– Thankful Today – 

 

The Networker:
"I'm so thankful that God sent you to this prison. Ever since I met you, I've completely changed the way I do my prison time. Now I realize that prison can prepare me to become a better father, son, and husband for my future wife. Thank you for showing me the way and bringing HOPE back into my messed-up life."

Me:
"Wow... thank you for the kind words. You will never know how much they truly mean to me. God continues to turn my mess into a massive miracle."

Prior to surrendering to federal prison, I made my beautiful daughter Cambria a promise.

I promised my incredible daughter that her dad would use his time in prison to help “sad dads” reconnect with their BROKEN families.

Cambria, my love — Daddy is following through on that promise.

The above conversation with “The Networker” is proof that God can turn any painful season of suffering into a miraculous house of healing.

Each day I spend in prison, I’m surrounded by insidious evil. Unfortunately, I won’t be free to describe the depths of this demonic darkness until I’m released from B.O.P. custody. But this dark prison journey has given me a front-row seat to witness that these morbid monsters are NO MATCH for the Holy Spirit.

I can personally testify that the darker the place, the brighter God’s goodness breaks through. Getting the privilege of seeing this with my own eyes has changed my life forever!

I’m not sure how God’s grand plans actually work, but I’m 100% certain that EVERY season of suffering is an OPPORTUNITY to glorify His goodness.

Receiving a 15-year federal prison sentence behind barbed wire should have destroyed me, Noél, Cambria, Willow, Lula, and Zion.

But God has been hard at work turning our family’s mess into an absolute miracle.

So let’s account and give thanks together for all the glorious miracles that have happened so far on this strange prison journey:

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• I made a lifelong friend named “Mr. Wolf” and watched him reunite with his 10-year-old daughter in REAL TIME.

Thank You, Lord, for Mr. Wolf’s big breakthrough while living in the pit of prison.

• I’ve watched “The Networker” become the man he was meant to be and completely reject the prison lifestyle. Now he treats prison as practice ground to become a better father to his 10-year-old son.

Thank You, Jesus, for bringing hope back into this amazing father’s life.

• “The Big Bearded Man” now proudly walks around this compound proclaiming his big, bold dreams for a better future — all day, EVERY day.

Lord, thank You for giving this man dreams and visions beyond his current circumstances.

• The massive wounds from “Mr. Chill’s” childhood are starting to heal and prepare a path for reconciliation and forgiveness.

Jesus, Your grace is a gift broken men need daily. Thank You for reminding Mr. Chill that his Father in Heaven has ALWAYS been walking side-by-side with him.

• My Wonderful Warrior Wife has turned our family’s prison journey into a thriving and growing community, inspiring fellow “prison wives” to overcome the impact of incarceration. Noél is raising up Proud Prison Wives!!!

God, thank You for giving my wife supernatural strength to endure the harshness of her husband’s confinement. Lord, the only reason we are still standing is because of YOU.

• During her weekly youth group, Cambria is boldly proclaiming God’s goodness throughout this painful prison journey. This little lady is ONLY 13 and able to recognize ALL the breakthroughs happening during our struggle.

Lord, keep raising up the next generation of leaders like Cambria. Thank You for blessing me with a daughter like her.

• Two months into my sentence, I was blessed with a big, brown-eyed dog named Conrad. This furry guardian angel picked me up off the ground and brought much-needed healing into ALL the Bartlett hearts.

Jesus, Your grand plans are beyond human understanding. Thank You for giving this broken man a second chance.

• Every day in prison I get the privilege of reading, writing, studying, and training service dogs for families in need.

God, thank You for giving me the gift of a new career as a Prison Puppy Trainer. The thought of reconciling with society through dog training gives me strength on the hard days.

• Unlike most federal prisoners, I get the opportunity to stay connected with all of you in the outside “real world.”

Jesus, thank You for giving me a wife who NEVER GAVE UP on me! Getting to connect with all of you is like oxygen for people like me trapped behind barbed wire.

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Ummm… I’m no expert, but it sure seems like God is turning this mess into a miracle.

“BUT BRETT!!! There are a bunch of BAD things happening in your family’s life right now!”

Oh wow — you are 100% correct.
Thank you for that very astute observation.
Hahaha.

Look, one thing I’ve learned THE HARD WAY is this:
Seasons of struggle come and go.
But God is good ALL the time!!

I now know that any person can CHOOSE to turn their season of struggle into a catalyst that spreads the LOVE of Christ.

Prison, pain, and suffering have galvanized my family and pulled us closer to Jesus than we ever imagined was possible. Our love and thankfulness for Jesus is pure, raw, and authentic. 

I’ve personally never felt this close to my Father in Heaven. The pressure of this pain somehow produced the most precious gift.

If you are going through a season of struggle, God is with you and can transform your mess into a magnificent miracle.

Please don’t misunderstand me though: pain and suffering are VERY REAL, and IT SUCKS.

But God’s goodness is greater.
I’ve seen it with my own federal-prisoner eyes.

Jesus will meet you in the mud if you CHOOSE Him in your moment of hopelessness.

Personally, I would never wish the pain of prison onto my worst enemy. But I’m truly thankful I was sent to this snake pit called prison. Because of the pain of prison, I’ve finally felt the tangible love of my Father in Heaven. 

HIS LOVE IS REAL!!!

Jesus has set this broken man FREE — in federal prison.
Hahaha.

Mess = Miracle

If you are currently staring straight into a season of suffering, hand it ALL over to Jesus and watch the massive miracle that blossoms from the brokenness.

Choose Jesus when the pain is overwhelming.
Choose Him when the fear is loud.
Choose Him when hope feels lost.

Take it from a guy trapped behind barbed wire:

GOD’S GOT YOU.
Let the Redeemer work.

I’m so thankful for all of you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to express my thoughts and feelings throughout my prison journey.

Sincerely,
Brett
(A front-row witness to God’s goodness)

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– A Note From Noél –

The pain of Brett’s prison journey is all too real for me, Cambria, Willow, Lula, and Zion.

This will be the first Thanksgiving and Christmas where Brett is separated from us by barbed wire. It’s a very surreal feeling for our family.

My husband is — and always will be — our entire world, and now the kids and I are left trying to survive this season of struggle without him.

I HATE ALL OF THIS!!! I really do!

Right now, Brett is thousands of miles away from anyone who loves him, and he will most likely spend Thanksgiving and Christmas in a cold brick prison cell by himself.

The fact that this man is PROCLAIMING God’s goodness, while experiencing immense pain, PROVES HIS PURE LOVE FOR JESUS.

Brett’s brokenness has brought the tangible LOVE & GRACE of Jesus Christ back into all of our hearts.

Jesus, THANK YOU for meeting my husband in the mud and healing him with Your Holy Spirit.

Cambria, Willow, Lula, Zion, and I draw daily strength from Brett’s unrelenting thankfulness, strength, and heart of gratitude.

Trust me… seasons of suffering SUCK!!!

But GOD IS ALWAYS GOOD!!!!

The bright breakthroughs happening every single day — inside and outside of prison — are undeniable and glorious.

The “God stories” keep pouring in, even while the pain of prison pierces.

This community alone — and everything you have poured into our family — is nothing short of a miracle. We would not be standing here, 9 months into this nightmare, without each and every one of you loving us, supporting us, donating, praying, lifting us, and carrying our family when we could barely carry ourselves.

There were so many moments where I honestly couldn’t see how we were going to make it through the month — moments where the financial weight felt unbearable, and moments where I was so emotionally drained I truly had nothing left to give. But somehow… through YOUR kindness, YOUR sacrifice, YOUR prayers, YOUR encouragement… we made it. We are still here. Still standing. Still fighting.

So from the deepest place in my heart — THANK YOU.
You have no idea how much your love has held this family together.

I truly believe we are watching God turn the Bartlett family’s “mess” into an absolute miracle.

As a family, we have CHOSEN a posture of gratitude and thankfulness to weather this storm of suffering.

Circumstances will NOT harden our hearts or stop us from spreading the LOVE of Jesus.

We Bartletts are getting stronger in this season of struggle — solely because of the power of Jesus Christ.

If you are facing your own season of suffering, please know: Jesus is with you ALL the way. He will NEVER abandon you. He's got you!!

Our family will stand proud because we are living proof of God’s goodness.
Just wait… you will see the miraculous miracle that is going to rise from all this pain.

We love You, Jesus, and we give You all the praise!!! Your love is tangible and gives us the strength to endure.

Sincerely,
Noél
(A hurting and thankful wife)