In Jeremiah 1:5, God says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you… I appointed you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah’s immediate response was fear: “I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.”

He felt unqualified.
He felt afraid.
He felt inadequate.

But God answered him, “Do not be afraid… for I am with you.”

Jeremiah’s story reminds us of something we don’t often talk about: obedience doesn’t always lead to comfort. Sometimes it leads to chains.

Imprisonment #1: Confined for Speaking Truth
Jeremiah’s first imprisonment came because he told King Zedekiah that Babylon would overtake Jerusalem (Jeremiah 32). The king didn’t like hearing that. So Jeremiah was shut up in the courtyard of the guard.

He wasn’t imprisoned for rebellion. He was imprisoned for honesty.

While Babylon surrounded the city, others told the king what he wanted to hear. Jeremiah told him what God said. Even while confined, God instructed Jeremiah to buy a field—a prophetic sign that restoration would one day come. In the middle of siege and imprisonment, God was still speaking hope.

Application: Sometimes obedience costs us comfort or reputation. But confinement does not cancel God’s promises. Your current trial is not God’s final word.

Imprisonment #2: Beaten and Thrown in a Dungeon
In Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah is falsely accused of defecting to Babylon. Officials beat him and throw him into an underground dungeon. Later, King Zedekiah secretly asks him, “Is there any word from the Lord?”
Jeremiah knows the cost of answering truthfully. He has already experienced prison. But he tells the truth again: Jerusalem will fall.

He was faithful—even when it hurt.

Application: God’s presence doesn’t always remove the chains, but it sustains us inside them. What feels unfair or painful does not mean God has abandoned you. Faithfulness is not measured by comfort but by obedience.

Imprisonment #3: The Pit
The third imprisonment was meant to kill him (Jeremiah 38). Officials lowered Jeremiah into a cistern—a deep pit with no water, only mud. He sank. There was no way out on his own. But God sent help through an unexpected source: Ebed-Melech, an Ethiopian official who intervened and rescued him.

Jeremiah could not climb out of the pit himself. God provided rescue.

Application: When obedience leads you into what feels like a pit, God is already preparing a way out. Rescue may come through unexpected people or unexpected timing—but God sees, and God moves.

What This Means for Us
Jeremiah was beaten, imprisoned, and thrown into a pit—not because he was disobedient, but because he was faithful.
Every chain came from saying yes to God. But God never left him.
He was with Jeremiah in the courtyard. He was with him in the dungeon. He was with him in the mud-filled pit.

Maybe you’re not behind physical bars, but you know what confinement feels like.
Fear.
Addiction.
Grief.
Waiting.
Obedience that hasn’t yet been rewarded.

Jeremiah’s life reminds us:
Your obedience has not gone unnoticed. Your suffering is not wasted. Your pit is not permanent.

Faithfulness may not always lead to immediate freedom—but it always leads to God’s presence. And His presence is what carries us through every prison, every dungeon, and every dark place.

Because no chain is stronger than His promises. And no pit is deeper than His reach.

• Lies sound convincing.
• They make you question God’s plan.
• They whisper that you’re too broken, too unqualified, or too late.
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God’s Word exposes every lie and brings freedom. Don’t believe the enemy, believe God.
 
2. God Can’t Use Me Because of My Past
Albert's childhood was full of tragedy: his father died, his home burned down, and by his teens, he was involved in crime. At twenty-eight, he was sentenced to two life terms without parole.

But God reached Albert in prison through a Kairos ministry weekend. He discovered God’s love and surrendered his life to Christ. Over the next 29 years, Albert mentored others, taught the Bible, and brought hope to countless people behind bars. Eventually, he was released, became an ordained minister, and founded a reentry program to help men returning from prison. In 2024, he even received a full pardon.  Albert’s story reminds us that our past does not define our future.

Your past doesn’t disqualify you—it prepares you. God delights in using the broken, the overlooked, and the unqualified to display His power.

3. I’m Not Qualified
Joanna had no formal training in prayer or ministry. She joined a Bible study in a jail cell, and despite her lack of experience, she started a nightly prayer circle with other women. What began with three women grew into prayer circles in every pod. Lives were transformed, spirits lifted, and God’s power moved in ways Joanna never imagined.

God doesn’t call the qualified—He qualifies the called. You don’t need to have it all together; you just need to be willing.
 
4. Did I Hear God Right?
Doubt is normal. Gideon questioned God’s call, Jeremiah felt too young, Isaiah doubted his worth, and Paul believed his past disqualified him.

I’ve had my own moments of doubt. When God called me to serve in the county jail, I was terrified. I had no experience, and walking through those heavy doors into a room of inmates felt completely outside my comfort zone.

Later, God nudged me to write a devotional called ,but God. I initially ignored the calling—I had no idea how to write a book, I had even dropped my only journalism class in college—but over time, I listened, researched, and collected stories of inmates’ but God moments: unexpected moments of grace where God stepped in and changed everything. And now I am about to be a published author.

Even when we doubt, God equips us to fulfill His plans.
 
5. Fear is Real—But God is Greater
Fear is a natural emotion. Moses didn’t want to face Pharaoh. Joshua was afraid to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. And I’ve felt fear too—fear of rejection, fear of failure, and fear that God’s calling would disrupt my plans.

Fear becomes a problem only when it stops us from obeying. God calls with His power and presence, not a casual “good luck.” 

When we step forward in obedience, even when we are afraid, His plans consistently surpass what we could have imagined.
 
The Holy Spirit stirs in you for a reason. Don’t let lies, doubt, or fear hold you back. Your obedience may be the But God moment that changes someone’s life—including yours.

 They learn how to apply for jobs, practice interview skills, present themselves with confidence, and navigate basic etiquette and manners. We expose them to new possibilities by taking them on tours of local colleges and trade schools.

But yesterday, we took them somewhere unexpected: our county jail.

For context, I spend at least two hours a week inside that very jail, meeting with incarcerated women. We open God’s Word, talk about life, and wrestle with real questions. So bringing our youth there wasn’t just about seeing jail—it was about seeing choices, consequences, and hope in the middle of both.

They saw master control, with more security cameras than you can count. They walked through booking, where every person arrested is processed. They stood in the long, echoing hallways of the women’s pods, where the women I meet with live day in and day out.

But the most powerful part of the tour wasn’t the facility—it was the people.

Two inmates volunteered to speak with our students. The first was a woman facing 25 years. She had already been to prison and was now awaiting her next court date. She told her story: it all began in high school with drinking and drugs. Her charges started small—misdemeanors—but over time, they escalated to felonies. And felonies stick. They follow you. They shape everything that comes next.

The second was a man facing nearly 100 years. He had spent most of his twenties incarcerated. Now, in his early thirties, he’s facing the very real possibility of never getting out.

They shared with the students that the mindset of “just a little marijuana” can be extremely dangerous—especially now. What many youth don't realize is that today’s drugs aren’t what they used to be. Most street drugs, even those that appear relatively harmless, are often laced with deadly substances like fentanyl. Just one mistake, one bad batch, can lead to overdose—or worse.

They also talked about the growing legal consequences. As of July 1, 2025, DAP pens—vapes that contain THC substances—are now illegal to possess, sell, or distribute. What was once casually sold at gas stations is now a felony offense. When our students heard this, many were visibly surprised. They had no idea that carrying something they thought was “no big deal” could now have life-altering consequences.

Both inmates emphasized the same powerful message: "Watch who you’re spending your time with." They shared with raw honesty how the friendships they chose—the people they allowed into their inner circle—shaped their thinking, their values, and ultimately, their actions. It wasn’t just one major decision that landed them in jail; it was a series of smaller choices, influenced by the company they kept.
 
They described how peer pressure slowly chipped away at their convictions. How being around the wrong crowd normalized behavior they once knew was wrong. Trying drugs or covering for a friend became part of their routine. And before they realized it, those moments compounded into a lifestyle—one that spiraled beyond their control. Their warning wasn’t just about avoiding “bad influences.” It was about being intentional surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to grow, who encourage you to make wise choices, who reflect the kind of future you want for yourself. 

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “You are who you hang out with.” It might sound simple, but it’s profoundly true. The people around you either push you toward God’s best—or pull you away from it.

"Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’" – 1 Corinthians 15:33 

The people we allow into our inner circle shape our thinking, our choices, and the direction of our lives. That’s not just a warning—it’s a reality. The inmates’ stories reminded our students (and all of us) that even small compromises—especially in who we let influence us—can lead to life-altering consequences.

But God’s grace always offers a way back. He places people in our lives to challenge us, sharpen us, and walk with us toward healing and truth. He redeems stories—even the ones that look like they’ve gone too far.

Take a moment to ask yourself:
Who am I letting influence me?
Are they drawing me closer to Christ—or away from Him?
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Choose wisely.