Disciples who are on mission for God don’t always have to go to foreign lands to take the gospel. They can go across the street to their families, neighbors and co-workers. Countless men and women have responded to the gospel in the Polk County Jail and then God places them on mission to go and tell others of God’s work in their lives. Your testimony is the greatest single method of reaching others for Christ.
Irene was one who gave her life to Christ at the PCJ and then began sharing her faith with others immediately. Often new believers are bold, excited and unashamed to tell others Who changed their lives and she didn’t hesitate to take advantage of opportunities.
Irene says, “I came from a very broken home. My dad was an abusive alcoholic who beat Mom horribly. Mom left him when I was 5. He took the kids from her and eventually shot and killed himself in front of our family. Mom couldn’t take care of us so we were sent to an orphanage for three years. Mom remarried but he was an alcoholic. We mirrored what they did – smoke weed and drink. I thought every kid went to elementary school stoned. I rebelled at 14. I wanted to be accepted and liked by my friends, so I did drugs and alcohol with them. At 15 I left home. At 16 I was pregnant at 17 I was married. By 19 I’d committed adultery and divorced him. My son was taken from me by his dad because of my behavior. That was the beginning of shame, guilt, and a life out of control with drugs, alcohol and crime. I lost dad, my best friend to a drowning accident. They never found his body, so I covered more pain with drugs and alcohol.
Again I married and we moved to Iowa to be with my mom. Russ and I had two beautiful daughters, but we did a lot of drinking, made and sold meth, stole, and did more crime. In 2008 I was arrested for selling meth and went to Polk County Jail. I was on my way to prison but I got rescued. Assistant Chaplain Russ Smith said, ‘God loves you and you don’t have to go to hell.’ He quoted Romans 5:8 God demonstrated His love while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. I asked Jesus into my life, but still went to prison on a 25-year charge. I had never felt so free in my \whole life, but once out all my family and friends had not changed. I went back to jail two more times where I learned to surrender to Jesus.
I’ve been clean and sober since May of 2014! So I’ve taken the opportunity to turn these messes in my life into a message from Christ who changed me into a daughter of the most high God. I’m redeemed! I’m forgiven! Nothing compares to my life in Christ. Everything I was searching for my whole life I found in Christ. I love to tell others of my redemption story that changed my life forever and I’ve seen many others who have received this redemption for themselves.”