Rob Wickham was ashamed of himself. Unable to control his addictions, he ended up locked away in prison.
Searching for hope, Rob got his hands on a copy of Inside Journal®, a quarterly prison newspaper Prison Fellowship® prints and distributes to correctional facilities across the country. The newspaper is written specifically for incarcerated men and women. Each issue offers encouragement and motivation and shares practical advice for the daily struggles of prison life. The newspaper also explores the Gospel in a fresh way.
Reading Inside Journal invigorated Rob's spiritual life. He cherished every copy. "The stories I read encouraged me," he says.
GOD'S PARATROOPER
Founded in 1990, Inside Journal is a source of inspiration for the incarcerated. Prison can be a lonely place. Yet, a copy of Inside Journal can remind prisoners that they are never alone. It can bring hope to even the darkest, most inaccessible parts of prison, like solitary confinement.
As Prison Fellowship's founder Chuck Colson once said, Inside Journal is "God's paratrooper behind prison walls."
The four-page prison newspaper is packed with a variety of substantive and engaging content. It provides a unique way to share the Gospel with those who may never attend a chapel service or Bible study. Articles address the struggles of prison life and equip prisoners with tools to serve their time well and prepare for release. And each edition includes free resources such as Bible studies, devotionals, and crossword puzzles, all with a central theme that points to the hope of Christ.
WORTH THE READ
Cost: Prison Fellowship pays $1.80 to provide Inside Journal to one prisoner for a year. There is no cost to facilities.
Reach: More than 800 correctional facilities in all 50 states, Mexico, and Canada subscribe to Inside Journal.
Inside Journal is also available to all security levels and all types of prisons (county, state, federal, military, and more).
Total Circulation: Nearly 1 million copies per year … and counting!
'I have been lonely in solitary confinement. … I like the article on 'Don't Do Your Time Alone.' In my situation when I feel afraid at night and can't sleep, I put my hand on the Bible and know Jesus is right here protecting me as I pray and fall asleep. Thank you for sharing stories that help me get to know Jesus Christ as our Savior.'
Larry, Florida
TIMELINE
1990: First edition
2014: First Spanish edition
2017: Available in full color; first Hope Event and Reentry editions published
2017: First Women’s Edition
2018: Inside Journal Life Recovery Bible made available to prisoners
2019: Reception & Orientation edition launched
NOTABLE INTERVIEWS
ARTICLES OF INTEREST
'Me and my cellmate Keleen were very touched and inspired by the compassion [in Inside Journal] … I'm trying to plant seeds of the Lord's Word in my cellmate's heart and help her return to God, not with shame and loneliness but in hopes for forgiveness.'
Crystal, Utah
A SOURCE OF HOPE
Consequently, over the years, Inside Journal has become a reliable source of encouragement and hope—two important staples for those behind bars. This unique publication is available for free in bulk shipments to chaplains, prison staff, program coordinators, and in-prison volunteers. Orders can be increased, decreased, or canceled at any time, depending on the facility’s need.
Readers may also ask for a free copy of Inside Journal Life Recovery Bible.
Rob was released in 2011. Today, he serves as a chaplain at Benzie County Jail in Michigan, distributing Inside Journal to men with pasts like his own. He knows that God can use IJ’s stories to touch their lives, just like He touched Rob’s.
GET INSIDE JOURNAL FOR FREE!
Inside Journal is a proven, creative, and cost-effective means of spreading the hope of Christ to prisons and jails nationwide. It is FREE to chaplains and volunteers who request it.
For more information, email insidejournal@pfm.org.
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