Mother of An Incarcerated Son - COUNTDOWN TO FREEDOM

GLORY GLORY GLORY ... we are ALMOST to the end of this story! I can't contain the excitement growing inside of me right now as I welcome August with open arms. August begins the ONE YEAR COUNTDOWN for my son's release and with gain time it could be even sooner! Lord I trust You and always have. Praise confuses the enemy so I am praising in advance! Next year ends the 7 years of HELL my family and I have been through when dealing with my son and his legal issues.

THANK YOU LORD! 7 is the number of completion and this journey is almost complete. I am BEYOND excited right now! Hopefully you all will join me as I complete this COUNTDOWN TO FREEDOM!

Mother Of An Incarcerated Son - Aren't you embarrassed?

I've been asked on a number of occasions how do I share so much of my personal life involving my son's incarceration and if I was embarrassed. I've been told by some parents of incarcerated children that some of their family members don't know of their child's situation. They think the child is away in college, visiting friends, etc etc. I pray anyone feeling like this finds comfort in knowing you are not alone in this world when it comes to loving and caring for an incarcerated child so there is no need to be embarrassed. It is indeed a very hard pill to swallow when you know you've raised your children to the best of your ability yet things like this still occur. I did have questions and the biggest question I asked when it occurred was "LORD WHERE DID I GO WRONG?"

I don't remember exactly how long I asked that question of myself and to the Father but it felt like an eternity but I do know as long as I continued to blame myself I could not find peace. There was no mental, emotional or spiritual peace in my life for the first few years of his sentence because I could not understand why my son choose the path he'd chosen and why GOD let it happen. It wasn't until I realized my Father had a MUCH better plan for our (my family) lives that I was able to let it go.

I've come to realize that most times it's not the fault of the parent and that everything happens for a reason. I know for me, my son needed to be shook before he was snatched off of this earth. I was an enabler and GOD had to work on me as well. At our last visit when my son and I discussed the Zimmerman verdict Dante' turned and said to me "I NEEDED THIS MAMA. I was living recklessly and it was either this or I'd be dead." THIS was a true wake up call for me because not only did my son show growth but he exhibited maturity. I'd never seen this side of him and I was more than pleased. The Father gives us choices and when we chose unwisely we suffer but HE never leaves nor forsakes us and guides us back to HIS arms. Thank you Father for Your GRACE AND MERCY!

These last 4 years have been a learning experience for my entire family and I thank GOD for the place HE has us in at this very moment. I pray strength and peace upon ANYONE who is going through this same ordeal because you will definitely need it. Anyone who is feeling embarrassed by the situation of their child I hope you pray that off because not only will your child need your full support but you too will need support. I know the Father has our backs but I also know I could not have gotten through this without letting go of some of the pain and other feelings to family and friends. Remember you are not alone and there is truly no reason to be embarrassed.