Spiritual Survival Guide
Introduction
But here’s the thing: We’ve learned—some of us the hard way—that we’re dealing with a second-chance, hundredth-chance, thousandth- chance God. And because of that amazing truth, you still have time.
with people both inside and outside of prison. That’s why we’re changing our name to the Inside Out Network. We’ll continue to produce resources like the Spiritual Survival Guide, but we’re also hard at work at producing new helpful resources like a 101-session Bible study curriculum for small groups (see chapter 8 for a sample), RED Chicago (a ReEntry Directory) to Chicago, and a revolutionary new ION app for a smartphone to help you transition to a new life when you’re released. As you read through this book, you’re going to be hearing from lots of different people—current inmates, former inmates, short-termers and lifers. You’ll hear from prison chaplains, correctional officers, pastors of ex-inmates, and family members. You’ll be hearing from Christians from a wide range of backgrounds. We’re different. And we don’t always agree on every detail. That’s okay. In fact, we think that’s a strength. We agree on the main things about our faith, and we’re sure that in these pages God has something important to say to you. We encourage you to use this book in whatever way makes sense to you and God. Resist the urge to just toss it away. On the other hand, don’t just swallow what you read. Test what you find here against the Bible— God’s Word. See for yourself if what we say rings true and holds up over time. See if it’s useful. We don’t think that we have all the answers or that we have everything figured out. But we do want to share what we’ve learned and experienced along the way. So think of this guide as a tiny handbook to the real book: the Bible. Think of it as a thought-provoker for surviving spiritually on the inside. Use it as a helpful conversation starter with others who are struggling with the same questions. Use it to take God and yourself seriously. Go ahead and read on. After all, you still have time. May God bless your time.
You and God aren’t finished writing the story of your life. In fact, you and God can start writing the next chapter of your life. And you can start now. That’s where this book comes in. The first thing we want this guide to do is to fire up your hope that you can not only survive in prison but actually thrive spiritually. We understand how this might sound as you sit and
look around your cell. We know that you’ve already lost so much. So many broken dreams. So many things taken away. But some things still remain. And one thing you now have in abundance is time . Let that reality sink in: You still have time. Time you may not have had on the outside. Time enough to finally pay attention to your soul, your spirit, your deeper self (whatever you want to call it). Time enough to finally get real with the living God who won’t let you go—no matter how many times you’ve ignored him or pushed him away.
A Quick Word About Us
Who we are.
We’re basically a bunch of church folks with a mission to create some helpful resources and to connect inmates and returning citizens to God, each other, the local community, and the local church. Over the years we’ve created two ministries that share that same passion – Under the Door (prison ministry) and Inside-Out Network (reentry ministry). As our vision has evolved, we’ve shifted focus toward working hand-in-hand
Fred Nelson, with inmates of Stateville Prison and friends of Under the Door
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