“It wasn’t willpower that saved me—it was God’s grace. I surrendered, and He did the rest.”
For more than a decade, John Mark was a respected lawyer in Singapore, building a successful international career. But behind the achievements, he was quietly unraveling. After a painful divorce in 2012, John Mark tried to hold on, but as he shared, “I kept drinking to cope. I thought I was managing it, but really I was destroying myself.”
What began with alcohol spiraled into methamphetamine use. For six years he hid his addiction while trying to maintain his career. By 2018, everything fell apart. He lost his job, his health, and eventually his freedom. “When I was arrested, I thought, ‘This is it. My life is over.’”
In prison—stripped of everything he once relied on—John Mark met God again. “I reached a point where I said, ‘God, I can’t do this anymore.’ And immediately, I felt something lift. It was like the chains fell off.”
John Mark describes what happened next as nothing short of miraculous:
“I quit meth overnight. No withdrawal, no cravings. It was supernatural—only God could have done that.”
As he began reading Scripture, praying, and journaling daily, God rebuilt him from the inside out. And through letters of encouragement, reflections, and steady correspondence, Crossroads became an important part of his healing.
“Every lesson that came reminded me, ‘You are not forgotten.’ The mentors wrote with such kindness. Their words helped me believe God still had a purpose for me.”
After his release, God began restoring what John Mark feared was lost forever. His law license was reinstated. He found a church community. In time, he became a Crossroads mentor himself. “I wanted to give back what was given to me. Those letters changed my life—I wanted to offer that same hope.” And as he and his wife Janice walked through medical crises—his mother-in-law’s stage 4 cancer, Janice’s emergency surgery, and a long journey through infertility—they saw miracle after miracle.
In 2024, their son was born prematurely at 1.5 pounds (680 grams). Doctors were unsure he would survive, but John Mark once again surrendered it all to God. Today, their son lives—another undeniable testimony of God’s mercy.
“God restored what I thought was lost—my license, my family, and now a son I nearly surrendered to death,” he said.
From a prison cell to restored family, restored calling, and restored hope, John Mark’s life reflects the relentless grace of Jesus Christ. And Crossroads was part of that restoration.
“As a student, Crossroads walked with me. Now, as a mentor, I get to walk with others. That’s God’s redemption story.”
Every day, Crossroads mentors write letters to men and women behind bars—reminding them that hope is real and transformation is possible.
Will you help someone in prison discover hope? Become a Crossroads mentor or give today to support this life-changing ministry.