Dear Friends of IPM,

One of the greatest truths in the Word of God is found in

Proverbs 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and

lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways ac-

knowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Here is a

wonderful truth for inmates and for all who have a heart to

minister to inmates; indeed, this truth is for all who know

Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” It is the good

will of God that we live each day in dependence upon Him.

Our heavenly Father is pleased when we face every issue that

we encounter with reliance upon and trust in Him. And He

wants us to trust Him in every situation with everything

that lies within the very core of our being.

“And lean not on your own understanding.” Typically, our

natural tendency is to depend upon our own understanding

concerning what is taking place or what we think needs to

happen. Too often, we won’t rest our heart or our minds un-

til we can explain every aspect of what we are facing. The

Lord instructs us not to live this way. Then, what is our

alternative?

“In all your ways acknowledge Him.” The godly alternative

to living by our own understanding is to acknowledge the

Lord in all of our ways. Whatever we face, we are to confess

the Lord as the only One we can lean upon. We are to tell

Him (and all who are interested in our lives) that we know

God is the only One we can trust to handle the matters that

Founders:

Chaplain Ray & Leola Hoekstra

INTERNATIONAL PRISON MINISTRY

P.O. Box 2868

Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2868

www.chaplainray.com

February, 2014

(over please)

Pastor Bob Hoekstra

Dini Hoekstra, Director

pertain to us. We are to hope in Him as the all-wise, all-

knowing, all-loving Master of our lives. This trusting walk

with God always leaves us in the most tremendous place in

which we can be.

“And He shall direct your paths.” We are to trust in the

Lord, and not lean on our own understanding. We are to ac-

knowledge Him in all situations. This will leave us facing

each day and each circumstance with this certain promise

from the Lord: He Himself assures us that He will lead us by

His Spirit and according to His will through all that lies

in front of us!

May we all continue to trust in the Lord with all of our

hearts as we press on to know Him and to serve Him, and in

reaching out to others, both inside and outside prison

walls.

Trusting in the Lord, as We Serve Christ Together,

Dini Hoekstra

(for all of our “Chaplain Ray Family” and the IPM team)

P.S. Our gift book for this month is Passport to Heaven by

Marguerite Farison.

P.P.S. We invite you to visit our new and updated website

that the Lord has enabled our IPM staff to put together.PTL!

www.chaplainray.com

And I heard a loud voice from

heaven saying, “Behold, the

tabernacle of God is with men,

and He will dwell with them,

and they shall be His people.

God Himself will be with them

and be their God.” Rev. 21:3

And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God.

Cut Along Dotted Line & Mail

Mail to: International Prison Ministry, P.O. Box 2868 , Costa Mesa, CA 92628

Dear Dini Hoekstra, My gift to encourage prisoners to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Use this gift for Bibles For Prisoners……………...$______

“Library of LifeChanging Books” for Prisoners.... $______

Support for Prison Ministry in Russia & India..…..$______

Use My Offering Where Needed Most……………..$______

Name______________________________________

Address____________________________________

City__________________________ST___Zip______

INTERNATIONAL PRISON MINISTRY

Website: www.chaplainray.com

It is the policy of I.P.M. to use each gift as it is designated by the donor. If any project is completed, any surplus will be used where it is needed most.

God has a loving and gracious heart for

prisoners (Isaiah 61:1).

LL ETTERSETTERS FROMFROM PP RISONERSRISONERS WW HOHO HH AVEAVE RR ECEIVEDECEIVED BB IBLESIBLES , , EE DIFICATIONDIFICATION BB OOKSOOKS , , OROR II NMATENMATE TT ESTIMONIALSESTIMONIALS FF ROMROM IPMIPM

(See reverse side where a sample book is highlighted.

This book is available to you as a free appreciation gift upon request.)

At the request of many,

contributions to IPM can

also be made online at

www.chaplainray.com

Prisoner Art

I Have Gotten So Close To My Heavenly Father and I Am So Blessed

Dear International Prison Ministry, My name is Catherine M. and I am incarcerated in a Florida Prison. I have been here 14 months now. I gave up television, radio, newspapers, magazines, gossip magazines and all the trashy stuff. The only thing I read is the Holy Bible and spiritual books. I do correspondence Bible studies and I take a couple classes here at the prison because I want to learn all I can and build my relationship with My Heavenly Father. I have gotten so close to Him and I am blessed. Will you please send me the Practical Bible Dictionary and Concordance? It would be so helpful to me in my studies.

God Bless you for all that you do for all of us inmates.

May God Bless You

Could you send me a KJV Bible and the Practical Bible, Dictionary and Concordance, testimony and devotional books. I have been up all night reading “Jewels for the Journey” and am blessed by it. May God bless you all so much. Thank you so much for what you do for all the in-mates. I would love to read “Holes in Time” and “Lady in the Shadow.” I will be look-ing forward to receiving all you can send.

Thomas H., Miss. Prison

The Grace and Mercy of God Has Set Me Free

Dear IPM, I am incarcer-ated in Texas. I am 54 years old. I was so lost for so long! I have be in prison for al-most 6 years now. I have never been so contented or at peace in my life. Thanks to the redeeming blood of Jesus Christ. The grace and mercy of my Almighty God and the direction in my life of the Holy Spirit has set me free. Please send me some Spiritual books.

Tony H., Texas Prison

Please Send More Books

To IPM, I am just trying to strengthen my relationship with God instead of putting Him on the back burner—kind of like selective hearing when I even listen. Recently my answers have come through prayer. After read-ing “The Devil Driver,” “Monty Lewis Story” and “Where Flies Don’t Land,” things started to change for me in a good way. Please send more books to me and the other inmates here.

Dan S., Iowa Prison

IPM responds to every letter and request received from prisoners

Cut Along Dotted Line & Mail

Yes, Please Send Gift Book

INTERNATIONAL PRISON MINISTRY

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Your Message Or Prayer Request for IPM:

HHHEREEREERE ISISIS ANOTHERANOTHERANOTHER OFOFOF THETHETHE OUTSTANDINGOUTSTANDINGOUTSTANDING BOOKSBOOKSBOOKS THATTHATTHAT OUROUROUR MMMINISTRYINISTRYINISTRY PPPARTNERSARTNERSARTNERS HHHELPELPELP UUUSSS DDDISTRIBUTEISTRIBUTEISTRIBUTE TOTOTO PPPRISONERSRISONERSRISONERS... (A copy of this book is available to you as a gift by requesting it in the box below.)

For all who believe in Jesus, their

citizenship is in Heaven

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we

also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus

Christ” Philippians 3:20

Citizen of Earth You became a temporary citizen of earth when you were

born physically onto it:

“That which is born of the flesh is flesh…” John 3:6

You were born physically of human parents. Your earthly

citizenship ends with your physical death:

“...For the things which are seen are temporal…”

2 Corinthians 4:18

Citizen of Heaven You become a permanent citizen of Heaven by being born

spiritually into it:

“...And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” John 3:6

This is a spiritual birth, born of God:

“Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom

of God” John 3:3

Your citizenship in Heaven will never end:

“...But the things which are not seen are eternal”

2 Corinthians 4:18

May the Lord continue

to pour out His Spirit upon

the heart of every inmate

who trusts in Him. The

Lord is doing a mighty

work in prisons.

Many inmates are

trusting in Jesus as Lord

and Savior and are finding

their citizenship is now in

Heaven.

Passport to Heaven