PRISONER EXPRESS

There is a power greater than ourselves who could make our quality (of life) so much better if only we would look to him and get in right relationship with him.. Oh yeah I forgot that your pride keeps getting in your way. You don't want to let this go, and you don't want to let that go? You've gotten so used to doing things your own way that you have never even really considered that there is a higher way of doing things. So if you believe that this is true then it's up to you to also agree that by giving up control, you have nothing to lose.

Are you willing, do you want to be in a position of being able to be used? Yeah sure. You're going to be presented the same opportunities of obstacles to overcome and problems in your life that will occur but if you have given up the right to be the one to call the shots then and only then can a power greater than you take control. I don't know about you but I'm all sold on letting go and LETTING GOD. I don't mean to sound all religious on you because I know most people do not give much merit to the knowledge that there is a power greater than ourselves but I'm pretty sure that you've heard that there is a better way for you to live a higher quality of life. Don't be afraid. I know that you have grown comfortable with the way things are and it's gotten almost impossible for you to give up control. Look at me, I'm a prime example that doing things my way accomplishes little on the path to being in control of my own destiny. Yes this is the guy who lost out on life six different times. Look where it got me--a prison cell. If only I had "LET GO AND LET GOD." It's not really that difficult to do. We make it difficult by insisting upon holding to our stubborn, bull-headed ways. Those times when I felt insecure and needed a coping mechanism I gave in to something that enslaved me, and made my life even more unmanageable. Being sent to prison again for the sixth time makes me realize and acknowledge that I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Let me give you some examples: How about that man, or woman who is currently married but nevertheless is caught up in an illicit affair with someone other than their spouse. Yeah, no doubt the sex is good and there are no obligations there, but tell me, do you think that what you're doing is right? Why don't you get a grip on yourself and realize that you're on the wrong path headed to nowhere. You could be telling yourself that you have nothing to lose but do you really believe that? You're married! You made vows to "God," but you've been unfaithful? And what about you my dear brother or sister on death row in prison, what is your mindset about "nothing to lose?" How do you feel about your life now that you've been apprehended, arrested, and arrived at your final destination? Are you thinking that you have nothing to lose since your fate is already sealed? What about your soul, who does your soul belong to? The Devil, or God? I'm sure you know that you have some say-so in this matter? No matter what you've done you can be forgiven and be made a new creation in Christ Jesus. Please don't feel as if you have nothing to lose, and fail to confess of your sin and repent.

I'm sorry that it had to reach this point that it's got you thinking that it's now too late. So you see what trying to establish our own way gets us? Once we got caught up habitually doing something, we leave no room to try fresh new ways. But I am going to try again. I will be getting out of this penitentiary soon and now is the time for me to turn over a new leaf before I wind up on death row. I have everything to lose, my life, my self-esteem, my pride, my brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, my so called friends, and my real true genuine friends, my salvation, and God's plan for my life. Let's go back to when you were out in society right before you got arrested, indicted. What did you find yourself mostly doing on a day to day basis? As for me, I was chasing a drug addiction. CRACK "Cocaine" was my drug of choice. First, I started using marijuana but then out of all people, my baby brother introduced me to Crack Cocaine. From that point on, my quality of life was no longer the same. At that point my life had changed drastically and I was not even aware of it, not until much later. Surely I know that in that exchange, I had lost something. It's almost like it's an illusion because I can't quite put my finger on it, what that exchange brought and what it took! Maybe at that particular time I thought that I had nothing to lose but I was quite wrong. I lost my ability to say, "NO" to something so openly devastating to one's quality of life, but most importantly, my high self-esteem. How about you, what were you mostly doing on a daily basis? Action does speak louder than words. I've burglarized some houses and made off with other people's property with no regards to how they would feel and not taking into account that what if someone was in that house and had a gun ready to blow me to kingdom come. NOTHING TO LOSE, man you've got to be kidding, my most precious asset, "MY LIFE."

-Joseph Alvin Parrish