Life Above Reproach

Testimony of Jonathan Morisoli

My father died when I was 8 months old.  I have no memory of him; only a picture of me at 8 months of age sitting on his hospital bed when he was soon to die of cancer.  The only words he spoke to me were written on a small card the size of a business card.  He said, “Jonathan, my son, learn about God.”

My mother raised me the best she could with plenty of unconditional love and care, but I grew up without the guidance and discipline of a loving father.  This led to a life of trial and error, drugs, sin, and a five-year prison term.

By the age of 30, I had a family, good job, a house, car, a lot of money, and was going to school.  I was ambitious to be a successful business man and had a hobby as a competitive body builder.  My heart was misled by my will to sin.  My sins were adultery, unfaithfulness, lusts of the flesh, pride as I exalted myself, lover of money, lover of great possessions, and lover of drugs.  I was selfish and became attached to a lifestyle that grew worse; and once I started, I couldn’t stop.  I turned to God through the church and prayer, but I kept going back to my sinful lifestyle.  I now realize I gave myself to be a slave to sin; and, sin became a stronghold in my life.  By the age of 34, I was sentenced to 5 years in prison.

The beginning of my 5-year prison term was tough.  I experienced much pain and suffering through depression and hurt.  I had lost everything, even my family.  I turned to God, sorry and repentant.  I decided to spend my five years in prison learning about God.

I learned a lot by reading the Word of God; and by 2015, I surrendered every area in my life I possibly could over to the will of God.  I finally understand what it is to be saved by grace, redeemed, and purchased with a price.  I am not my own, but rather, I belong to Christ by His sacrifice on the cross and the blood that He shed.  I have surrendered everything in my life to Him.  I am not trying to earn my way to heaven because Jesus did that for me; but instead, I honor what He has done for me.

My ministry has started here in prison and I now seek the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness.  I now am a lover of God, an adopted child of God through the Lord Jesus.  I now have the love and guidance of a father, my Heavenly Father, and I can see how He has worked out my sinful life through the pain and suffering of prison to His glory.