Looking back on his childhood, Brandon recognizes how easy he had it. His parents worked hard to make his life worry-free. And he grew up believing that “whatever [he] dreamed to be would come true, and [he] had infinite time to do it.” So, when he found himself...
By Ellie WaynerCrossroads Intern For most of his life, Forrest has been searching for freedom. It’s been a long, exhausting and destructive search, but it finally ended in prison where he found true freedom in Jesus. Growing up, Forrest’s mom owned a surf shop and...
Last year, I led a small Ash Wednesday service at my church. I placed ashes on foreheads as I spoke the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” I reminded everyone that the season of Lent invites us to slow down—to pray, fast, repent and be...
Convict. Inmate. Thief. Prisoner 24601. Maybe you recognize this number from the Broadway musical-turned-film Les Misérables, based on Victor Hugo’s book about a former prisoner, Jean Valjean, who experiences redemption. Valjean served time for stealing bread during...
Bahaa was born into a Catholic family in Iraq. From an early age, his artistic abilities were evident, but because artistic expression was not considered masculine in Iraq’s patriarchal society, he was discouraged from creating art. When Bahaa was 7, his family of six...
