Chaplain Richard Garcia and Vic Porter
Lovelock, NV, November 15-16, 2011

Thank you so much for coming to Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada to present your "Grace for Addictions, A One Step Program".  It was great, and wonderfully received by the men!

Men of different religious persuasions attended and the truths you presented seemed to transcend religious beliefs.  There was positive talk on the yard for many days after your presentation; men mulling over how they were impacted by the program.  Attached are some thank you notes and testimonies from some of the men.

Thank you again for coming here.  Your Institute of Self-Worth program is helping a number of incarcerated men discover their second-chance and identity in Christ.  We hope that you are able to return to minister here again someday soon.

In His Service,

Pastor Richard Garcia

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Finding Our Genius, Pursuing Our Purpose

Romans 11:29: "For God's gifts and His call are irrevocable. He never withdraws when once they are given, and He does not change His mind about those to whom He gives His grace or to whom He sends His call." Amplified Bible

Have you ever wondered why many of us are held captive in an "outer realm" of life? 

Many in society have rejected your congregation and have given up on them thinking they have nothing to contribute.  What they don't realize is that God hasn't given up on anyone, especially the inmates.

Every person has a purpose in life that is God given.  Until we find our purpose, we will never be fulfilled.  That's where you, as a chaplain and I come in.  We have been given the unique opportunity to help these men and  women find their purpose in life.  Because our calling is to a group of people many ignore most people don't bother to find out what we really do and that makes our job more difficult.

As you talk to inmates, I'm sure your mind has a hard time comprehending some of their stories.  Many have been hurt and rejected so deeply the average person can't comprehend their pain, especially the church.

Through my years of studying the Word, I've endeavored to find out why we say and do things we say and do.  I've found that every person has a point of genius in them and that includes the inmate.  When we don't know how to deal with the pain of rejection and the tests and trials of everyday life, we cover up our genius and place a sign that reads, Too Painful, Keep Out.  Because we fear the pain we never go back to where it began.  When we do this, we live in an "outer realm" and are always wondering what our purpose in life is.  Only as we dare to go back to the place of pain and allow God to hear the hurt of rejection can we begin to find our point of genius and our purpose in life.

The enemy knows that in order to stop the Gospel from reaching others he has to hide our genius, thus stop our purpose.  Satan attacks us the hardest at our point of genius, believing that we will give up and forget finding our purpose in life.  However, as we begin to allow the Holy Spirit to minister to our pain, the process of the healing of our heart begins to take place.  Why does the enemy attack us the hardest at the point of our genius? Because he knows that if we find our genius, we will pursue our purpose.

Once we find our point of genius, we find our purpose of life and fulfillment begins.  Our purpose requires no instruction or motivation to accomplish.  It comes naturally.  If it becomes our life's work, it really isn't work at all; it's simply who we are and what we do.

As we help an inmate uncover the layers of hurt and rejection, they will find their point of genius and their purpose.  When this happens, they freely give themselves away to others.

Thank you for allowing me to partner with you in helping the inmates find their purpose in life.

Blessings,

Vic Porter