May 20, 2020 Mailing

Lifelines for MCI | lifelinesformci.com

Thoughts from the Free World

You are loved, thought of daily, and important to many people. (Anonymous)

I’d like you to know that the majority of you are where you are because of circumstances outside your control. It’s not your fault, and yes, that sucks. Awful experiences are unfathomable. I can only imagine that incarceration falls into that category. Please hang in there, as you are valuable to this world. (Julie)

You are not invisible. We see you and we will do what we can on the outside to make it safer for you on the inside. (Corinne)

I believe in sun, even when it isn’t shining. Have faith. (Mary)

Mental Challenge for Today

Can you make 100 by interspersing any number of pluses and minuses within the string of digits 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1? You can’t change the order of the digits! So what’s the least number of pluses and minuses needed to make 100? For instance, 98 - 7 - 6 + 54 - 32 shows one way of interspersing pluses and minuses, but since it equals 107, it’s not a solution.

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver

(My favorite poem. I hope it brings you warmth. -Elise)

You do not have to be good.

You do not have to walk on your knees

for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.

You only have to let the soft animal of your body

love what it loves.

Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.

Meanwhile the world goes on.

Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain

are moving across the landscapes,

over the prairies and the deep trees,

the mountains and the rivers.

Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,

are heading home again.

Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,

the world offers itself to your imagination,

calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —

over and over announcing your place

in the family of things.

To Intelligent Design/Bible/Church History study group:

Brothers, I just want you to know that we are praying for you on a regularly basis!!! I'm praying that God will protect all of you from the effects of this dangerous virus! I'm praying that God will use each one of you to bless and minister to other inmates who are in need. I'm praying that you will be a shining example of Christ's love to your fellow inmates under very trying circumstances! -Wessel Dirksen

Hebrews 6:10 (ESV)

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)

24 The Lord bless you and keep you;

25 the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;

26 the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

Brothers, I can't wait to see you again!!! My heart is bursting to see each and every one of you! I want you to know that I have purchased and received the DVDs and study guides for the Biblical Inerrancy and New Testament Canon studies that we agreed to do together. We will get started up again as soon as we are allowed back into MCI! Lord willing, I'll see you soon!