Tina: From Despair to Redemption
Life throws unexpected challenges our way, pushes us to our limits, and makes us question our self-worth. For Tina, a young woman caught up in the dark world of drugs, her breaking point came when her father uttered the heart-wrenching words, "You will never be good enough for God to love."
Tina's life spiraled out of control, leading her down a destructive path of addiction and crime. Eventually, her actions caught up with her, and she found herself behind bars, serving time for drug charges. Tina felt like she had hit rock bottom in the depths of despair and isolation. During this dark period, she started questioning the purpose of her life and if there was any hope for her future.
Tina stumbled upon Bible studies from ARM Prison Outreach and enrolled as a student. Desperate for answers and solace, she began to dig into the life of Jesus Christ and His message of love, forgiveness, and redemption. As she delved deeper into the Scriptures, Tina's heart started to open to the concept of grace, the undeserved favor and forgiveness bestowed upon us by God through Jesus. Learning that this gift from God is freely given to those in Jesus, regardless of past mistakes and failures, profoundly impacted Tina. Slowly the weight of guilt and shame that had burdened her for so long was lifted. She realized that she didn't need to earn her way into heaven or prove her worthiness; instead, she needed to accept God's grace and allow it to transform her life.
Embracing the grace of Jesus, Tina began to see herself in a new light. She recognized that her past did not define her future and that there was hope for a better life. Overflowing with gratitude and joy for ARM’s Ministry Partners, like you, Tina writes:
Thank you for making these studies available to me… I know I will be okay if I stand firm in God’s Word and surrender my will to God in my life because I know that I belong to Jesus, who paid the price for my sin.
Tina now shares her testimony with fellow inmates, becoming a beacon of inspiration and encouragement. Through her vulnerability and testimony, Tina touches the lives of many, showing them that no one is beyond redemption and that transformation is possible, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Inspirational stories like Tina's remind us that we are never too far gone for redemption. Let her story inspire you to embrace grace and seek transformation in your own life. Discover the power of grace, and let it guide you toward a future filled with hope, forgiveness, and new beginnings.
If Tina’s journey from despair to redemption inspired you, become an ARM Ministry Partner:
Give a monthly gift. Go to arm.org/donate, select “Prison Outreach,” type in the monthly amount you would like to give ($20, $50, $100, or more), then scroll down and check the box that says, “Make This a Recurring Transaction.” It is that easy to become a monthly Ministry Partner.
Use your IRA retirement funds to help imprisoned people find Jesus. If you have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and are at least 70 ½ years old, you can distribute funds from your IRA to ARM Prison Outreach TAX-FREE! To learn more about using your IRA to invest in ministry, go to www.arm.org/arm-blog/Tina to watch a video by Prison Ministry Partner, David Duncan, entitled “Using Retirement Funds for Ministry.” You can also click the orange button to download your free E-book entitled “Giving Through Retirement Accounts.” As always, feel free to contact Troy at tnelson@arm.org or (417) 781-9100 if you have questions.