Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday April 23, 2008

Due to the intensity of the meeting at Kokomo, I suspended the daily letter for a few days. God really moved and I am still nearly stunned by the move of the Lord on the meeting. The following is a brief note, with a more detailed one coming later when Chaplain Green and the staff have time to sort out the apparent results of the efforts.

To say that God poured out His power and Spirit on the meeting at the Howard County Justice Department/Jail is really an understatement. Pastor/Chaplain Andrew Green, the officers monitoring the meetings put forth an all out effort to reach men and women for Christ. And God worked in compassionate power in the hearts of men and women. I do not have the numbers as yet, but the percentage of the 350 something population that responded and came to the meetings is very high and a very large number of men and women responded for restoration, for renewed strength and many for salvation.

The meetings were divided in six sessions according to security levels and the largest room available. The women were permitted to come as a single security level and they were touched by the grand music of the Bob and Kathy Cosby Family, which during the meeting was predominately female with Bob the only male. The instrumental music and reserved Christian singing of Kathy and the girls touched hearts in a seldom seen way in these days.

Wendell Spire, the music director from Independent Baptist Church, pastored by Andy Green led the singing and his wife Dianna went with the group on Monday night. Dianna had never been inside of a jail of any kind and she was more than a little nervous. Bob Cosby and I comforted her with a few horror stories of prisons. When opportunities for testimonies were given, low and behold the very first person to stand and give testimonies was Dianna!! I used this to comfort Pastor Green with the assurance that he now is the pastor of a future Joyce Myer.

One dear lady in her sixties who has never been incarcerated sat as though in shock, yet when the invitation was given she practically ran forward to make a profession of faith in Christ. Two of the women volunteer chaplains were able to have all the ladies who came forward brought back to the chapel after the meeting and they dealt with each prisoner personally and this lady told them that she had never heard the gospel of Christ. Her story which I will tell at a later time is one of absolute heartbreak. I admit that I fought back tears as I looked at the faces and thus the aching hearts of the women prisoners at Howard County.

One of the female Volunteer chaplains was herself imprisoned in this facility having been arrested 27 times with charges ranging from Crack Cocaine to resisting arrest, and fighting with Officers in the jail. Christ arrested her over eight years ago and her testimony is vibrant for Christ. That her faith is real is witnessed by the fact that she is now a trusted chaplain working in the very jail where she was imprisoned. That Christ changes the heart He enters is beyond question.

It is often the case that the most effective volunteers are men and women who have "been there" and Kokomo is no exception as I talked with several of the volunteers who have a story to tell. One girl briefly told of her ultra religious background, which included sexual abuse and how Christ helped her to drop that baggage and is now using her story to help women prisoners who have suffered unbelievable abuse, abuse far too brutal to share in this letter.

Sheriff Marty Talbert is fully recovered from hip surgery and while a top notch lawman he also has the rare but balanced gift of compassion for his wards in the center. Thus Permission was granted to Andy Green to have the days of special meetings at the center. Amazingly key jail personnel were more than willing and of tremendous help in making the meetings a grand success. The Jail Commander, Captain Harold Vincent, organized the movement from the security areas in such a way that this part of the meeting was smooth. If an "event" had occurred the meeting would have been canceled on the spot for safety reasons. Howard County is a model is a for others around the country and the model programs are organized and coordinated by Julie Wohlford the Program Director. Julie is member of a church I preached in many years ago and has heart and mind for the needs of the prisoners and wants to add one that will provide instructors, most likely volunteers who will teach those who cannot read learn to learn how in order to complete the GED program giving them a greater chance at success when they are released. Mrs. Wohlford has a clear understanding that the acid test for those making professions of faith comes when they walk out the door and into the real world. I have met very few professional people in prison systems who fully grasp this fact. I hope you will pray for Julie as she works hard for her corner of the system to give meaningful help.

Linda Yoder and Trenna Arnett are volunteers who tirelessly work with the women prisoners and they both have a story to help them identify with many of the women. Linda and Trenna are thorough in their dealing with the women, and it is plain that the girls hold them in high esteem. I am not at liberty to share their stories with you, but I am hoping they will write to me with a least a short version of their testimony as they both have been wonderfully delivered and enabled by Jesus.

Pastor Green introduced me to a rather quiet man, Bob Cox, who is also a volunteer and a very effective one who prays almost ceaselessly for the Lord to move on the hearts of the prisoners. He is a humble, unassuming man of faith and I am thankful to know and to have worked with him.

The Kokomo revival was well planned and literally saturated with prayer from many groups and during the meeting there was no hint of opposition from the volunteers. If you have worked with groups who have minor differences you know that this is a miracle of the Lord. I understand many of the prisoners have been meeting regularly to pray for the power of the Holy Spirit on the meetings.

Karen Green, Andy's wife oversaw the preparation of meals for the Cosby Team and me, and what a grand job she and a few helpers from the church did. Having eaten many meals in jails and prisons I was particularly thankful for this contribution from Karen and the Independent Baptist Church.

Hundreds of copies of my book, "Put In The Hole For Praying" were given out in advance and God used this book to establish immediate rapport with the prisoners. What a blessing from the Lord and I am more than thankful for God's hand in writing the book 10 years ago.

The letter today is twice the regular size. Thanks for your understanding and I am certain I will have stories in the first person in a few days to share with you.

Psalms 69:33 For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit

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