Tracey Sims was leading a seemingly happy life. The 34-year-old mother of four had just gotten married to the man she loved, and her future looked bright. But she was hiding a dark secret. Ten days after her honeymoon, she was arrested for participating in the defrauding of another company through her employer. She was staring down a 40-year prison sentence.
Though she would end up serving only six years in all, it was still a long journey she would never forget.
After leaving her children, ages 9 to 15, in her mother's care, she felt hollow just thinking about all the birthdays and family holidays she would miss. Her mind raced with doubts and fears. If her brand-new husband decided to leave her, could she blame him? If her children resented her forever, would she ever forgive herself?
WHATEVER IT TAKES
The slamming of the prison gates at the Carole Young Unit in Texas was a terrifying sound, but Tracey determined that the prison experience wouldn't break her. For her own sake and the sake of the family she left behind, she would make the best of her time in the system.
Early on, Tracey realized something that would determine the course of her prison sentence—and her life.
"You have to be the one to rehabilitate yourself," says Tracey. "You can't depend on the prison system to do that."
While the choice to change was up to her, Tracey believed that only God could intervene and give her back her life. And she knew she couldn't get through her sentence alone—she needed help. So Tracey looked for community.
Tracey was determined that prison wouldn't break her—for her own sake and the sake of the family she left behind.
She started simple, with a choir and some classes. Then she heard the Prison Fellowship Academy® was coming to her facility, and she knew it was her chance to grow.
The Academy, an intensive life-transformation program, challenged Tracey to dig deeper into the roots of her bad choices. She and her classmates held each other responsible for their actions and supported each other's spiritual growth. In the Academy, she didn't just find a positive community. She found people who pointed her to Jesus Christ—the only one who could save her and transform her heart.
As her faith in Christ continued to grow, she couldn't get enough of the Academy. Her mentor, Sheila Klein, said Tracey only missed class when she had knee surgery. By the next week, Tracey was hobbling back to class on crutches.
With the faithful guidance of program staff and volunteers, and the support of her new Christian sisterhood, Tracey transformed. She was part of the first graduating class of the Academy at the Carole Young Unit. After graduation, she decided to move forward, never backward. That summer, Tracey trained to be one of the first peer facilitators of that Academy.
"If we needed someone to encourage another member, we called on Tracey," says Bill Loyd, former Prison Fellowship field director for southeast Texas.
'You have to be the one to rehabilitate yourself. You can't depend on the prison system to do that.'
THE GIFT OF FREEDOM—AND FAMILY
Over time, the people Tracey met through Prison Fellowship became like family. She is also thankful that her own family never left her behind. Her husband, Darreyl, chose to stay through that difficult season of marriage. He brought their children for prison visits regularly.
Thinking back on those days, "It brings me to tears," says Tracey. "God is faithful!"
Just before Christmas 2011, the parole board voted to release Tracey within 30 days. She felt like Jesus had chosen His own birthday to give her the sweetest gift—the gift of freedom.
After Tracey walked free, she maintained her monthly parole requirements and landed a job with a title company. She earned a promotion while pursuing a degree in marketing. Today Tracey serves with Prison Fellowship as a volunteer to help others walk the difficult road to restoration.
She still makes the drive back to Carole Young to help run Angel Tree® Christmas parties and volunteer with Celebrate Recovery, a biblically based recovery program. Her husband and adult children have gone in with her to volunteer, too.
Tracey considers it a great privilege to minister to women whose stories are similar to hers—women she could have shared a prison dorm with not so long ago.
"I am forever grateful, honored, and humbled to be able to serve them," Tracey says, fighting back tears, "because I know what those volunteers meant to me and my family."
With her eyes fixed on Jesus, Tracey stays on course, knowing His grace is stronger than any past mistake or future temptation. Her greatest joy is helping others to follow the same path—leaving the past behind to take hold of a hope-filled future.
Tracey considers it a great privilege to minister to women whose stories are similar to hers—women she could have shared a prison dorm with not so long ago.