To My Neighbors Whom I Love In Christ Jesus

In the beginning, as a 16 years old kid, I was going through some tough situations within myself and nobody could help me or understand what I was going through.  My grandmother told me about a God named Jesus Christ and how He died for all the wrongs I had ever done.  He was buried and on the third day He rose from the grave, and now sits on the throne at the right hand of God.  I didn’t understand it; I was just going through the motions.  I didn’t know what it meant to give my life to God and have a true relationship with Him through His son Jesus Christ who loves me and gave Himself for me.  If I had only known, He could have helped me through all the trouble that I was facing.  Even when I didn’t know Him, He was still with me.

At a young age, I thought about taking my own life; but instead, I tried taking other people’s lives.  This is why I’m in prison.  I was sick spiritually and didn’t even know it because I didn’t have the Spirit of God living in me.  I carried the Bible around, but I would never read it.  I did not know that I had to be born again and ask God for forgiveness, and to help me to change.

Finally in 2012, God woke me up to see Him and His truth.  I have been in prison for 12 years now, and I should have been home already.  I caught a new case because I wasn’t following Christ, but God has a perfect plan and perfect timing.  I love the scripture that says that what was meant for evil God used for good.

So if God had called me sooner, I wouldn’t be writing this letter to you right now.  I would never encourage anybody to do evil because it’s not the will of God.  It’s not when God called me, but that He did call me and that I accepted.  It’s only by God’s grace that I am writing to you.  It’s like I said, I was in a dark place before I met the Lord.  I kept digging this hole and going down further and further into it.

The last time I went to the hole was at the end of 2011 for removing someone from the yard for telling on somebody.  I am not saying that this was right, but I wasn’t saved yet.  At the time, I thought I had to be like the world.  When I was released from the hole, I was moved to a different building where I lived next door to a Christian.  We both had cellies at the time, but each one of them went to the hole together for a two on three all over a shower.  The funny thing is that I was in the shower when it happened.  If I hadn’t been in the shower, I would have been caught in it with them.  After that happened, the correctional officer told me that I was moving in with the Christian next door because they needed space as a bus was coming.  But, the bus didn’t come until much later.  When I moved into the cell, the Christian man told me he was praying that he would get the right person.  At the time, I didn’t want to move in.  I was happy where I was because I was still doing wrong, not knowing God’s plan.

Every morning I would see this man read the Word of God faithfully.  So I started to wonder what it is that he does.  In my heart I wanted to know God, so I asked him a lot of questions.  He asked me if I really wanted to know and I said, “Yes!”  So he gave me a little brown bible and said, “Here, find out!”  So I found myself once again with a bible in my hand, but this time I opened it and started to read.

At first, I didn’t realize that I was being changed.  My celly was inviting me to church.  When I went, I felt the peace of God and it was like He was telling me that I belonged there.  The preacher started to preach and as he was speaking I heard him say that it was me that put Jesus on the cross.  When I heard that, I was crushed and started to cry, “Lord forgive me for my sins.  I’m sorry Lord, I didn’t understand.”

From that day on, I haven’t been the same person.  God set me free from the chains I didn’t even know I had.  Giving my life to God was the best choice I ever made.  I now have a place in heaven with the Father because of His Son that shed His blood for me; and just like He did it for me, He can do it for you.  All you have to do is ask; it is a free gift.  There is a God that loves you and cares for you and His name is Jesus Christ.

I love you all in the name of Jesus.  Amen

Your Brother in Christ,

Richard A. Olivas