State Pages (IFI)
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Why?
Why do you want to be a volunteer? To see certain desired results? To see quick results? To see people become mature, obedient followers of Jesus Christ? Although these are good desires, they alone are not enough to keep us in prison ministry.
 One Reason
But we continue to serve for one reason: We firmly believe that God has called us, and we leave the results to Him. Our motive for prison ministry is to seek to love people unconditionally, as Jesus loved.
Plant and Water
We may be called mainly to plant and water, seeing little of the harvest. We may face disappointments and hurts. We plow the fields, we plant, we water. But it is God who causes the growth. We may never see the people we work with become mature, obedient followers of Christ.
Results
When we see the results we want, we're thankful. And when we don't see the results we wanted, we're thankful-because we know that Christ is still at work. We learn to find joy in little results - in an inmate's smile, in a person's willingness to share a painful memory, in a small goal that is reached.
Satisfied Like Paul
We are able to say with Paul, "I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens" (Philippians 4:12). We can move ahead expectantly and wisely. And we are prepared to share Christ's love and hope with people who have deep and complicated needs.
Christ in Prison
Prison ministry is an opportunity to see Christ in a fresh and powerful way. We discover the truth of His words, "I was in prison. And you came to visit me" (Matthew 25:36). As we seek to love and serve Him through our love and service to inmates and their families, the hurts and disappointments begin to fade.
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