The Miracle
The first seven years of his incarceration, Eric spent his time doing what a lot of guys who go to prison do. He settled into prison life and found ways to occupy his time and escape the reality of life in confinement. He did some positive things such as earn his GED and take some classes that were recommended by the Department of Corrections, and that would hopefully look good for his parole consideration one day, but he was not made better as a person by those things. The environment and the other activities he was participating in were just taking him further down the road to ruin.
Prison is a world of its own. It is an existence characterized by hate, anger, strife, despair, depression, loneliness, hopelessness, violence, gambling, tattoos, gangs, sex perversion, stealing, drugs, robbing, deceit, hustling, degradation, corporal punishment, isolation, and immaturity. There is too much time to think and habits and addictions become more excessive if one is able to feed them, or new habits and addictions are formed. Very few men are made better by the experience. Eric was becoming worse and worse and did not need to be made better, he needed to be made new.
Thankfully, Jesus Christ came to seek and to save those that are lost and Eric was as lost as the proverbial goose in a hailstorm. However, on May 20, 2000 about 12:45 in the morning that all changed. He became a partaker of the amazing grace that John Newton wrote about which had transformed his life. The same way Jesus Christ had passed through Samaria to meet a woman at a well, He passed through Abbeville, GA to save a man in a cell. In a state of broken repentance on his knees in his cell, Eric bowed his heart and head to the God of heaven and received Jesus Christ as his Savior. Eric says it was at that point Jesus Christ went from his head to his heart and it was the first time in his life he had pled guilty on all counts and was found not guilty!
The Educational Reprieve Eric had received was a good thing, but the pardon he received through salvation was truly a miraculous thing. He had not only been delivered from the penalty of sin, but empowered and put on a path to be free from the bondage of his sin. He now had a source of strength and stability to enable him to remain focused, stable and to be able to use his God given gifts and talents the way God intended him to; in service to Him and for His glory.
Eric began to witness to all his old homeboys, the dope smokers, gamblers, etc. As Eric puts it, he had found what he knew they were looking for; peace, happiness, forgiveness, and freedom. A freedom that is not defined by earthly citizenship and that prison can’t take and parole can’t give. The only thing that can satisfy the soul is a right relationship to and with the One who gave life to that soul—God. Eric began teaching Bible studies and discipling other men to be soldiers for Jesus Christ. One of the men Eric trained was released and sponsored Eric financially to earn his Doctor of Biblical Studies Degree. Eric also was a columnist for a Christian prison newsletter, authored several books, and wrote several gospel songs.
After almost 26 years and eight parole denials, God saw fit for Eric to enter the public phase of his ministry. He was granted parole in 2018 and is actively involved in ministry in several aspects. Prior to his release, God had spoken to his heart that, “I gave you a story, now go tell it” and that is what Eric does everywhere he goes. It is the same old story as the gospel song says, but it’s that old story that still produces new lives.
