SOCPM Newsletter | Janauary 16, 2021

Greetings

The Weekly Note Psalm Bible study is going well thus far. This week's Weekly Note was on Psalm 1:1-2. I also posted a bibliography key that I had the chaplains distribute to the guys to detail my study resources. However, at the rate I'm going, I doubt I'll finish the Psalm study in my lifetime. The challenge is the insight the various commentaries offer. Though they are the same in interpretation, each has additional thoughts that I feel obliged to include in the Weekly Note. I intentionally use more than one commentary to corroborate what one commentator is saying.

Then there is the desire to share other Biblical teachings in my daily reading, which currently includes Acts, a commentary by R. C. Sproul, and Christless Christianity by Michael Horton. or my church's teaching on Revelation. All this personal teaching gives rise to my wanting to share what God is teaching me with my students. 

Another aspect of the classroom teaching I miss is when we would finish watching our weekly DVD teaching; our discussion afterward awas open to going where God would lead us into God's Word. There were quite a few classes where we would end up discussing another topic, then the DVD teaching. A common occurrence would be a non-believer, or a new believer would say something like, 'you know I always struggle to understand...'

So, I'm praying to find if and when it is God's will to take a break from Psalms' study to focus on something related to what we learn from the study of Psalms. Ligonier's Tabletalk magazine does this when they're doing a study on a book of the Bible and to take a look at a topic relating to the book Bible study. Plus, there is the compulsive side of me that will undoubtedly come across something; only God knows where I need to share in my 2021 Bible study. In short, I ask for your prayers that I can keep some order to the Weekly Notes.

SOCPM's lone Pen Pal, Susan, has shared that one of her pen pals, Jesse, has written back. She says his letter was 'very long and precious.' He shared some of his stories about how he is where he is. By his letter, he seems to have a strong faith in Jesus Christ and his Lord and Savior. He also shared because of being in lockdown 24/7, he does not know what is going on in the world and would be appreciative of any news resources. 

Sue was seeking to find places she could acquire copies of USA Today, Newsweek, Time, etc., but the prison policy is Jesse can only receive this material is through subscription. Bummer, but that is prison life. However, I'm putting an offer out to you to pray about buying a subscription for Jesse to one of these news sources. If you're interested, reply to this newsletter. We can see if we can work out the details.

Sue has not heard back from her other penpal, Deonta, yet. She's written a second letter hoping he will write back. Being a penpal, though often rewarding it does have its challenges. My not being gifted in writing, I've not taken up the task, so I'm minimal in the challenges, but one is not hearing back. Another challenging one is exchanging letters back and forth over time and having built a good relationship, but then the penpal stops responding. A common reason for this is that the penpal encounters a setback, denied parole, or a spouse files for divorce; the setbacks can be many but result in the penpal losing hope. Still, the blessings far outweigh the setbacks from those who are involved in penpal programs tell me. I've heard more than once where a prison penpal is not a believer but comes to faith through his or her penpal. What can be more rewarding than that experience? 

Please pray and consider being a penpal. SOCPM has partnered with Christian PenPal Ministry CPPM has been involved in prison penpal ministry for a good number of years and has the experience in this ministry that SOCPM was seeking in its search for a Christian PenPal ministry.SOCPM has no involvement in the ministry directly other than making others aware of CPPM. Have some questions? Here is CPP's FAQ page. Another CPPM page you might find interest is the Prisoner Art and Prisoner Poetry pages. If you feel God may be calling you to be a Christain Pen Pal, you can contact  CPPM directly, or if you are hesitant in getting connected directly, reply to this newsletter.

As I pause and search my thoughts to remember what else to include in the newsletter, it seems my brain cells are doing a snap, crackle pop, and nothing materializes.

I do have a personal prayer request. This week's visit to my urologist resulted in the urologist telling me I need to have another surgery on my prostate. I had my first prostate surgery in May 2017, and I can't remember any worse personal experience. In June, I had to have emergency surgery; the pain before the emergency surgery was beyond unbearable. I did not fully recover from the consequences of the surgeries until the end of July. I do not want to endure that again. I'm looking for a urologist to get a second opinion, but all the symptoms I had before the first surgery are reoccurring. So, in all likelihood, I will have to have surgery of some type. Please pray, I can find another urologist to confirm the current diagnosis or, my God's mercy, has an alternative to surgery. There are various types of surgery, so if it comes down to having surgery, please pray for Michelle and me to have wisdom in our making decisions. Whatever God brings forth my trust and faith must remain in Him and Him alone.

To Him be the glory in ALL things and to Him alone!

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

Week 44 of the lockdown 😞.  

COVID-19 cases as of 01/15/21, Dixon: staff confirmed 246, staff recovered staff 240, staff current 6, staff tests 3,315; offender confirmed 574, offenders recovered 565, offender current 9, offenders test 11,477 | Sheridan: staff confirmed 115, staff recovered 107; staff current 8, staff tests 2,325; offenders confirmed 329, offenders recovered 290, offenders current 39, offender tests 6,550 | IDOC: staff confirmed 3,746, staff recovered 3,498, staff current 248, staff tests 43,954; offenders confirmed 9,666, offenders recovered 8,274, offenders current 1,392, offender tests 126,584.

Only by a glance and memory, the number of current cases appears to be dropping, and the number of recovered increases. Please pray that the trajectory continues. The return of volunteers entering IDOC still by all appearances is some time off, but seeing a brighter light down the path to their return is a blessing.

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