A Prison Bible Study

Posted by Coleen Johnson

I first learned about Christian Library International a few years ago, while my son was in jail. Richie called saying that several inmates were interested in starting a bible study, but numerous requests for bibles had gone unanswered. He asked if I could help.

I was amazed at the difficulties I encountered as I sought to meet this need. He was 4 hours away, so I called churches near the jail. When my messages went unreturned, I called the jail chaplain. He said 17 men in Richie's pod were gathering to study, with one bible to share. The jail could only accept soft cover bibles and institution regulations sometimes prevented ministries from helping.

Not one to give up easily, I searched the internet and was thrilled to find CLI. I found their ministry to be highly organized, utilizing a proven system to cut through institutional red-tape, getting bibles and good Christian reading material into inmates' hands.

My bookshelves were filled with Christian books, which had helped me at one time, but now gathered dust. By donating them, I could be part of this much needed ministry. I could help people like my son, who desperately needed the Word of God to sustain them during this time of their life.

Matthew 25:40 says “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me.”-NIV. Christian Library International provides an opportunity for individuals to partner with them and reach the masses who are incarcerated.

CLI Satellite Office (an auspicious beginning)

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Inmate letters and Bible lessons keep rolling into CLI! Most of the letters are filled with praise for God and how He is working in their lives. This is very good!

We began praying and investigating ways to keep up with the demand. Volunteers answer the letters and review Bible lessons each week from the CLI offices. They like the accountability and camaraderie they have working together.

In visiting with board member Nathan McLeod, he showed me a small area that wasn’t being used by his employees. The Lord quickened my spirit and I said, “This would be a perfect place for volunteers living in the Cary area to write letters.” Nathan thought it was a good idea too and we agreed to pray about it.


We had our first meeting at Nathan’s company, Apex Granite and Marble yesterday, May 27. Gert Balog, who has been volunteering with CLI for two years has agreed to manage and train other volunteers. This location is 5 minutes from her home and saves a long commute to our offices.

Our target date for being operational is June 28th. Volunteers will meet each Monday between the hours of 1 and 5 PM to answer letters and review Bible studies. The address is 10315 B Chapel Hill Rd, Morrisville, NC 27560. Is this close to your home or office? Prayerfully consider how the Lord might like you to help with the new CLI Satellite Office. Call us at 919 212-8122.

Specific Needs in excellent condition:

5 Office Chairs
1 Computer
3 Printers (same make) and ink cartridges
Postage
Copy paper
Mail scale
Free printing or copying of Bible Studies and tracts
Office supplies: water wheels, staplers, stapler removers, scotch tape, scissors etc.

Christian volunteers:

Answer inmate letters
Review Bible studies from inmates
Clean and organize and set-up Satellite Office prior to June 28th

A Parent’s Side of Incarceration

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

We'd like to introduce you to Coleen Johnson and her perspective on incarceration:

My son first tried marijuana at 14. He didn’t like how it made him feel, yet he yearned to find acceptance with the boys at school. Richie asked Jesus into his heart at the tender age of 9, but experiencing an estranged relationship with his father after our divorce, he struggled with self-worth.

I watched Richie run from and to God for 8 years, until receiving a 4 year prison sentence---for choices related to his battle with substance abuse. As his mother, I rode a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows. When he was in a good place, seeking God, I had peace. When he was doing drugs, my peace was disturbed. Ultimately, for my own sanity, I had to let Richie go---release him fully into the hands of Father God. Sounds easy, but believe me it wasn’t.

Our children don’t have to be in a literal prison cell to be caught in sin’s snare---or for our heart’s to be in turmoil. I’ve claimed God’s promises for Richie and still wait for God to answer. This much I know; God is at work in his heart and circumstances.

This verse has brought me comfort: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”Phil.1:6 (NIV) If you’ are a Christian parent, with a prodigal son or daughter, I believe He’s at work in their heart too and pray you find comfort in this word.

Coleen Johnson

You've Got Mail

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

It's always a blessing to get mail from the people we serve. The CLI post office box is the address we stamp on all the books we send. Hence, at the PO box, we get new requests for the CLI Bible study and heartfelt letters from inmates.

Some have their testimony, others tell of the great difficulties they have been through. Yet others tell us of miraculous ways God is working in their lives.

We praise God for the wonderful letters He sends us!

Hello Our Beloved Brethren at Christ at Christian Library International

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director at CLI

We thank God for his Unspeakable Gift (Christ Jesus) to mankind. We thank you abundantly for your immediate reply to our request. May the Lord God continue to bless you each there with Christian Library International with his abundance of blessings according richest in glory by Christ Jesus, is our prayer. Praise the Lord!

This letter is our acknowledgment of various items of much spiritual value arrived today, May 17th. A video of the Lord Jesus Christ, several complete Bibles, also 3-small handy military Bibles. Plus, several assorted books, and an art bulletin to make viewable to the inmates. All was within one box. Thanks a million!

In closing we will make the enclosed Arts bulletin available throughout for inmates with artist abilities have an opportunity submit their best drawing, as contribution and support to reach men and women for Christ Jesus, who are in prisons throughout the United States. As we conclude - our prayer is that the Lord will abundantly supply all your needs according to his richest in glory by Christ Jesus. In that He will multiple your seeds sow and increase your righteousness, according to his richest in glory by Christ Jesus. Praise the Lord! Thank you, Chaplain Bill

Blessed By Grace

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

This Saturday CLI was blessed by a team of volunteers from Grace Community Church here in Raleigh. The Grace team has visited CLI several times before, doing projects like mailings and packing books. Seen in the photo are Jim, Ken, Lee and Elaine.

We praise God for providing the tireless volunteers that come to CLI willing to serve those in great need of the gospel of Jesus Christ!

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

New Birth

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-- kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. NIV 1 Peter 1:3-5


If you have hanging fern plants, or have ever had them outdoors, you know that birds love to make nests among the fronds. So it is with the CLI hanging ferns this year. Recently I took the ferns down to water them. It is easier this way. That is when I noticed 5 tiny, turquoise, eggs nestled deep under the greenery. After Martha, our office administrator and I marveled at God’s creation, I carefully hung the “bassinet” back in place.


This week all 5 eggs hatched, and instead of blue shells, we have 5 fuzzy, brown, chicks. What a wonderful miracle of new birth! Now when I take the fern down, there are 5 mouths - opened very wide. They are hungry and need nourishment to grow and fly through the air the way God intended.

Physical birth is a great reminder of our spiritual birth. In Christ Jesus, we are born again and become children of God. We too are spiritually hungry and need nourishment to grow and fly through our life the way God intended.

Unlike the birds that will grow old and die, we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We have an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade! This is what CLI and our Mission Partners are sharing with the spiritually dead in prison: new birth, new life and nourishment through God’s Word to live life in the way God intended.

Juan's Testimony

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

What a blessing it is to receive testimonies of how Jesus Christ has changed lives in the prisons! Here's Juan's testimony - translated from Spanish. We pray you will be encouraged and inspired.

My age is 44 years, I am Mexican born in Mexicali, Baja California. I was charged with drug trafficking with a minimum sentence of 5 years ending November 15, 2011.

It is a very great pleasure to be able to send you this letter and through it make this abundance of words reach you and moreover to be able to greet you, sharing that I send you many strong hugs with all my love for all of you faithful workers of God that collaborate in this beautiful and pleasing “Christian Library International”. It is my great desire that our Heavenly Father, Father of our Lord Jesus, would always grant all of you the desires of your hearts, and equally to each of your precious families, and furthermore that the majestic heavens would continue opening their doors in order that the highest Lord would continue flowing over us the abundant blessings of his divine mercy.

Dear Brothers in Christ: I write this letter with the purpose of giving my testimony of the great mercy that God has shown me. Today I’m delighted to write you in a spiritual way, as a regenerated man, as a new creature. In the past, like the community of Israel, I lived in disobedience for a long period of time wandering lost and without direction in a dark desert. I was left to drag through this world, a world of filthiness and as a result was converted to a slave of lust. It was unbridled passion, vices, and addictions, doing evil and adulteries, completely captive in the days of this century of money. The ending was a cell, damp, cold and dirty, without any power to change the inevitable loss of the delight of my eyes (my wife and son).

Permit me to tell you how many months had to pass in this humid dirty cell before I was able to repent of my actions with a broken heart. Only then was I able to bend my knees, bow my stiff neck, raise my hands to heaven, and humbly confess with my lips to Jesus as my Lord and Savior and owner of my life. Today as a new man I can testify the personal spiritual victory that I have obtained after the darkness of the world. All of this was due to the precious blood that was shed as payment for my sins. Through this living sacrifice I obtained reconciliation with my heavenly Father. Through this tragic sacrifice on the cross I have been provided with liberty in different areas of my life, coming to be rescued from the shackles and dues that immobilized me from the sins of Satan.

Today I testify with great pleasure how the Highest has made my life a place of joy and fruitfulness. This new style of Christian life, living a life of righteousness and holiness confirms my giving a grand testimony that we serve a living and true God. We are his chosen descendents as the Scripture says:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of Darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy buy now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. (Colossians 3:12)

The Lord Hears Your Cries

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Through our partnership with other prison ministries we received about a thousand copies of a booklet (72 pages) written for victims of domestic violence. The booklet, The Lord Hears Your Cries was designed to help those suffering from abuse with difficult and complex emotions. It leads the reader to seek comfort and hope from the Scriptures and find strength in the Lord.

The booklet has found a receptive audience in the prisons where a majority of women have come from abusive relationships. For example Linda writes:

“I recently picked up and read a copy of “The Lord hears Your Cries” and noticed that you offer a Bible Study. I am very much interested in this course and would appreciate it very much if I could sign up. The booklet itself was beautifully written and at times brought tears to my eyes. I wish I could have read it when I myself was involved in an abusive relationship; it may have given me the strength to leave before I was almost beaten to death. By the grace of God I survived, although bad choices have landed me here. I eagerly await your reply. Thank you,” Inmate Linda, Rustburg, VA

CLI Served 87 Prisons in April

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

We were blessed to serve 87 prisons in April. We pray all the wonderful Christian materials will be a great blessing to many for years to come! The are:

Appling Pre-Release Center Baxley GA
Century Correctional Institution Century FL
Century Regional Detention Facility Lynwood CA
Charleston County Detention Center North Charleston SC
Charlotte After Care 1 Charlotte NC
Charlotte After Care 2 Charlotte NC
Charlotte Correctional Center Charlotte NC
Charlotte Correctional Institution Punta Gorda FL
Chatham County Jail Savannah GA
Cherokee County Jail Canton GA
Chester County Prison West Chester PA
Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry Center Colorado Springs CO
Chippewa Correctional Facility URF-W Kincheloe MI
Chippewa Correctional Facility Kincheloe MI
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison Blythe CA
Cibola County Correctional Center Milan NM
Cimarron Correctional Facility Cushing OK
Clallam Bay Corrections Center Clallam Bay WA
Claremont Custody Center Coalinga CA
Clayton County Jail Jonesboro GA
Clemens Unit Brazoria TX
Cleveland Correctional Center Cleveland TX
Clinton County Correctional Facility McElhattan PA
Coastal State Prison Garden City GA
Coffee Correctional Facility Nicholls GA
Coffeewood Correctional Center Mitchells VA
Colleton County Detention Center Walterboro SC
Collier County Jail Naples FL
Collins Correctional Facility Collins NY
Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility Canon City CO
Colt Juvenile Treatment Center Colt AR
Columbia County Sheriff's Office Lake City FL
Columbus Correctional Inst Brunswick NC
Columbus County Jail Whiteville NC
Columbus Juv Residential Facility Tampa FL
Connecticut Juvenile Training School Middletown CT
Cook Inlet Pretrial Anchorage AK
Correctional Reception Center Orient OH
Corsicana Residential Treatment Center Corsicana TX
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center Connell WA
Craighead County Detention Center Jonesboro AR
Crawford County Jail Prairie du Chien WI
Crockett State School Crockett TX
Cross & Shield Prison Ministries Russellville AR
Cross City Correctional Inst Cross City FL
Cross County Correctional Institute Wynne AR
Crowley County Correctional Facility Olney Springs CO
Crowley County Sheriffs Office Ordway CO
Culpeper Juvenile Correctional Center Mitchells VA
Cumberland County Prison Carlisle PA
Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Portland ME
Cumberland Juvenile Detention Fayetteville NC
Cummins Correctional Unit Grady AR
Cummins Unit Grady AR
Curran-Fromhold Corrections Philadelphia PA
Currituck County Detention Center Maple NC
Cuyahoga County Jail Cleveland OH
Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Highland Hills OH
Dade Correctional Inst N. Annex Florida City FL
Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch Minot ND
Dakota Horizons Youth Center Dickinson ND
Dakota Women's Correctional Rehab Center New England ND
Dallas County Jail Dallas TX
Dan River Prison Work Farm Yanceyville NC
Dare County Detention Center Manteo NC
Darrington Unit, TDCJ Rosharon TX
Davidson Correctional Center Lexington NC
Davidson County Correctional Center/CCA Nashville TN
Davidson County Jail Lexington NC
Davis Correctional Facility Holdenville OK
Dawson State Jail Dallas TX
DeKalb County Jail Decatur GA
DeMilly Correctional Inst Polk City FL
DeSoto Correctional Institution Arcadia FL
Deep Meadows Correctional Center State Farm VA
Deer Ridge Correctional Institution Madras OR
Deerfield Correctional Center Capron VA
Deerfield Correctional Facility Ionia MI
Delores Baylor Women's Correctional Institution New Castle DE
Delta Regional Unit Dermott AR
Desert View Community Correctional Facility Adelanto CA
Deuel Vocational Institution Tracy CA
Diamondback Correctional Inst CCA Watonga OK
Diboll Correctional Center CCA Diboll TX
Dick Conner Correctional Center Hominy OK
Hutchins State Jail Dallas TX
Santa Rosa Correctional Institution Milton FL

Happy Mother’s Day from Michael

Posted by Kathleen Skaar - Executive Director of CLI

Inmate Michael expresses his love for God by designing and making a card for all the mothers at Christian Library International! This is not only for our staff but it is for our prayer warriors, volunteers, donors and anyone partnering with us. This is for you! God bless you on this special day and remember that even in prison, someone is thinking of you and wishing you a happy day!

Read what Michael says to you in the card:

Happy Mother’s Day!

I pray this card finds everyone doing well. I hope you all do something special! I want to thank each and everyone that is active in the Lord’s work! Jesus is proud of you all! No matter what you do for Christian Library International, you are special and I send my prayers to each of you. May the Lord keep and bless each of you!

Have a great day!!

Your brother in Christ, Michael

Volunteer Team from Resurrection Lutheran

Posted by Anders Skaar - Missions Director of CLI

It's always a blessing to have visiting volunteer teams come in and help. Last week we had a team of adults from Resurrection Lutheran Church in Cary.

Seven members of Resurrection Lutheran Church heeded the sign at the exit of their parking lot: they entered the mission field. As part of the church’s Operation InAsMuch on April 17, they came to the CLI office with boxes of books donated by the congregation. In addition to sorting and stamping the books, they also prepared the Spring newsletter for mailing.



Members of the team are Ruth Anderson, Cecilia Brown, Randy Cotton, Emmy Cullen, Ed Yerha, Gar and Ann Johnson. Ann is a regular volunteer at CLI, and the others enjoyed the morning so much that they offered to come again to help.

We praise God for helping hands to do His work!