The Pen Project Volume 2 | Issue 1 | Page 18

where strength comes from a missive from Roderick L. Harris, Prairie Du Chien Correctional Institution I greet you in the name of the most high through our Lord and Savior, Christ-Jesus. The only name under heaven that can save us. I count it as a blessing to be able to write to you. I hope and pray that all is truly well with you and those you hold dear. This missive comes to you from a place meant to break men. Just know that I’m putting pen to paper as an unbroken follower of Christ. In m eeting with 513FREE, I was asked to relate my testimony. I’ll do my best to keep it short and to the point, but there’s a lot on my mind so, dear reader, you’ll just have to bear with me as my pen attempts to keep pace with my thoughts. Like so many others I know and who read this letter, I was not raised in the Church. Although, from time to time I ended up there usually with one of my grandparents or my great-aunt. Be- sides that, I never really went. A lot like many other non-believers, I knew there was a so called higher power, but the whole Jesus thing was a little difficult di to wrap my head around. How was I to believe that God came down from the most glorious place that I can’t even fathom to convince us that we should repent and believe in Him!? It’s a hard situation to be in when you’re asking a person to believe that the only true and living God put on a “man suit” just to talk to us and show us that He’s real. Wow! As time went on, I grew from a boy to a young man. God allowed me to make it through fight- ing, losing family and friends, arguing with par- ents, and all kinds of other stuff. The one con- stant through all my early trials tribulations was His presence - even though I was exposed to sex too early in life, and I had anger issues. He was still there, and I didn’t know until later in life. 18