Editor's Letter David Ritzenthaler Managing Editor
Dear readers,
As we start our second year as a magazine, we face some large challenges. The first challenge is to make the content more effective for you. The letters we received from our readers are what make that possible. I received one such letter from Allen P., who is not only a subscriber, but has also been a contributor. Allen’s two-page letter had some of the most practical recommendations I’ve received. He pointed out that the federal prisons are only about 10 percent of the nation’s prisoners and, because of that, most of our magazine should be aimed at the state prisoners’ needs. We are in all states and close to 250 institutions. However, we are currently focusing on the states where we have the most subscribers. Allen suggested we drop the calendar page. Our staff visited an Arizona prison and many of the prisoners told us the same thing. So, you’ll notice your desires count. The calendar page is gone in this issue. Allen also suggested the resources page should go in the back of the magazine. Notice the change. Thank you, Allen.
The second challenge is to increase the revenues to cover the cost of publishing. This will be done in two ways. First of all, we are working at increasing the subscription base and secondly, we will be increasing the advertising base. We are searching for ways to increase the subscriptions to the prisoners’ families. We have not found anyone with a database of this group. Any ideas on how to reach them in order to increase our subscriber database would be greatly appreciated.
To increase our advertising revenues, we will be adding some pages for additional advertisers. Are there products, issues or things you would like to have advertised in the magazine? We will contact those companies, ministries or nonprofits and let them know your interest.
It will be at least another year until we begin to break even with subscribers and advertising money. Please join us in praying for donors, who will step in again in 2007 with the resources to keep the publication going strong.
We continue to be blessed with overwhelming positive letters of appreciation from our readers. We look forward to even more input for content, issues, resources, products, etc. that would be of help or interest to those incarcerated, those integrating back into society and prisoners’ families.
Thank you for the privilege to serve you as you serve.
Founder's Letter Michele Millikan Editor/Founder
To my fellow inmates,
If you’re really honest with yourself, I’d venture to say that the bottom line is that we all long to be loved. The driving force behind everything we do and everything we desire is our unending search for love and acceptance. Don’t give up! True love is available even for you, my fellow inmate.
Our choices and actions either defend and protect our self-love or are an expression of our love for someone or something else. Love may be a challenging concept because many of us struggle with loving ourselves. We’re reminded daily by our surroundings and the stigma that is given to prisoners that we are worthless, no good and the outcasts of society. We learn to love based on how good or successful someone is or how they could meet our needs. What’s unfortunate is many of us may have an unhealthy understanding of what love is because it was mistreated in our past and our search has become futile. But it’s not! Even a prisoner’s life of mistakes, bad choices, shameful acts and even evil can be redeemed. It’s not too late no matter what your future has in store.
It’s time for you to rise above your past, the condemnation, your present conditions and allow God to make something new of your life.
You will find little nuggets of truth about love throughout the stories of this issue that maybe you’ve never experienced. I ask that you keep an open mind and give yourself the gift of something new.
We must recognize the true source of love (page 36) first before we can even begin to understand it. Dr. Gary Smalley, on page 11, shares how our own anger can stifle our love, but gives us ways to prevent that. Our love for man’s best friend, dogs, can provide a sense of innocence that can help heal our souls (page 22). One of the greatest ways of restoring love is through forgiveness. A beautiful testimony of that is shared on page 17 between two men who were once enemies.
Enjoy and let love take on a new meaning for you and become a source of hope for your life like never it has.
