Where have you experienced shame in your life?

Melissa is not your typical college student.  After her junior year at Michigan State University, she spent 2.5 years in prison.  At the time she was a very new believer – coming to grips with her dire need for forgiveness and a daily struggle to fully believe that Jesus received all the shame she deserved.

This is a powerful story.  It made me think of Psalm 51.  Each one of us, at some level, knows the shame Melissa felt.  Without Jesus, the story of shame for each of us ends behind the bars of guilt with no hope of freedom.  Praise God we do know the One who releases us from prison and gives us clean, new clothes and a clean heart.

Read how students involved with Cru at Michigan State ministered to Melissa before, during and after her incarceration.

Full credit goes to WorldWide Challenge magazine and Emily Vinson for this awesome story.  True story.