Dear John,

The sun is shining, and flowers are blooming here in Los Angeles: Praise the Lord! Springtime brings with it tangible reminders of God’s goodness toward us, and the renewal we see in nature reflects the promise of a second chance that we have through our Savior Jesus. For those reasons, I love that Second Chance Month falls in April. As we enter the final stretch of this year’s celebration, I hope you have been inspired by some of the second chance stories we’ve been sharing:

• Stories like Robyn’s, where abuse early in her life led to drug addiction and eventually imprisonment. But because of a second chance she was given after getting out of prison, she’s now giving back and volunteering for Angel Tree to help other families struggling with incarceration.

• And Jeff’s story, which started with an in-prison Bible study, then led to his participation in and graduation from the Prison Fellowship Academy, and recently resulted in his giving the message at one of our Easter Hope Events. All of this was made possible because of his second chance.

The new hope and renewal seen in these and other second chance stories are only possible when we work to break down barriers and allow those who have paid their debt to society move beyond their broken past to a new beginning in Christ. What a gift it is to do this work!

We have one more event this month, and I would love for you to join us. We will be hosting our Virtual Second Chance Month gala on Thursday, April 29 at 7 p.m. ET. You will get to hear even more second chance stories as we host our keynote speaker, acclaimed lawyer Bryan Stevenson, and musical performer Lecrae. Registration is free, and you will not want to miss this amazing celebration!

God’s blessings continue to rain down on Prison Fellowship, and I am both excited and humbled to share that Prison Fellowship was recognized by NonProfit Times as one of the top nonprofits to work for in 2021. As with any organization, there have been years of ups and downs, but the entire staff has worked hard to create a healthy culture where people are equipped to grow and succeed. I am grateful for all who have contributed to this great honor—glory to God, our faithful Lord and Father.

It is a great privilege to lead this wonderful ministry that our founder, Chuck, started. And daily I am humbled by the amazing work that is made possible by your continued support. Thank you for your faithfulness, and please know we would be honored to pray for you and your family.

In His grip,