Our Top 12 Inspiration Series Stories: A Year of Transformations

Jeremy spent much of his early adulthood chasing the American dream. He placed his value in what other people thought about him. Jeremy felt his life had to look a certain way. But it was just impossible to keep up.

He was coming home a different man. He wasn't just a returning citizen. He was also a man guided by the Spirit of God. Was he up for the challenge? Or would he be like so many others and find himself back behind bars within just a few years?

Luis' time behind bars had been difficult, but reentry turned out to have its own pressures, too. He struggled to find a job, open a bank account, and find a place to live because of his past convictions. But instead of giving up, Luis got creative and turned a hobby into a career.

Aaron was once a lost and angry young man with a drug addiction. But God gave him a second chance behind bars. Today, Aaron is still in prison, but he’s not serving time. Instead, he’s a Prison Fellowship Academy program manager.

During his incarceration, Kevin saw the worst of prison life. Racism, hate, and violence abounded. When he was offered a chance to enroll in the Prison Fellowship Academy, he did so with resentment. But in the program, he found somewhere to belong. He found a safe place to bring his questions and doubts. Surrounded by love and support, he discovered his own dignity.

Tammy was caught up in a very dark world, and she couldn't find her way out. With four stints behind bars, Tammy thought her life was over. But little did she know it was just beginning.

Grief colored Kevin's childhood. He lost both of his biological parents and his adoptive father by the time he was 12 years old. But in the darkness, there were two reliable sources of light: his adoptive mother Mayra and Prison Fellowship Angel Tree™.

Danny 's transformation from addict to Christ follower didn't happen overnight. He would spend three decades growing in his faith while serving his double life sentence. Even so, a new life was still possible.

After he ratted out his friend, Will, for a plea deal, Michael lived years incarcerated in a maximum-security prison looking over his shoulder. He knew one day Will would find him and probably kill him.

When Gio met God in a jail cell, everything changed. Prison became the next step to a life of new beginnings. He put his life in God's hands, and God began to transform him.

When her doctor first prescribed her pain pills, Rhonda savored the relief. But the more she took the pills, the more she wanted them. Soon Rhonda wasn't living any longer—she was just existing.

There was a point in Don's life when he didn’t believe he would live to see the age of 21. Struggling with addiction and insecurities, Don was in and out of jails and recovery programs along the California coast. Soon he was facing 94 years in prison.