Join Us on October 22nd

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

Every year in October, CLI brings in an outstanding Christian author for our annual author-dinner. Many of our supporters have suggested that the dinner was a worship experience as well.


This year, we have Bill Dallas coming in from California. Bill has an amazing story of how a financial crime landed him in San Quentin and how the Lord used that experience for His purposes and His glory.

We pray you can join us for a wonderful, worshipful evening! Go to our website to reserve your place or to sponsor a table.

The Power of Written Words

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. NIV 1 Peter 4:11

We praise God that He uses CLI volunteers known as “letter ministers” to speak the very words of God. Our “letter ministers” are responsible for answering the letters that we receive from prison inmates. This year, it looks like we will personally answer over 5,000 letters.

Please read the letter we received from Jason, a prison inmate:

“I work to be anxious in nothing, but on the day I received your correspondence, Satan was hammering away to break me. Divorce papers for loss of custody for my children arrived, my crimes back to haunt me, and I knew I was under demonic attack.

Why?

You see, for awhile since reading a book by Joyce Meyers titled Battlefield of the Mind, I have been submitting all to Christ. Having lived in my imagination for 33 years I surrendered my thought life to Christ, replacing what I normally imagined, thoughts of lust, power, money and worship of success, with thoughts of a renewed mind. The more I’ve spent time in prayer, the Word, and connected to the Vine, things, or life has become more peaceful. Still, today when I opened the envelope you sent me, I wept. At a time of discouragement I read that –

“God uses broken things…”

The assault on my heart and mind was stopped as I read the quotes and verses sent.

THANK YOU.

I surrendered both my heart and mind, and my life to God – Oh so joyfully. I love Jesus more than life. More than life.

Humbly in Christ,” Inmate Jason, Lancaster, CA

God Had Other Plans

Posted by Martha Carpenter - Office Administrator at CLI

It is always a delight to see what God does to bless His children. Inmate letters are unique in their expression of their needs for Bibles or Christian books; and their praise of God and what He is doing in their life.

Yesterday a letter came from inmate Joe in Colorado with this request: “Would you happen to have a Russian Bible, or perhaps even a Russian-English parallel Bible?” Reading that one sentence caused me to gasp out loud! Because the very day before a man drove from Charlotte, NC with a box of books for CLI and there was a Russian Bible among them!

I had thought, “Where shall we send this?”, because no one had ever asked for a Bible in Russian. So I mentioned to Anders, maybe a prison chaplain in New York or California would have someone to give it to.

But God had other plans.

He knew that Joe’s letter was in our Post Office box waiting to be picked up. . . and that the Bible was in the box, in the car headed to CLI in Raleigh.

Awesome God!

Joe wrote, “I can think of no better way of staying motivated than to have a Russian Bible to read. Actually, I would be grateful for any material you have in Russian.”

Before signing off his letter, Joe also wrote: “I know that it may be unlikely that you have any of these resources at your disposal. But the only way I will know is if I ask sincerely with faith and a prayer.”

AMEN! Thank you, Father!

Praising God

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

How do we praise God? In words, in song, in deeds?
Here at CLI we praise God in a mutltude of ways. With every book that is shipped, with every inmate letter that is answered, with every Bible study lesson that is reviewed, with every phone call, with every donation, with every prayer, with every kind word that is spoken - all of this is to praise God.
Beyond praising God, all other efforts are futile - a complete waste of time.
Join us in ministry. Donate a book. Send us a check. Pray for CLI. Volunteer. Run a Christian book drive at your church. Tell others about CLI.
Thousands are coming to Christ. Today.

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given in its proper time.
NIV 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Our friend Michael, an inmate in prison, has captured the gospel in a powerful and simple way (see drawing above). Man is separated from God because of sin (wrongdoing). God is holy and does not associate with sinners. You might think of God on one side that is impassible or blocked and all people on the other side.

God wants all people to pass over the sin blockade and into His holy presence. Therefore God asked His Son Jesus to be the Bridge by surrendering His life on a wooden cross as a sin offering. God, the Father accepted Jesus death on the cross as punishment and payment for all sins for all time.

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. NIV Romans 10:9-10

Scripture also tells us that only those who believe that Jesus died for their sins and receive Him into their lives as Lord or Leader will be forgiven. Jesus then becomes their Bridge to God.

If you cannot remember a time when you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can pray now:

Lord Jesus, I am a sinner and have done things that are wrong. I believe that you died and took the punishment for my sins. Please come into my life, forgive my sins and lead me each day. Take me into God’s presence so I may do His will and honor Him in love. Amen.

If you prayed just now, please email me at kskaar@cli-nc.org so that we may rejoice with you and help you grow in love with God and other people.

PS – We have written to Michael to find out if the idea for his drawing was original.

The Family of God

Posted by Martha Carpenter - Office Administator at CLI

Another week of letters and Bible studies flow in to CLI, and we are ALWAYS blessed by the inmates we serve. Michael is an inmate, and brother in Christ, at the Houtzdale State Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania. Michael is also a Prayer Warrior for CLI and a donor; he is participating in the CLI Leadership Bible Study; and he is gifted by God as an artist!
This week he sent us 5 beautiful pen & ink drawings, each one unique and reflecting his love for the Lord. He wrote, “I’ve also enclosed some sketches I did last week. I hope you enjoy them. As always you may use them in any way that may glorify the Lord.”
This one really touched my heart. At first glance, it is about the family of God inside Houtzdale SCI. But the Holy Spirit and God’s Word reminds us how we are ALL members of the family of God, imprisoned, or not; as Paul wrote in Galatians:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28 NIV
The tag line Michael included is one that brings HOPE and JOY to us all. “Where Jesus Christ is the only attraction”. Wow! He simply is, for all of us, isn’t He? And His family will enjoy Him forever!

The CLI Board Retreat

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

Every September, our board of directors gets out of town to relax and reassess the CLI mission to the prisons. We look closely at how we're doing and where the Lord is leading us.
This summer we met at Sunset Beach, NC at a nice beach house on the canal. The setting was beautiful and the September weather was even better.
In the above photo, ViceChair Nathan McLeod (right) is showing the finer points of using a casting net, while Lanny Bynum (left) and Norman Beckham (center) offer suggestions.
We praise God for our board, our staff and all our volunteers who tirelessly do all the tasks of this ministry!

The “Bobbsey Twins”

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Bob Boettner and Anders Skaar packing CLI books

Affectionately known as the “Bobbsey Twins”, Anders and Bob worked three hours packing Christian books and Bibles. Usually the majority of the packing is done on Tuesday with Chandler Gillespie when I am not in the office. However, today the shipping room was humming with excitement as Anders and Bob chatted, laughed and filled cardboard boxes with the treasure of God’s word.

The chaplains at various prisons will receive the materials initially and then pass on to inmates in a variety of ways. They may hand an inmate a book, set up a library or take a book cart from cell to cell. The resources that CLI sends really helps chaplains serve a larger group of inmates.

Here are two letters from chaplains that we just received:

“We would like to send our most heart felt thanks to you and your ministry for showing the love of Christ to the men here at Avoyelles Correctional Center. We received the package of books, magazines, and tapes. Ministries like yours keep the fire of Jesus burning in these men’s hearts. Then just knowing that people still care about them is enough to keep them striving for the prize. God bless, In His Service,” Chaplain Leslie Draper, Avoyelles Correctional Center, Cottonport, LA

“Just a note to say THANKS! For all the wonderful material you sent to us recently. The response from the inmates is pure delight. Often they will say, “How did you know I needed that?” We tell them that God knew their need, and you folks were His hands to make it happen. Thank you very much,” Chaplain Cole, Yakima CDC, Yakima, WA

Replies to the Prisons

Posted by Martha Carpenter - Office Administator at CLI

Every Tuesday we pick up the letters and CLI Bible studies from our Post Office Box. It is always amazing to see how many there are - they usually fill the box! It is a testimony to the Holy Spirit poured out inside the prisons around the country.
CLI volunteers reply to every single letter. Most ask for a Bible, especially a Study Bible. Or they ask for a Christian book to help them in their walk. The Lord provides! Volunteers are always blessed to find the exact book title someone has requested; and usually there is only the one. Our Lord answers their prayers before they even finish asking.

“It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” Isaiah 65:24 NASB

This past week we had a small glitch with the postage; and so the Bibles and books we were sending out piled up as we wait to send them out. They are packaged in white padded envelopes. As I walked by them today, they reminded me of stones piled up, and the following scripture verse came to mind.

“…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5 NASB

Whether the books go out individually or to the chaplains to build their libraries, the result is the same. A spiritual house is being built through Jesus Christ with all these inmates who belong to Him!

New Prison Program in Louisiana

The Louisiana State Prison at Angola, LA is one of the most innovative in the country. Watch this 5 minute video to see how God is working.
Christian Library International supports prison chaplains with Christian books, a correspondence Bible Study, and is planning the CLI Mission Center to train prison inmates to enter full-time ministry.
Enjoy!

Prisons Receiving Christian Books in August

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

We praise the Lord for the opportunity to minister to the following prisons in August. We pray they will be blessed!

Altona Correctional Facility Altona NY
Alvin S. Glenn Detention Ctr Columbia SC
Arizona State Prison - Kingman Kingman AZ
Augusta Youth Development Campus Augusta GA
Avoyelles Correctional Center Cottonport LA
Bare Hill Correctional Facility Malone NY
Barnabas Prison Ministries Dacula GA
Beacon Correctional Facility (Women's) Beacon NY
Beaumont Juvenile Correctional Center Beaumont VA
Bedford Hills Correctional for Women Bedford Hills NY
Bon Air Juvenile Correctional Center Richmond VA
Bossier Sheriff's Office Benton LA
California Institute for Men Chino CA
California Men's Colony San Luis Obispo CA
Cayuga Correctional Facility Moravia NY
Chester County Prison West Chester PA
Chippewa Corr Facility URF-W Kincheloe MI
Chippewa Correctional Facility Kincheloe MI
Collins Correctional Facility Collins NY
Crawford County Jail Prairie du Chien WI
CSC Houston Houston TX
Cumberland Juvenile Detention Fayetteville NC
Durham County Youth Home Durham NC
Eastern Oregon Correctional Inst Pendleton OR
Eastern Regional Jail Martinsburg WV
Eden Detention Center Eden TX
Elayn Hunt Correctional Center Saint Gabriel LA
FCI Bennettsville Bennettsville SC
Fishkill Correctional Facility Beacon NY
Florida Civil Commitment Ctr Arcadia FL
Fountain Correctional Center for Women Rocky Mount NC
Fox Valley Jail Ministries Appleton WI
Frank Lee Youth Center Deatsville AL
Gates Correctional Institution Niantic CT
Genesee County Jail Flint MI
Glen Goodman Unit Jasper TX
Green Haven Correctional Facility Stormville NY
Hudson Correctional Facility Hudson NY
Jackson County Correctional Facility Marianna FL
Jefferson Parish Correctional Center Gretna LA
Lakeview Shock Facility Brocton NY
Leath Correctional Institution Greenwood SC
Limestone County Detention Center Groesbeck TX
Marcy Correctional Facility Marcy NY
Miami-Dade Women's Detention Center Miami FL
Middleton Unit Abilene TX
Mississippi State Penitentiary Parchman MS
Monmouth County Correctional Institution Freehold NJ
Montgomery County Jail Conroe TX
Mountain View Youth Development Center Charleston ME
Oak Ridge Juvenile Detention Center Richmond VA
Ogle County Detention Center Oregon IL
Okanogan County Jail Okanogan WA
Otisville Correctional Facility Otisville NY
Pitt Juvenile Detention Center Greenville NC
Powder River Correctional Facility Baker City OR
Randolph County Jail Moberly MO
SCI Frackville Frackville PA
Willard Drug Treatment Campus Willard NY
William Key Correctional Center Ft Supply OK
Wyoming Correctional Facility Attica NY

The Mission of God: Building the Kingdom

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Our theme for the CLI board retreat this year is: The Mission of God: Building the Kingdom. God gave me the idea for our theme as I was reading “The Mission of God, Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative” by Christopher Wright. It is one of my reading assignments for my Christian Ethics class this semester.

Our board retreat is next weekend, Sept. 11-13 at Sunset Beach. Nathan McLeod, owner of Apex Marble and Granite secured the beach house so there won’t be a cost to CLI. We appreciate our board helping us to be good stewards in various ways.
I just finished writing up our agenda for the weekend. Our main objective is to review the 2009 Master Plan including the budget and update it for 2010. We will be seeking God to show us what His plans and objectives are for CLI both next year and 5 years down the road.

Board members will give a devotional during the weekend, praise God, fellowship and experience our LORD. Board members are co-laborers and volunteers. They do not receive financial compensation but they do receive eternal rewards for carrying out the mission of God by building the Kingdom starting with the imprisoned.