His Mysterous Ways
Hey Guys!
I am sorry for the lack of posts here so I have to let you know what has been happening.
I want to say thanks to a Godly lady who happens to be my daughter-in-law, who asked me why I have not written anything on the Faith blog for over a year.
It has been a bitter sweet ride for the past year. As you know, we were going into many prisons and God was always blessing us with people coming to know him as Lord and Savior.
I worked in the prison system for 7 years. During that time I was called to the prison ministry and my church ordained me as a prison evangelist. I posted about how God was working in these men life's, and how he was in the life changing business.
While I worked in prison as door crew boss, I had inmate Rod Moyer, who worked for me. Rod was a typical inmate, only interested in himself and was trying to do anything that would help him survive in prison. Matter of fact, I actually fired the knot head twice. But he knew his stuff when it came to working on doors. If I ever wanted to get him off my back, I would start talking about the Lord and man, he was gone! He wanted nothing to do with God or religion. One day I was talking to another inmate about the Lord and Rod just could not stand it. He blustered out that the religious folks were a bunch of loons. He said they were so messed up that they won’t let them in where they keep the crazy folk, because they would set the crazy folk off. He told me that there has been more blood shed over religion and that religion was the cause of many wars. I really had no answer. I just said, “That's right. It is all about the blood.” Years later I found out that that was statement he would never forget. You never know what God will use to get to someone.
I was sitting in my office, Rod was behind me and someone stuck their head in door and asked Rod if he was going to chapel that evening. I sort of ducked as I figured Rod would throw something at him or start raving about the loons being at it again. I was very surprised to hear him say “If the doors are open, I’ll be there.” I turned and looked at him and he said “Mr Huff, I got saved!” I told him there was no way!! I knew him! I was kidding, but that was really unbelievable. I started noticing this silly grin that went from ear to ear as he explained to me what had happened. I was so thankful! I watched Rods walk after that. He was walking the walk and talking the talk. Rod found out that lot folks he was friends with did not have anything to do with him any more. I worked with Rod another 4 years and his walk kept getting stronger.
About month later the Chaplin asked me if I would fill him for him on Friday night and preach in the services. I told him if he could get it approved by the warden, I would, as TDCJ (Texas Dept of Criminal Justice) had a policy that you could not minister in same prison where you worked. I really did not think it would happen, but it was approved and I was able to preach for the first time to the inmates. At that time I knew that God had called me to be prison evangelist. Faith Prison Ministries was born. I started going to other prisons preaching every chance I got. Rod was always there supporting me in prayer. Every time I got down or started to doubt, I would look at Rod as he was the reason and the example of what Faith Prison Ministries was all about. Rod and I worked together for 7 years. Two of those years he was lost and four of them he was a changed man who lived the life of free person in Christ. Free, even though he was serving out a 40 year sentence and figured he would never get out.
I left TDCJ and went into Prison Ministries full time going to lot different prisons but about once month I would go back to Ellis unit to preach and would get to see Rod. Folks would tell me how much he was serving the Lord. On one visit, Rod told me he was coming up for parole but he told me if God wanted me out he would open the door. He told me that he was 65, had no family and had no place to parole to. He thought he would be in prison until the Lord called him home. I told him “Rod, you can put my address down if you like, and we can continue the prison ministry if you get out as I think your story needs to be told to other inmates. That there is hope and our God is in the life-changing business.”
I really didn't think they would let him out, but to my surprise in about March or April the parole board called and wanted to know if he could parole to my address. I told them sure. I really had no clue what was next. I had bought a travel trailer previously, and my wife and I used it on few trips. I had no clue that this was to become Rods home in my back yard. God is so good. Rod got out in May and he has been such a blessing to us. We were very happy, and after he is out 18 months he can apply and go back into prisons with me and tell his story.
God has way of doing things that sometimes we don't understand. As Rod and I were driving, I was scheduled to go back into prison for the first time since he got out. I called the Chaplin to tell him I was looking forward to coming back in and then I heard the news! You will not be able to come back in as it was against the rules of TDCJ that you could not have inmate paroled to your house and do prison ministry. So Faith Prison Ministries was shut down not only for that one prison but for the whole state of Texas. Rod and I were devastated as this was our whole plan, and it was finished with one phone call. Rod said that if he knew being paroling to my house would shut down the ministry, he would still be in prison as the ministry was more important to him than his freedom.
God does not shut doors unless he opens others, and the more I serve God the more exciting it gets. About year earlier a group of men wanted to start a place where folks in our community could come get help. It was primarily to help those that were drug addicts and alcoholics. They invited me to their first meeting and they appointed me to be on the board. I went to few meetings, but really did not feel that this was something that I was called to do. Here how God works. On the very day Rod got out, we wanted to take him to restaurant for his first free world meal in 21 years. As we were leaving, someone called my name. It was one of the board members of the group who wanted to start the drug and alcohol rehab program. Now we were in a nearby town 30 miles from home and just to see this guy in another town was amazing. He told me that this next week they were having a board meeting and I need to be there. I thanked him and we left.
Well that was the same week we made the phone call and found out that Faith Prison Ministries was shut down. We decided to go to the meeting regardless.
During that board meeting The HOUSE OF HOPE was set up and we would be parting with a group in Longview, Texas that was doing the same thing. However, they had been doing it for about 3 years. It was a place where hurting people could come and sign up for a 3 year program. It was helping them find God and over come there addictions. Rod and I have decided this was something we wanted to be a part of. He teaches a class every Thursday night and I am now the pastor of the House of Hope. We hold services every Sunday and Wed night. The men work in the community and it it amazing how God keeps it going. I ask you to pray for the HOUSE of HOPE and For the House of Disciples in Longview. Rod and I are working and we are still anxiously waiting for the day they allow us back into prison ministry.
Please Pray for us and you will be hearing lot more from us.
God Bless.
Jerry Huff
Rod Moyer
I am sorry for the lack of posts here so I have to let you know what has been happening.
I want to say thanks to a Godly lady who happens to be my daughter-in-law, who asked me why I have not written anything on the Faith blog for over a year.
It has been a bitter sweet ride for the past year. As you know, we were going into many prisons and God was always blessing us with people coming to know him as Lord and Savior.
I worked in the prison system for 7 years. During that time I was called to the prison ministry and my church ordained me as a prison evangelist. I posted about how God was working in these men life's, and how he was in the life changing business.
While I worked in prison as door crew boss, I had inmate Rod Moyer, who worked for me. Rod was a typical inmate, only interested in himself and was trying to do anything that would help him survive in prison. Matter of fact, I actually fired the knot head twice. But he knew his stuff when it came to working on doors. If I ever wanted to get him off my back, I would start talking about the Lord and man, he was gone! He wanted nothing to do with God or religion. One day I was talking to another inmate about the Lord and Rod just could not stand it. He blustered out that the religious folks were a bunch of loons. He said they were so messed up that they won’t let them in where they keep the crazy folk, because they would set the crazy folk off. He told me that there has been more blood shed over religion and that religion was the cause of many wars. I really had no answer. I just said, “That's right. It is all about the blood.” Years later I found out that that was statement he would never forget. You never know what God will use to get to someone.
I was sitting in my office, Rod was behind me and someone stuck their head in door and asked Rod if he was going to chapel that evening. I sort of ducked as I figured Rod would throw something at him or start raving about the loons being at it again. I was very surprised to hear him say “If the doors are open, I’ll be there.” I turned and looked at him and he said “Mr Huff, I got saved!” I told him there was no way!! I knew him! I was kidding, but that was really unbelievable. I started noticing this silly grin that went from ear to ear as he explained to me what had happened. I was so thankful! I watched Rods walk after that. He was walking the walk and talking the talk. Rod found out that lot folks he was friends with did not have anything to do with him any more. I worked with Rod another 4 years and his walk kept getting stronger.
About month later the Chaplin asked me if I would fill him for him on Friday night and preach in the services. I told him if he could get it approved by the warden, I would, as TDCJ (Texas Dept of Criminal Justice) had a policy that you could not minister in same prison where you worked. I really did not think it would happen, but it was approved and I was able to preach for the first time to the inmates. At that time I knew that God had called me to be prison evangelist. Faith Prison Ministries was born. I started going to other prisons preaching every chance I got. Rod was always there supporting me in prayer. Every time I got down or started to doubt, I would look at Rod as he was the reason and the example of what Faith Prison Ministries was all about. Rod and I worked together for 7 years. Two of those years he was lost and four of them he was a changed man who lived the life of free person in Christ. Free, even though he was serving out a 40 year sentence and figured he would never get out.
I left TDCJ and went into Prison Ministries full time going to lot different prisons but about once month I would go back to Ellis unit to preach and would get to see Rod. Folks would tell me how much he was serving the Lord. On one visit, Rod told me he was coming up for parole but he told me if God wanted me out he would open the door. He told me that he was 65, had no family and had no place to parole to. He thought he would be in prison until the Lord called him home. I told him “Rod, you can put my address down if you like, and we can continue the prison ministry if you get out as I think your story needs to be told to other inmates. That there is hope and our God is in the life-changing business.”
I really didn't think they would let him out, but to my surprise in about March or April the parole board called and wanted to know if he could parole to my address. I told them sure. I really had no clue what was next. I had bought a travel trailer previously, and my wife and I used it on few trips. I had no clue that this was to become Rods home in my back yard. God is so good. Rod got out in May and he has been such a blessing to us. We were very happy, and after he is out 18 months he can apply and go back into prisons with me and tell his story.
God has way of doing things that sometimes we don't understand. As Rod and I were driving, I was scheduled to go back into prison for the first time since he got out. I called the Chaplin to tell him I was looking forward to coming back in and then I heard the news! You will not be able to come back in as it was against the rules of TDCJ that you could not have inmate paroled to your house and do prison ministry. So Faith Prison Ministries was shut down not only for that one prison but for the whole state of Texas. Rod and I were devastated as this was our whole plan, and it was finished with one phone call. Rod said that if he knew being paroling to my house would shut down the ministry, he would still be in prison as the ministry was more important to him than his freedom.
God does not shut doors unless he opens others, and the more I serve God the more exciting it gets. About year earlier a group of men wanted to start a place where folks in our community could come get help. It was primarily to help those that were drug addicts and alcoholics. They invited me to their first meeting and they appointed me to be on the board. I went to few meetings, but really did not feel that this was something that I was called to do. Here how God works. On the very day Rod got out, we wanted to take him to restaurant for his first free world meal in 21 years. As we were leaving, someone called my name. It was one of the board members of the group who wanted to start the drug and alcohol rehab program. Now we were in a nearby town 30 miles from home and just to see this guy in another town was amazing. He told me that this next week they were having a board meeting and I need to be there. I thanked him and we left.
Well that was the same week we made the phone call and found out that Faith Prison Ministries was shut down. We decided to go to the meeting regardless.
During that board meeting The HOUSE OF HOPE was set up and we would be parting with a group in Longview, Texas that was doing the same thing. However, they had been doing it for about 3 years. It was a place where hurting people could come and sign up for a 3 year program. It was helping them find God and over come there addictions. Rod and I have decided this was something we wanted to be a part of. He teaches a class every Thursday night and I am now the pastor of the House of Hope. We hold services every Sunday and Wed night. The men work in the community and it it amazing how God keeps it going. I ask you to pray for the HOUSE of HOPE and For the House of Disciples in Longview. Rod and I are working and we are still anxiously waiting for the day they allow us back into prison ministry.
Please Pray for us and you will be hearing lot more from us.
God Bless.
Jerry Huff
 |
| Rod Moyer |
Rod Moyer
posted by Jerry Huff at
10:26 AM
2 Comments:
You and Rod's story is a testament to God's faithfulness and persistence. This month, we've been looking more and more at offenders as an overlooked people group that many people forget to minister to. We keep hearing stories like Rod's, where God keeps working in a person's life over a period of years. Then suddenly, life change happens. It's amazing.
Thanks again for your story. And God bless you and Rod on your new endeavor.
John
www.texasbaptists.org/blog
prisoners' questions hit them hard daily need answers from one they know and trust, there 24-7-365, carews, talks with not at them our free SPREAD THE WORD TALK WITH THE LORD program inspires daily talks PM using our free blogs as sermon/discussion topics free cool song lyrics g. hubbard p.o. box 2232 ponte vedra fl 32004 http://talkwiththelord.blogspot.com/
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