After the violent Memorial Day weekend (Chicago 12 killed, 44 shot; Baltimore 9 dead, 32 shot, New York 5 killed, 18 shot) classroom discussion and some of the prayers reflect how close to home the tragedy is for many of the students.
Lazarus had an uncle who was among the 12 killed in Chicago, referred to as 'Chiraq' by Dominic. Though he did not give a name one student mentions the 4 year old girl who was among the 44 shot in Chicago.
I use to be one who just saw the numbers but in my 12+ years in prison ministry God has shown me those numbers are brothers and uncles and loved ones of many.
God has put in my heart to ask that your prayers do not stop here but to pray for the loved ones of the many. The Chicago Sun-Times has a webpage that puts names and faces to the loved ones of many.
http://homicides.suntimes.com/
Please give an extra few minute of your prayer time to the loved ones of many.
To Him be the glory.
Scott
Currently there are only 182 subscriber to Disciple Prayer Requests, (it seems one subscribes and another opts out ;-( ). I'm still hoping to raise that number to 200, if you know a prayer warrior, invite them to subscribe by sending an e-mail to SOCPM@SOCPM with 'Subscribe Disciple Prayer Requests' as the subject.
DISCIPLESHIP: A SOLDIER'S CALL TO UNLOCK THE BIBLE'S STORY
DIXON CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Richard - On the 21st of May, I was called to the counselor's office, my stepmother call the prison and spoke with my counselor for about an hour. My dad is going downhill fast, I got to make a phone call to be able to talk with him. He won't take the chemo treatment anymore, doesn't like the way it makes him feel. The prison granted me to go see him if he goes into the hospital. I would have to pay $475 for one and one half hour visit. "Wow, right." Please remember him the other family members in prayer. My next court date is June 9. God bless.
Anton - I would like to pray for my enemies, friends family and the peison(?) to stay in the Lord at all times and believe that He will help them all stay out of trouble. I would like to pray for my daughter, niece, cousin, brother, sister Tasha Laila, James and all the Christians in the world. Would like to pay for myself to stay in faith and do what God wants me to do and believe that everything will get better. I also like to pray that I don't go judging others or treat them wrong. I just want to be a light to other people and show them the right way by looking at me doing God's will. Thank you and God bless.
Earl - Pray for family and faith and strength.
SHERIDAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER - AFTERNOON CLASS
Anthony - Myriam is my little sister and she is having some hard times right now and I'm asking for prayer for her. I also asked for prayer for my mom. Also pray for church leaders, world leaders and the leaders of our homes and communities. Please pray for me that I'd be released through good type or whatever allowances Governor Rauner has made promises on.
Dave - Pray for me that God either reunites me with my ex-wife or finds me a new Christian lady to have companionship with.
Cody - Please pray for my relationship with my daughter and her mom. My mom told me she's not even allowing her to see my mother even and she is very hurt over it. Thank you and God bless.
Leroy - I pray that my family stays well and that they are watched over and that they continue to be the loving family that they are. I also pray for everyone in this world lost and do not have Jesus as Savior yet. I also pray for me that I may be able to continue to live in Jesus eyes and learn how to be more godly like. I also pray for God to continue to show me what I'm supposed to do with my relationship with Niki. Thank you very much.
SHERIDAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER - EVENING CLASS
Richard - Asking that you pray for me and my wife Lynn. We are keeping a strong relationship for the last 15 years. Also are marriage has been very wonderful but there always a wrong deed(?) in every relationship so I'm asking beyond(?) these walls keep our faith in God as well in each other. Thank you, God bless!
Dominic - Hey there! I first pray and agree with you for the issues that you may be facing for your prayers to be answered as well as I speak victory, favor and blessing over you and your family. My first prayer is for peace in Jerusalem, I pray for peace in the USA as well as always in Chicago, which they call Chiraq these days hence the name. Please touch and agree with me for my moms marriage, my big brothers marriage, as well as my little brother to find direction and purpose in his life, my daughter to be a God-fearing person and to develop a hunger for Jesus now at the age of 5 1/2 years old and for my daughter's mom to find Jesus, to just sell out to the Lord and be the woman I envision her to be in maybe. We could be together, I have been been talking to them since I told her that we can't be together anymore, that's giving it to God and no more money has been phone, I have a lot on my plate as I prepare to go home. Please pray for not me but us as a family, please and thank you God bless!
Lazarus - I have learned that I have no other options but to parole to my child's mother house, which may not be in my best interest. Please pray that my transition can be made without incident until I can find my own place. Also, I have lost an uncle to street violence this past weekend. Pray for the comfort of my family.
Jeff - I would like for you guys to pray for my family, my wife Shinita, and my son Jeffon and my son Jeff Junior my son Jeffrey and my mother Ella and pray that I keep God in my life and that I would land a job when I go home that I could take care of my family when I get out so that I would not come back to prison. I would really appreciate very much in prayer that I keep God in my heart. Thank you. God bless you and prayer for my brother Tyler.
Name not given - for the four-year-old girl family, C - 17 staff, IDOC and all C - 17. My family's health and finances, mail, phone, Jessie and Cedric relationship to be strong and financial, also reunite mail, phone Johnson family situation and kids, my kids, to see in the future brothers in Friday Bible course, Owens and James family to reunite. Praying for some good conduct credit. Jesse clients and her jobs more faith in Jessie. In Jesus name, amen.
Eric - Please pray for my uncle Edgar because he had to be put in a nursing home/rehab to try to get him on his feet moving around on his own and he needs a lot of prayer. Please pray for me because my anger is trying to get the best of me. I've got a lot of things that are going to trigger my anger such as my cellie slamming the door early in the morning while I'm sleeping. My cellie being disrespectful is causing negative thoughts. I need prayer. Please pray that I'll still catch on to the math that I'm struggling with. Please pray that I'll get some of the good times so I can get out sooner. Please pray for my kids and family that they are safe, taken care of and healthy, Reeda, John, Kasten, Bryten, Jersey, Christian, Judy, Harold, Harley, Karen, Ed, Erin, Danni, Arianna, Aarion, Todd, Rob and Robin, Matthew, Brandon. Please and thank you.
Wayne - Please pray for my family, that they have everything they need in life and all are healthy and safe. Please pray for my girl Jessi, that she is okay and has all of her needs met and is able to support herself and our son financially until I am able to come home and help her. Please pray that if her and I are meant to be together that God will bring our hearts back to each other so we can be a complete, happy, Christian family. Please pray for my little boy Dillon, that he continue to be a happy little boy, continues to grow and be healthy and that he continues to grow closer to Christ every day. Please pray that Jessi is able to continue to bring Dillon to see me here so we could have family time together so that they both know how much I truly love them both and only want to be a part of their lives. Finally, please pray for me that I continue to grow in my love and faith in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I have been feeling distant from him lately feeling lost and alone. Please pray that I am able to receive the six months good time so that I can go home to my family in two months and start my life over as a son of Christ, the son to my mom, a dad to my boy, and hopefully a husband to Jessi. That it is God's will for me. Please pray that upon my release I am able to find gainful employment in the welding trade to support myself and my family. I have been doing really well in school and I am really trying to earn my way. Thank you... I have a friend named Cassandra and she has had a heroin addiction. Her, her boyfriend and another person were getting high and the third person overdose and died. Now Cassondra and her boyfriend are being charged with and tried for drug induced homicide which if their convicted carries from 6 to 30 years in prison. So they are really hurting in a bad way right now and need our thoughts and prayers right now. So please keep her and her family and child in your heart and prayers. Thank you your brother in Christ.
Julio - I would like for you to pray for me Julio, I have a tendency to get into lust every now and then. Please ask God to forgive me. I pray and ask for forgiveness from the Lord thy God. And for Jesus Christ to help me. Also can you pray for my family, friends and enemies. Thank you, God bless, amen!
Paco - Please pray for Paco that his oldest daughter Carmen send Paco $20 and pray for her safety this summer time thank you.
Michael - Please pray that Michael will stay the course upon his release on 7/3/15. Pray that he will focus on thy will rather than his will. May the major distractions of the flesh fall away under the security of the love and integrity that is in God's will for Michael. Please pray that Michael will be successful in his first agree upon his release. Not to fulfill some playful status but to be used as a tool in the service of his fellow man. Thank you and God bless. Your friend in Christ.
Jesus - Pray for my family, patience, sobriety, understanding and stronger relationship with God. Also can you all pray for me I've been getting these real bad headaches. Thank you, God bless you all.
John - I got diagnosed with hepatitis C you last week I pray for be healed and rid of this illness.
Richard - I need prayer to adjust my attitude towards others. Pray that I could be totally non-judgmental towards my peers. That I could perform my job in a Christ like manner. I pray that my relationship with Carolyn could be restored in the proper manner. I pray that I can remain in my building as long as possible and my Hep C treatment start soon. I pray my hep C treatment to be completed successfully. I need prayer for the doors and my future to be open and that God can choose me a perfect Christian wife. I pray for my sister to be comforted from her MS and that her daughters MS be turned around. Thanks.
Martin - I feel so lost lately I haven't been studying or even reading. I just would like the strength to get back to my self in full swing of things.
Michael - Please pray for my dad Ken Sr. and his continuing problems with his knee. For my daughter Abby and her mom Jenny so they know how much I love them and that God would guide them by the light of Christ. I write Bible stories every week for Abby with the hope that as Jenny is reading them to her they will both learn about God and Jesus.
CHRISTIAN LIVING: A SOLDIER'S CALL TO RENEWING FATHERHOOD
DIXON CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Michael - for my kids that they stay healthy and also the same prayers for the rest of my family. Pray that my son Mikey will straighten up and stay out of trouble. Thank you.
Jose - Can you put my four sons Jose, Damien, Symon and Ivan and also to my wife Socorro into your prayers so God take care of them while I'm in this place and also my mom that she get help about her health problems. Thank you for your prayers God bless you.
Larry - I need for my brothers and sisters in Christ to join with the rest of my family for my wife's grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer's and her recovery from this illness. Also for my speedy homecoming and the protecting of our kids in the inner city streets of Chicago. In Jesus name, amen.
SHERIDAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Travis - Please pray that I continue to learn more about myself. So I can continue to make changes and become a better husband and father.
Edmund - Please with God's grace, I ask you to pray for the well-being of my family, that God puts it into the mother of my children to tell me the health and well-being and what my children are like and what they like in life. That the court will allow me to see my children and call and talk to them on the phone. Thank you for your prayers.
Larry - Please pray for my father Clarence to get better. He is currently in a rehab center with a feeding tube and unable to walk or take care of himself. Also pray for my mother Sharon to have the strength to get through this and to make sure she takes care of herself too. Also for my son Gabriel and daughter Haley, there well being, safety along with the mothers Shauna and Veronica. Also pray I might see them all. Thank you and God bless.
Paco - Please pray for my fiancé that Shirley would call here at Sheridan for me to call home into right home as well and to lift the communication restriction.
SOCPM STUDENT ALUMNI
(G) Graduate, (P) Paroled, (R) Removed, (T) Transfer, (D) Drop, (I) Incomplete (W) Writ
* Violated Parole ** Re-offended
ADMISSIONS/TRANSFERS/OTHER
Bernardo
Sheridan; A Soldier's Call to...
Defend Hid Faith Part 1 - 08/2014 thru 12/2014 (I)
Transferred to Lawrence 05/27/15
Jim*
Sheridan; a Soldier's Call to...
Renewing Fatherhood - 10/2012 thru 02/2013 (G)
Transferred to Western Illinois 05/29/15
Paroles
Lawrence
East Moline; New Life Corrections
Transforming Incarcerated Dads - 07/2014 (G)
Paroled 05/26/2015
Shane
Sheridan; A Soldier's Call to...
Defend His Faith part 2 - 01/2015 thru 01/2015 (I)
Paroled 05/28/2015
Timothy
Sheridan; A Soldier's Call to...
Renewing Fatherhood - 09/2013 thru 11/2013 (G)
Paroled 05/28/2015
Ollie
Graham; New Life Corrections
Transforming Incarcerated Dads - 02/2013 (G)
Paroled 05/29/2015
DISCHARGES
Lyvon
Sheridan; A Soldier's Call to...
Renewing Fatherhood - 06/2012 thru 09/2012 (G)
Discharged 05/29/2015
MINISTRY PARTNER PEKIN 1ST CHURCH OF GOD
LOGAN CORRECTIONAL CENTER
Yesterday was our last Bible study @ Logan because most if not all study groups have to leave by June 1st. There will be some major changes at the facility, dealing with long term recovery and that's about all i could find out from Chief Chaplain Keim. Some of the ladies said they would protest, but ours is not to reason why, but to serve the Lord as he guides and whenever someone shuts a door He opens another, so we can not despair but fix our eye on Him.
Helen - For Christians all over the world that are being persecuted for their faith. for my family. for my brother's struggles over his faith and for growth in my study of the bible and prayer so that I may help others to know peace. for all bible classes to return to help us live correctly in our life.
Shirley - Pray for the lost and thank you for coming out to us here in prison, God will keep you in His loving arms (Psalm 91). I will stay in my bible studies so i can grow every day.
Dee Ann - I thank the Lord for these opportunities to study w/ you all these years, it makes me sad to see all of you leaving us here, but we're not in charge, God is. Pray for my family and those who've died, I've got trials every day, I need Jesus every day.
Mickoold - My sister Zahira who's pregnant and dealing with a lot of stress over my parole site and her father in law's chemo treatment, my parole site isn't safe. I need Christ to keep me focused while I'm here, i don't want anymore troubles so I can be back w/ my kids. My husband keeps me from them now. I want to know what God's purpose is for me.
Jo Ann - For my physical body and my family, keep on praying for us here even though you won't be here. I need prayer to be a light wherever they put me here.