Don't Waste Your Life Sentence

Matthew 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

John Piper has a new documentary out called "Don't waste Your Life Sentence."

Voices from the Louisiana State Penitentiary

The Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, LA is one of the largest and historically one of the most bloody maximum-security prisons in the USA. In 2009, Desiring God and John Piper were invited to Angola to learn about prison life, hear from men who have been radically changed by the gospel, and minister to many of the 5,000 inmates.

In this documentary, be confronted by the realities of men who have squandered their lives and whom society has deemed a waste. Hear firsthand from those who have ruined others’ lives and lost their lives of freedom, yet today are no longer wasting their lives. Be challenged by inmates who seem to have a greater grasp on eternity than those on the outside.

I have plans to show this to my youth group after I watch it. Many times when we screw things up or make mistakes we believe that life is over. I have a good friend that lost his ministry a few years ago after making several mistakes. Infact his ministry was just one thing he lost. His family, friends, and at one point his purpose. I have an email from him still in my inbox....

Nick please pray for my family and my purpose, I know I am called to youth ministry. I am not sure what is next. 

At a person lowest point our calling is to go in and bring hope. My friend is back in ministry, remarried, an author of a new book, and understand more now than ever his calling. We have to believe in one another and we have to be able to tell people that God has a calling on their life despite what they have done.