Redeemed and restored – Claire Mothersdale
At the heart of Prison Fellowship is our belief that no one is beyond hope. This hope is beautifully expressed in the poem below, written by Claire Mothersdale, who was once stuck in a cycle of addiction and prison sentences. Her life began to change when she sought support from the prison chaplain and after receiving a letter from one of our Letter Link volunteers.
Today, Claire serves as a PF volunteer, drawing on her own story to inspire others.
Her poem is a moving testimony to God’s transforming grace, the power of encouragement and the hope that can shine even in the darkest places.
Prisons Week poem
When you hear the word offender, what words come to mind?
I imagine quite a few—most won’t be very kind.
When you hear the word offender, you may think ‘low-life scum;’
‘They deserve to be locked up and pay for what they’ve done.’
‘They’re probably just a smackhead or an alky, can’t you see?
Let’s get them chucked in prison and throw away the key.’
But when I hear the word offender, I’ll tell you what I see:
I see they’re only human—they’ve made mistakes, just like you and me.
When I hear the word offender, I don’t see addict and I don’t see scum;
I see that the offender is someone’s daughter, someone’s son.
Yes, they’ve made bad choices, yes, they’ve been caught—
But God’s grace brings forgiveness; by His blood they have been bought.
Yes, they’re wretched sinners—of this there is no doubt;
The only difference between them and you is their sin has been found out.
You see, sin is sin in God’s eyes, whether big or small—
But praise God for redemption: Jesus took the fall.
He took on all their sinfulness, He took on all their shame;
His offer of forgiveness lets them live again.
So, the next time you hear the word offender,
See them through God’s eyes,
And pray they accept Jesus as their Saviour
To help navigate their lives.
Claire Mothersdale is a PF volunteer and Letter Link beneficiary. You can read more of Claire’s story in the Autumn edition of In:sight magazine.
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