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 READ OUR MAIL


 READ OUR MAIL 
 
 

Christian Library International puts a stamp in every book we send to the prisons. These stamps generate inmate correspondence either requesting another book or Bible, or telling us how a CLI book blessed him. We praise God that He is using the books and Bibles we send to touch lives for all eternity.

Our team of "letter ministers" answer each and every letter. Sometimes inmates write back that they are shocked to receive a personal reply!

Letter Minister Ernie

Inmate Letters

“I want you all to be blessed in the greatest way. Thank you for the kindness and care you’ve shown. Yes, it is very stressful dealing with incarceration and HIV. I want to go to a Christian Ministry House and learn more of the Word of God – Jehovah. I love Him very much. I wanted to say thank you for the personal Bible study book. It is helping me!! So thank you and please write back and pray for me!” Inmate Carrie, Dayton, TX

Thank you for all you do, it is greatly appreciated and does change men's lives for God. I use your books on Lock up and the men light up when I arrive with my cart. I wish you could see their response. When I go over without the cart they always ask when new books are coming in. In His Hands! Chaplain, Galen E. Beitzel

“Thank you for the assistance and materials. These items will be a blessing; many will be led to the Peace and Joy only Jesus Christ can bring. We ask that you remember our men and our work here in your prayers and we promise to lift up your ministry as well.” Chaplain Philip Leslie, Miami Correctional Facility, IN

“The Chaplaincy Department at Plane State Jail would like to thank you, most profusely, for the donation of spiritual materials your Ministry has sent to this facility. These materials are being put directly into the hands of inmates and are being used in classes and services. Here at Plane, we have over 2000 female inmates, for whom we strive to keep their faith and love of God alive. More than you know your generous gift of valuable resources helps our many women in their need and motivates them to return to the fundamentals of their faith. What a blessing your work is! Your ministry is touching many lives!” Chaplain Sandy, Dayton, TX

“First I just thank and praise God for your ministry. I received the Naves Topical Bible that you sent and it has already proved to be a blessing. It is an excellent resource to have for my studies. I pray that I may continue to grow in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that you are able to help edify the body of Christ continually. May God bless your ministry now and always.” Inmate Christopher, Jasper, FL

“Thank you my fellow believers in Christ for sending me a wonderful Bible. The KJV New Pilgrim Edition was just what God intended for me to study His word. It was more than what I expected but then again God is good to those who want to know Him. I sent in my first lesson in Christian Leadership and look forward to growing God’s grace and knowledge.” Inmate Michael, Jasper, FL

“I would like to thank you for your help sending me a book to help me out on my Bible studies. The last book that you sent to me, the Bible Handbook, has been a great help to me. All of you have been in my prayers.” Inmate Ray, Grady, AR

“Our chapel library recently received a great Bible from you. I wanted to thank you for making such a really great donation to our chapel. It’s a really cool Bible and has given me some real meditation food with all of its many different articles and insights. I read your little stamp in the front of the Bible and that is why I am writing. I’d really like the chance to enroll in your Leadership Bible Study.” Inmate Christopher, Dayton Beach, FL

Presently, I'm confined to my cell 23 hours per day with little or nothing to read to help me. No doubt you receive thousands of requests per year for all sorts of stuff, my letter in that sense in not different. However, I'm not like many, in that I accept my wrong in drug use, at 22 years old I've had enough of prison. On this account believe me.  I would be most appreciative of this Bible which would be extremely helpful!  Inmate, William, Houtzdale, PA

May the grace of our Lord be with you and your ministry. I will like to state that it's a true blessing to know that there are people out in the free world willing to help those in prison. Your brother in Christ. Inmate, Avery, Jasper, FL

Thank you for that information. And I read the Scriptures and passages and asked Jesus to come into my life. Yes, I would like more information about growing in Jesus Inmate, Sandra, Plane State Jail, TX

Hello! Man you guys are such a blessing got me. I mean it seems like every book you send is just what I need at that time. I don't have any family so you guys have really inspired me to get out of here one day and help people like myself, just like God planned.  I am really ashamed when I look back that I rejected my Lord and Savior for so long.  I am so grateful for his grace and mercy!  He is such an awesome God!  For me to be locked up and have no family and watch all these other guys with all their family support, but yet still miserable cause they don't know Jesus. But I have so much peace and joy that God gives me and all these guys ask how do you do it?  By the grace of God.  Man I love him. Inmate, Sean B. Henderson, TX

I just finished reading "More Stories for the Heart". It really touched me in a special way.  The inspirational books really brighten by days.  Thank you and may God bless you! Inmate, Jesus G., Bryon TX

Letter Minister Diane

Chaplain Letters

We have a strong Christian population at MacDougall and your shipment of books and study materials will go far to encourage, enlighten and strengthen them. We also have a Muslim community, a few Jewish inmates, Jehovah Witnesses and many unsaved individuals, so your gift will also help in evangelical ways. We have no operating budget and we are not financially sponsored by the state, so we rely on gifts such as yours. Thank you. Our prayer is that God will richly bless you for your thoughtfulness and willingness to serve the Body of Christ. Chaplain Lance Neal, MacDougall Correctional Institute, South Carolina

I just wanted to let you know that we received a box with the pamphlets: THE LORD HEARS YOUR CRIES: Hope and strength from the Scriptures in the midst of Domestic Violence. This was unexpected but very welcome, it is astonishing how many domestic violence inmates we have. Thank you very much! Marion Severson, Program Director, Laramie County Detention Center

Thank you so much for your recent gift of Christian literature. I especially appreciate the material on marriage, Bible Studies, and Bible on CD. Thank you for remembering - the least of these! Chaplain Jeff, Hardwick, GA

May our dear sweet Lord Jesus bless you at this Holy time of year! This year has especially been a blessing seeing the Lord work in men's lives. In Nov., we reached a total of 1400 men who have confessed Christ as their personal Lord and Savior over the last five years. Hallelujah, what a Savior! Thank you for making us a part of your ministry! Without your prayers and continued support this would not have been possible. Thank you for the Bibles and Christian supplies - men need new reading material; "The Almighty Word of an Almighty God!" Thank you Thank you! Rev. Carl Richards, Chaplain, Arizona State Prison

Thank you so much for the many Bibles and books that you sent for the youth in our Correctional Facilities. These reading materials are sending a message of God's love and provision to many who feel cast aside by society and are desperate for God's gracious and healing touch. We really appreciate your commitment to the incarcerated and are praising God for His beautiful provision. Thanks so much and may God Bless this important work. Chaplain Peggy Bingham

Thank you for your donation of books, audio and video tapes. Many women here have never been exposed to the Word of God and this is a means of reaching out to them. They come in hungry for something meaningful and for some kind of rack to lean on. By your gift the chapel library is better quipped to reach out to these women. Thank you for allowing God to use you for His service. CLI's humbleness to His will is evident and your light is truly shining. Thank you for setting an example of a true servant of God. Sharon Fisher, Chaplain, Women's Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Correctional Center, Missouri

Letter Minister Martha

Prayer Warrior and Supporter Letters

Each day a small army of people exemplify the warriors described in Ephesians 6:13-18. They put on the full armor of God: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and sword of the Spirit. They pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.

Jean, a homemaker active in Christian groups since 1975, has prayed dutifully for at least a half hour every night since 2004. Using the weekly praises and requests that Kathleen sends to her, she prays for the administrative needs of CLI, for its board members, and for God's will in the organization's search for a home. Because her heart aches for those in prison, she prays for them by name, sometimes for their specific needs and other times, when she is tired, by saying just their names and trusting that God knows their needs. A special relationship exists between her and certain inmates with whom she corresponds regularly. Maynard, serving a life sentence and rejected by his family, treasures the letters Jean sends and tells her that he daily finds strength by reading the Bible that CLI sent to him.

Andy, a full-time children's pastor and doctoral student, is also a prayer. He says, CLI is very close to my heart because I believe in the work God does through it. So I naturally have to intercede on its behalf to the Father. I started as a prayer warrior in 2002. I pray not only when I receive the email requests, but throughout the week as the Lord brings these requests to mind. They are grouped into my intercession time when I pray for several missionaries I know and lift up regularly. I love to hear of the spiritual successes that inmates are experiencing, and I pray for their further strengthening. I also love to see the answered requests, because that confirms Psalms 116: 1-2 for me and motivates me to further lift up requests.

Earle, a not-quite-retired real estate agent, reads the requests sent to him and prays more than once a week for the CLI ministry because he believes in its worth and thinks everyone involved needs to be covered by prayer. He knows that God honors these prayers.

Lindy was a flight attendant for 20 years until the Lord took her out of that profession two years ago to serve Him full time. She loves to spend time with Him when she first wakes up in the morning and throughout the day, whether driving her car or cleaning the house. Instead of praying for certain people or situations all the time, she prays as the Holy Spirit gives her utterance. Lindy exuberantly proclaims, It is a right and a privilege to come boldly to His throne of grace because of our inheritance of what Christ died to give us. If Christians would speak forth God's Word over the mountains and around them, miracles and the supernatural power of God would be evidenced by the world, thereby drawing the world to the Lord Himself.

Paula is a teacher who felt led to pray when she met Kathleen and Anders at the CLI booth at her church's mission festival a few years ago. One of the things that she loves most about the ministry is that they pray the Word for each need. And that is how she prays for the people in the ministry and the inmates each Tuesday morning. Paula says, Although I am only a small part of this great ministry, it is still a joy to know that I get to be part of watching the Lord change the lives of inmates by praying for CLI!

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Christian Library International
3800A Hillcrest Drive
Raleigh, NC 27610

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