There but for the grace of God....

Dear Doug:

I am not sure whether or not you remember me. I called you a while back to inquire about my friend D----, who wishes to file commutation papers and (prayerfully) sit before the parole board and by the grace of God walk out of prison in the near future. Then, just as soon as I was to read your book (SWEET FREEDOM) that you so graciously sent me, was given a very hard punch in the gut with a rather large dose of reality! Both of my sons were arrested on some charges that sent one to prison for four years, while the other is still awaiting his sentence. It was the day of their arrest that I also learned that they were both heroin addicts. I have meant to be in touch with you so many times over the last two and one half months, but unfortunately have allowed myself to be consumed by this. However, I am praising God and thanking Him that they were arrested and jailed; called the detective to thank him. (I lost a son in 2004 to suicide.) I was so grateful that God saw past their drugs and into their hearts, which they had given to Jesus as teens, and sent someone to rescue them from what could have possibly been their death. I would rather visit them via video and watch them led into a courtroom in shackles than to stand over their grave! Having said all this, I am just here to thank you for your faithfulness to all those who the world has thrown away, and to wish you and your family a blessed New Year!

Respectfully, In Him,

B

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