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OUR BLOG
Hear it from the heart. Every week or so, we publish a story about the life of our ministry. All names are fictionalized to protect the identity of those inside. Thanks for reading!
All Posts
Hopes and Dreams from Prison
In January, I asked each of the horticulture students at Burruss Correctional Training Center to write down their hopes and dreams. One...
Andrea Shelton
Mar 14, 20242 min read
Wisdom from Within Prison Walls
I am consistently amazed and humbled while teaching inside prison. I am a college-educated, mid-20-something who’s never known want or...
Andrea Shelton
Mar 14, 20242 min read
What Causes Crime? Observations from Serving in Prison
As you might have noticed, politicians on the campaign trail have “crime” on their minds. Republicans and Democrats alike tell voters...
Andrea Shelton
Jan 25, 20244 min read
Incarceration as a Biblical Motif
Incarceration is a recurring motif in the Bible. Why? What is God trying to reveal to us through stories of people, both good and bad,...
Andrea Shelton
Jan 24, 20241 min read
How Physical Books are Increasing Reading Comprehension Inside and Outside Prisons
One thing I’ve learned about prison ministry is that you’re going to meet a whole cast of characters. One of those characters is a man...
Andrea Shelton
Jan 24, 20244 min read
Hope this Christmas
If you’ve followed along with our ministry this year you might have noticed a recurring theme, Hope. Hope is at the heart of our...
Andrea Shelton
Dec 12, 20233 min read
Thanksgiving 2023 Reflection
Three peculiar things happened this Wednesday. 1. HeartBound was able to bring 4 former inmates back to Burruss Correctional Training...
Andrea Shelton
Nov 20, 20232 min read
"You Have Beautiful Scars"
“Dear Old Me,” H. said. I was confused, the assignment was supposed to be a poem. It appeared that this student, H., had mixed up the...
Andrea Shelton
Nov 1, 20232 min read
Poems from Prison
There’s a good article in a 2016 issue of The Atlantic titled, “How Kids Learn Resilience,” by Paul Tough (the irony!). Mr. Tough...
Andrea Shelton
Nov 1, 20236 min read
Cake and Lemonade
God uses the smallest of things to help us reach incarcerated youth. Here’s a story from Chaplain John about how a promise of cake and...
Andrea Shelton
Nov 1, 20232 min read
"Jesus gave me this book to read to you today."
Here’s a short story about Ash and how HeartBound’s Little Readers is changing lives. “Ash” is the mother of two young boys; she is...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
"Thank you for talking with me. I feel very happy. I haven't felt that here."
While leading a Project A.R.T. class at Rockdale RYDC, I met a boy called “Lee.” He was very reserved and quiet, keeping to himself as...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
2,500 Opportunities to Share the Good News of Jesus Christ
Hear how Chaplain John is making a difference in the lives of incarcerated children. “Jay” has been incarcerated at Metro RYDC for 14...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
A Message from Christmas 2022
Literacy is a major challenge within our correctional institutions. The average inmate reads at a sixth-grade level. For many inmates,...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20235 min read
A Perfect Day in Prison
Every so often, you get a perfect day in prison. On Tuesday, all was quiet when I pulled into Burruss Correctional Training Center....
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20233 min read
"I was a cynic at heart back then."
Incarceration creates physical, mental, and emotional barriers among families. Trying to parent from within prison walls can be extremely...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20231 min read
Mining for Gold
We are in the middle of grant-writing season which, for those unfamiliar with the world of nonprofits, means looming deadlines and hours...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20233 min read
Sowing Seeds and Planting Life in Prison
Our first section of the horticulture program, Introduction to Horticulture, is quickly coming to a close and before our exam on Tuesday,...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
The Power of Learning in Prison
As soon as Demarcus walked through the classroom door, I knew we were in for an eventful class. He had just been released from...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
A Moment of Peace in Prison
Sometimes, I like to imagine the Garden of Eden in all its splendor and glory. Did it look like the rainforests of Costa Rica, full of...
Andrea Shelton
Oct 19, 20232 min read
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