The 4 Amigos

-The 4 Amigos-

Prison is an evil place. I'm talking about a type of evil that I hope no person ever experiences. I personally believe this deceptive darkness dominates most prisons in the United States.

Several months back, I was praying and received a clear confirmation that I should NOT write about the demons that feed on my fellow prisoners. I did NOT want to glorify incarceration or the "typical lifestyle" that is lived inside most federal prisons. While I'm serving my sentence, I want to focus my writing on the men who are choosing a different path. These men are working hard to find their true identity in God, reconcile with society, and heal their families. The men who are choosing to walk this narrow path deserve the spotlight. I believe the devil wants to distract from and drown out ALL the incredible breakthroughs that are happening at FMC Rochester. My job is to showcase the souls that are being saved by the love of Jesus.

I would much rather spend my time writing about men being reunited with their families than all the demonic drama that surrounds me.

Please continue to pray that God showers me with strength, patience, wisdom, and the ability to see others through Christ’s eyes. The way I live my life behind barbed wire has inspired other men to reject the “prison mindset” and realize that greatness awaits them. They now have HOPE instead of heavy shame. Mr. Wolf, Mr. Chill, and The Networker are rediscovering WHO THEY REALLY ARE IN CHRIST. I have personally never witnessed this level of transformation and breakthrough in my life. Please continue to pray for these men.

Just today, Mr. Chill was telling me how he feels UNSTOPPABLE NOW! This is a 22-year-old man who still has about a decade to serve in prison. He no longer sees his confinement as a constraint. He believes prison is now just a training ground—a place for him to study, get ready, write, and prepare to be the best son, brother, future husband, and eventual father. Mr. Chill is the guy making sure I go to church every Sunday! Friendly reminder: Mr. Chill once told me “he would most likely die alone” when I first met him in the 60-man prison dorm. What an incredible transformation.

I’m so thankful that God placed Mr. Chill, Mr. Wolf, and The Networker in my life. All four of us are men who have messed up. We seek Jesus daily because we KNOW our brokenness. Ironically, it is our awareness of being broken that makes us strong. Our crimes have intensified our compassion for other “broken” men and humbled us. We understand the value of being unconditionally loved by our Father in Heaven. The four of us have recalibrated and rebuilt ourselves through pain and suffering.

I’m proud and honored to be a part of THE 4 AMIGOS. Thank you, Mr. Chill, Mr. Wolf, and The Networker, for accepting me as a friend and barbed wire brother. I love you guys and will forever be grateful that we met. I know all of you will do amazing things with your lives upon release.

Sincerely,
Brett

P.S. My favorite part of the day is when Mr. Chill, Mr. Wolf, The Networker, and I walk the track together and hear other prisoners yelling, “There go the 4 Amigos!!!” It’s seriously the best. :)


-Note From Noél-

I hate every single day that Brett is away from me, Cambria, Willow, Lula, and Zion. But I also cannot deny the impact he is having on these men in federal prison. This is exactly who my husband is and why I married him. I see the Brett I fell in love with in these letters. The pain of prison has refined him, and his JOY for life is growing and spreading to others.

Anyone who has spent even a few hours with Brett knows exactly what I’m talking about. His optimistic attitude is contagious. Brett makes you feel like anything is possible. He is a man who sees HOPE where others see fear. Gosh, I really miss him. I’m so thankful that God put Mr. Chill, Mr. Wolf, and The Networker in my husband’s life. I absolutely love that they are The 4 Amigos, and that they have each other to lean on.

I also want to say thank you to EVERY single person who has ordered a copy of “SPEAK DOG.” I am so honored and beyond grateful for your support of Proud Prison Wives. Thank you for helping me publish Brett’s manuscript from prison. If anyone else wants a copy of SPEAK DOG before Christmas, please text me at (714) 410-2191 so I can make sure it’s ready in time. I believe Proud Prison Wives is just at the beginning of a long and beautiful journey. I am so excited to see what God does with all of this.

Love & Blessings,
Noél

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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 1

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 2

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 2

Shatter Your Shame, Chapter 3

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