SOCPM Newsletter | February 6, 2021

Greetings

The Psalms Study continues with this week's Weekly Note focused on an introduction to Psalm 2. C. H. Surgeon writes in his introduction, 'This Psalm describes the people's agitation against the Lord's anointed, God's determined purpose to exalt His Son, and His Son's ultimate reign.' [1] Jams Montgomery Boice mentions, 'There is some evidence in both Jewish and Christian traditions that Psalm 2 was at one time joined to Psalm 1, both psalms together being considered the first psalm.' [2] Willem VanGemeren wrote of Psalm 2 being a royal Psalm, 'Since its subject concerns the anointing and coronation of a Davidic king (2 Kings 11:12), Psalm 2 is classified as a royal Psalm. [3] I found the introductions by the five commentators I read to be informative and wish I had done an introduction on Psalm 1. There are more expanded comments if you want to read more. I'm learning not only about the Psalms but how to improve the stud itself.

I had a pleasant phone call from SOCPM's Prison Pen Pal Sue this week. It came to our knowledge that Jesse, the recipient of her letters, had not yet started receiving his SOCPM gift subscription to USA Today. Sue took on the task of investigating why and found the paper was being delivered, not via USPS, but a courier. Which, after my giving it more thought, it would make more sense. But who the courier was delivering the newspaper to remains a mystery. Sue and I kind of chuckled, saying the 'paperboy' had a challenge tossing it past the front gate. I included a link for those of you who were not living when every neighborhood had paperboys. I was a paperboy of the weekly 'Family Shopper' way back in time, but I digress 🥱. Sue is confident that her working with USA Today and Huntsville Prison, Jesse will soon begin receiving his copy of USA Today.

Sue also shared how blessed she is in being a Pen Pal with Jesse. His letters are long, and he shares a lot about his faith in Jesus Christ. Sue said even when he isn't explicitly talking about his faith, she can tell he is a man of God. I asked Sue if she is willing to write a little piece for a future SOCPM Newsletter sharing her experience of being Jesse's pen pal, and she said she would. So, I look forward to reading about it in a future issue. Please remember to keep Jesse in prayer for his upcoming parole hearing in August.

I had a great call with Cameron this past Monday. He asked how he could find verses in the Bible about specific topics like bitterness, anxiety, etc. I introduced him and sent him a link to Open Bible, where he can search for and find many verses on many topics. I instructed him not just to read the verses, and it will take him to the verse in  Biblegateway.com, but he should expand to read the verses in a fuller context and as he read the chapter to ask himself questions and to journal his thoughts. However, the rest of his week was challenging. He was informed his eligibility for unemployment is under review, the rental management has not forwarded the papers for his application for rental assistance. There were other challenges, and I'm trying not to be anxious that Cameron will still end up getting evicted, and he will have additional adverse outcomes on the various trials, and he will return to cursing God. Pray he followups on the suggestions I gave him for reading the Bible. The review of his unemployment doesn't result in him losing it. The rental assistance agency gets the needed papers, and Cameron gets approved. And for both of us to have calm and trust in God.

Finally, I saw a urologist for a second opinion f my having another surgery on my prostate. The previous surgeries left me saying not again. Even more so, if the same type of surgery will require another and another every three years, he told Michelle and me of less invasive surgery, more effective on large prostate called HoLEP. However, it is a very specialized surgery, and there are only a couple of urologists in the midwest trained to do this type of surgery. By God's grace, there is one affiliated with Northwestern, Dr. Amy Krombeck. Both Michelle and I were very encouraged by his suggestion and plan to contact Dr. Krombeck via a virtual office to discuss if I'm the right candidate for the HoLEP procedure. Please keep it in prayer that D. Krmbeck is confident that I am the right candidate for this type of surgery.

Thanks for reading!

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

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

Week 47 of the lockdown 😞.  

COVID-19 cases as of 02/05/21, Dixon: staff confirmed 251, staff recovered staff 247, staff current 4, staff tests 4,634; offender confirmed 578, offenders recovered 575, offender current 3, offenders test 17,195 | Sheridan: staff confirmed 118, staff recovered 118; staff current 0, staff tests 3.908; offenders confirmed 371, offenders recovered 363, offenders current 8, offender tests 11,475 | IDOC: staff confirmed 3,998, staff recovered 3,850, staff current 148, staff tests 78,109; offenders confirmed 10,403, offenders recovered 10,087, offenders current 316, offender tests 246,850. 

Once again the COVID-19 numbers appear to continue improving. Please pray that the improvement continues.

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