Spiritual Survival Guide
7: Surviving Spiritually Beyond Prison
From Where I Sit: Preparing Yourself for Reentry; Mary Johnson, Prison Fellowship
wisely, or your time will use you. Time will pass slowly, painfully, and purposelessly, if you let it. Or you can use your time to bet- ter your circumstances, to increase in knowledge, obtain wis- dom and insight, and build physical and emotional strength. Ask yourself, how do you want to return to ‘the world’? Do you see yourself doing the same thing you did before, only smarter so you won’t get caught? Or do you want to become a man who takes responsibility for his actions, thoughts, emotions, and rela- tionships with others? You choose. There are three basic beliefs about change.
“Why do I need to prepare myself for reentry? I’ve been going in and out of jail/prison all my life. I know my mistakes. And be - sides, I am never coming back here again.” Most of the men leaving prison have made this same statement, but somehow they still ended up back in a cell again. The cycle keeps repeating itself. So you have to ask, why? Why do I think this time when I get out it is going to be different? Until you actually look to see the problem, there is no problem.
1. People are responsible for their own behavior.
The Hole in the Sidewalk
2. People do not begin to change because they see the light, but because they feel the heat.
I walk down the street. There is a big hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost. I am helpless. It isn’t my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. I walk down the street. There is a big hole in the sidewalk. I pre- tend I don’t see it. I fall in. I can’t believe I’m in the same place, but it isn’t my fault. It still takes a long time to get out. I walk down the street. There is a big hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in. It’s a habit. My eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately. I walk down the street. There is a big hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it.
3. Change is not a one time event, it’s a journey.
Preparation is the fun part of any journey. Have you ever planned a trip? You pick a particular destination because it offers you some benefit—something that will be fulfilling in your life. You start by counting the cost before you make the decision to take the journey. The next step is moving your dream into a reality. This is where most people get stuck. As long as it’s just a pie- in-the-sky dream, it remains up there with the fluffy clouds just floating by you. Here is the shift/change needed to establish it. It can be firmed up by creating a road map (plan) with destination points, pro- visions, stops, rest areas along the way, and planning for pos- sible detours. And with good planning and implementing you can reach your destination and enjoy a rich, full, rewarding life. The life we believe you were destined for by God. “For I know the plans
I walk down a different street.
—Author Unknown
Preparation is a gift of time. You choose. You can use your time
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