Post by Sharon on Mar 20, 2016 8:50:58 GMT -5
Chris and I have been friends with Cody for a long time. We met him in 2009 when Chris was playing football. Cody was the quarterback and Chris was his star receiver, so we got very close with him and his girlfriend. Cody is a Christian, but has been luke warm for a long time. The story is very long and complicated, but the short story is that his girlfriend, Ashton, falsely accused Cody of rape when she was angry - between them breaking up and getting back together and she found out he had slept with another woman. They had dated for 3 or 4 years when this happened and had been living together, so they were able to find evidence that they had slept together and they put him in prison. I don't know if you guys realize how corrupt our justice system is, but because of connections Ashton has with the district attorney, she was able to get him in very deep. He is currently serving a 30 year sentence. He is 29 years old and 2 years into his sentence, so he will be in his 50's if he serves his full time. Before this, he was in law school after completing his bachelors degree. He was actually only a semester away from graduation. We visit Cody at the prison every few months (prisons are all 3-5 hours away in Colorado, so it's a full day ordeal).
I am asking for prayer for him today. I have felt strongly in my heart many times that God has him in there for His purpose. I have compared him to Job - that God is allowing this trial to see Cody stand firmly on him. But I am asking you all today for prayer for him. He's told us many times that if his appeal doesn't come through in his favor, that he will kill himself. I wrote him this letter today and am going to try to email it:
Cody,
I am praying for you today brother. I don't know how you are liking it there where you are at the moment, but God is using this as an opportunity for you. He's put you where you are for a reason brother. It may be that someone there needs to be witnessed to. It may be that he is trying to draw you closer to Him. It may be a number of things, but Cody, God knows your heart and He loves you deeply. He is the rock that you can stand steady on, even as the world around you is falling apart. You will be free brother. I know God is going to take care of you and justify this. I pray that you would choose to live a life firmly pressed into him for your support. I pray that you would be overwhelmed by the love of God who has never abandoned or forsaken you. I know it has been eye opening for you to see friends fall to the side. As you know, I've described your situation as similar to Job's in the bible who lost everything he had, because God was proving that Job would not forsake him. God is using this for his good. Even though friends have fallen away, God has not abandoned you. He never will. He is your loving father. He loves you more then Chris and I do. He loves you more then your parents or brothers and sister do or more then your godparents too. You're his child. You are a child of God! Imagine how great his plans must be for you if he is asking you to suffer this right now! God does not give us more then we can handle and He longs to carry us through it and will carry us through, if we put our trust and faith in him.
Our pastor talked on Friday preached in Mark about denying ourselves, taking us our cross, and following him. I realized for me to deny myself, I must give up what I desire the most. For me, I desire a good marriage. Really, I obsess over this idea, and until Friday, I believed I was justified in longing for that, because God has made promises to me about Chris and I, that we will have a good marriage. That Chris will become a spiritual leader in a way that relates to music. That I will play a big part in leading Chris back to Christ. I believe all of these promises and God has shared them with me to give me continued hope and perseverance, but I can not obsess over these. I have made an idol out of the idea of a perfect marriage. Instead, I have to put that down at His feet. I have to deny myself. To do that, I am pouring into my prayer and scripture and I am facing towards God and trusting him. I am taking up my cross by following him. And I am trusting God with Chris's life. If Chris wants to keep his word to study the Lord with me on Monday/Wednesday/Friday's with me, that is wonderful! But if he doesn't, I feel strongly that I am not supposed to force it. God is doing work in him, even if it is just in him seeing the joy in my life when I am praising God. I trust God. And that doesn't mean I can't help Chris take up his cross. If he comes to me, asking for help. If he wants me to show him the way back to the shepherd, I can do that. But I can not take his hand and drag him there. He has to choose to come on his own. This is self discipline.
Cody, have you denied yourself? I know you are in suffering, but Jesus calls us to deny ourselves first. What is it that you want more then anything in the world? To be free? To deny yourself, you have to lay that down at God's feet. Trust him. Trust that he WILL set you free. He also has promises for you. I am telling you, I am certain that you will be free before you are old. I am certain that you will have a family. I know that God is going to bless you with these things. He is giving you these promises to give you hope for your future. To give you perseverance. But now that you have those promises and that hope, you have to deny yourself. Give up the stress of this to God. I am not saying to give up the fight of course. Continue to work on your appeal. But press more into God. Pray for your freedom. Trust that God is working on that. And look around you for opportunities to share Gods love with others. I believe he has you there for His purposes Cody and you are not free right now, because He is not done with you yet. He has work for you inside those walls. Please take up your cross and look for it. God will clearly show you where he needs you. Who he needs you to witness to. A job that he needs you doing. Something. Maybe your purpose also has to do with your music. I can't say for sure Cody, but I have been praying and I feel strongly that God is calling you for his purposes to do work there. Please take up that cross Cody so that you can follow him.
We both love you so much Cody. Take comfort though in knowing that God loves you so much more then anyone on this earth could. He knows your heart and your mind even better then you know yourself. He has plans and a future for you. Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." One more promise I would like to share with you that God has revealed is that you will know my children before they are adults. You will know them still as children. Because of this, I know and truly believe in all of my heart that you will be free very soon. Please Cody, take these promises as a hope for your future. Please use this time to press into God and grow in love for him. You are going to be a powerfully Godly man. He is not finished with you yet and you will not spend the rest of your days in there. He loves you and has a great future for you.
Keep the faith brother. Stay strong and full of faith and love for the Lord. He loves you deeply. In fact, he loves you deepest. He is your greatest fan.
Love you brother,
Sharon
Please pray for our brother. He needs to feel an active presence of God in a place that is hard to find God, but I know that God is in the prisons too. There is no place on this earth that he can not go. Cody needs some encouragement and prayer.
I am asking for prayer for him today. I have felt strongly in my heart many times that God has him in there for His purpose. I have compared him to Job - that God is allowing this trial to see Cody stand firmly on him. But I am asking you all today for prayer for him. He's told us many times that if his appeal doesn't come through in his favor, that he will kill himself. I wrote him this letter today and am going to try to email it:
Cody,
I am praying for you today brother. I don't know how you are liking it there where you are at the moment, but God is using this as an opportunity for you. He's put you where you are for a reason brother. It may be that someone there needs to be witnessed to. It may be that he is trying to draw you closer to Him. It may be a number of things, but Cody, God knows your heart and He loves you deeply. He is the rock that you can stand steady on, even as the world around you is falling apart. You will be free brother. I know God is going to take care of you and justify this. I pray that you would choose to live a life firmly pressed into him for your support. I pray that you would be overwhelmed by the love of God who has never abandoned or forsaken you. I know it has been eye opening for you to see friends fall to the side. As you know, I've described your situation as similar to Job's in the bible who lost everything he had, because God was proving that Job would not forsake him. God is using this for his good. Even though friends have fallen away, God has not abandoned you. He never will. He is your loving father. He loves you more then Chris and I do. He loves you more then your parents or brothers and sister do or more then your godparents too. You're his child. You are a child of God! Imagine how great his plans must be for you if he is asking you to suffer this right now! God does not give us more then we can handle and He longs to carry us through it and will carry us through, if we put our trust and faith in him.
Our pastor talked on Friday preached in Mark about denying ourselves, taking us our cross, and following him. I realized for me to deny myself, I must give up what I desire the most. For me, I desire a good marriage. Really, I obsess over this idea, and until Friday, I believed I was justified in longing for that, because God has made promises to me about Chris and I, that we will have a good marriage. That Chris will become a spiritual leader in a way that relates to music. That I will play a big part in leading Chris back to Christ. I believe all of these promises and God has shared them with me to give me continued hope and perseverance, but I can not obsess over these. I have made an idol out of the idea of a perfect marriage. Instead, I have to put that down at His feet. I have to deny myself. To do that, I am pouring into my prayer and scripture and I am facing towards God and trusting him. I am taking up my cross by following him. And I am trusting God with Chris's life. If Chris wants to keep his word to study the Lord with me on Monday/Wednesday/Friday's with me, that is wonderful! But if he doesn't, I feel strongly that I am not supposed to force it. God is doing work in him, even if it is just in him seeing the joy in my life when I am praising God. I trust God. And that doesn't mean I can't help Chris take up his cross. If he comes to me, asking for help. If he wants me to show him the way back to the shepherd, I can do that. But I can not take his hand and drag him there. He has to choose to come on his own. This is self discipline.
Cody, have you denied yourself? I know you are in suffering, but Jesus calls us to deny ourselves first. What is it that you want more then anything in the world? To be free? To deny yourself, you have to lay that down at God's feet. Trust him. Trust that he WILL set you free. He also has promises for you. I am telling you, I am certain that you will be free before you are old. I am certain that you will have a family. I know that God is going to bless you with these things. He is giving you these promises to give you hope for your future. To give you perseverance. But now that you have those promises and that hope, you have to deny yourself. Give up the stress of this to God. I am not saying to give up the fight of course. Continue to work on your appeal. But press more into God. Pray for your freedom. Trust that God is working on that. And look around you for opportunities to share Gods love with others. I believe he has you there for His purposes Cody and you are not free right now, because He is not done with you yet. He has work for you inside those walls. Please take up your cross and look for it. God will clearly show you where he needs you. Who he needs you to witness to. A job that he needs you doing. Something. Maybe your purpose also has to do with your music. I can't say for sure Cody, but I have been praying and I feel strongly that God is calling you for his purposes to do work there. Please take up that cross Cody so that you can follow him.
We both love you so much Cody. Take comfort though in knowing that God loves you so much more then anyone on this earth could. He knows your heart and your mind even better then you know yourself. He has plans and a future for you. Jeremiah 29:11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." One more promise I would like to share with you that God has revealed is that you will know my children before they are adults. You will know them still as children. Because of this, I know and truly believe in all of my heart that you will be free very soon. Please Cody, take these promises as a hope for your future. Please use this time to press into God and grow in love for him. You are going to be a powerfully Godly man. He is not finished with you yet and you will not spend the rest of your days in there. He loves you and has a great future for you.
Keep the faith brother. Stay strong and full of faith and love for the Lord. He loves you deeply. In fact, he loves you deepest. He is your greatest fan.
Love you brother,
Sharon
Please pray for our brother. He needs to feel an active presence of God in a place that is hard to find God, but I know that God is in the prisons too. There is no place on this earth that he can not go. Cody needs some encouragement and prayer.
