February 2023 • Newsletter
Keep the Faith; God is good! Isaiah 54:17 (ESV) “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgement. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
Jennifer was born in California into a dysfunctional family where her mother was addicted to meth. Jen describes her family as drifters moving from state to state. Her mother provided for their physical needs but was often absent due to her addiction. That forced Jen to grow up quickly and to care for her two younger sisters and brothers.
At age 13, Jen also became addicted to meth. She dropped out of school in the 8th grade, developed toxic relationships, experiencing two failed marriages, had four children, and
was in and out of jail. In 2015, she served a 2-year prison sentence in Texas. In 2021, she was once again in prison, this time at Perryville in Arizona for a three-year sentence.
While in prison, a friend who was attending the Along Side Ministries (ASM) weekly Bible studies, repeatedly encouraged Jen to attend with her. Jen attended several times and decided to apply for the program. The next week she had an intake interview with ASM’s Ken Sheets. Jen says that “It was Ken who gave me hope, accepted me for who I was and introduced me to the Lord. “
Keep the Faith; God is Good!
After her release from prison, she started her mentor relationship with ASM’s Sandie Jagger and accepted Christ as her Savior. Her life has not been the same. Jen is grateful and feels very blessed by ASM who showed her love and accepted her for who she is. “ASM gave me structure, guidance, support, and love, and taught me how to live life, and showed me the importance of caring for the needs of others.”
Jennifer is determined, tenacious, and faithful. She does not give up on the program, her relationship with others, and her new life with Christ. Her advice to others who follow in her footsteps is to “keep the faith, for God is good”. “The flesh will not conquer. Worldly desires will not conquer.” This attitude is expressed in the first chapter of James, her favorite book of the Bible.
Jennifer commitment and resolve is reflected in all aspects of her life. Jen finished her parole two months early which is virtually unheard of. She has Keep the Faith; God is Good! Continued from front found and kept a job for the first time in her life, and had her license restored. She has made amazing improvement in relating and trusting others. More importantly, the Lord has restored her relationship with her daughter, and has improved her relationships with the rest of her family.
God is developing in Jen’s heart a love for the homeless, and for women and children caught in human trafficking. It is exciting to see how the Lord is working in Jen’s life. Continue to
follow her story on Along Side Ministries’ website www.asmaz.com and on our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/AlongSideMinistries1. We will provide updates on Jen’s walk with the Lord.
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