Rusty Spigot, Dirty Water

Preface

There is much to be said with what is wrong with our society, criminal justice system and our ability at reformation of the two. Actually, it’s seemingly impossible for us to do anything about the concept of rehabilitation of the offender, because it’s just that; a concept. But if I may be allowed to say it can only be done, even in the most basic sense, through the help of a loving God.

So many offenders have climbed the rough side of the mountain in life to find themselves still lost. I pray this effort is no “mountain top experience”, (an experience that makes one simply fall down the other side), but a more honest look from that mountain top from whence they come and where they are to go.

It was not easy for me to look back upon the many things that happened to me over my life and the term of my incarceration. No one in their right mind likes to look at their failures. But I believe that if many were given a chance to do so for the help of others, they would do it. A man once said to me, “I would be willing to share any part of my life; no matter how embarrassing, if I felt it would help another individual.” I wanted to be able to say that in my life, too.

After receiving a twenty year sentence for murder in 1981, I saw no hope, no future and no answer. At nineteen years old I felt as though life for me, as I knew it, was over. I was right. To my surprise that is still a true statement today.

When I received the call asking me to consider putting together a book about surviving in prison and share my experience strength and hope for those who are faced with doing the same, I thought to myself, ‘No way! Why would I want to write something for someone else to survive in prison? I never had anything like that!’

I answered my own question.

Days went by and the challenge about the very proposition of writing this book deprived me of much needed sleep. It was like someone was attempting to turn on an old rusty spigot and draw dirty water from it. The handle was hard to turn and they were not going to be pleased with what came out.

It is the same with the offenders of our society. What is broken never really gets fixed. They will go through levels of incarceration only to come out of the correctional tap as dirty as when they went in; or even worse. Laying blame solves nothing, but true spiritual change helps.

But God convinced me to write for His glory. My job was not to convince the reader that everything I experienced they would experience, too. It was not to show the world what I have done. It was not to bring the whole lot of offenders across this United States and beyond to their knees and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, although I would love it to do just that. But rather it would be a tool that He could use to bring about change in the life of the offender, free and incarcerated, and He could open the door for Salvation.

As a pastor today, I can think of no greater calling on my life than to lead others to Christ. To come from where I have been to where I am today was the work of none other than our Lord and Savior. It is so amazing to be part of something that is so much bigger than a prison system. With hope today, I pray that each of you will be blessed to know me better, Him better and yourself better. What you do with all three is up to you.