Born into poverty and surrounded by addiction, Nichol’s life was marked by pain, survival, and despair.
“As a teenager and an adult, I was in and out of prison. Aside from the streets, the prison became a second home to me. I sold drugs to survive,” Nichol reflected. “It was all I knew.”
Her life took a darker turn in 2004 when she was arrested as the driver in a series of armed robberies that ended in tragedy. Sentenced to decades in prison, Nichol’s situation seemed hopeless. She hated her life and questioned everything. “If there is a God, why does He allow such things to happen to children?” she often wondered.
But in 2012, something unexpected happened. A woman approached her in prison, holding out a Crossroads Bible study. “I didn’t want it,” Nichol admitted. “I said, ‘No, thank you,’ but she didn’t accept my response. She just stood there, hand outstretched, until I finally grabbed hold of the other end of it.” Reluctantly, Nichol agreed to read the study just to get the woman to leave her alone. That night, as she angrily flipped through the pages, something inside her began to break.
“As I read, the only way I can describe it is like this: something inside me burst loose, like a dam overflowing with rushing waters. I couldn’t get enough.”
After that night, Nichol began studying God’s Word, attending church, and seeking answers to the deep questions that had haunted her. In 2013, she was baptized.
Still, Nichol’s walk with God hasn’t been without struggles. “Some days I don’t want to read my Bible. I don’t want to do a Bible study. But how do I embrace His purpose for my life if I’m unwilling to embrace Jesus Christ? He truly is the light, the truth, and the way. I just have to follow.”
Nichol speaks of God’s faithfulness through her trials. “He has given me peace amidst pain, carried me when I couldn’t walk, and loved me even when I didn’t love myself,” she wrote in her Crossroads application. “God has shown me that everything I went through has a purpose.”
The simple act of receiving a Bible study became the catalyst for a new life. Through Crossroads’ mentoring program, Nichol found hope, healing, and a deeper understanding of God’s love. “He is as real as the air I breathe,” she says.
In 2018, Nichol’s studies were disrupted when her facility implemented new mail restrictions. Smart Communications began scanning all incoming mail through its MailGuard service, often resulting in poor-quality, incomplete copies of lessons reaching Crossroads. Many mentors’ letters never made it to their students. For nearly two years, Crossroads was unable to send lessons to hundreds of students in Pennsylvania.
Nichol finally received her next lesson in the spring of 2020. Since reconnecting with the ministry, Nichol has chosen to give back by donating to Crossroads so that other students can receive the support and encouragement that she has received.
Today, over 100 facilities nationwide use similar scanning services. To overcome this growing challenge, we’ve recently reformatted our Bible study lessons into a scannable format with the hope that we can reconnect with more students.
Nichol’s story is a powerful reminder that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. Her testimony inspires us to continue the work of Crossroads—to extend hope to those who feel forgotten, to shine light in the darkest places, and to remind incarcerated men and women that they are deeply loved by God.
Will you join us in this life-changing ministry? Here’s how you can make an impact:
- Give Today. Your gift empowers Crossroads to innovate and overcome barriers, ensuring students like Nichol receive life-changing Bible lessons and mentorship. Every donation brings hope to incarcerated men and women searching for God’s love.
- Become a Mentor. Offer guidance, encouragement, and spiritual support to someone who feels forgotten. Your mentorship can be the catalyst for transformation.
- Pray With Us. Lift up Crossroads’ students, mentors, and ministry in prayer. Ask for wisdom as we navigate changing regulations, open doors to share the Gospel, and reconnect with students who are eager for hope and healing.