Mark and Michelle were the ideal Christian couple — or so it seemed to their church. But in private, their lives were falling apart. Both Mark and Michelle ended up in prison — and how God healed their broken family a wonderful story about my favorite program, Angel Tree.
On the outside, Mark, who was a pastor, and Michelle, seemed to have it all together. But on the inside, they were in total rebellion. They began drinking heavily and became addicted to prescription drugs. They even started abusing one another — all the while passing themselves off as good Christians.
In 1994, Michelle divorced Mark, and he landed in jail — a turn of events that drove him to finally turn his eyes back to God. Dropping to his knees in his cell, Mark began to pray. “God, I have really messed up my life,” he said. “You gave me so many gifts, and I threw them all away.” Mark then offered God a solemn promise. “If you can do anything with my life — anything — I’ll give you everything.”
Mark began serving a three-year prison sentence. Meanwhile, Michelle continued abusing drugs and alcohol. She lost custody of their kids, and ended up in prison herself.
But God had not abandoned Mark and Michelle. After stripping them of everything, he began rebuilding their lives.
Michelle rededicated her life to Christ and got involved with Prison Fellowship, attending parenting seminars and Bible studies. She also got involved in Angel Tree, helping other women sign up their children for gifts. As Michelle later told me, “Angel Tree gave us back our dignity. It allowed us to let our kids know that we still loved them, that we had not forgotten about them.”
God used those gifts and Michelle’s letters to her children to renew her son’s faith in God and bring her daughter to the point of accepting Christ herself.
Meanwhile, across the state in a men’s prison, Mark still worried about his kids. “I had betrayed, abused, and neglected them,” he said. “I had given up hope that I would ever be able to demonstrate healthy love to my children. But I prayed for them every day — and God sent Angel Tree [a ministry to prisoners’ children by Prison Fellowship].”
Mark faithfully sent his kids gifts and letters — and God again worked the impossible. When Mark was released, his oldest son was there to pick him up.
But God was not finished yet. Mark and Michelle began to write to one another. In time, this relationship was healed as well. Last year, Mark and Michelle were reunited in marriage. They are now Prison Fellowship volunteers helping others in need.
_________________________
Copyright (c) 2001 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. “BreakPoint with Chuck Colson” is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.