A Christmas Message from Gene, Carol, and Jason Kent
Dear Friends,
Start glorifying God—with words, with song, with celebration, with exploding joy. Thank Him for the precious gift of Jesus. Then in hushed silence, listen for His voice. He is pleased and you are favored when you listen to Him and act in obedience.
No matter what your circumstances are, experience the power of praising Him. Imagine what it must have been like for the shepherds to see the angel of the Lord and to experience the radiance of His glory. Then envision a huge host of angels—the armies of heaven—appearing. Consider what that vast choir sounded like as they celebrated the birth of Jesus and announced it to the shepherds. If you want to experience glory, start praising Him. If you long for peace in your life, walk in His truth, follow His leading, and accept that He can do the impossible in your circumstances, too. His favor rests on those who please Him by their faithful lives.
If you’d like to send Jason a Christmas card, his address is:
Jason P. Kent X26713
Desoto Annex Correctional Institution
13617 S. E. Hwy 70
Arcadia FL 34266
Please note that the only enclosures that are allowed are up to 20 first class postage stamps. If he gets more than he can use, he shares them with other inmates.
For Christmas this year, we’d like to send copies of Waiting Together, to as many families of inmates as possible. This book includes 90 devotionals for families of prisoners. If you’d like to help us with these costs, please send your tax-deductible donation of any amount via www.speakupforhope.org, or send a check made out to Speak Up for Hope to Gene & Carol Kent, 3141 Winged Foot Dr., Lakeland, FL 33803. If you know the family of an inmate and would like to have us send a copy of this book to them as a gift, please put Waiting Together in the subject line and send their name and address to Gene4speakup@aol.com.
“Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.’” Luke 2:12-14 NLT
Question: What specific reasons do you have to glorify God right now?
I am giving the Lord glory and honor for bringing a time to be with my husband’s family.
Thankful for the joy that seems to pour out of you & your husband’s lives. Am awed and challenged by the support you have shown your son. I’m blessed by your son’s witness in the life he is living now.
Because he lives I can face tomorrow thank you Jesus
You three!
Merry Christmas to you all!
I loved your christmas message and I did send jason a card. I know how much mail,cards etc. mean. I have a son that is incarcerated is now only 1.5 hours away as opposed to 4.5hrs.
He is currently down to 13mos of a 5yr sentence. I can’t tell you how much your book while we waite ment to me. I was loosing it and it was recommended to me by a prison ministry it literally pulled me together and put things in perspective. God bless you, your family and your ministry. Merry Christmas! Georgianna Beveridge
Well, so far I think I have given away about eight copies of your devotional he holds my hand. For me personally it is something I go to absolutely every morning as God seems to speak to me through it. Thank you for listening to the Holy Spirit and writing this devotional. It came to me during a. Devastation and has been such a blessing.
I am familiar with you and Gene from Arthelene Rippy Show and have purchased all your books. I recently sold Chapman’s Mobile Home Park in Lakeland. I managed the park and took care of my mom at home with alzheimers. I am 72 and since retiring in August have been praying where God wants me to serve him. I keep telling God I am waiting lets get going but you know God, it is according to his time not mine. I have your son’s address and will send a Christmas card. My heart goes out to children whos parent or parents are incarcerated. I saw so much heartache at mobile home park. Thank you for your TV interviews, posts and books and oh yes Gene and his black T shirts!!Sincerely Truday Maslin. I reside in Winter Haven, originally from Milwaukee Wisconsin and relatives in Fruitport MI.I believe you are from MI
I bought Waiting Together a year ago or more,,,, loved it so much , that I bought a few extras to share with other families of inmates.
I will be sending a Christmas card to your Jason . I also have a Jason, my son,,, who is serving 50 yrs. at USP Tucson.
I am in Arkansas,,,,, so far away,,,,, I have only been able to take the trip to see him one time in the past 2 yrs since he has been there.
Dear Carol,
I spoke with you and your husband at an event sponsored by Women’s Ministries in Southern California Assemblies of God a few years ago. At that time my own son was in and out of jail and prison, struggling with drug addiction and related issues including homelessness much of the time. Since then he fought cancer for a couple of years and earlier this year passed away. The good news is that he was reconciled to God and found peace while staying in my home his last three months on earth.
When I saw your email today I felt prompted to write to your son and send him Christmas greetings, since I can no longer do so for my own son. If he decides to respond, I will be honored to communicate with him again in place of my own son, whom I miss so much, especially at this Christmas season.
You have been such an inspiration to me, both in your live presentation and the books that you have written. Thank you for your faithfulness in carrying out the ministry to which God has called you. If you are back in SoCal again I hope to be able to reconnect with you.
Barbara Suggs
Please send a devotional. To my friend whose son is incarcerated and her son.
Her address is:
Liz Caputo
46 Lafayette Court
North Brunswick, NJ 08902
And her son:
Vincent Capitol
#881750D
North State Prison
PO Box 2300
Newark, NJ 07114
Thank you so much. God bless you. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!
I do not think I know you but you sent a wonderful card. I love the 3in1. Jeni
Hello! I want to order a book and have it sent to a friend. Her son is in the Muskegon River Youth Home in Evart, MI. He’s been in there for quite a few years, and no idea when he’s getting out. SO I know your book will be helpful. I don’t know where to send the check, etc.
Thanks!
I have used your phrase ‘new normal’ many times as I have dealt with my son in prison and jail. I wish I had money to donate but I will see what I can do in the jail that my son is to get the booklets to others – I see them when I visit because we have video visit only and all sit in a room with phone booths.
Carol,
Your faithfulness to our Lord blesses me in the midst of my present loss and trial, you see my only daughter was brutally murdered this summer by her husband, then he shot and killed himself leaving my 7-yr. old granddaughter an orphan.
I specifically praise God that he loves us, hears and answers our prayers and that I have a loving supportive husband and my granddaughter Edie to raise. May God be glorified and may I not waste this time of suffering.
Carol have reached out to President Trump for a pardon for Jason?
Jesus is our greatest hope. In times of our greatest pain – He has been there. But he rose from the grave to show us the hope that goes beyond our pain!
Dear Carol:
Hi, my name is Annabel Garza, some years ago, I did have the privilege of seeing you in a woman’s gathering at Wheaton Bible Church, and later read your book, who thought that years later could experience the grieve and desperation of seeing my own boy of 17 years old, in prison charged with first-degree murder, my heart just drop in a deep dark hole of pain, despair, and isolation. How hard it is! but the Lord is holding my hand so tight that when I lose hope he squeezed and reminding me: “be strong, have courage…is not about you, is about Me” and I take a big breath and move on to help, to advocate, to encourage others. Please tell me how you do it, how you handle it every day, this will be the first Christmas without him. Eager to hear from you, thank you! Annabel Garza
Dear Carol:
Hi, my name is Annabel Garza, some years ago, I did have the privilege of seeing you in a woman’s gathering at Wheaton Bible Church, and later read your book, who thought that years later could experience the grieve and desperation of seeing my own boy of 17 years old, in prison charged with first-degree murder, my heart just drop in a deep dark hole of pain, despair, and isolation. How hard it is! but the Lord is holding my hand so tight that when I lose hope he squeezed and reminding me: “be strong, have courage…is not about you, is about Me” and I take a big breath and move on to help, to advocate, to encourage others. Please tell me how you do it, how you handle it every day, this will be the first Christmas without him. Eager to hear from you, thank you!
Dear Carol: The women in my church, (including myself) Spirit Life Worship in Palm Coast FL. attended a conference in Daytona Beach about two years ago. My son, Dan, has recently been arrested for a tragic accident (I don’t know details) & his court date is set for June, 2019. When he is sentenced to prison, and can receive letters & books, I will again be in touch with you. I want my son to hear Jason’s story. God Bless you, your husband, son & your ministry.
Karen