Lane Murray Prison

Gina & I spent part of the day in the Lane Murray Unit Woman's State Prison in Gatesville, TX today. We were there for a Sunday afternoon service. This was our second service (both in a woman's prison) since moving here to Texas. Each time has been pretty sobering.
Our team of 13 volunteers took about 20 minutes to pass through security. We each entered a small room outside the gate were we removed our shoes & pocket contents and then proceeded with a metal detector wand and pat-down search.
Once cleared we made our way, 6 at a time, through the first of several steel gates. This first gate was a heavy chain link door with razor wire at the top. It lead us into a small area about 4' by 4'. Another door, a short walk, 2 more steel doors and another security check point and all of a sudden we were inside.
As we walked down the quarter mile side walk called the "bowling ally" it became clear, that we were in another world. We had passed from the "free-world" into this other world of steel & concrete; order & rules; isolation & confinement.
We made our way into the large chapel at the end of the long walk. It was full of chairs and had a large mural of the sun rising painted on the wall behind the platform. Much like any you'd expect to see in just about any other church in America on a late Sunday afteroon. Empty, but ready. Ready for that life changing encounter brought on by the preaching of the Word of God.
It was my "time on the stump" as some might call it. I had been asked to bring the Word today. I was excited and quite humbled. I've learned through great teachers and my own errors that any opportunity to preached the gospel is a sacred treasure not to be taken lightly.
Our team prayed, discussed our program for the day and then waited. We waited for the C.O.'s (Correctional Officers) to decide it was time to begin. We were clearly on their schedule. Then through the back door came the first line of women. Moms, sisters, daughters, and grandmothers. Like any woman you may stand in line with at the grocery store. Like any soccer mom or PTA leader. Like any woman who may come to visit any church; your church. Gina leaned over and made this same observation. "There are all kinds of women here."
The women filed in, line after line, filling row after row. Most with big smiles; some with stone hard faces; all with hope. Even if not evident on the surface, you could feel the hope grow as each woman entered the room. Hope that somehow today could be different. Hope that this day could end better than it began. Even if they did not realize it themselves, they had hope that Jesus would be there.
Tammy Schafer lead us in 2 worship songs. Then my mother, Betty Moffitt, came and sang. Finally it was time. Time to bring the word. Time to delver the message I felt building in my heart since the day (only 4 days before) when I had been asked to speak. I felt I had one simple message: Forgiveness is Freedom.
I preached from the life of Joseph. How he had been betrayed by his brother, imprissoned by his employer, and forgotten by his friend. Later when given power over all of Egypt Joseph forgave his brothers in the tme of their greatest need. God has forgiven us, how can we not also offer forgiveness. The Lord's message today was, forgive each other so that you can receive His forgiveness and your heart can be set free.
A little different message than what I would expect for a prison, but I believe, God inspired. This was confirmed by the response. About 20 woman responded to give their lives to Christ for the first time. Afterwards, almost every hand of the approximately 200 women, was raised to God in response to an invitation to forgive someone in their life. Truly these incarcerated women found freedom today through the power of God working out forgiveness in their hearts.

Travis Moffitt

New Dad's Club

A few weeks ago my wife greeted me at the door with a small stuffed bunny. Not just any bunny but one that Gina purchased years ago as a gift for our child. At the time we were not even pregnant or trying to be; but even then there was a since that one day ...
Today my life is totally different. Not the circumstances as much as the mindset. It's amazing how much all the same things are now so different. For years people have told me that this would be the case, but the full understanding of this change did not occur until that wonderful day in January.
The way I eat is different. The way I drive is different. The way I look at other parents is different. The way I look at my parents is different.
In a starnge sort of way, I also feel some how inducted into a new fraternal order of men: fathers. As we have begun to make the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT so many people have offered kind congratulatory words. This has been wonderful and uniquely confirming of my new club status. There has been a new and wonderfully strange pride come over me as I tell my co-workers, "my wife and I are expecting." Many of these co-workers are already fathers, and I can immediately see the same shared pride in their eyes. As if to say, "welcome to the club."
I never knew such an organization of great paternal depth exsisted. Sure I've heard of the "proud pappa." I've seen my father-in-law walk proudly and stand tall with his children. I've watched my own father gush over me and my siblings, but never did I realize...
Even now I find it hard to truly describe the fullness of feeling, the width of warmth, the depth of devotion created in me by the simple knowledge that a new life is being formed and created and actually already exsists even now.
It's as though by just being here; by being a man, having a wife, and living life, God in His divine wisdom has seen fit to allow me to be a part of the miracle of the creation of life. A participation that I'm sure I am unworthy (and fear that I am unqualified) to enjoy.
A whole depth of manhood has now become mine. I have joined a new fraternity of men. I have graduated into a new Band of Brothers. I can feel it. I am already leaning heavily into it's embrace. Like a new strength, a new shield, a new banner, a new name.
This child is yet unborn and still, I am FATHER.

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!

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