UPDATE FROM THE SCHOOL OF GOOD NEWS

New Correspondence Studies Available!
This year we have developed two new correspondence studies and are making them available.  The new studies are:

• Positive Parenting, and
• Praying Moms

School of Good News

Our School of Good News has students from correctional facilities, halfway houses, and returning citizens around the United States. Among the studies available for women to complete are:

• The Plowshare of Prayer
• Encouraging Ourselves in the Word
• Blooming in the Desert
• The Descriptive Names of God
• God’s Restoration Plan
• Ephesians
• Renewing Our Mind

Since beginning the School of Good News correspondence study program for incarcerated women in 2008, we have had more than 400 students. Upon finishing a study, women receive a Certificate of Completion.

Here’s what the students say about the correspondence studies:
“I’ve learned that prayer is a process.  It is continually learning the word, opening your heart, and constantly looking to the Holy Spirit for guidance.  More than anything, God has answered my prayers by helping me to comprehend the prayers of those in the Bible during this study, and helping me to apply certain aspects of them in my own prayer life.  My prayers are more effective.”
“God has been healing me and forgiving me of my faults during this Bible Study.  I have learned a lot through this study; I never really read the Bible or did a Bible Study before.  God has come back into my life since I’ve been here in prison and it is a wonderful experience.”
“Through this study, God is creating a new boldness in me and a thirst for more knowledge.”
“The Lord has been teaching me so much about my praise life.  I am learning how important praise and worship are.  God loves to hear from us with thanksgiving and praise.  My life has truly changed because God is who He is.”
“Since starting this study on prayer, I have come to understand more about God and it is making my journey that much stronger.”
“I believe God is healing my relationship with my family and children.  I believe that each day that passes, God is working on my behalf and I thank Him and praise Him for all He does for me.”
“God has been healing childhood hurts and wounds from bad decision-making.  He has helped me forgive a lot of others by praying for them more and He’s bringing forth who I truly am and I am thankful for I could still be in denial on some things and be premature in becoming a woman of God.”
“As I sit here in prison, I am not as sad as I used to be.  I give God all the honor and glory and praise.”
“I’ve had a not so good relationship with my step dad, but since being sent to prison, I have been reading more of the word.  I wrote him a letter and included money, passages and Psalms from the Bible.  This lightened his heart and we are beginning to speak on a weekly basis.  This is all due to the power of God’s word.”
“I have had doubts of whether I was praying the right way or not for a long time.  I had prayed about it over and over.  So this study is like a guide showing me how to pray better; how to plant/sow seed.  I’ve been told I was a prayer warrior and this study is like God giving me better armor for my prayer life.”
“God is healing me by getting me to open up to certain people.  He is also giving me courage in my faith in Him.  It is hard for me to share private details of my life because it’s painful, but God is giving me courage and putting the right people in my life to help me heal.”

“Thank you for your studies. I’ve enjoyed them very much. They give me an opportunity to think seriously about where I stand in faith in my relationship with God!”

“This study has been a confirmation to me in many ways. As I read the following phrases, ‘We might experience the breath of the Holy Spirit, or experience the fragrance of Christ. The silence
of the Lord can speak volumes to us and be a place of revelation, illumination and love,’ I couldn’t help but cry because lately I have felt disconnected and alone wondering what was wrong with me. Those words in the lesson confirmed to me that even in those times when I feel far away, God is still near and is drawing me to Him. It was God’s gentle whisper, saying ‘you’re never alone.’ “

"The plowshare module enlightened me. I learned after I pray, to start walking in faith, and meet God at the harvest point. Putting the Hebrew and Greek meanings of words adds so much to the study, and enables a better understanding. The prayer of repentance that Daniel prayed was very powerful, and it leads to intercession. It was a great example of what I can do on behalf of my fellow prisoners. Daniel's prayers saved a nation! Prayer changes things - even when I can't see the results. Every time I picked up a new chapter to study, it was exactly what He was teaching me, and the words of the lesson confirmed so much. For example today, as I picked up Chapter 7, we were praying about the armor of God in our prayer circle - on the same day! Amazing! He is everything I do nowadays. Hallelujah!"

“As I prepare to be released, thank you again for my Bible Studies. This is what I needed to go through this and I will tell others about these lessons.”

“God has answered my prayer through this study by providing my husband with a car, when he did not have one!”