By Doug Foley, Good News Chaplain
Orange County Correctional Facility – Orlando, FL
When Scott’s application to the Christian program we offer landed on my desk, nothing about it stood out. His responses were brief, even a little plain. But when I met him in person, I saw something different—a quiet man with kind eyes and a heavy heart.
Scott shared that his drinking and anger had led to his incarceration. “I know I need God in my life,” he told me, “but I just don’t know how to start.” He described a moment on the jail booking floor when, in desperation, he prayed, “God, please send someone to show me how to get right with You.” Not long after, he was housed with a man who was also seeking God, and together they began studying Scripture. But just days later, that cellmate was released. Alone again, Scott sank into discouragement—until he heard about a Christian program in the jail. He took a step of faith and applied.
“I’m just not sure I’m good enough to be in the Christian dorm,” he admitted during our meeting. I looked at him and said, “Scott, you’re welcome here. We want you to be part of what God is doing.”
With His Whole Heart
From that moment on, Scott leaned in with his whole heart. He attended every class, participated in every service, and started meeting regularly with a Christian counselor. He enrolled in a Bible correspondence course through Good News Global. Week by week, I watched him grow—speaking up in class, asking thoughtful questions, even encouraging others.
Then came a moment we’d all prayed for: after years of petitions and planning, we were granted permission to hold baptisms for the first time in our jail’s history. When Scott’s name appeared on the list for our inaugural Easter baptism, I couldn’t hold back my joy. In our preparation class, he surrendered his heart fully to Christ.
The Call
And then came the call.
A woman phoned and said, “There’s a man in your jail who used to be our family’s mechanic. My husband and I have been praying for him for years, but he never showed interest in faith. Could you bring him a Bible and pray with him?”
“What’s his name?” I asked.
“Scott,” she answered.
I told her the good news: not only had Scott accepted Christ, but he was also preparing to be baptized on Easter Sunday. She broke down in tears. So did I.
When I shared her prayer with Scott, he smiled and said, “Looks like God answered her prayer, too.”
At his baptism, Scott spoke to the group of inmates and volunteers gathered. “God hears our prayers—even the simple ones,” he said. “And He has a way of doing what seems impossible. But with Him, nothing is truly impossible.”