I’ve got a friend who just went to jail.  He’s 40, no criminal history, gentle soul, got drunk with his wife one night, they had a fight, he stormed out, long story short, charged with public urination in front of several witnesses, just got sentenced to a year in state prison.  I wrote earlier that a criminal charge of indecent exposure (which he was found guilty of in S.C.) gets you incarcerated, places you on a sexual offender list (in S.C. — in Florida it would not have,) you’ll be restricted to curfew, undergo regular drug/alcohol screening and counseling, you can’t own a computer with internet access, your home is subjected to random searches and more.  Some of my stress of the last several weeks has been navigating all the info from family members, none of whom have computers or cell phones, finding out who to call to learn what is needed, learning where he is and what can and can’t be be done.  Thankfully he’s local (to them) so they can visit.   Since he’s out of state,   I won’t be visiting, but I began writing to him.    We’ve just recently connected and he was curious about how we attract our life situations to us.  We’ve spoken about the importance of being aware of our self talk, because that is exactly what programs us, what hypnotizes us, giving us subliminal suggestions all day along about what we are and are not capable of. In the first letter I reminded him of what we’d already spoken of:

“The important thing this next year, as you know, is to keep your thoughts high. When you follow one train of thought, it attracts other thoughts like it, and going step by step up the scale to think the better thoughts are the way to keep you sane in there. And remember to take deep breaths, that releases a lot of tension in your body and mind.

Being in the cell can be tedious but can be good if it keeps you away from the ones who like to cause trouble in there for fun.  Trouble = more time for you to be in there, so don’t look around, look up.  You’ve already begun to journal, just pick it up and do it in there.  Just write whatever comes out of your head and you’ll edit it later.

Keep bringing to mind all the good thoughts, keep running good memories through your head and when you feel you’ve run out of God’s Grace, that will call it back to you. When you go down a painful line of thought, that will call more thoughts like it to mind. You might even be holding your breath.

So when you notice you’re having a painful thought, catch yourself and take some deep breaths and remind yourself:

No matter how bad this feels now, it will be over soon.
I know there’s a higher purpose for this.

I know I’ll be guided to fulfill my purpose and God will give me strength to bear what He would have me do.

I’ve come 40 years without legal trouble and legal trouble won’t keep me down now. This will be over before I know it.

I’ll do what I have to do and the time will pass quickly enough.
My moods will ebb and flow and I understand that.

I know I am being tested and kept apart for a specific reason that will unfold to me when it is time.

While I am here, thoughts and ideas will come to me that will help me figure out what I am to do when I am released.

I don’t need to drive myself crazy trying to figure out the how and why right now.

My job the next year is surrender to God’s will and be a model prisoner: compliant, humble, low profile.

As I keep myself prayed up while I am here, thoughts and ideas will come to me on the details of where I am to live and where I am to work and how to get around to wherever I need to get around to.

I won’t be concerned about the conditions of my probation or registry status since God has a purpose for that and He will reveal it to me in time and He’ll clear the way for it.

Even if I walk out of here not knowing the answers, I know the answers will come to me by the time I need them.”

While you are there, actively pray for everyone in and around your space, especially any that aggravate you, for they are your teachers.

Keep in mind that anyone you are smarter than, or you have more knowledge than, that places you in service to them.  That does not enslave them to you, rather it is your honor to have the chance to practice patience, temperance, humility and generosity of spirit with them.  Beware of giving unsolicited advice in there — or anywhere.

You will remember all this.

I will write you every few days and we will keep the flow going.

Let nothing disturb thee;
Let nothing dismay thee:
All thing pass;
God never changes.

Patience attains
All that it strives for.

He who has God
Finds he lacks nothing:
God alone suffices.

St. Teresa of Avila