him, and to bring him glory with their lives both in prison and afterward.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 27, 2023
• ISBN: 9798886162905

Book preview

cover.jpg

50 Days In

A Journey of Growth for the Incarcerated Christian

Dr. Joseph E. Preble

ISBN 979-8-88616-289-9 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88616-290-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Dr. Joseph E. Preble

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Note from the Author

Note to the Reader

Preface

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

Day 10

Day 11

Day 12

Day 13

Day 14

Day 15

Day 16

Day 17

Day 18

Day 19

Day 20

Day 21

Day 22

Day 23

Day 24

Day 25

Day 26

Day 27

Day 28

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 35

Day 36

Day 37

Day 38

Day 39

Day 40

Day 41

Day 42

Day 43

Day 44

Day 45

Day 46

Day 47

Day 48

Day 49

Day 50

About the Author

This book is dedicated to incarcerated Christians everywhere who are trying to find God in the darkest of circumstances. May God's glory light your path as you grow by his grace on this journey.

Acknowledgements

A special thanks goes to Ronald Young.

Your encouragement and advice have done more than you could know.

Additional thanks goes to:

Kameron Shultz

Heather Latta

Craig Preble

Ronald Shenck Jr.

John Riddle

John Uhrhan

Mike Mcbee

and

Benjamin Smith

All of you have done wonders in my life and have influenced much of what is written in this book.

A final and most special thanks goes to Donna Preble.

You have been my cheerleader, my motivator, and the inspiration of my faith.

Thank you for everything that you have done for me.

Note from the Author

I'm not sure words can describe how genuinely I want this book to help people in similar situations as me. Being an incarcerated Christian brings on so many trials, burdens, and difficulties that one must go through themselves before they can even hope to help others. The experiences in prison are unlike any others, as we face uphill battles, setbacks, anxieties, traumas, the pain from missing our families, the regrets we've encountered because of our actions, the anger we endure from others, and all of the turmoil pent up inside of us as we try to overcome not just our surroundings but also what got us here in the first place. It's all very stressful, very tiring, and far less than ideal circumstances for mankind to live in.

What it is ideal for, though, is the building up of our faith as we come to realize God truly is the solution to all of our problems. While that statement is far more easily said than done, I used to be doubtful of it as well; but having now gone through an extensive prison experience myself, I have truly come to understand all of the prison preachers who have endeavored to share that wisdom with me. The statement really is true, if only we can comprehend what it means.

This is not a book written by a random evangelist trying to minister to those who need the faith the most. While I'm sure God blesses those individuals abundantly, no one understands the experiences, mentality, or difficulties inmates go through more than someone who is going through it themselves. This is not some book trying to give you pat answers to develop some false sense of hope. Prison and all of its complications are very much real—yet God and all of his wonders are even more so. While I may not share every experience with everyone, God has blessed me with enough conflicts, heartbreaks, and tribulations in my own prison experience that I feel I can relate to just about anyone incarcerated. Having been through my own trials, as well as learning from countless others, I see God's blessings in every circumstance; and as you'll come to read in the following pages, his love and perfect will truly does conquer all of life's situations.

I'm not writing this book to tell you that you're living your life wrong. The fact that we're in prison should be testament enough that we weren't living right. I am writing with the sincerest hope to show you a better way. I am no more a Christian than the next guy, but from one inmate to another, let me implore you that there is a better answer to all of our difficulties. Whether it be pain from the past, misery in the present, fear of the future, or the ache of missing your family and loved ones, my promise to all is that God is the solution. I was not a believer myself for a long time, nor am I a jailhouse Christian. I was raised in the faith, but I never followed it nor understood it until I needed it most. If there was ever a time for us to come to God, now is it, for only he has the power to transform us away from the mistakes that brought us here; and only he has the ability to guarantee us a bright and successful future, both in this lifetime and the next.

To those reading this book who are not incarcerated, this journey can be helpful to all Christians, as we are all imprisoned by sin, situations, and emotions. There are many invisible bars that block our freedom: homelessness, drugs, alcohol, rejection, shame, anger, lack of forgiveness, etc. These restrain us in a self-imposed captivity that can only be removed by a true relationship with our savior.

It is my dearest hope and truest prayer that this book serves as a blessing to all who read it, that it inspires their confidence in God to direct their lives, and that it gives them more faith and hope than what they could ever need in even the darkest of circumstances. May God bless this book and all who read it. May it be for his glory in all things, not ours.

Joseph E. Preble, D.C.C, D.Min

Note to the Reader

This book is a fifty-day spiritual journey aimed at helping incarcerated Christians come to a fuller and more complete understanding of their faith, their hope, and the standard their God desires them to live by. It is not designed to be a self-help course, but there are multiple components within each chapter that do guide the reader along similar processes. More so than anything, this book is meant to help facilitate the proper life of a disciple of Jesus Christ both during and after incarceration.

The journey is designed to be started on a Sunday as day 1, with certain themes corresponding to each day of the week (faith, hope, righteousness, etc.). While it can be started on any day of the week, the days are purposed in a succeeding order that correlates to daily life in prison throughout each week. The author highly recommends that Sunday be the first day of this seven-week journey.

This book is written for any and all individuals experiencing criminal incarceration. While the book preeminently is gender-impartial and provides help for those in both men's and women's facilities, the circumstances alluded to are based solely upon the author's experiences in men's-only facilities. All scripture verses are taken from the 2011 edition of the NIV unless otherwise noted.

Each chapter contains coursework at the end that is intended for personal use only. All answers are meant to remain private so that the reader can be as open and honest with themselves and with God as possible. It is important to write your answers down so you may look back on them in the future to see how much you've changed and what you still need to work on. The use of a separate composition notebook may be useful for privacy purposes if needed.

Although this book is predominantly tailored to personal study, it can also be taught in a prison group setting or done with an accountability partner. Furthermore, family, friends, and the supportive community of the incarcerated have much to gain as well, since it has been written to shed light on the struggles of the Christian experience of their loved ones inside of prison. Because everyone has something to learn from the wisdom included in these pages, the author strongly suggests that inmates use a close friend or family member as their accountability partner, as both of them work on this journey together. It is a growing experience not just for individuals but for family members, spouses, and Christian fellowship groups as well.

While this book is not perfect in any sense, God's Word and the salvation he gives us is of absolute perfection. This book is not the answer to life's problems; it's only meant to guide us closer to God who is the ultimate solution. This course is meant to be taken one day at a time, in dedicated commitment to God, as he works to transform the lives of his children into what his loving will desires them to be.

Preface

What does it mean to be an incarcerated Christian? What role does incarceration play on our faith? What does having faith while incarcerated even look like? And how are Christians supposed to respond to the lifestyle and the stresses associated with being in prison?

Ultimately, that is what this book is about. Some of the most faithful and dedicated Christians have been spawned by the incarcerated experience. These individuals know the problems of mankind and have often experienced them to the fullest. They know how fallen we all are, the sin that's imbedded in this world, and the conflicts that arise both internally and externally while in prison. These individuals have often overcome the worst of the worst of circumstances, and they've truly realized what it means to be faithful to God in even the most trying of times. Many incarcerated Christians have grown to truly know God, and they are a blessing to those who know them.

Yet, the majority of incarcerated Christians tend to be Christian in name only. Many do not know what it means to serve God, to live for his kingdom, or to pursue his will in their lives. They claim to know God but do not follow him. They claim to know the Bible yet do not live by it. They claim to have the faith, but their actions prove that they're far from it. Many want God to help them out of their predicament, but so few are willing to submit to God, learn from the lessons he's giving them, or live their lives for God's purposes—something that we're all called to do.

What exactly does it mean to be a jailhouse Christian? Most often this term is used as a derogatory reference to those described in the previous paragraph. They're incarcerated individuals who only profess God with their speech, not with their actions, heart, or conduct. They are so plentiful that most people who profess the Christian faith in prison are mocked and rarely taken seriously. For those who are genuine, it only spurs on the bitterness they experience as they struggle to find God in these dark settings.

Whether a jailhouse Christian or a truly genuine one, all of mankind is called to love God by our actions and live for his will, not ours. When we pursue life by our own measure, which is insufficient and fleeting, our own measure is all we'll ever get. Yet, if we pursue life by God's measure, eternity and blessings unimagined await us. It is often a clear and easy choice to make. However, so few understand what this choice entails, what life is supposed to look like, how they're supposed to act, and what they must do to overcome the obstacles incarceration presents to them. Many know of God, but they do not know God. Many want to follow God, but only few know how. That is the goal of this book.

Christianity is not an on/off light switch that we can use to our advantage when we need God and disregard him when we don't. It's a lifelong journey with great difficulty that results in an even greater reward. It's a commitment to a loving father who expects a certain standard for his children to live by, many of whom fail to not only live up to this standard but also realize that the standard even exists. This book is not written by an outsider trying to tell inmates how to live their lives when that person has never spent a day in prison themselves. Instead, this book is written by an inmate for an inmate—not by one who has gotten out but one who is experiencing this life in very real time while writing it.

The purpose of this book is to help facilitate understanding of and commitment to the Christian faith while in prison. It discusses what this faith looks like, the hope we have from it, the standard of righteousness we're to achieve, the fear and sin all of mankind suffers from, the power of prayer and importance of thanksgiving/praise, the trials and tribulations we will all go through, and the effect our faith should have on all of the relationships we hold.

This book will bring its readers not just to a better understanding of God but to a clearer understanding of themselves and their position in God's kingdom. It addresses past experiences that are affecting the present ones, and it helps its readers to plan for their future. While many pearls of wisdom gained in these pages will be helpful upon release, the major focus is to help Christians while incarcerated, as they must overcome countless setbacks in their faith during their attempts to navigate the stresses, circumstances, and problems they face while incarcerated.

While this is not a self-help book, it does provide much help for the self. While this is not a manual of living, it does help shed light on the ultimate life manual, which we should all read daily: the Bible. While this is not a perfect representation of all of prison's problems, it does offer something to everyone as we all try our best to grow closer to God in the midst of adversity. While the Christian journey is a lifelong process, this book will help individuals fifty days at a time as they work toward becoming the children of the faith God so desires them to be. All glory to God forever. It is his will that we should all desire to live for in everything that we do.

Day 1

Now faith is the confidence in what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.

—Hebrews 11:1

When people discuss the Christian faith, they generally are referring to the belief in the Judeo-Christian God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. They infer upon a set of preestablished religious beliefs that are ultimately intended to govern one's life. Yet faith is not just a noun, as it's been mentioned thus far. Faith, in the more important instance, is a verb that all of mankind is called to act upon. Faith is not a matter of established thinking; it is a matter of believing and following that which you believe in—as all Christians are called to do.

The eleventh chapter of Hebrews discusses specific examples of what faith looks like in action. Here we read about the ancient patriarchs of the Jewish and Christian religions that believed in God and followed him wholeheartedly. They were accredited by God as being righteous through faith, and in return, they were cataloged for eternity in the annals of our faith, as seen here in scripture. It was not through seeing that these great individuals believed but through faith in not seeing were they counted as righteous.

As children, many of us had confident faith in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny. Our faith was based upon stories our parents told us that were meant to inspire and enthuse our young minds. Yet, when we grew older, many of us stopped believing those fantasies, as they were nothing more than baseless fairy tales. They do not exist, there is no evidence that they exist, there is no logic in their existence, and aside from there actually once being a man named Saint Nicholas hundreds of years ago, there is no proof any of them ever existed outside our childhood imaginations.

Yet does this methodology work for proving the existence of God? Can we not see God, thus know that he cannot exist? No, for while we cannot tangibly see God, through faith we know he is there. Evidence of God's existence is all around us in the complexity of anatomy, the beauty of nature, the vastness of the cosmos, the miracles of creation, and the faith of those who have lived much greater lives than we ever will. No child, regardless of how strongly he believed, has ever seen or spoken with the Easter Bunny. However, Christians speak to God constantly and see his many wonders all through their lives, for it is through belief without seeing that we have faith, and it is through faith that God reveals himself to us. One cannot see, hear, or know God without first having faith, and once we have faith, God unveils his glory to us and through us for all to see.

Perhaps the greatest fallout of science is that it looks to believe in tangible, visible evidence for proof of existence. Yet scientists cannot touch or see gravity but fully acknowledge its existence, though they cannot fully explain it. How much more should Christians be able to acknowledge God's existence when we can talk to him and feel his presence all around us? Though this can be extremely difficult through troubling times in our lives—even more so in depressing environments like prison—he is there, and it's through our faith that he comforts us if only we'd surrender ourselves to his existence.

Regardless of how difficult times may be, God desires to reassure, protect, guide, and uphold us if only we'd have faith in his being. When we choose to follow him who is eternal rather than the way of the world which is temporal, we will learn to not only hear and feel God but also visibly see him manifest himself in our lives and in our hearts. It is through faith that we see, and it is through faith that we are saved. It is not through seeing that we believe, but it's through belief that we see and are chosen to be children of the one true God of eternity.

Prayer:

Father God, help me to believe in you regardless of my lack of sight. Strengthen my faith and obedience to your will. Help me to progress in our relationship as I grow ever closer to you, Lord. Let me see more clearly the wonders you perform in my life and in the lives of those around me. Bring me to a proper understanding of who you are and who you want me to be. Let me not deviate from your path but guide me in the way I should go. Help me, Lord, to prosper my faith in you as you prosper me in your kingdom. For you, Lord, are good, gentle, and holy. Protect me, comfort me, and uplift me, for you are my God, my savior, and the source of all my faith. In your wonderful name, I pray.

Amen

************

On the lines below, list five examples in your life or in your current surroundings that prove God's existence. They could be past events, circumstances, prayers answered, gifts received, or any other happenings you've personally witnessed. List them in any order you choose but make sure they are personal and meaningful to you.

Reflect upon these examples every time you feel doubt about God's existence in your life. As you progress through your journey, keep an eye out for more examples to add for further evidence. While God does not visibly show himself in this lifetime, he is there and wants to be found by you. It is up to you to look, though. If you seek, you shall find; if you knock, the door will be opened to you.

Day 2

Put your hope in the Lord, for with the Lord is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.

—Psalm 130:7

What does it mean to put our hope in the Lord ? What does it mean to have hope in the first place? What role should hope serve in the Christian's life, and why exactly should a Christian even have hope?

This life can be full of difficulty, full of pain, and often full of suffering. As we continue to face hardships, we can find ourselves weakened, worn out, and ready to give up. As the darkness creeps in around us, we can sometimes feel that there is no way out, that things will never get better, and that this may very well be our purpose in this world: to suffer. Yet no matter now bad times may get, the human spirit always tries to find a way of continuing on. There always seems to be something to look forward to; there always seems to be a way for things to get better. This feeling, conscious or unconscious, is called hope, and it should be the driving force of a Christian's life.

For mankind, hope can come in many forms. In times of financial difficulty, one could hope for winning the lottery or getting a promotion or finding a higher-paying job. In times of sickness, one could hope for a miracle cure to be discovered, for their body to suddenly fight off the illness, or that the illness will eventually cease to be terminal. Obviously for the incarcerated, our hope is for release, for a better life after release, and for the welfare of our loved ones both during and after our incarceration. Hope, in many cases, is simply wishful thinking contingent upon circumstances we often can't control. Yet there are so many more facets that generally go unnoticed.

Hope can be patient confidence as we wait for the desires of our heart to be fulfilled. Hope can be the belief that someone will save you from whatever negative circumstances you find yourself in. Hope can be the longing for someone you love to fulfill the dreams you have for them. Hope, in any circumstance, is the feeling within you that gives you joy and the motivation you need to carry on regardless of how terrible the circumstances are. Hope is an encourager, a motivator, and the light you need at the end of a very dark tunnel. It's human nature to hope, and it's generally the only thing that overpowers fear in our subconscious.

For a Christian, though, hope takes on a whole new meaning. We're called to put our hope in God. We're called to look to him for all things. We're called to not worry about the difficulties of this life but follow him wholeheartedly, and all else will be given to us. As Christians, God should be the full focus of our lives regardless of our circumstances, for with him is unfailing love and total, complete redemption. What exactly does that entail, though, and what purpose does it serve in our lives right now?

As Christians, we have a promise that we're called to hope in. This promise is one of eternal life and salvation. No matter how miserable life may get on earth, we're marked and sealed by the Holy Spirit. We're destined for greatness beyond what our minds can imagine. We're being sanctified into perfect union with the perfect being, and as children of God, we're empowered to overcome even the worst of circumstances both in this life and the next if only we looked to God in times of difficulty. This is a great power and a great promise that we have, and it should be the basis of all of our hope.

In our modern culture, it is so easy to be focused on the here and now. People judge the entirety of their lives based on their popularity, materialistic possessions, and their current surroundings. They think that the full value of their life can somehow be measured in the tangible currency. They do not see the big picture; they only see what they choose to focus on: this lifetime.

However, we're all eternal beings. No matter what, whether we go into paradise or into destruction, there will be a second lifetime after this. These eighty-plus years that we're expected to live on earth are nothing compared to what's coming. When one judges the value of their life based on temporary entities, they remain in the temporal realm, which is ultimately going to vanish. Yet, when one understands that they're not defined by worldly possessions but by spiritual manifestations, their life takes on a completely new meaning.

As Christians, when we die, we rise to power and glory through the name of Jesus Christ. As Christians, we shed off the clothes of pain and suffering that we're forced to wear in this lifetime. As Christians, upon death, there will be no sorrow, no regret, and no guilt, as we've been redeemed by a mighty power that was sent to give hope to all nations. If our focus is on worldly matters, we will perish with the world, but if our focus is on heavenly matters, we will surpass the world and all of its difficulties. When we put our hope in the Lord, we cease to worry about worldly situations that we can no longer control and begin to focus on what actually matters in this lifetime: preparing ourselves for the next. Our hope should never be in this world nor in mankind; our hope is to be in God and the salvation he offers to every one of his children.

No matter how difficult life may get, we have eternal life. No matter how horrible circumstances become, peace will reign in our future. No matter how much pain we suffer now, joy will consume us in eternity. While we cannot control many of the happenings in our life, we can control our responses to them. When we allow them to beat us down and defeat us, they ultimately will lead to our destruction. However, when we look to God and focus on the hope he has in store for us, we will overcome all things. Prison may have the toughest of circumstances, but for us Christians, we will rise up and overcome all things when we hope in the Lord. For without the Lord is our destruction, but with the Lord is salvation and redemption. We're able to overcome all things through Christ who gives us strength; and for that reason, we're able to have hope in every circumstance.

Prayer:

Thank you, Father, for giving me a reason to hope in times of distress. Thank you, Lord, for giving me something better to focus on when feeling despair. Help me to understand more clearly what it means to hope in you. Help me to have confidence that what I hope for will come true. Guide me in overcoming my terrible circumstances and allow me to appreciate the promises you've made me. Let me not fade in my faith when difficulty arises, but keep me steadfast as I focus on the future you have in store for me. Help me to cling to the promise of salvation as you guide me in navigating the struggles of this life, for you are all I need.

Amen

************

On the lines below, explain what you think it means to have hope in the Lord. What does having hope look like to you? How does hope influence your relationship with God and with others? What is the ultimate source of your hope and what are the things you hope for in this lifetime? Be as specific as possible.

Prison can often lead to the most hopeless of circumstances. For the Christian, though, no matter how long of a sentence you may have, you will be free someday—in this life or the next. While sorrow may last through the night, joy will come in the morning. The same is for a Christian's life. No matter how difficult this life may be, our hope is in the next one, where perfect peace and prosperity will be eternal.

Day 3

Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.

—Romans 6:13

Perhaps the greatest misnomer in the Christian faith is that people have to be sinless before coming to Christ. Somehow, many people in