Jeremiah Prison Ministry Newsletter
JPM is an outreach of Martinsburg Christian Center, Martinsburg, WV
JANUARY 2015
Revs. Tom & Monica
OUR MISSION & VISION
Our Mission – to help men in
prison reach their fullest in the
Lord.
What we do – Ministering to their
spirit, soul and body, though one
on one mentoring as their spiritual
advisor and friend.
How we began – Jeremiah Prison
Ministry began on November 30,
1999, which was birth out of a
bond for a young man that made a
wrong choice in life.
Our Vision – to be able to go into
the prison chapels without the
inmates having to take us off their
visiting list. “We know with God
ALL things ARE Possible!
86 men have been released in 15
years. We still are ministering to
59 inmates in 4 states.
Please make sure to use
our new address when
sending a donation.
Celebrated 15 years of Prison Ministry in 2014
I WAS IN PRISON AND YOU VISITED ME – MATT. 25:36B
We are serving Him by serving them! His mercy endures forever.
forever. Psalm 106:1
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 02
IS ANY ONE ELSE READY FOR SPRING?
Yes I am! It’s been cold…. Burrrrrr… Tom & I shoveled the snow in January,
that’s my exercise for the month, just kidding. It is hard work and we both
did very well with our backs. (Side note I have lost 73# since 12/29/13.)
December was a whirlwind for us. Tom’s brother had to have open heart
surgery in the beginning of December and Tom become power of attorney
for his mother; she is now in a nursing home. We were gone from the 15th
through the 27th. We did get to spend Christmas with family & friends. We
have so much to do in the coming months. We have had a lot of people ask
are you still going to do prison ministry, of course we will, it’s our life.
For all those who are curious, Jeremiah made it home on December 21st and
is doing great. His church had a home coming for him on December 28th and
it was the first time in 20 years the he and his brothers played a worship song
together. It was an awesome day! Jeremiah and his fiancée, Valerie, have
set their wedding day for March 21st so please keep them in your prayers.
JUSTICE FOR JUVINILE LIFERS WITHOUT PAROLE
The Supreme Court agreed in December whether a decision it made in 2012
barring mandatory life-without-parole sentences for juvenile killers must be
applied retroactively. In the 2012 decision, Miller v. Alabama, the Supreme
Court ruled that such mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders violated
the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. If mandatory
life sentences for juveniles are considered unconstitutionally cruel, then fairness
requires states to right the wrongs of the past.
In the brief the supreme courts of Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Mississippi,
Nebraska, New Hampshire and Texas have ruled in favor of retroactivity. On the
other hand, the brief continued, the supreme courts of Louisiana, Michigan,
Minnesota and Pennsylvania have rejected retroactivity.
Opponents of retroactivity argue that such considerations and inquiry are too
difficult, years or decades after the crime. On the contrary, a person’s ability to
change – based on experience, not psychological conjecture – should become
clearer years or decades later.
Making the Supreme Court’s ban on mandatory life sentences retroactive would
not, in itself, release a single prisoner. It would only make those who were
serving such sentences before 2012 eligible for resentencing or parole. By
agreeing to hear arguments, the Supreme Court has taken another step toward
a more rational, humane and effective justice system.
We want to thank you for your faithful support financially and prayerfully.
We couldn’t do this ministry without you.
Page 2
Keeping you informed
about the Courts to
change the sentencing
laws for juvenile offender
serving life without
parole. Keep praying it’s
not over yet!
PRAYER CORNER
~Pray for Jeremiah for a job, Harvey,
Kevin, Mike, Domingo, Michael, &
Richard that God continues to bless
them financially.
~Pray for Larry, Ricky, Lewis, Corey,
Bob, Greg, Eric, Chris, Dan, & Elwood
to receive favor for commutation,
retrials & parole. God is Faithful!
~Pray for continued healing for Bob &
Larry.
~Pray for our granddaughter, Leah,
she still has chronic migraines & fibro.
Leah is19 & still CANCER FREE! PTL
~Pray for Andy, our grandson is a
Senior @ DSU. Finally healed!
~Pray for all our families- spiritually,
physically and financially.
~Pray for my brother, Norman he fell.
Pray for Tom’s mother, Virginia &
brother, John.
~Pray for the salvation of the world.
Pray for inmates and their families,
our Nation, our leaders, our military
and their families.
~Pray for prison reform in our nation.
~Pray for Bill our dear friend & his
wife Rose for good health.
~Pray for Dotty & her husband Stan
for good health.
~Pray for us for strength and wisdom
in all we do, that we remain cancer
free and healthy to do God’s work, for
our cars to be mechanically sound.
You are an Extended Hand
and a vital part of this
ministry. Together we are
making a difference with
Jesus Christ, taking life to
a dark place! We go
because you send us.
Thank You so much!
We traveled 13,546 miles in 2014!
Jeremiah Prison Ministry
Revs. Tom & Monica Cohee
223 Cameo Dr.
Fayetteville, PA 17222
717-352-0080
Fax: 717-352-0392
info@jeremiahprisonministry.com
We’re on the Web!
www.jeremiahprisonministry.com
Your Editor: Rev. Monica Cohee
PASTOR TOM’S PREACHING CORNER
LETTING GO OF DISCOURAGEMENT
Exodus 15:23-25 NKJV Now when they came to Marah, they
could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter.
Therefore the name of it was called Marah. And the people
complained against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” So
he cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When he cast it
into the waters, the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and
an ordinance for them, and there He tested them.
Moses experienced some discouragement in his life. Every time he turned
around, the children of Israel disappointed him. The children of Israel
constantly criticized him and God.
The Bible says that the Lord tested the children of Israel at Marah. It’s when
you go through a bitter situation that you are tested. It is when you are
greatly disappointed in life that you are tested. It’s in the test that your
character comes forth and you find what’s really inside you.
No matter who we are, we all experience discouragement from time to time.
Discouragement means to deprive someone of courage or confidence.
To overcome discouragement… Don’t feel sorry for yourself. Let go of your
past. Be careful what you say.
Choose to speak faith out of your mouth and watch how your attitude begins
to change.
Proverbs 21:23 says, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself
from calamity.” If we can learn to speak life out of our mouths, then we can
save ourselves a whole lot of trouble.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat
its fruit.” Speak the right things and our tongues will be a tree of life. Speak
improperly and we’ll never overcome discouragement.
God can bless you in many different ways, but if you’re not careful of the
words you speak you can ruin all that God has for you. Jesus said that your
words will justify or condemn you.
Jesus establishes the connection between the heart and the mouth. He said,
“Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Whatever is in your
heart, will come out of your mouth.
James gives several examples of the function of the tongue. He says, “If you
can control your tongue, you can control your entire life.”
The Bible says that Jesus is the High Priest of our confession. It is our
confession that causes Him to move according to what we say.
To overcome discouragement, walk by faith and not by sight.
Get your eyes on the Lord, and He’ll show you the answer to your problem.
Remember you have to forgive those who have disappointed you.
Anytime discouragement comes into your life, the enemy’s plan is to get you
to quit. His plan is to steal your courage.
Paul said, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have
kept the faith.”
It doesn’t matter how you start out in life. What matters is how you finish.