Grace Behind Bars by Bo and Gari Mitchell

An Unexpected Path to True Freedom

Starting a church, rapid-fire decisions, stretched too thin. This describes Bo Mitchell before 1992. A 10 minute discussion and decision with a "trusted banker" to do a loan for two friends who had helped out with the church plant landed Bo on the FBI list and earned him a prison sentence.The loan seemed innocent enough, he did it, paid it back and moved on. It took seven years for the law to catch up and when it did, Bo was honest and forthright. He made the initial contact with the FBI, he showed integrity in his dealings and he landed in prison. Bo took full responsibility for his actions, even though he had been entirely innocent in the whole scandal.

And, I believe, by taking responsibility for his actions and assuming the blame and bearing the guilt and the hurt to his family, is what changed Bo's life. He determined to use his prison experience to his benefit. He used that time to seek God, to pray, to change his life. Now his time spent with his family was intentional, there was nothing to distract them when they were together, no TV, no radio. They just talked.

When he got out, he was a changed man and he determined to stay that way. He had an accountability group to hold him responsible and he was open to their opinions.

It was a good book about taking the seemingly ridiculous and awful in life and using it for good, for allowing the bad to make a better person out of Bo.  While the writing isn't real suspenseful or grab-your-attention like some books, the content is solid and something that everyone could learn from. I really enjoyed reading it. I want to remember the lessons Bo learned and use the tough times in life to grow me as a daughter of God, to learn to say with Bo that I've never been better. That is his response when someone asks how he is, "Never better."

This book was given me by Tyndale House. I was not required to write a positive review.