Choices

  June 13, 2021

Dear Brethren and Friends,

Greetings to you all in the name of our Father the One whom I hang my hope on for “Our hope is in His unfailing love” (read the Psalms).

Life in jail is never dull.  In fact, jail, as with any situation in life, is what one makes of it.  My motto for anything “going on” in here is:

“The only thing I can change is my attitude.”

What are some things I’d like to “change?”  Hmm …

• To not have to ask for the fingernail clippers or a razor
• That the noise level (including the TV) in here would decrease
• Being able to go outside in the cool of the evening
• A chair in my cell would be nice 😊
• To be served “better” food
• To turn off the light in my cell (it’s on 24/7)

Oh . . . and selfishly the list can go on.  ☹ I say selfishly because my “changes” are only changes for my benefit.  In other words, my changes are not sacrificial or looking out for the good of others or for the sake of unity (with the jail rules).

So let me now share with you what might happen if my changes were implemented.

• Fingernail clippers and razors can be used as weapons as well as to execute self-harming behaviors.

Attitude Change:  I should be grateful that I need to ask for those items as well as being grateful that they are not available to use after the designated time allotted to use them because having these rules enables the C.O.s to better keep track of these items as well as helps keep all of us safe.

• Yes, the noise level is high at times.

Attitude Change:  Nevertheless, I should be grateful (as someone wrote me 😊 ) that the noise level helps me to practice concentrating more (if you’ve ever studied in a college library or tried to put together a topic amidst the noise level and interruptions of your own children or family members you know what I’m talking about 😊 ).  It also helps me to practice my Christian virtues of patience, love, gentleness, self-control . . . and above all else loving my neighbor as myself.

• We need to have set times to go outside; otherwise, all the units wouldn’t be offered the opportunity for outside time.

Attitude Change:  I should be grateful that we All are offered outside time because it is a benefit (health and physical) to the inmates.

• Even though I had my own chair in the dorms (all we women are now back in the cells), in this block (cell) setting it can be used as a weapon (only the microwave is not bolted down).

Attitude Change:  I should be grateful that the number of potential weapons is reduced for those who have not yet learned the truth of “a soft answer turns away wrath.”

• We’re fed a diet of heavy carbs. One inmate even went as far as defining the word “heavy” as something like the following:

“If we scraped all our food off our trays (there were only 8 trays at that time — on        my side of the block there are 11 now) and put it    in a boat, the boat would sink!”

Attitude Change:  I should be grateful that this jail serves the heavy carbs because the majority of inmates need the sweet juice and carbs in order to detox properly and to gain back their body mass (some arrive like skeletons due to their addictions).

• It seems as if I’m in a Motel 6 where they leave the light on for you. 😊

Attitude Change:  I should be grateful that the lights ARE left on 24/7 because it offers a measure of safety for all involved:  the C.O.s and the inmates.

God is good.  He doesn’t give me any more than I can handle (Romans 8:28).  I’ll close with the two truths that lately I have been holding close to my heart:

“. . . in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15)

“BE STILL and KNOW that I AM God . . . ” (Psalm 46:10)

Serving Him,

Lisa

Lisa Miller #149005A

Niagara County Jail

PO Box 496 [do not include street address]

Lockport, NY  14095

**All mail is being photocopied at this time.  Please be careful to allow plenty of blank margin on your letters and include your address on your letter itself as well.  Do not send photos or cards at this time.

How you can pray:

1. Please pray for joy in Christ even when experiencing hate and scorn.
2. Please pray for physical safety and health for Lisa.
3. Pray for spiritual encouragement for her.
4. Pray that God would keep her courage up, keep her strong and faithful and true for this race that she must run.
5. Pray that she could see rewards for her Christ-like living . . . of not retaliating, going the second mile, turning the other cheek.
6. Pray that God would give her opportunities to plant seeds for Christ, and that she could see even a little fruit for her efforts in sharing Jesus.
7. Pray for wisdom for difficult questions she may be asked about what following Jesus really means.

Praise the Lord that He kept Isabella hidden until she was of age.  Praise the Lord that Isabella has made the choice herself to love the Lord and follow in His ways.  Thank God that He is a faithful Father to Isabella, Who is providing for her now.

Pray for the mother and daughter, each of them, as they are far apart from one another, that God would comfort them and strengthen them during this difficult time.