Matthew, a U.S. military veteran, knows firsthand the challenges of life after combat and the power of faith to transform even the darkest circumstances.
“My father was a deacon, and my mom was in the choir. I grew up going to church every Wednesday and Sunday,” Matthew recalls. Influenced by his grandfather, a World War II Army veteran, Matthew felt drawn to military service: “I wanted to go in the Army after graduation.”
During his time in the Army, Matthew experienced both fellowship and hardship. At his first station he found a Pentecostal church that “welcomed me as family.” Yet, the challenges of Army life, transfers, and personal struggles led him away from God for a time. While serving in Iraq, he survived multiple life-threatening situations and lost four friends. Yet he admits, “I never thanked or praised God for His protection.”
After leaving active duty, Matthew struggled with PTSD, unhealthy relationships, and repeated arrests. Yet even in his brokenness, God’s presence was quietly guiding him. In 2018, following another arrest and a federal prison sentence, a pivotal moment came: “I was reading [the Bible] . . . and I heard my name called. I thought it was a correctional officer, but it wasn’t. I went back to the Bible . . . It was open to 1 Samuel 3 and I heard God call my name and He showed me the life I was living and where I was heading.” In that moment, Matthew rededicated his life to Christ.
Crossroads Prison Ministries became a central part of Matthew’s faith journey and Christian ministry training. “I found a Crossroads application in our chapel . . . They help me with my Bible study and sermon topics. God is leading me into being a minister for the deaf,” he shares. With the encouragement of Crossroads mentors, Matthew is completing ministerial courses, preaching to those incarcerated with him, and preparing for ordination. He describes prison as “God’s training ground for ministers.”
Matthew’s story reminds us that Veteran’s Day is not only about honoring service in the military but also about celebrating the resilience, faith, and transformation that can arise from the trials of life. He reflects, “I don’t see myself in prison—this is God’s training ground for ministers.” His journey shows how programs like Crossroads Prison Ministries help incarcerated veterans discover purpose, deepen their faith, and serve others.
This Veteran’s Day, you can help support veterans like Matthew and other incarcerated individuals on their journey of faith. Donate to Crossroads Prison Ministries today to provide Bible studies and mentorship that transform lives from despair to hope. Every gift makes a difference.