Loaves & Fishes Issue 37 UpdateDear friends and supporters,

We are very happy to report that we have $20,000 on hand, which is more than enough to print the next issue of Loaves & Fishes. The postage cost to mail all the subscriptions will be an additional $8,500.

We would like to thank all who have given so generously. We are finishing the compilation and editing of the material for issue 37, and hope to have it ready to print by early November.

The theme of this issue is kindness. The world is often characterized by rudeness, and harshness

and ill-will plague our society from the halls of power to the cell blocks of our prisons. Kindness is a supernatural fruit of the Spirit, and we look forward to highlighting this beautiful characteristic of the Christian life in issue 37.

See the following testimony, which will be in the next issue of Loaves & Fishes, to observe the real-life result of the kindness of Christian volunteers in a prison.

May God bless you all richly!—Mike Fisher, board member

FREE DISCIPLESHIP TOOLS FOR PRISONERS

October 1, 2018 Loaves & Fishes Report

My Spiritual Journey: Finding GodMy spiritual journey did not begin until I got

incarcerated. I went to church with my mother and grandparents as a child, but I never had a relationship with God or an interest in learning more about Him. As I got older, my mother stopped taking us to church and walked into the dark world of addiction. I followed in her footsteps, which led me to where I am today.

On June 26 2017, I was arrested. By November 1, I was sentenced to nine years in prison for burglary as a result of my addiction. This was my first time in trouble with the law, so I was scared to death and did not know what to expect. My father, with whom I had a poor relationship, told me to pray and ask God to help me get through this, even if it was as simple as, “God, please help me.” At first I ignored his advice. “Yeah, right,” I thought to myself. “God isn’t going to help me!”

While I was in the county jail, some women came in every Wednesday evening to do a church service for us girls. These women talked about the importance of having a relationship with God. There was one woman

“Slowly, I began to change. Listening to my father and the women in the county jail was

the best thing I’ve ever done.”

named Janet whose words affected me powerfully, and I was immediately drawn to her. I began paying attention to these women, especially Janet, and really started to think about what they were saying.

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Contact InformationLighthouse PublishingPO Box 332, Bedford, PA 15522Phone: 800-313-1871E-mail: info@lighthousepublishing.orgLighthousePublishing.org

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—Kay Hutson, Childress, TX

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I eventually started listening to my father as well. I started praying. At first, I just said, “God, please help me. I can’t do this on my own.” My father encouraged me, “Keep on praying, even if it feels like nothing is happening. It will help you.” I found praying really did help me. I began to know and feel that everything would be okay because God was here for me.

Slowly, I began to change. Listening to my father and the women in the county jail was the best thing I’ve ever done. I eventually got saved and turned my life over to God. When there was nothing and no one left for me to reach out to, I decided to reach out to Him. Let me tell you, He is doing wonders for me.

I am blessed today, even being here at ORW with a nine-year prison sentence. God keeps bringing my father and me closer together, and our relationship is better today than it has ever been. One day at a time, God has changed the way I think and the way I look at life and people. He is walking with me, and I’m learning what it’s like to be happy and at peace, free from the chains of addiction. Most important, today I pray because I want to.

I don’t know why things happen the way that they do, but I know everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens in God’s world by mistake. I know that if you put your trust in God and simply ask Him to help and guide you, He can and will make everything okay for you.

I am grateful to God for giving me a second chance at life and helping me become a better person. I am not sure what His plan is for me, but one day it will be clear. Until that day comes, I will keep walking with Him through faith, trust, and His guidance. Remember, faith can live when fear is defeated.

—Shawna NelsonOhio Reformatory for Women, Marysville, OH

Pen Pals NeededMailing literature into prison creates many opportunities for building relationships through letter-writing. We currently have 8 men in prison waiting for a pen pal. If you can help, contact us using the information at the bottom of this page.

“I just want you to know how much Loaves and Fishes has made it better for me in the last six years in prison. I look for your books, and when I get them in the mail it puts a smile on my face! I take them to the church here for everyone to read, and everyone here told me to say God bless you all for helping us keep our eyes on God.”

—Timothy Burgess Arizona State Prison Complex, Florence, AZ