Page 19 - News Magazine - AutumnWinter 2026_Web

Increasingly, I found the words comforting. God’s I moved on to a Postgrad Diploma in addiction
Word became daily bread. studies. I helped set up a nightclub in Ayr for
young people on the verges of much of the life
I hitchhiked to Somerset. I wonder if the truck
driver thought I was on some sort of drug, but I had known.
I couldn’t put my Testament down, reading the I married my wife and we now have four amazing
entire Book of Psalms, and the “Where to find children, who all love Jesus. I became a Baptist
Help” section. It was there I found a Post-It Note minister in 2011 and in 2023 I became the first
with the name and phone number of the Prison person with “prison experience” to be recruited
Chaplain. I called him and he put me in touch as a Prison Chaplain. Usually, you can’t work in
with a local church. I met with the Pastor and jails if you have served a prison sentence.
slowly I began to heal. I put things right with my I work in three prisons as a Chaplain, and I give
family, apologising for the things that I’d done out hundreds of GOOD NEWS for Everyone!
wrong; I made reparation for things I had stolen. Testaments every day.
God walked me through so much of my life, God’s Word is bread. It’s life. It’s a bandage
gently correcting me. for the wounded. It’s an anchor for the soul.
My Pastor and his wife took me into the Manse It shines in the darkest places. In prisons we see
and gave me a room. I moved into a bed-sit, and lives transformed through God’s Word, people
my life began to take shape. I became involved in mental health crisis know where they can find
in youth work, then in prison fellowship, going help, people with addiction finding strength to
back into the prisons where I had previously overcome, childhood trauma being named and
done time, sharing my own story. I returned to addressed, and the care that is provided through
school. I took English; I wrote my essay on my God’s people. Thank you for sowing God’s Word.
own testimony. I went to what is now Glasgow Keep doing it. It’s so needed. God bless you.”
Bible College and International Christian College.
I did an Honours degree in Theology, paid for by
someone involved in GOOD NEWS for Everyone!
and the prisons ministry.

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