December 2024

Greetings, I'm asking the Lord to give you a very Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year!

It's so hard to believe that another year and all its blessings and trials have come and gone. I pray you saw the Lord's hand working in your life in a mighty way this past year. I've been taking your name before His presence often during the year and asking for His blessing, presence and power at work in your life, daily!

God has opened many doors this year and blessed PD with increased Staff and outreach. Thank God for your prayers helping to bring His supply for these new ministry opportunities and the Staff needed to cover them. Pray for His wisdom and supply to walk through so many open doors. Right now we have been given an opening to start a new Discipleship Character Building class at the Boley state prison. This is an important outreach to a prison of over 1000 men! Pray with me for its development and start the first of the new year.

It is truly hard for me to put into words the way the Lord is working in my life, both personal and spiritual. I've got to share the Gospel more this year than I can remember and the fruit the Lord has given has been a true miracle to behold. Pray for all areas of our work, as the Lord is supplying in ways we've never seen before. Yes the needs are great but we serve a Great God that can supply every one. Thank you for standing with me and believing the Lord with us.

In His love for the prisoner,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw

President/Leader

P.S. Let me say once again, I'm praying the Lord will give you the greatest of His Blessings in the Christmas season as we praise Him for the greatest gift of all His Precious Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! Also pray for our expanded Christmas Sock Project. God is blessing.

For quite some time now many of my friends and acquaintances have asked me to write about l me and my experiences. Well, I'm sorry. that is not going to happen. I'm not all that obout iy partners to very obverive win the whore lit hit in i yo to ei will elly ou

am.

Tonka Wycon, Great Dane. She was a wander, fierce in her own right, but not mean. She championed her team and guarded them like Fort Knox, quietly and vigilantly as they went about their emergency work. She made sure no one would disturb them or their victims. If anyone approached, she was steady and calm. letting them know they could come no further.

At the end of the day, Tonka was ready to take on anyone for a roll in the dirt, or tug of war, or even a good old-fashioned foot race, just to lift their spirits. That was Tonka for you. She did her job in Northridge.

Here comes Katie Il affectionately known as (Baby Tooey), Schnauzer. I called her my last baby; she loved to rock and sleep under the covers with me at night. But that was not her greatest talent. She was a hunter. I would sit down at any site, and she could and would leave no stone unturned searching for pieces and trinkets, eyeglasses, wallets, rings, anything that would help identify someone's lost loved one. She may have been small, but when she was working, she was Mighty Joe Young. This was Baby Tooey. melting your heart, coming. and going, she did her job at Murrah.

If you see a big puddle of slobber, it must be Kodiak Bear, aka (Dufus). Newfoundland.

Do not think he was stupid, but he was a jokester until it was time to work, then he was serious. Dufus' specialty was cadaver. Now you know why he had to have a light side. He was good at his job. About four years in Dufus was injured in Moore and we retired him to home.

He kept the home fires burning and everyone joyous when we came home from battle. He was a candle in the dark for many families who had been left wondering. He did his job with dignity and honor and was loved by many. He is still missed. i!miss the slobber.0 qgo

you. Ty was also a Newfoundland.

When he walked in, I swear

the other dogs bowed down. He was calm and cool under pressure, never angry. Ty always knew what to do and when to do. he never wavered. He did his job at 911. 912516d)

Here come da Judge yep. da judge. That's Judge Bently Boudreaux Kirk, that is. Aka (Boudreaux) looked like a little old Black southern judge. Wise, all knowing. quiet with the authority that left no one confused. Boudreaux did not search and rescue, he was service, a healer, and when I say healer, I mean he and God had a deal that God the two of them worked together doing what needed to be done until it was. When we walked into a room of victims Boudreaux would stand quietly, surveying the room, never moving, then, he would see who he was looking for and purposefully and quietly walk toward them. When he reached them, he would sit next to them, never fouching or acknowledging them or his presence, and he waited. At some point. no one knew when, not even the victim the two were enmeshed into one and Boudreaux was absorbing all the pain in the victim's body and pushing all his love into him. By the end of the experience the victim was spent, and Boudreaux quietly moved away. He did his job at Hurricane Sandy and Sandy HooksY 9707ed n992 19/91

We can't stop now here comes Miss Madeline Rose, The Queen Bee, affectionately known by all as (Miss Big Butt. She foo was a Newfoundland, Her first claim to fame was a family outing to the local dog park where a pack of approximately eight dogs were getting a little to wild for her liking so she took off in their direction like a Kansas City Chief linebacker and hit everyone of them and sont them into orbit She then flipped herself around and gave them the LOOK (enough is enough). Madeline was loud, proud. and up front. Madeline was a service dog and partnered with Boudreaux, but they were not two peas in a pod. When Madeline walked into a room, she was not quiet, her head was up and she was looking as if to say. "ok. honey, where are you, mommas here, everything is going to be okay. give it up baby. mommas got you. She would then take her direct approach. It worked for her, just as Boudreaux's did for him. She did her amazing job at Hurricane Sandy and Sandy Hook. Just so you will know. all the/dmazing creatures were not just one timer. This was just a peek.

Last, but certainly not legst. Le Capitaine Patou Kirk, aka (Patou. The Guardian) Great Pyrst ees. Patou is my personal corvice dog, and make no mistako, he is the boss. He saw me coming from down the road and two acres away. He ran in front of my car to stop me and when jumped out to look for him he had suck enouge the he aad crawled in through my dber and was in my back seat. Since we have been forether a has assisted in saving my life roice and finding my cancer. He didn't come by accident; he was a special gift from God, and I thank them both. Now you know my partners, you know me.

Love to all,

Ivy Kirk

Executive Director

November 2024

Thank You, Lord, for your faithful calling and supply all these years! Also, Thank You for your love, care and concern for myself as well as all the prisoners and their families we serve through Prison Discipleship!

This Thanksgiving season gives us yet another opportunity to reflect and truly express our heartfelt gratitude and humility for all He has done in this work. With so many men and women coming to Christ and following in discipleship, it is no wonder that the world, the flesh and Satan, are trying to attack at the very heart of our work. So many faithful Saints have stood with us over the years and now are with our Lord receiving their just reward for their Faith and Service! "Thank You, Lord for all these and the blessing of serving with them!"

Let me now take this opportunity to Thank You for your faithful prayer and God guided gifts to this important work. With over 40 years of service with Prison Discipleship and over 50 years of full time ministry, many of you have stood with me for all these years and believed the Lord for His guidance and power working through us, together. Thank you for believing in the work and supporting me!

Just to give an example of the Lord's hand in the ministry, so far this month I have, in my personal outreach, been blessed to see 69 men and women come to a saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. I made myself available to the open doors the Lord gave me, shared the Good News of Christ and allowed the Spirit to work! It was God who gave the increase all to His Glory!

With victory many times there comes struggle. Such is our current situation.

With the homegoing of many of our dear Saint team members and others that have retired and saw limits in their incomes develop, we have found ourselves with a continued short fall in the needed funds to meet our budget. Only a very special series of gifts have kept our doors open and ministering! Thanks be to the Lord for these blessed Saints! Pray this end of the year will bring special God sent gifts to catch us up and new commitments to develop the ministry for the next year. As always, Thank you for your prayers, which God is answering, and your willingness to join with me to reach into the prisons and jails!

In His love for the prisoners,

Dr. C. Steve Bradshaw

President/Leader

PEACE TO ALL FROM THE NEW "Federal Certified Prison Education Services/Project HUB Team!"

And as they say, "Here is the rest of the story. Five young Amish girls shot and killed, five shot and wounded, some critically. The families of the girls who were shot immediately forgave Charles for this horrific deed he had just committed.

This attacker had preyed on the most innocent and defenseless members of a determinedly religious community. Even so, there are effects that linger and details of the event that have never been well understood.

Everyone is doing well, for the best part, but we still wonder: why did it happen?

Forgiveness is not a once in done thing, it's a lifelong process.

As a principle, forgiveness is closely adhered to by the Amish, but it takes a while for each person's emotions to catch up with such an outward decision.

When the families and community saw the wounded girls fighting for their lives in the hospital, they were angry. "That's when it hit" As a family and a community they felt helpless."

But the families all agreed it was "a huge relief" that Roberts did not go through with his planned sexual assaults. If Roberts had lived, the community would have wanted justice served- though not the death penalty.

The decision to forgive the killer would have been collective and about giving up the right to revenge and gruage. The essence of Amish life is about giving up, giving up oneself to the group, to God. Also, from how one dresses, to the kind of work one does that is shaped by rituals of self-surrender. Amish life is shaped by rituals of self-surrender. The Amish did not want to be thought of as saintly nor as stoically suffering.

The Amish believe that harboring anger and resentment is corrosive, it will eat you up. Forgiveness is so ingrained in their heritage that it's part of their character. Many, on that day, had to deal with the news that one of their daughters was dead or wounded. And yet, they chose to forgive, but you see, it's a journey. They still made that immediate choice in principle, but it took a few years until they could feel that they really meant it inside to forgive Charlie.

How do you think of forgiveness? I personally must forgive; this keeps me in sync with what God has taught me. Sometimes I must repeat it a lot, but at least God knows I'm working on it. Sometimes, life is not just a bowl of cherries!

Sincerely,

Ivy S. Kirk

October 2024

"Chaplain, thank you for leading me to Christ and a new life in Him! Also thank you for opening His word to me to find the keys to find real growth for my life in Him."

These were the kind, thankful words of James as ! finished a class in his POD last week. He had come a long way from a mid thirties man that looked sixtyish from the hard life of drugs, crime and running. Just a few weeks after finding Christ and seeking real growth in Him, he now had a relaxed look of a man living in God sent satisfaction with real peace right in the middle of the jail.

Yes in a world turned upside down with wars, continued wrecked lives from crime, drugs and human trafficking and earth changing natural distasters, the Lord is moving. No wonder many people are turning to the only real hope left.

Yes, the Lord Jesus told us, "He is the only way, truth and life." He is the only answer for this hopeless, stained world.

The Lord is honoring your faithful prayers and gifts to this 41 year old step of faith. After being behind the bars so many years in Oklahoma and surrounding States, God is moving in ways we would never have dreamed. Thank you for believing God with us to reach so many. We need more to join us both as volunteers and staff. Of course all the work we do and lives we touch requires funding. Please pray for the Lord's abundant supply. Together the Lord is using us to bring life eternal and a commitment to discipleship to so many. Thank You, you are a real Blessing.

In His love for our prisoners,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw

PD President

P.S. Pray for our Vice President and Director of HUB Re-etery. She had to go through some serious surgeries. Pray for the Lord's hand in complete recovery.

September 2024

Prisoners can be truly find "new life" as long as we work from the person's inside out!

The Bible tells us, "The heart is truly wicked, who can know it!" Then the Lord Jesus tells us that, "from the Heart can flow rivers of living water!" Yes we can chose who has our heart and we can chose what comes from that heart relationship.

This is what we do every day as we go behind bars bringing the love of Jesus and His call to give us a New Life through the loving gift of Himself. You go with us through your faithful prayers and investments. The clear picture is given through both as you open your heart of Love in sharing in this important, needed work. Thank You! God is truly using them in ways you never dreamed.

This bring to mind a young man named Kevin that I worked with for years in State Prison. I watched him come to Christ, live a life of commitment to Christ while living in the unlimited pressures of behind bars while He faithfully waited on the Lord and His will for His life.

Now, Kevin works in a local Tulsa Church serveing the Lord with His work and deeds serving in any way He is needed. Yes the Lord truly worked to give him a life of living waters flowing from His heart. You share in His life of victory and each he touches with the love of Jesus.

Pray for the Outreach Booth we have been give the opportunity provide at the Rogers County Fair in Claremore, Oklahoma. We pray this will be a great open ministry to all those we meet there that have been touched by the effects of crime in their live and those they know and love. Pray for Divine Appointments and real openings to share God's Hope and Love.

You are an important part of this ministry. Continue to believe the Lord with us for real outreach and effective discipleship. You are needed, appreciated and loved!

In His continued love for our prisoners,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw

P.D. President

PEACE to all from the new Federal Certified Prison Education

Services/Project HUB Team!

There is always a story roaming around in my head and I love to share it with you.

However, there is always a hidden message in my stories, but it is up to you to figure out what the message is.

Two thousand six, in a small quiet Amish community called West Nickel Mines, PA, 10 young girls between the age of 6 and 13 went off to school in their small one room schoolhouse. The class also contained one teacher and several young boys when a man, named Charles burst into the one room school with several high-powered weapons and ammunition.

Charles was not a stranger to the community even though he was not Amish he worked in the community as a delivery man. He was well liked, quiet, and respectful. Charles had a family consisting of a wife, two sons, and the young baby daughter. Prior to their baby daughter being born, another baby girl I've been born into the family but died suddenly. This broke Charles' heart, and the pain began to grow painfully inside of him. On this Fall Day, in October Charles pain was too much to bear and he decided he wanted to get even with God for taking his baby girl away. He drove to the schoolhouse to take the the young girls with the pure hearts away from God.

The teacher had managed to run out the back door of the school and went for help, while one of the young girls, also not being noticed, snuck out the back door and ran for help. The boys were still in the class, and all the children were lying on the floor as they had been told to do. For some unexplained reason, Charles told the boys to get up and get out, he was left alone with the young girls.

It was at this point Charles decided to shoot the girls. In the terrifying minutes after his decision, he pointed his weapon. Thirteen-year-old Marion immediately spoke up and said shoot me first. No one really knows what was going through Marian's mind as to why she chose to be shot first. Miriam had been described as a caring role model to the young girls who lived in this community. The thought that came to my mind was she was trying to protect the other girls and maybe she thought if she said to shoot her first that Charles would realize what he was doing and stop so the others would not be hurt.

That's a very grown-up thought but maybe not with someone who has strong faith, but that's just my opinion. Think about how you might respond.

This is not the entire story, there are so many still to come. But for now, you will have to wait until October's letter comes out to find out, as Paul Harvey says; "and now the rest of the story."

Blessings to all,

Ivy S. Kirk

Executive Director

August 2024

Greetings P.D. Prayer Warrior,

The World today thinks all we need to do to change hearts and move men and women behind bars to live successfully, is show them worldly means and methods of success. To just show them how their actions have affected those they have vilolated. After watching so many years of these Woridly efforts, I'm convensed without a doubt, the only real answer is found through the Lord Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Him.

Scripture verifies this and allows us to discover the reason the Lord created us.

The Bible says, "The heart is eternally wicked, who shall know it!" (Jeremiah 17:9)

The world always looks to find answers for life through all we see around us. It always misses the point that we were never created to find meaningfulness or real joy in the World, Flesh or the Devil. These only lead to destruction and hopelessness. But remember the Lord Jesus said, " I came that they (you) might have life and have it more abundantly!" (John 10:10)

I, in my individual personal ministry to inmates, have seen a hunger and real desire for spiritual answers to life and its meaning. I have so many prisoners literally walking up to me and asking, as the Philippian jailer did with Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" | personally have been blessed to see over 150 men and women come to Christ as their Lord and Savior this year. Pray as we answer the call and fulfill the Lord's direction, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, inasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the lord." (I Cor. 15:58)

Thank you for making it all possible through your prayers and blessed, caring investments. You are needed! Pray for our Staff.

In His Love for Our Prisoners,

Dr. C. Steve Bradshaw

President/Founder

Reminder for those who have read some of my stories before and for those of you who haven't. McRraven was a highly decorated Navy SEAL trainer whose lessons I have transferred from Navy Seal training to my everyday life. I have learned that his lessons are very similar in the lessons we learn in our life with Christ, IF, we are listening. So, what have I learned lately? Well, life is filled with circuses. You will fail often, and it will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core. But, if you want to change the world, don't be afraid of the circuses.

At least once a week, in Seal training, trainees are required to run an obstacle course. The obstacle course contains 25 obstacles including a 10-foot-high wall, and a 30-foot cargo net in a barbed wire crawl, to name a few.

But the most challenging obstacle is the slide for life. It has a three level 30-foot tower at one end and a one level tower at the other. In between is the 200-foot-long rope. You have to climb the three tier tower and once at the top, you grab the rope, swing underneath the rope and pull yourself hand over hand untit you get to the other end.

The record for the obstacle course had stood for years. The record seemed unbeatable, until one day, a student decided to go down the slide for life headfirst. Instead of swinging his body underneath the rope and inching his way down, he bravely mounted the top at the rope and thrust himself forward. It was a dangerous move, seemingly foolish, and fraught with risk. Failure could mean injury and being dropped from training. Without hesitation the student slid down the rope perilously fast. instead of several minutes, it only took him half the time and by the end of the course he had broken the long-standing record. If you want to change the world, sometimes you must olide down the obstacle headfirst.

During land warfare training, students are flown to San Clemente Island, which lies off the coast of San Diego. The waters off San Clemente are a breeding ground for the great white sharks. To pass Seal training there are a series of long swims that must be completed, one is the night swim. Before this, when the instructors joyfully brief the trainees on all the species of sharks that inhabit the waters off San Clemente, they assure you, that no student has ever been eaten by a shark, at least not recently. You are also taught that if the shark begins to circle your position, stand your ground, do not swim away. Do not act afraid, and if the shark, hungry for a midnight snack, darts towards you, then summon up all your strength and punch him in the snout, and he will turn and swim away. There are a lot of sharks in the world. If you hope to complete the swim you will have to deal with them. So, if you want to change the world, don't back down from the sharks.

Another training opportunity used by Navy seals is to conduct underwater attacks against enemy ships. The ship attack mission is where a pair of seal divers is dropped off outside an enemy harbor and then swims underwater in almost total darkness, using nothing but a depth gauge and a compass to get to their target. Sometimes we feel we are behind enemy lines much like the Seals, but even though we are in almost total darkness, there is some light that comes through. It is comforting to know that there is open water above you. It reminds me that no matter how dark life gets, HE shows us the beam of light we need to reach HIM, our safe harbor.

At the darkest moment of our mission is the time when we must be calm, composed, when all our tactical skills, our physical power and all our inner strength must be brought to bear. This will make our mission successful. If you want to change the world, you must be your very best in the darkest moment.

When you feel the most hopeless and helpless, raise your voice in the darkness and listen for the echo, one voice raised in Psalm. Even if your song is terribly out of tune but sung with great enthusiasm it will be joined by another voice to become two and two become three and before long everyone will be singing. We know that if one man can rise above the misery (as Jesus did), then othere can do wel

If I have learned anything in my time traveling the world, it is the power of hope. The power of one person, one person can change the world by giving people hope. So, if you want to change the world start singing when

you’re in the dark.

Finally, in seal training there is a brass belt that hangs in the center of the compound for all the students to see. All you must do to quit is ring the bell. Ring the belt and you no longer have to wake up at 5:00. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the freezing cold swims. Ring the bell and you no longer have to do the runs, the obstacle course, the PTA, and you no longer have to endure the hardships of training just bring the bell. If you want to change the world don't ever, evor ving the bell.

Start each day with a task completed. Find someone to help you through life. Respect everyone. Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often. But if you take some risk, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden, and never, ever, give up, if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. What we start here will indeed change the world for the better.

Love to you all. See you next month,

Ivy Kirk

Executive Director

July 2024

Thank you for your faithful prayers and investments in the important work. You are such an important part of this ministry. We continue to see men and women responding to the Good News we share. I am amazed to see the way doors have continued to open.

I want to tell you a couple of stories of men I've work with behind bars. They are now working in with me to reach and disciple inmate from the system. Plus they have their own outreaches too. Tom was in the system for a number of years, this allowed me to spent several years working with him on the inside. He took our Discipleship training and became a really commited inmate to share and show Christ to other inmates. Yes he had his struggles and had to learn to give them all to the Lord a day at a time.

In resent years Tom got out and we soon made contact in the outside world. After some work and commitment to the process. He was able to be cleared to reenter the prison system to take the Love of Jesus back behind the walls with his powerful testimony. So, Tom is back discipleing men behind the walls again! Only now he can leave the prison and go home at the end of our day. Thank God for a man like Tom willing to let the Lord make a difference in their lives and share it with others.

Lastly, I want to share about the story of Dixie. He was in prison for an number of years looking to spending a good deal of the rest of his life behind bars. I was given the blessing to work with him for a number of years in the Strips Chapel Choir and in direct Discipleship Training. He has a great heart for the Lord and the call of the Lord was clearly on his life. He was used of God to lead other inmates to the Lord and help them grow while behind the walls.

As Paul Harvy used to say, " Now the rest of the story!" Through a real miracle Dixie received an very early release. Right out of the prison, he stayed commited to the call and the Lord lead him to Pastor a Church in Tulsa with many ex-Offenders and their families. Also a lot of people that have a heart to reach and teaching the men and women behind bars and help them re-enter society are also apart to his ministry. A ministry grew up from their Church and outreach called "Wings of Freedom." Which helps former in-mates in transission to the streets and get housing, job training and spiritual teaching to strengthen their walk with the Lord.

You help us in reaching and teaching these and so many others like them. Together we are making a difference. Pray for others to join us and the Lord's supply to continue this important work. We need you. Thank you for believing the Lord with us, The needs are great but our Lord is greater!

In His Love for Our Prisoners,

Dr. C. Steve Bradshaw,

Rehabilitation Through Regeneration

PEACE to all from the new Federal Certified Prison Education Services/Project HUB Team!

I have a very brief and important message for you today. So, clear your cluttered mind and open your heart as big as it will open. Now, listen with only your heart.

"What starts here changes the world."

Can you get out of your comfort zone and change the world? It is only one step forward. If you do not believe me, ask God yourself.

Love to all,

Ivy S. Kirk

June 2024

Many today, in places of power, think all we need to do to change hearts and move men and women behind bars to live successfully, is Show them worldly means and methods of success. To just show them how their actions have affected those they have violated. After watching so many years of these Worldly efforts, I'm convensed without a doubt, the only real answer is found through the Lord Jesus Christ and a personal relationship with Him. This allows us to discover the reason the Lord created us and to find our real purpose.

The Bible says, "The heart is eternally wicked, who shall know it!" (Jeremiah 17:9) The world always looks to find answers for life and happiness through all we see around us. It always misses the point that we were never created to find meaningfulness or real happiness in the World, Flesh or the Devil. These only lead to destruction and hopelessness. But remember the Lord Jesus said, " I came that they (you) might have life and have it more abundantly!" (John 10:10)

I, in my individual personal ministry to inmates, have seen a hunger and real desire for spiritual answers to life and its meaning. This all with a Spiritual hunger as never before. This is so clear after the experience of 43 years of ministry behind bars. Never before have I had so many prisoners literally walk up to me and ask, as the Philippian jailer did with Paul, "What must I do to be saved?" Pray as we answer the call and fulfill the Lord's direction, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, inasmuch as you know that your labor is not in vain in the lord." (I Cor. 15:58) Thank you for making it all possible through your prayers and investments.

In His Love for the Prisoners,

Steve Bradshaw

PEACE to all on this most beautiful day from Project HUB!

This is a momentous week for Project HUB. Eddie Warrior Correctional Facility, Taft, OK, has asked us to teach our educational programs. This is especially important and exciting for us, and such a great opportunity. We will be teaching programs that only staff or head chaplains have taught in the past. Please pray that our programs will be successful and beneficial to all inmates taking part in them.

"What starts here changes the world." University of Texas motto.

If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

According to McRaven, many times a week, the instructors would line up for the class and do a uniform inspection. It was exceptionally thorough. Your hat had to be perfectly starched, your uniform immaculately pressed, and your belt buckle shiny and void of any smudges. But it seemed that no matter how much effort you put into starching your hat, pressing your uniform, or polishing your belt buckle - it just was not good enough. The instructors would find "something" wrong.

For failing the uniform inspection, the student had to run, fully clothed into the surf zone and then, wet from head to toe, roll around on the beach until every part of your body was coated with sand. The effect was known as a "sugar cookie." You stayed in that uniform the rest of the day - cold, wet, and sandy.

There were numerous students who just could not accept the fact that all their effort was in vain. That no matter how hard they tried to get the uniform right, it was unappreciated. Those students did not make it through training. Those students did not understand the purpose of the drill. You were never going to succeed. You were never going to have a perfect uniform.

Sometimes, no matter how well you prepare or how well you perform, you still end up as a sugar cookie. It is just the way life is sometimes. If you want to change the world, get over being a sugar cookie and keep moving forward.

This is always the way it will be with our relationship with God, and even our relationships with anyone we encounter. Do your best, be your best, but never give up. You can accomplish so much more by being a "sugar cookie" than you can by never rolling in the sand.

God loves a "sugar cookie."

Love to all,

Ivy S. Kirk

May 2024

The Lord continues to move behind the bars of our prisons and jails. It is a blessing to receive so many divine appointments as the Lord moves on the hearts of those that ended themselves, feeling helpless.

As I gather the men in the 4 PODs I work on a weekly basis, in the Tulsa County Jail, I look into the eyes of those that enter the meeting room looking full of worry, care, and hopelessness. But as I started to share the Love of our Lord Jesus and turn their hearts to Him, I saw a great transformation with the Holy Spirit working to lift their spirits and generate real hope and a clear direction for each of them. Yes, I have seen that the only real habilitation comes through Regeneration. A born-again experience through our Lord Jesus Christ by the work of His Holy Spirit.

On that Friday, a couple of weeks ago, I saw the Lord move in just that way. In the first POD I held my study with my regular inmates. Following them came several men they had recruited, all abuzz with anticipation. My heart leaped in my chest as I began to speak about new life in Christ. With their hope for real life found in the Lord, alone. I went on to tell them they could come to Christ right there at that moment making an eternal change! After I explained the Sinner's Prayer, I asked, "Does that prayer express your heart's desire, right now?" Men looked me in the eye and shook their heads "yes" while others voiced it, with a resounding "yes"! The Lord made it truly clear He was in control having brought hearts broken and ready to respond. The result, seven men gave their lives to the Lord to be born again.

God had miraculous taken the circumstances of a County ji to bring these men to an end of their selves to find real life in Christ.

It did not stop there. As I entered the next two PODs, men responded, also with two coming to Christ in the next and one in ethe last POD, I covered consecutively. Together we are seeing God honor His word and bless us as we go. You are there, and without the Lord and your willingness to follow His direction, all of this could not happen. Yes, that Friday morning, ten men found eternal life in the hopelessness of a county jail. This is why we go, to bring people to Christ and to life as only our Lord Jesus Christ can give it. Thank you for your prayers and investments that make the real difference in lives filled with hopelessness.

In His Love for Our Prisoners,

Chaplain Steve Bradshaw

Greetings, everyone. I hope you are all feeling as blessed as I feel. It is fantastic. For several months now, I have been wanting to get back to some tales and truths I started and then was interrupted by holidays and life. I hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I love retelling them. Sit back and use your imagination. If this were you, what would you learn?

MCRAVEN'S Lesson Number 2: If you want to change the world, find someone to help you paddle.

A synchronized boat working together can manage the surf, including the tall swells off the coast of California during training. Like having a cohesive crew paddling, having investors in your "boat" who share your vision and goals matters. It is important to find investors who are a good match for your mission, meaning they understand your goals, and have the risk profile, they share your long-term interests. With the right team supporting our "vision," including us as your advocate, we can paddle through the inevitable difficult waters together.

McRaven taught this lesson to his Navy Seals. His objective was to teach everyone nvolved to work together for the success of everyone. Why shouldn't we see the pportunity to further our endeavors to collaborate with all people incarcerated in e jails and prisons of Oklahoma?

With love and best wishes,

Ivy S. Kirk

April 2024

"How can I have a relationship with God?"

That was what a young man asked the other day in our character building discipleship class in an Oklahoma prison. He was new in the class, and I was talking about having a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and making heaven your home.

He had been with his head laying on his arms on a table next to the tables we were having our class of eight men in the study with our new Chaplain, Michael Brown, in training to teach the class. I asked. "what's your name young man?" He said, "Peter." I said, "well Peter, you have a special important Bible name that is a very important question!"

I knew the Lord was giving us a special moment. both for Peter. Michael. and each of the men in our class. Not only to help Peter in his journey to find God but in a learning experience for Michael and the men in our class to witness practical evangelism building their faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I replied. "The Lord Jesus told us, "I am the way, the truth and the life. no one comes to the Father except through me." | said. "The Apostal John tells us in His Gospel, "As many as receive Him to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those that believe in His name." Lastly. I told him that the Apostal Paul tells us. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and that the wages of that sin in death (separation from God in a devils hell." But. "If we will confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God raised Him from the dead, we shall be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

I explained that Jesus through His Spirit, at that time, would come into his life, giving him new life in Christ, to be born again and heaven would become his home. I looked him square in the face, eye to eye and asked. "Peter, would you like to invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your life, to become a Child of God, and begin the life He has for you?" With no hesitation in his voice, he said, "Yes I would like to do that!"

I went on to explain the sinner's prayer to him, word for word, and again I asked, "Peter. does this prayer express the desire of your heart now?" He looked me in the face with a fear forming on the edge of his eye and said. "Yes it does!" So, we bowed our heads and Peter opened his heart to the Lord Jesus' invitation and became a Child of God right there in the classroom.

This is why we go to the prisons, to help men and women find new life through Christ. All with there with me as we bring Christ behind bars. Thank you and thank God for all He is doing through us. Pray for workers, both behind bars and those who stand with us in helping men and training these lives for Eternity.

In His love for the Prisoners

Dr. Steve Bradshaw,

President - Prison Discipleship, Inc.

_____________________________________________________________________

Well today's letter is going to be late for Easter, but the sentiment is the same and the message is never too late. Every year we start with a holiday and what we are going to do to celebrate. Then we move on to more holidays and birthdays, and anniversaries, what do we do, and what gifts do we give. This goes on every day, week, and month of the year.

This month, have you thought of the celebration you are going to have for Jesus, for what he has done for us. Oh, it is nice to have new dresses and cute hats, the Easter Bunny running around hiding eggs. But for whom is that really? Jesus has taught us everything we needed to know about our Heavenly Father. Every day he has a life altering lesson for us.

He gave up his life to save us from damnation. Jesus continues to nurse our wounds, teach us how to be a better person, forgive us for our sins, and to love us. He holds us in his arms to comfort us when we are struggling, and cannot move forward, or when we are tempted by sin.

So, I ask again? What are you willing to do to give him the gift that he has given to you your entire life, and continues to give to you for the rest of your life so you will have a wonderful, loving life with your Heavenly Father? How does giving your life to Jesus' sound? It is a small payback for what you have received.

For love to Jesus who has done so much,

Ivy S. Kirk

March 2024

Greetings in the Love and Grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus Christ said, "I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

What a promise! Then shortly after that the Lord Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me." Yes, the Lord Jesus not only promises to take us to be with Him but, He makes it clear, He is the only way to be with Him.

This is the message we send to people behind bars. There is not a life or a reason to have life without the Lord Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The simplicity of the "Goodnews" message is what turns people to the only real home of Jesus Christ. As we give this message people turn from the darkness and hopelessness of Prisons and Jails to God's plan and purpose for their lives. You are there through your faithful prayers and gifts. Rejoice, for the great blessing the Lord has given us to show and share His Agape (unconditional) Love.

This Ministry, of over 40 years, has continued to be a faith ministry. That means you, as well as others, help make it possible as we Trust His call and supply through faithful Saints, such as you. With increased costs and many that have faithfully stood with us all these years, having to cut back and some even discontinue their direct involvement. We appreciate all who have stood with us during the increased costs and direct involvement. It has been extremely hard to grow our list on those receiving our Prayer Letter since our opportunities are limited since our contacts are inside the prison and not in public. Thank God for your commitments and loving care.

I have opened my heart to you, first to ask all of you to pray and believe in the Lord for His faithful supply and direction for this important, fruitful work. Secondly, I want you to pray for opportunities to allow us to allow us to share the work with others that my have a call to share in this work through "on hands" ministry behind bars, and for those that have the resources from the Lord's blessings in their life to help underwrite this visionary work.

Just a couple of days ago, I had a study in a Tulsa County Jail POD where the men were so hungry for the Word of God and His plan for their lives, I could hardly get to lead them in a prayer to receive Christ as Lord and Savior fast enough. In years of ministry, I have seen this, but it is always a great surprise, even though God is not surprised, as he says, "No one comes to Christ unless God's Spirit draws them!" Five men gave their hearts and lives to Christ to become a Child of God, with heaven as their home. You, as always, share in the eternal victory.

Lastly, in addition to the above requests, pray as we are asking the Lord for the contacts and supply to have a Prison Discipleship/HUB booth at the Tulsa State fair. This would be a direct outreach to the community for those with relatives behind prison and jail bars. This is an incredibly special opportunity to share this work with the community to enlist works, staff, and partners to help in supplying the needs and growth of this blessed ministry.

As always, please pray for me, our staff, and especially the prisoners that have no hope, except, for the hope Lord Jesus wants to give them. Thank you for praying and sharing this important ministry.

In His love for the prisoners,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw, P.D. President

January 2024

Greetings and happy New Year,

I pray you had a wonderful, blessed Christmas full of love and family. Thank you for praying for me and the prisoners at this time of the year. So many of them had no relatives or loved ones to share time with over Christmas. The sock & gospel projects gave hope to the inmates that someone still cared.

We witnessed a sudden loss in December. Our chairperson of the board, Wayne McCombs, went to be with our Lord from a massive heart attack. Wayne was a founding member of Prison Discipleship, and a dear friend I grew up with in Church.

Wayne had set up the opportunity for us to enter the Rogers County Jail to pass out our socks and give the Gospel for Christmas. Waynes's pastor, Rick Burk and one of his staff Pastors at Cedar Point Church, went with me as the Lord opened doors to allow us access to the jail. I was escorted by the officer in command to talk and present the gospel to all those we encountered in jail. As I closed our time, I gave each prisoner the opportunity to receive The Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Praise the Lord! Twenty-five men and women indicated they had prayed with me to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

What a blessing and true honoring of brother Wayne's faithful commitment to get the gospel to these adults of the Rogers County Jail. I know he was rejoicing in heaven for what the Lord has done. Thank you for sharing in each victory. God is honoring your ministry through Prison Discipleship and commitment with me. Pray for more open doors and the Lord's supply of funds to grow and develop this important ministry.

In His Love for the prisoners,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw, President

P.S. Please pray for Wayne's wife, LeaAnn, and the family as they grieve for him.

December 2023

Joy to the World, the Lord has Come!

The Lord be praised. He has come and is still reaching out to men and women every day. Hearts are touched and New Life has come. Glory to God in the Highest!!!

I haven't seen so many direct answers to your prayers in Prisoners coming to Christ, being born again in many years, not since my own direct personal ministry in the early years of circuit work. Because of the open doors to the Tulsa County Jail and more openings in the direct prison work, the Lord has allowed me to directly lead over 400 Prisoners to new Life in Christ. This is in addition to the Lord's expanding of our Discipleship training in more prisons and jails.

You have been a great answer to prayer and wonderful blessings as we see the Lord move in so many hearts. I couldn't ask for a greater Christmas Gift than seeing the Lord bring all these men and women to a saving knowledge of His Grace.

Please pray and believe the Lord with me for a great army of Believers to join us this new coming year as the Lord is opening so many more doors to us. What can make the real difference in the lives of those lost souls behind bars? Only the Lord Jesus Christ and his perfect gift of resurrection life in Him, is the answer. May the Lord bless and truly honor your ministry through Prison Discipleship as together we see the prisoners behind bars brought to Him.

Praying you will have a very merry Christmas and a wonderful happy New Year full of the Lord's blessings!

In His Perfect Gift of Jesus Christ,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw

The Brown Paper Bag

Thirty years ago, just about this time of year, I received the call that would set my life on a new path. Northridge, California had just experienced an 8. + earthquake. One point five million people were affected. How was I, just one person, going to help? Fortunately, I had my three best partners at my side, God and my two dogs. What I could not handle, God, Kodi or Ty was right there, showing me the way. My job was to listen, sometimes I didn't want to, but one of them would show me I wasn't the smartest member of the team.

So, thirty years later, I still have a team, some names have changed, but God is still "leader of the pack". Our world has changed, but the pain and hurt many people are experiencing has not changed. Prison Discipleship, Project HUB has worked diligently for forty years to bring prisoners of our various prisons and jails a lifeline that will lead them to God and his love.

Today, I need you on my team. Every year, Prison Discipleship/Project HUB brings a lot of love and a few surprises in a Brown Paper Bag, to the prisoners for Christmas. Each Brown Paper Bag has a pair of white cotton socks, candy, Christmas cards for the prisoner to send their friends and family, Raman Noodles, and the Word of God. The population in these facilities has almost doubled since last year so our task has grown. This year, we need help with the socks. They are $2.00 a pair and we need 4,000 pair.

Be someone's hero this Christmas for $2.00. The cost of a soft drink or a latte.

You will never miss the $2.00, but I guarantee someone will remember it for the rest of their life. I still remember my survivors and their families, and many of them still remember me for one act of kindness. Bless you and your family.

Love to all,

Ivy S. Kirk

November 2023

"I think I have a demon in me!"

This is what Brock said to me as I walked up to his cell. He was in an observation cell to make sure he did not hurt himself. I said, "Why do you think you have a demon in you?" To which he replied, "I feel empty and alone, I feel like a demon wants to come into me." l looked him in the eye and said, "You know Brock, we all live our lives empty until we find something or someone to fill us up." As I looked deep into his eyes, I could see a spark of hope rising in the darkness of his soul. Without a doubt the Lord Jesus was taking him to the light of the Gospel. "Only when we turn to Jesus and give our life to Him can we find a new life in Him. Would you be willing to invite the Lord Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and Savior to give you a new life and purpose by living through Him?"

As he sat on his mat lying on the floor of his cell, he looked up at me nodded his head and said firmly, "Yes, yes I would." We bowed our heads, "Tell the Lord these words from your heart to His." I then led him in the sinner's prayer and watched a man who was afraid he had a demon become the man who has a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He moved from darkness into His eternal light! Thank you, Lord, for placing us in a ministry from your heart, right in the greatest darkness to reveal your Eternal Light.

As I look at Brock, after the prayer, I could see a lifted face shining with hope in a new life.

Pray for Brock and the path he has begun. A path of new life and real purpose from behind jail bars. Only Jesus takes us from fear and despair to a fulfilled new Life in Christ.

You share in this great victory, thank you. Thank God for bringing us from a place of hopelessness to shine His light into willing souls.

Thank you for being our partner,

Dr. Steve Bradshaw

October 2023

Days like these God uses to open doors to Eternity! As we walk through these trying days, the Lord uses the increasing problems of life and our society, to create incredibly special opportunities. These bring people to the only real hope and love we have in the Lord Jesus Christ.

From the Tulsa County Jail becoming more available to my direct discipleship ministry to State Prisons collaborating with us through our Project HUB Re-entry, we are seeing tremendous growth. I have seen more Spiritual fruit in adults coming to Christ than I have seen in many years. Just over seventy in my personal ministry last month. Through these souls reached and discipled in the faith, God is creating a considerable number of discipled growing men and women both inside and out of the prisons. Please thank God with me for the great blessings He is giving us, as we minister together. Yes, you are an especially important part of this great response, and you share in each victory.

Please ask other Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, with which you have contact, to pray for us and the special needs we have encountered in our ever-increasing outreach and fruit. Direct them to our website at www.prisondiscipleship.com. There you will find information about P.D. our work and recent prayer letters to bring them up to date with further informed.

Thank you for standing with us through your prayer and gifts. As the days grow shorter remember the Lord had a magnificent work ahead, pray for His faithful power and supply. Thank you for all you do! May the Lord bless you in many great and wonderful ways.

In His Love for our Prisoners,

Steve Bradshaw

P. S. We are starting innovative programs for the fall and have been blessed with the addition of another prison, Jeff Dunn, and have hopes of starting a program at Mabel Bass.

Ivy S. Kirk

Rehabilitation Through Regeneration