Beyond the Walls: The Story of One Man's Journey from Prison to Freedom... and B

The Nile on eBay   Beyond the Walls by Carl Carlson

Hope for the Hopeless Carl Carlson started life with two strikes against him, and it didn't take long for him to strike out. Bounced from an orphanage to a small town in Florida to reform school to his first taste of jail, Carl was one of those kids "we don't want around here," exactly what the town's respected football coach told him. By the time he was sixteen he found himself sitting in one of the toughest youth prisons in America, bitter and filled with hatred. Carl went on to lead Men of Valor, a ministry he founded to give men in prison hope and a chance to get out and stay out. Nationally, 70 percent of those in prison return after they are released. With MOV, that rate drops to less than 15 percent. In addition to providing a comprehensive mentoring and discipleship program for offenders, MOV serves the families and children of the men-the forgotten victims of crime. Beyond the Walls shares the miraculous story of how a dead-end kid was transformed by God's love and led back to the place he most hated: prison. It highlights the dedicated work of hundreds of Nashville-area volunteers who are quietly rebuilding the lives of men and their families. But most of all, Beyond the Walls demonstrates what can happen in society when ordinary people live out their faith and carry the love of Jesus to the least of these.

FORMATPaperback LANGUAGEEnglish CONDITIONBrand New Publisher Description

Hope for the Hopeless Carl Carlson started life with two strikes against him, and it didn't take long for him to strike out. Bounced from an orphanage to a small town in Florida to reform school to his first taste of jail, Carl was one of those kids "we don't want around here," exactly what the town's respected football coach told him. By the time he was sixteen he found himself sitting in one of the toughest youth prisons in America, bitter and filled with hatred. Carl went on to lead Men of Valor, a ministry he founded to give men in prison hope and a chance to get out and stay out. Nationally, 70 percent of those in prison return after they are released. With MOV, that rate drops to less than 15 percent. In addition to providing a comprehensive mentoring and discipleship program for offenders, MOV serves the families and children of the men-the forgotten victims of crime. Beyond the Walls shares the miraculous story of how a dead-end kid was transformed by God's love and led back to the place he most hated: prison. It highlights the dedicated work of hundreds of Nashville-area volunteers who are quietly rebuilding the lives of men and their families. But most of all, Beyond the Walls demonstrates what can happen in society when ordinary people live out their faith and carry the love of Jesus to the least of these.

Author Biography

Carl Carlson's childhood was marked by neglect, abuse, and trouble with the law, eventually landing him in prison. There he found Christ and dedicated his life to helping other men in prison turn their lives around. He is the founder of Men of Valor, a successful prison ministry serving the Nashville community.

Excerpt from Book

Within six months of my encounter with God, he walked me out of prison a free man. Much of it had to do with overcrowding'and the fact that I'd kept my nose clean for five years. At least that's what they said. But I know it was the Lord. A parole officer told me about Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, and with the help of the G.I. Bill, I enrolled. I was a thirty-two year old freshman with a criminal record longer than most of the professors? resumes. But from the first day, they demonstrated God's love to me. They didn't make me feel like an outsider because of not growing up in their denomination, or as an outcast because I'd done time. They welcomed me as they did every new student and made me a part of the Trevecca family. This had a huge impact on me, and I determined to let them know their faith in me was not misplaced. I didn't realize it at the time, but I was quite an enigma to them. When it came to Christianity, I didn't know the difference between a Protestant and a Catholic. I had never heard the word evangelical, didn't know the words to any praise music, and had never read a Christian book. I was a chain smoker on a campus that didn't allow smoking, and I enjoyed a cold beer in the afternoons. Yet they embraced me. Years later they would bestow on me a great gift by granting me an Honorary Doctorate Degree for my thirty years of ministry. I attacked my studies with a vengeance. It was going to be hard enough to find a job as an ex-con, so I wanted to get the best grades possible to override that blemish on my resume. I worked extremely hard, and I never skipped class. When I wasn't in class I was in the library. That's where I first saw her. Looking up from my studies one afternoon, I glimpsed a vision walking past. My heart went ?Pow!? and I was done for. She was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. Up to that point I'd been studying, but that was no longer possible. I only knew one thing, and it was that I had to get to know her. But she was so wonderful she could surely have any guy on campus, and once she found out about my past, I'd be history. Why bother starting something I already knew would end badly?

Details ISBN149083351X Author Carl Carlson Pages 184 Language English ISBN-10 149083351X ISBN-13 9781490833514 Media Book Format Paperback Short Title BEYOND THE WALLS Year 2015 Subtitle The Story of One Man's Journey from Prison to Freedom... and Back Again Country of Publication United States Publication Date 2015-03-24 Illustrations Illustrations, black and white UK Release Date 2015-03-24 Place of Publication Nashville, TN AU Release Date 2015-03-24 NZ Release Date 2015-03-24 US Release Date 2015-03-24 Imprint WestBow Press Publisher WestBow Press Audience General We've got this

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