Circumstances don’t dictate your destiny.

The current reality doesn’t determine your calling…

⭐️

Romans 11:29 tells us the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.

He doesn’t invoke a purpose and then withdraw it…

⭐️

Romans 8:28 tells us all things work together for the good…

NOT all things ARE good— some aren’t. The things we do that reap whirlwinds of chaos are (usually) emphatically NOT good. But all things

CAN STILL work together for the good…

God can use even those situations…

⭐️

And then there’s this…

Sometimes, the past pain-points became the very platform God uses as part of our primary life-purpose, so that we can serve others walking the same terrain we’ve traversed.

Rather than simply spouting facts and figures, we hold an actual compass, a tried and true means of navigating the “land in between” where they are and where they want to be…

🧭

This is part 4 of Trent’s story…

… in which we dialogue about his journey through prison, how he saw God move WHILE he was there, and where God took him next…

_____________

The Shepherds Fold Annual Luncheon = www.ShepherdsFold.org/events

The Shepherds Fold program = www.ShepherdsFold.org/program

Amplify = www.AmplifyOnline.info/0

GY6, Soul and Spirit Hurts eBook + audio = www.GY6.online/SSHH

Adverse Childhood Experiences Q&A = www.GY6.online/ACE

What is Moral Injury = https://www.gy6.online/blog/ten

PTSD compared to Moral Injury, short video = https://www.gy6.online/blog/which

Suicide and Moral Injury = https://www.gy6.online/blog/suicide

Episode one of The Fold, Trent’s podcast = https://www.shepherdsfold.org/podcasts/the-fold/episodes/2149204992

Suicide hotline = dial *988

Sometimes, life blind-sides us…

… and we don’t see “the hit” coming. Hence the term “blind-side.”

But let’s be real about blind-sides…

👇

💥 Sometimes the collision occurs and takes US TOTALL by surprise… it’s truly something we couldn’t have seen.

💥 Other times, it’s because we’re not looking. We’re not paying attention…

💥 And then there are the things we stumble upon, things which just linger and leave us wondering…

In life, there are always layers and layers and layers…

🪖🪖🪖🪖🪖🪖

In this episode we continue Trent’s story…

This is part 3 of 4, and we discuss that transition from military life BACK to civilian life, noting some of the blind-sides that happened.

Note:

This “hits” are coming…

… how we respond to them really matters.

____________

The Shepherds Fold program = www.ShepherdsFold.org/program

Amplify = www.AmplifyOnline.info/0

GY6, Soul and Spirit Hurts eBook + audio = www.GY6.online/SSHH

Adverse Childhood Experiences Q&A = www.GY6.online/ACE

What is Moral Injury = https://www.gy6.online/blog/ten

Episode one of The Fold, Trent’s podcast = https://www.shepherdsfold.org/podcasts/the-fold/episodes/2149204992

Where you stand depends on where you sleep.

That might sound strange, but think about it this way…

👇

We’re all raised with a certain set of circumstances that all seem NORMAL to us. To others, they might not be normal at all.

Toss us into a different environment, and what we think of as routine behaviors (and even “rules”) might not work at all.

🤷‍♂️

This is important.

The “rules” of the past that you’re operating on, even if they don’t work where you currently are…

They aren’t necessarily bad.

In fact, they might have served you well during a different chapter of your life.

Or they might be the EXACT rules you would need in a different time and place…

But, sometimes, we need to adjust— especially when those rules no longer serve us.

✔️

And that occurs more often than you might think…

👉 This is part 2of a 4-part series with Trent Redwine, the Executive Director of Shepherds Fold.

We talk about “reading the present in light of the past.”

In extreme cases it looks like PTSD… when trauma is involved.

But, we can ALL do it at ANY TIME. And, when new life-situations are involved, it’s important that we take stock of where we are, who will be impacted by our actions, and respond accordingly…

_________________

The Shepherds Fold program = www.ShepherdsFold.org/program

Amplify = www.AmplifyOnline.info/0

GY6, Soul and Spirit Hurts eBook + audio = www.GY6.online/SSHH

Adverse Childhood Experiences Q&A = www.GY6.online/ACE

Referenced episode = The Barking Spider = https://www.jenkins.tv/podcasts/podcast-version-2-0/episodes/2149196514

Episode one of The Fold, Trent’s podcast = https://www.shepherdsfold.org/podcasts/the-fold/

Our present circumstances are the accumulated conglomeration of our past experiences, our interactions, what we’ve learned…

… and, well…

Yes, that’s a bit simplistic, perhaps, but you get the idea. We don’t just “exist” in the present in a vacuum.

We all got here somehow…

🙏

Some of the experiences of the past are good, others are negative.

Some of the experiences need healing, others don’t.

⭐️

What do we need to do?

Well…

1️⃣ Take stock of the past.

Heal what needs to be healed, then turn and help others in any way we can— with whatever we glean…

2️⃣ Live fully present, you continue passing on the lessons you’ve learned from that past…

And, as we do…

3️⃣ Think bigger and broader than ourselves, serving the grand purpose that God had in mind when He designed each of us…

… and build something bigger and better than “just us.”

‼️ This is part 1 of a 4-part series with Trent Redwine, the Executive Director of Shepherds Fold.

In this episode he talks about growing up in “random places” and, eventually, enlisting in the U.S. Army.

We discuss compounding chaos and how we all, really, want order…

_________________

The Shepherds Fold program = www.ShepherdsFold.org/program

The Shepherds Fold podcast = https://www.shepherdsfold.org/podcasts/the-fold

Amplify = www.AmplifyOnline.info/0

GY6, Soul and Spirit Hurts eBook + audio = www.GY6.online/SSHH

Adverse Childhood Experiences Q&A = www.GY6.online/ACE

Referenced episode = The Barking Spider = https://www.jenkins.tv/podcasts/podcast-version-2-0/episodes/2149196514

Look back at every major transition in your life— good or bad— and it probably has more to do with a PERSON than an “raw” decision.

Or, to say it another way, PEOPLE are a profound influence on our lives.

🚌

Here’s why:

God is relational AND we are created in His image. That means we are relational beings…

… and we weren't designed to “do life” alone.

❤️‍🔥

Relationships are an accelerator when it comes to re-entry, too…

So, we try to keep our graduates connected to OTHER graduates, others who’ve walked the same terrain, who have figured out some things AND ALSO are working on others.

⭐️

Out of prison?

One of the biggest factors we’ve seen in who makes it and who doesn’t is sobriety— get rid of the addiction.

Another big factor?

Relationships— surround yourself with people who are moving in the direction you want to go. Don’t even TRY to swim against the stream. Find a current you can stay in and keep moving.

_____________

For more info:

Call 205-780-6211 or visit the following links.

Shepherds Fold = www.ShepherdsFold.org

Apply to become a resident = www.ShepherdsFold.org/apply

Discover ways to get involved = www.ShepherdsFold.org/help

Donate to the ministry = www.ShepherdsFold.org/donate

Prison re-entry (in fact, any kind of personal development) is hard if you think you need to be perfect in order to make progress.

But that’s not how it works.

We don’t need to be “perfect.” We just need to “tip the scales” in a positive direction.

🤷‍♂️

In time, the weight accumulates, momentum grows, and we accelerate our progress forward…

📈

Here are a few things that “tip the scales” in your favor—

(And, pro tip: the addiction issue = THE magic bullet that takes many men out. Pay attention to it. Deal with it.)

💥💥💥

_____________

For more info:

Call 205-780-6211 or visit the following links.

Shepherds Fold = www.ShepherdsFold.org

Apply to become a resident = www.ShepherdsFold.org/apply

Discover ways to get involved = www.ShepherdsFold.org/help

Donate to the ministry = www.ShepherdsFold.org/donate

Sometimes people forget that “the free world isn’t free.” That is, you must literally consistently choose your freedom— and content for it.

Take the Children of Israel, for instance…

… they found themselves free from slavery yet complained— and relished how great their days of slavery were…

Um. No.

❌

The “good ole’ days” weren’t so good. In fact, they were the environment we prayed to get out of…

👇

Such is the case with prison re-entry.

It’s easy, when you get out, to forget how good you actually have it.

And to forget how the hassles you handle now ARE THE VERY things you prayed for in the past.

💥

In this episode we talk about four more barriers to re-entry:

5️⃣

6️⃣ The Sentence = creates a record that eliminates some jobs and future opportunities

7️⃣ Addiction = = dealing with the root issues, lest the bad fruits continue returning and creating more chaos— is the #1 reason for re-offending

8️⃣ Change = the shift to the “free world” is abrupt— especially with the pace of change in society— you return to a different world than than one you left

_____________

For more info:

Call 205-780-6211 or visit the following links.

Shepherds Fold = www.ShepherdsFold.org

Apply to become a resident = www.ShepherdsFold.org/apply

Discover ways to get involved = www.ShepherdsFold.org/help

Donate to the ministry = www.ShepherdsFold.org/donate

Prisoners face specific barriers when they transition into the “free world.” We mention them NOW, because…

1️⃣ The recidivism rate is astronomically high (i.e.., 65-70% return within 5 years), and

2️⃣ The barriers are all predictable— if we know what they are, we can make a plan to navigate them.



So, let’s break them down. Here are a few…

 #1, Expectations = felons expect one thing from the family & friends while they expect another… leading to conflict

⛺️ #2, Housing = = must have a “safe place to land” away from the hurts, habits, and hangups of the past

🚗 #3, Transportation = = vital to getting to and from work, home, probation officers, and more

🪪 #4, Identification = = required to begin work, but most must “rebuild” their documentation from scratch

Note: you can navigate ALL of these…

… but it’s helpful to know what they are, so you can make an intentional plan and begin living by design instead of default.



_____________

For more info:

Call 205-780-6211 or visit the following links.

Shepherds Fold = www.ShepherdsFold.org

Apply to become a resident = www.ShepherdsFold.org/apply

Discover ways to get involved = www.ShepherdsFold.org/help

Donate to the ministry = www.ShepherdsFold.org/donate