3 Things I Learned in Jail That Can Help Us Live in Freedom

One of my favorite places to spend time is at our county jail.  That is actually one of the places I miss most while I’m sitting quarantined in my house during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most weeks, I’m in jail two or three days.

Do you know why I love it? It’s because God is working there in ways that utterly humble my heart. There is freedom blossoming in beautiful ways.  I go there to do Bible study and to visit with ladies one-on-one.  But I can guarantee that the person who’s most blessed and who’s learning the most is me.

While we are, as a nation - as an entire world, perhaps - feeling a bit like prisoners in our own homes, I’d like to share three of the things I’ve learned from my time in jail that I think will be an encouragement.



Freedom and captivity both depend on where your mind is, not where your body is. 

Our kids are not able to go to school. Our churches are not able to gather.  Some parents are forced to figure out how to manage work during this time, while others are filled with fear because they are no longer working or bringing in needed income. It’s easy to feel isolated and fearful and powerless.

There are some types of control that I’ve felt comfort in believing I had. The truth is that I’ve never been in control. I’ve been controlling. But I’ve never been in control. This kind of drastic loss of perceived freedom really shines the light on how much we rely on our sense of control - or for me, my sense of routine - to be a source of peace.

The truth is, God is in control. We are just as free right now, amidst these external restrictions, as we were before.

Freedom and captivity both depend on where our minds are, not where our bodies are. We are called as Christians to “take every thought captive to obey Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)  Some teachings in the world encourage us to empty our minds of thoughts to find freedom, but God’s Word tells us to take charge of our thought life, to focus our thinking on the truth of Scripture.

Our thought life dictates the health of our emotional and spiritual lives.  One thing we can do today from home is to listen to some great podcasts or worship music, to read the Bible, to speak God’s promises.

What one thing will you do today to walk in freedom?


God will strip away all the noise in order for us to hear his voice. 

Our lives are so busy, so full of noise.  Sometimes there is so much going on in our lives that it’s hard to hear the still, small voice of the Lord. Because God loves us, He will sometimes shake things up in order to get our attention.

This is a good time to lean into the quiet and the slow. To listen.

We can each ask God, “What is it you have for me to learn about you in this?” I’m trying to be diligent to do that more than I complain about not being able to gather with my friends or meander aimlessly around Marshall’s.

God promises that he causes all things to work together for the good of us as his children (see Romans 8:28).  What good is happening right now? Some of it we might be able to see today, and some of it we may not be able to see until we’re further down the road. But the promise remains.  He is doing something good.

God wants to speak to you.  All throughout his Word we see the beautiful lengths God goes to in order to let us know he sees us and he loves us.  I love the story of Hagar in Genesis.  She’s in utter despair, and the Lord comes to Hagar with a promise for her that though things look hopeless and unfair to her right now, God has good in store for her. Hagar responds that, “You are a God of seeing...Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.” (Genesis 16:13)

You and I will look back on this time and be able to say the same thing:
Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.

What circumstance is it that you need to remind yourself God sees? How can you lean into the new pace of this day in order to listen for God’s voice?



When the old life is passing away, something new is being born. 

Right now, there’s a lot of chaos.  We can all agree about that.  There’s chaos all over the world, and there’s even chaos inside of our hearts. Let me tell you one thing that is awesome about God!  He is amazing at bringing order out of chaos.

The very first story in the whole Bible is the creation story.  We see God take cosmic chaos and create order and beauty.  And he has not stopped. He is a God who creates what is good in the universe and in each of our own hearts and lives.

And the very last story in the Bible shows God bringing an end to the chaos and destruction on earth as he replaces it with a new heaven and new earth.

We live in the in-between.  And we can guarantee that the God who began and ended the story with bringing beauty out of the mess will do no less for us as his children today. There is chaos. And there is the beautiful new work of God.

Sometimes God asks us to let go of something, because he is preparing us to receive something even better.  I tend to cling really tightly to my sense of control, specifically over my routine. I’m not even joking, it’s probably to a clinical level. If I have a 5am flight, I will just wake up at 1am, because I cannot forego my two hour coffee and quiet time.  If I have trouble sleeping at night, I just pretend it’s 8pm and start my evening routine over with tea and Hallmark, and then I can go to bed and finally sleep. I say that to emphasize that having our entire family’s routine yanked out from under us is not easy for me.

But what if the Lord is saying, “It’s good for you to let go of some things you hang onto really tightly,”  - I know he’s not talking about my two hour coffee - “because there is something new I want to do in your life”?

God is always birthing something new.  He has big plans for you and for me.  There are some things we’re all having to let go of right now, there is frustration and social grief and fear.  But God is bringing order and beauty from all of that chaos.

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin...” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT)

In Maine in particular, a lot of families have been discussing homeschooling, in the wake of some legislation. I’m curious if these weeks home might encourage some families that yes, they can do homeschool.  And for others, maybe they will find they don’t wish to pursue that.  But either way, what a great way to try something for a short time.

We have time to build more intentional relationships within our families. Last night my girls and I had an Irish meal and danced to the Irish Rovers.  We’ve been slacking on family dinners, and I’m really wanting to build that back into our routine.

What might the Lord be birthing in your family and in your own heart while you’re home during this time?



Finally, please take courage in this: some things change, 
but the Lord is unchanging.  

He sees you, he knows your heart and your fears.  He knows your needs and how he is going to meet those needs.  He wants to write beauty into the story of your life today.  You are not alone.  You are dearly loved.  You’re going to be ok.  I’m praying for you.