The first Godcidence took place when I found out that a new directive from the state of Michigan could possibly put my status as a volunteer in the prisons in jeopardy because I have two felonies. I immediately started to pray, but I also began to worry. Remember how Jesus said not to worry? It is in Matthew 6:25, 28, 31 and 34, Matthew 10:19, Matthew 13:11, Luke 12;11,22. I firmly believe this is one the most often broken commands in His Word.
A few days later I went to the Wednesday morning prayer and asked the other men to please pray. One of the men in the group mentioned that He had family in Lansing that worked for the Michigan Department of Corrections and that he would call him the next day. Well, my friend called me at 8:30 am and said that he had talked to his cousin and the cousin said that I have nothing to worry about! I then received an email at 8:58 from my chaplain, who had originally let me know about the directive, saying that there wouldn't be any problems with me volunteering in Michigan prisons. So in the span of about a 30 minutes my friend had talked to his cousin, the cousin then told my chaplain's supervisor and then the chaplain emailed me that the directive was not going to be a problem for me. I don't know of any other time in which a government office ever moved so fast!
The second story has kind of been developing over time. My friend Paul, who lives in Ironwood, MI, has had a vision for a ministry of discipleship for a number of years now. This vision entails a few things like coming alongside newer believers to mentor them in the faith and teaching some sort of a trade amongst other things. Like I said, he has had this vision for a number of years and in 2013 wrote it all down. Paul has begun the steps to renovate a building in which to have a workshop for those purposes. Now, I have another couple of friends Wayne and Steve in the Green Bay area of Wisconsin. These men believe that God has given them a vision of a discipleship ministry also that would involve teaching a trade. These men have never met, but God has given them a similar ministry in two different states! There is such need for older men discipling younger men. We are really excited to see how God is putting this together and how this will help our boys as they are becoming young men. Our oldest will be turning 14 this year!
The third one I just found out today. Back in April, when we were making preparations to go down to Eau Claire, WI for a prison ministry tour with 513FREE. We had to find a local kennel to board our dog. We randomly chose one and I brought him out to the kennel. When we had gotten back I went to get our dog back and in the course of the conversation with the owner of the kennel, I mentioned that we had just come back from going in to all those prisons to share the Gospel. I explained that my family and I are missionaries up here and that I go into two other prisons regularly. I thought that was the end of the story but I was way off!
A couple of weeks ago during church, one of the ushers brought a message to Pastor Todd. When church had finished Pastor Todd came up to me and asked if I wanted to go in with him to the local jail to minister to man who was having an extremely hard time being incarcerated there and I of course said yes! When Pastor Todd and I arrived at the jail, we visited with the man and Pastor and I both saw how broken he was. After about 15-20 minutes this man repented of his sins and gave his life to Jesus! It is so amazing watching somebody who was once dead in there sins begin new life! In Ezekiel 36:26-29 it says this: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God. I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. I will call for the grain and multiply it, and bring no famine upon you." Romans 5:8 says: But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.(NLT) When we finished with the visit I asked the guard if I could come back and visit him again. She said that they would have to do a background check on me of course. So I thought that I may not be able to get in again but within a few days I received a call from the jail administrator to say that I have been approved! Praise the Lord!
Now to finish the story. I called the kennel again to schedule a time for our dog to be there and the owner Deb asked me whether or not I have been approved to go into the jail. How in the world did she know that? It turns out that the owner of the kennel we randomly picked was a Deputy in the Sheriff's department and that she works in the jail! She had heard my name going around the office and remembered me! She said that she will make sure to put in a good word about me and because of my criminal past that they could relate to me.
It is so encouraging to see God moving! Thank you for all of your prayers and support!
In Christ we stand!
Cain Kellerman