Last Sunday, Bill Hubbard and I decided to visit our friend, C. J. Schexnayder. He is incarcerated in the Federal Correctional Center in Oakdale, Louisiana.

He was convicted of a serious drug charge and is scheduled to be released next year on July 18. On that date, he will have served over 10 years. I visited him a few times over the years and we have kept in touch.

C. J. was expecting our visit and was waiting as we arrived. During the visit, he shared what’s been going on in his life and what he plans to do when he’s released.

He asked about Danny Louque and said that the early, weekly Bible meetings are what he missed the most, next to his family.

He seemed to be concerned about how people would accept him upon his return. I told him, “C. J., you were convicted of a crime and you’re serving the time. You don’t owe anyone an explanation about your past. God has forgiven you. Forgive yourself and move on.”

Before he went to jail, C.J. had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but like King David, a man after God’s own heart, he couldn’t resist the temptation to sin. He is now 56 years old and knows that God has forgiven him. I pray that he will forgive himself.

The two-hour visit seemed to pass fast. C. J. enjoyed it, and Bill and I enjoyed it as much.

It’s amazing how exciting it is to practice the Christian life.

I recall what Jesus said in Matthew 25: 35-36, “For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in, I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.”

Then the righteous will ask Jesus when did we do those things? His answer was, “If you did it to one of the least of these, you did it for Me.”

I believe this Thanksgiving and Christmas will be one of the best for my friend, C.J., because he realizes that Jesus came to set him free on the inside while in prison.

As we prepared to leave, C.J. said to tell everyone “hello” for him and to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.

Jeanne and I look forward to C.J. coming home, because we believe that the best is yet to come for him and his family.

If you have any questions or comments, please write Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-542-8477 or email hkeller@comcast.net.