Grateful for Grace

April 25, 2026

Grateful for Grace

"OH CRAP!!!!"

My dog at this point was getting WAY too close to the "OUT OF BOUNDS" fence line.

“Finnnnn…… COME!!!!”

About 50 yards away, my furry friend with big black floppy ears hears my recall command… and takes off sprinting toward me at full speed.

When The Fantastic Mr. Finn gets about two feet from my right leg, he suddenly stops… drops into a perfect sit… and starts wagging his tail like crazy.

“Good boy, buddy… thanks for listening, big guy.”

Finn flashes that big, bright smile back at me like he knows exactly what he just did.

This one-of-a-kind dog truly has a servant’s heart… and I’m honored—truly honored—to be part of his superhero service dog story.

Watching this special pup sprint across the prison yard, his long half-pink, half-black tongue hanging out the side of his mouth…

It does something to me.

It fills my heart with a kind of gratitude I never knew existed.

Because the truth is…

The fact that a broken man like me—
a man with a past,
a man who once felt suffocated by his own shame—

has been given the opportunity of a lifetime…

to become a certified service dog trainer…

while serving a prison sentence???

I mean… COME ON.

If that’s not a living, breathing example of God’s grace, mercy, and love… I don’t know what is.

One of the most beautiful lessons I’ve learned in this harsh and often chaotic place is this:

GOD’S LOVE ALWAYS WINS.

Prison tried to chain me to my past.
Tried to define me by my worst decisions.
Tried to convince me that this was the end of my story.

BUT…

The unconditional love I’ve received—from my family, from my friends, and even from my barbed wire brothers—

has set me free in a way I never thought was possible.

It brought me back to myself.

So no…

I don’t see my story as one of punishment anymore.

If anything, from where I’m standing…

this season feels like proof.

Proof that Jesus doesn’t abandon His children.
Proof that He meets us in our mess.
Proof that He welcomes us back home with open arms—no matter how far we’ve fallen.

Believe it or not…

I’m actually grateful for this time.

Because the shame and pain that once controlled my life…
has been completely shattered by the grace of God.

And I will never be the same because of it.

There aren’t enough words in the world to fully describe the gratitude I feel in my soul every single day.

But I can tell you this…

I am one blessed man—
even behind razor-sharp barbed wire.

Love you all so much,
Brett
(A man who knows ONLY the love of Jesus can shatter the shadow of shame forever)

A Note From Noél

The man I love with all my heart has somehow found a heavenly peace inside a place built to punish.

And I can’t help but sit in awe of that.

Because only a GRACE-FILLED GOD could take the piercing pain of a long prison sentence…

and transform it into something healing.
Something purposeful.
Something sacred.

Every prison story Brett shares feels like living proof—

proof of just how far God’s love will reach for His children.

Because yes…

Punishment can try to chain us to the pain and shame of our past.

BUT…

Our Heavenly Father does something completely different.

He draws near.
He wraps us up in His love.
And He gently sets our souls free.

Love doesn’t condemn… it restores.
And it shatters shame—every single time.

“Lord Jesus, thank you for always loving us back to who we truly are. Thank you for bringing the peace of Your Spirit into Brett’s cement prison cell. You are our hiding place in the middle of this storm. We take refuge in Your love—now and forever.”

The Bartletts are living, breathing proof that even in the hardest, most unexpected places…

LOVE STILL WINS.

And it always will.

With so much love,
Noél
(A woman learning to lead with love—no matter the circumstance)

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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER

I, Noél Bartlett, am committed to following all applicable Federal Bureau of Prisons policies and procedures while sharing, documenting, and memorializing our family’s prison journey and the letters and manuscripts Brett sends to me.

For complete clarity, I alone am the owner, operator, publisher, and financial beneficiary of Proud Prison Wives and this website. I am also the sole publisher and beneficiary of any books or other works published through Proud Prison Wives, including SPEAK DOG, SHATTER YOUR SHAME, and any future manuscript of Brett’s that I independently choose to edit, develop, and publish.

Brett is currently incarcerated in federal prison. He does not own, operate, manage, or conduct business through Proud Prison Wives, nor does he receive any financial benefit from the publication, sale, or promotion of these books, letters, manuscripts, or website content.

I am incredibly proud to take my husband’s raw letters and manuscripts and transform them into beautiful, meaningful books that allow others to witness his journey and cheer him forward as he chooses to use his time in prison productively.

Brett and I also take the safety, security, and privacy of the institution extremely seriously. In the letters and manuscripts he sends me—and in the material I ultimately choose to publish—identifying details may be intentionally changed, combined, omitted, or rearranged. This may include characters, conversations, events, timelines, locations, and other details in order to protect the privacy of staff, fellow incarcerated individuals, and the institution itself.

The heart and spirit of Brett’s writing are based on his lived experiences, but these writings should not be interpreted as a literal, chronological, or identifying account of daily institutional life. Some details of Brett’s experience will simply have to wait until he has fully completed his obligations to the Department of Justice.

Again, I, Noél Bartlett, am fully committed to respecting and following applicable Bureau of Prisons policies and procedures. I consider it a privilege to preserve our family’s story, document this chapter of Brett’s life, and share the good that can still come from an incredibly difficult season.

Thank you for reading, supporting our family, and respecting the purpose and boundaries behind what we share.

— Noél Bartlett
Owner & Publisher, Proud Prison Wives

Shatter Your Shame- Sneak Peek

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 1

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 2

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 3

Shatter Your Shame is NOW AVAILABLE

Brett and I are so excited (and honestly still a little in awe) to officially announce

Shatter Your Shame is LIVE on the site.

This book was written inside a federal prison—on random pieces of scratch paper, with a dull pencil, behind razor-sharp barbed wire and an electrified fence. What started as handwritten prison letters has turned into a powerful testimony of redemption, responsibility, faith, and purpose.

Shatter Your Shame is for anyone who carries the weight of their past, the burden of regret, or the quiet pain of shame—and is ready to see how God redeems what the world calls broken.

Brett writes with raw honesty about the worst decisions of his life, the consequences that followed, and the miraculous way God met him in the pit of prison and transformed his shame into purpose. These are one-of-a-kind prison stories that will help you heal, rise, and walk forward unchained.

(Perfect for small groups, book clubs, churches, or gifting to someone who needs hope.)

Every order directly supports me and my 4 beautiful children during this season Brett is away.

This journey hasn’t been easy. Prison is heavy. Shame is heavy. But God is proving—once again—that He specializes in turning massive messes into healing miracles.

Thank you for believing in redemption.
Thank you for supporting our family.
Thank you for helping us share this message with the world.

With so much love,
Noél

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SPEAK DOG is NOW AVAILABLE

Speak Dog is not your average dog-training book. It is a testimony, a powerful blend of storytelling, breakthrough psychology, and the real-life prison puppy training program that God used to transform countless lives, including Brett’s, and our family’s.

This book carries redemption on every page. It shows what God can do with a broken man, a hurting dog, and a second chance. It’s hope, healing, laughter, purpose, and breakthrough all wrapped into one unforgettable journey.

I am SO beyond excited for everyone to get their hands on this book and experience the same heart-shifting, faith-building transformation that we did.

Shop Now

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Grateful for Grace