This week I made the drive out to the prison, as I normally do. I always look forward to the time that I spend with the men out there. When I arrived at our room I talked to Josh about the music for worship. He asked me to go thru the songbook to find music that I knew. We went through some songs as the guys shuffled in. Nobody seemed to know who would be teaching this week. Eventually Artie asked if I would be willing since it was in the lesson called Sponsor. I wasn’t prepared to teach, but when I heard his reasoning I was compelled to do it. You see, I was their sponsor, so who better to teach than good ol’ Ira?

The lesson was great. I’ve been doing this for long enough that I can pick one up and teach it adequately. This was something different though. God was working through me on Saturday. I could feel His anointing. It was special. Every person in that room was listening. That is no easy feat in a room of 30 or so felons. I even had a couple of the guys ask me to help them find sponsors on the outside. It was an absolute success.

Sometimes I don’t want to go. Sometimes I don’t want to make the drive. Sometimes I just want to give up. But it’s days like this past Saturday that remind me to…

–Rise Up!!