Happy Belated Mother’s Day Everyone! I am no longer writing for the Pickaway Correctional Institution’s (PCI) newsletter, as I have been moved to Marion Correctional Institution (MCI) and have been placed into their “camp”, which is their minimum security facility. I am about two hours or so closer to home. These “updates” will be targeted more towards my blog readers and less towards my fellow inmates via the Recovery Services Newsletter. My awesome sister had just been posting my newsletter articles for me every month and now I will be writing for the blog. I recently had a visit with some dear family friends, the Nobles, and they were under the impression that I was posting the updates to the blog from within the “walls”, so I thought I might let you in on the secret too- Rachel, my sister posts these for me via snail mail! Thanks Rach! She’s a trooper, especially because my hand writing is awful! I have actually only seen what the blog looks like from a screen print she has sent me months and months ago. In 21 more months I’ll get to type my updates myself, until then…Thanks, Sis!
In AA, they say, “You’re only as sick as your secrets. “The longer I keep skeletons in my closet, the longer I live with shame and guilt. This begins May, I like to take a look at the step of the Month 5 “We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.” This step requires honesty, true humility, and willingness. After working step 4; I couldn’t wait to tell on myself, because I could see the freedom at the end of the “tunnel”. There is no real freedom without confession, what a relief it is to finally give up the weight of my lies and excuses. When I confess my sins, I find the internal peace I lost so long ago. I am also one step closer on my journey to recovery. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:19) NIV
-Marshall K.
