Fruitful

My greatest wound was hurting my family through drinking and drugging, going to prison, and failing as a husband, father, son, and friend. I believed the lies of Satan – that I had determined my fate – that I would be a convict for all my life, and I should just give up on any notion of being a good father, husband, son or friend. I thought, “I’ve wounded too many…including myself…to ever make it right again. Too much work would have to be done to restore all the damage I’ve caused.”

When needless suffering and affliction invades our lives, we often ask ourselves, “Who needs all this grief?!” This is when depression and despair can set in. We search for answers and the way out of the crazy nightmare of a life we are living, to only come up short.

But the good news is, Jesus Christ our Lord came to save the wounded, the afflicted, the hurting, the lost, the destitute and the sinner! Glory be to God! There’s a way out of this nightmare of a life!

Cry out to Jesus is what I had to do, and He took my wounds and my affliction and caused it to be fruitful.

Take the origin of pearls, for example. Each pearl is formed by an oyster’s internal response to a wound caused by an irritant or affliction. Resources of repair rush to the injured area. The final result is a lustrous pearl. Something beautiful is created that would have been impossible without the wound.

Take the story of Joseph in the Bible. He was cast into a pit and left for dead, he was taken from the pit and sold into slavery. While a slave, he did what was right and yet was falsely accused and sent to prison! However, Joseph is placed, by God, into a position of influence – second in command of all of Egypt! God used him to feed surrounding nations and his own family during a time of famine.

But how does Joseph become this influential man of God? It all began with a wound which produced a pearl of usefulness. Because Joseph drew from God’s resources when he was humiliated, he became better – not bitter. Joseph named his second son “Ephraim” which means, ‘twice fruitful’. Joseph said, “God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my afflictions.” (Genesis 41:52)

Author Paul E. Billheimer says of Joseph, “If human pity could have rescued him from the sad part of his life, the glorious part that followed would have been lost.”

So, if you’re suffering and afflicted remember: no wounds, no pearls.

For me, I now see that it was only in my afflictions, my “land of affliction”, that has caused me to be fruitful and, all glory and honor goes to the One who made it happen.

God gave me a son, named Gateway To Glory. And, just like the son God gave Joseph, named Ephraim (which means twice fruitful), we see Gateway to Glory being twice fruitful. Some of our graduates are teaching Bible studies, leading prayer groups, and going back into the jail to do services and one on one ministry!

Where are you with past wounds and afflictions? Have you become better or bitter? What about the wounds of betrayal, unforgiveness, picked last in the lineup, fired from a job, relapses, infidelity… Do you harbor resentment and bitterness that will produce disappointment, depression, and despair? Or are you using God’s resources that ultimately turn the wound into a pearl of usefulness?

A famous quote by someone goes like this: You can’t fix the past, you can’t go back and make a brand-new start, but you can start today and make a brand new ending!

Praise to God for His new beginnings!

Chaplains Steve and Robin Malek

Transformed By Grace

Through the jail, we have the opportunity to meet and help many people who have lost their way.  This is the story of one of them, told by Chaplain Robin:

Several years ago, Chaplain Steve was able to preach at one of the women’s classes in the Macomb County Jail.  At that time, he met a young woman who recommitted her heart to the Lord at the end of his class.  After returning to the office, he mentioned her to me and asked if I would follow up with her.  Before I could visit her, I received a phone call from one of the Officers asking me to see her before she was released (she had touched this Officer’s heart as well).   

Upon meeting this young woman I was struck by her sweet, china doll face, and her soft heart.  In our conversation, she explained that she was concerned about getting out and not really having a safe place to land.  So, I mentioned Life Challenge (with whom we work very closely).  Unfortunately she was on some medication that Life Challenge wouldn’t allow. Upon learning she would have to wean off that medication before going there, she found another place to go to in Port Huron.  I told her that Steve and I would transport her there when she was released.

The day came for her release and I met her at the doors to the jail at 5am.  She was released in the middle of winter, so I took her to Meijer where we were able to find a couple of warm sweaters (all they had at the time), then I took her to breakfast.  She was so pleasant to be with and, again, I was struck with her sweet disposition and desire to grow closer to Christ.

After breakfast, we went back to the Chaplain’s office for her to make some phone calls and get some paperwork in order.  Afterwards, Steve and I took her to lunch then to Port Huron.

I stayed in touch with her by phone for a short period of time, but then contact with her began to dwindle.  Pretty soon, I could not get hold of her at all - which indicated that she was off and running (using drugs again).

After some time elapsed, Steve was preaching at another women’s class, and there she was – back in jail.  We were ecstatic; she was still alive!  I again, met with her, she agreed to enter Life Challenge, and we arranged to get her there.

Sensing a connection, I became her mentor, visiting her every other week at Life Challenge. Encouraging her to ask the Lord for a “life verse” (Scripture that will carry her throughout her life), Jessica felt the Lord led her to Isaiah 61:3:  “…to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning…”

During her year there, the Lord met her, fed her and kept her strong when her strength of resolve was waning.  She graduated Life Challenge in November 2015, (incidentally, the Officer who had contacted me on her behalf, was able to attend her graduation and was moved to tears to see the transformation that had taken place).  After her graduation, the young lady decided to stay there as an intern for 6 months.

After the 6 month commitment was over, the Gateway Board had been feeling led to open a women’s house and had the opportunity to do so, so the young lady became the first resident (and because of clean time and leadership abilities, also became the women’s house manager).  She continued as the house manager for 3 years.  Many of you know her, the young lady’s name is Jessica.

Just last year, our amazing God brought a Godly young man (Brandon) into Jessica’s life and, on February 1, 2020, in front of 120+ people, Jessica and Brandon recited their vows of marriage to one another! Incidentally, Brandon’s life verse is Ephesians 2:10; “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…”

Coming from a similar background (not to mention having life verses that compliment each other), these two share the testimony of God’s unrelenting love!  They are trophies of His amazing grace!  As they begin their new lives as husband and wife, we pray that the grace that captured them will hold them, mold them, and continue to abound toward them as they work together to fulfill His calling on their lives.

Amazed by His transforming power,
Chaplains Steve and Robin Malek

In Memory of Kevin McHugh

Psalm 34:22 says: The Lord redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned. 
 
I saw Kevin as a true servant with a servant’s heart.  He loved to serve at the Macomb County Jail and hardly ever said no to an invitation to take a service or visit with an inmate one on one.  Kevin exemplified John 12:26; “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”  How does He do that?  By redeeming their souls!
 
The secular mind will never understand or accept this call, the call to servanthood.  Kevin not only understood it, but he fulfilled the call.
 
A servant is one who accepts and acknowledges a place beneath those who He serves, one who is willing to forsake what the “system” says about social status and values.  Kevin made no nevermind about social status and the world’s standard of values, he was willing to place himself beneath those who he served.  Jesus placed Himself right alongside the least of these, as He stated:  “When I was in prison, you visited me…”
 
Kevin not only considered it a privilege and an honor to minister at the Macomb County Jail, he also considered it an opportunity where he could be close to his Savior.  “Where I am, there my servant will be also.”
 
Every true servant will ultimately be honored by the One they serve and who has promised them honor for that service!
 
If we serve our King in that act of service we are elevated to a place of honor, “…him my Father will honor…”  Kevin could not be in a better place of honor than where he is now.  In the presence of the King of kings and Lord of lords, our Savior, Jesus Christ for all of eternity.
 
In His Service,
Chaplain Steve Malek

Just Rewards and Big Blessings – Merry Christmas!

December at the Macomb County Jail is always an anxious, but glorious time!  We, at Gateway To Glory, understand what the inmates are going through as they are not able to be with their families, especially their children.  That is why we try to make as many provisions as possible to keep up the moral and to keep the focus (the one and only true focus) on the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We show the love of Christ by encouraging each individual to get the focus off of themselves and their current situations, and get it on the greatest gift, the gift of Jesus.  Jesus is truly able to do abundantly above and beyond all they could ever think, right where they are.
 
Gateway shares the joy of Christ’s birth in many different ways during this season, from Caroling to the Max (Christmas Carols and Scripture reading to those in maximum security), to participating in the Angel Tree program, to packing and passing out 1200 Christmas Bags (inmates and staff receive bags stuffed full of God’s word and goodies), to holding a Christmas Day morning service on each and every floor of the jail (the tower, annex, rehab and mental health)!  It is truly a month packed with activities and ministry!
 
Regarding the Christmas Day services, the response from the 8 volunteers that helped make this happen, was that they witnessed a powerful move of the Holy Spirit the likes they had never seen before.  I would comment too, by saying Jesus Christ was lifted up and glorified, just like He was 2000 years ago that glorious Christmas morning.  The same way His birth was first announced to a bunch of dirty low down shepherds, so it was announced to the inmates at the Macomb County Jail.
 
Something very interesting happened during the Christmas celebration that showed both “arms” of the Gateway Ministries in action.  This event involved the manager of the men’s aftercare house, a man who had become a resident (for approx. 24 hours), and one of Macomb County’s finest.
 
A man by the name of “Jim” came to our transition house on a Sunday afternoon (Dec 17 – 1 day before the Christmas Bag pack).  Within a couple of minutes, the house manager, Mike noticed something very disturbing about the man and immediately notified me.  Mike informed me that I would be meeting “one of ‘Jim’s’ personalities” the next night when the men were scheduled to pack the Christmas bags.  “Jim” never made it to the bag pack because Monday afternoon he was confronted by Mike on account of some very unusual and erratic behavior he was exhibiting.  “Jim” responded with a blow to Mike’s eye and took off running down Elizabeth Street towards the jail.  He was definitely running the right direction, because within a minute of Mike’s phone call to 911, the police picked up and arrested “Jim” for assault.  He ended up back in custody at the jail.
 
Hats off to our manager, Mike, who exercised self-control and did not retaliate.  Proverbs 19:11 says:  “Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs” and Proverbs 29:11 tells us “A fool always loses his temper, But a wise man holds it back”. 
 
The next day arrived (Tuesday) and it was time to pass out the Christmas bags to all the inmates at the jail.  Guess who was on my team as one of the volunteers?  Yep, you guessed it, Mike with his big, black eye!  As we entered the Holding Cells for the inmates, I came across a familiar face, “Jim”.  I told Mike he could give a bag to that particular inmate.  Mike approached the cell, “Jim” shouted, “What are YOU doing here?”  Mike calmly responded, “I’m here to tell you Jesus loves you and Merry Christmas.  Here is your Christmas Bag!”  The expression on “Jim’s” face was priceless!  It was truly an expression of someone who had “hot burning coals of shame” just heaped upon his head! 
 
I Peter 3:9; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.
 
We’d say “Jim” has his just rewards and Mike has a big blessing coming his way!
 
Merry Christmas and Blessing in the New Year!
Chaplains Steve and Robin Malek