Jordan thought he had control of his life until everything fell apart, and he found himself with nowhere to turn but to God.
“I moved out of my mom’s house at 14 years old,” he said. “I started gangbanging and selling drugs. At 18, I went to federal prison for 7 years.” After five years of freedom, Jordan ended up back in prison, this time facing a life sentence.
“My whole life, I’ve always had the answer for any of my problems,” he admitted, “but I had no answer for this charge of life.” Desperate, he managed to get the money for a lawyer, only to have a family member take it all. “I thought I had found the answer, but I was back to feeling like my life is over. Rock bottom.”
That’s when God began to reach into Jordan’s heart.
“When my grandfather came to see me, I broke down. He told me, ‘Keep going; you have kids and a family that loves you and needs you.’ He told me to pray.”
Jordan started reading the Bible and signed up for Crossroads Prison Ministries. But the words didn’t make sense to him at first. “[My mentors were] telling me to ask God for help in prayer, so I began to pray to understand what I was reading. I was also praying to be sent to a jail with a good church so I can learn.”
Instead, he was transferred and placed in solitary confinement. There was no view, no books, nothing. “I asked for a Bible and the officer brought me one right away.” He started reading from the beginning, and something changed. “As I was reading, the Lord started to open my eyes. The Holy Spirit was guiding me. I could not put God’s Word down. I was reading day and night, sometimes crying as I read. I finished reading the whole Bible in 2 weeks.”
For the first time, God’s Word was alive and personal. “I had just read and understood what my grandma and my mom would tell me as a kid. I had to read it again, so I did.”
Two months later, when Jordan got out of solitary confinement, he went to church. “For the first time in my life, I could understand what the pastor was preaching. I saw that I was dependent on the self and living in the flesh, that I have been idolizing money.”
Jordan gave his life fully to Christ. “God has been there the whole time, and the real answer to my problem is Him. He is my Savior, my Lord, and my world.”
In 2023, he was baptized. His life began to change from the inside out. “I stopped gambling. I don’t curse anymore or dirty talk. I am no longer a slave to sin. I have so many testimonies since I have fully surrendered to God.”
Jordan is waiting for his sentence, praying for under 25 years. But his hope doesn’t depend on that number. “I said, ‘Your will be done, and I will follow You no matter what.’ So my testimony is not done. I am ready for however He wants to use me. He called me and I answered.”
You can be part of more stories like Jordan’s. Through Crossroads, men and women behind bars are discovering the truth of God’s Word and the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ.
We are currently raising funds to provide Bibles to any student who asks for one. Our goal is to raise $100,000 to send 10,000 Bibles into prisons in the coming year. Help us bring the life-changing message of the Gospel to those who need it most.
Give today at cpministries.org/donate.