God is good all the time

Thank you for coming here to Wakulla C.I./Annex and bringing the love of God in here to us. You are very special to us. God bless you all. First of all, I was brought up in the church from the day I was born. My grandmother raised me, to me she was Mama. She was a minister when she was young, and I’ve had uncles who were pastors. Today, my dad’s sister is married to a pastor. I was brought up in the church, and I was made to go to church every Sunday, day and night. Also on Wednesday nights. When revivals came to our church, we went every night. I’ve known God all my life.

At around the age of 12, I started getting in trouble in junior high school. Mostly clowning around, skipping school, and being a bully (which I wasn’t). At the age of 12, my grandfather died, and I had to move in with my dad and sister. Things got worse. I did what I wanted, when I wanted, and started getting suspended in school. At the age of 13, I started drinking and smoking. I quit school after I was arrested at the age of 14 and was sent to the Fort Myers Detention Center. After 28 days, I was sent to Myakka Stop Camp in Sarasota, a juvenile program that was supposed to be a 30 to 35-day program. I stayed in trouble and ended up staying there for 53 days. I got out and met a young girl who ended up being my daughter’s mother. I was 14, and she was 15. About 5 months later, I started smoking crack-cocaine, and at the age of 16, I got her pregnant, but I was strung out.

I caught armed robbery and aggravated battery charges and was sent back to the Fort Myers Juvenile Detention Center. 13 days later, I was adjudicated as an adult and sent to the Charlotte County Jail. My girlfriend gave birth to my daughter two months later. I pleaded guilty to my charges and took a plea bargain, and received 12 years in prison and 10 years’ probation. I was then 17 years old. Me and my daughter’s mother had split up, but the day after she gave birth to my daughter, I called home, and my aunt told me to call the hospital. Me and my daughter’s mother cried on the phone, and when she got out of the hospital, she brought my daughter to come see me.

Anyways, I ended up doing almost 10 years on my sentence. My daughter’s mother ended up getting married while I was in prison. She moved out of the state, but in 2003, when I got out, she came down to Florida to bring my daughter to see me. They stayed for 3 weeks, and then went back home. I then started smoking crack-cocaine again, and I got worse and worse. I checked myself into the crisis unit, trying to clean up, but got out three days later. I started up on a run of armed robberies. I stayed out of prison for less than 2 months.

The night we got pulled over by the police, I gave myself up. I didn’t want to run anymore, thank God. When I was booked into the Charlotte County Jail, I told the officers that I was suicidal and went to a suicide cell. I let them inject me with all of the psych medications. At that point, I basically gave up. I ended up pleading out to two natural life sentences with 65 years. They couldn’t give me no more than that if I had taken it to trial, but I said to myself that I didn’t want to live anymore. I’m almost 49 years old, and I’ve been incarcerated these two times for almost 33 years since I was 16. God has not given up on me.

Neither has my family, or you [Unchained volunteers]. Thank you for being there for me. Eden Rodriguez has known me for almost 16 years or more. He is awesome, trust me. My aunts do so much for me spiritually, mentally, and financially. God has turned my life completely around. I no longer want drugs or any other negative things that used to be my downfall. Satan, the deceiver, has been in a spiritual battle with me. But now I’ve learned to rebuke him in the name of Jesus Christ. He can’t have me. I’m a child of God. He sent His Son to die for us, and we aren’t even worthy. But he loves us, and thanks be to His mercy and grace. We are forgiven of all our sins if we truly repent.

It’s tough in here, just realizing what man has sentenced me to. Life in prison. But one day I will be set free, I truly believe that. God opens doors everyday and there are no doors that can’t be opened at any time by God, I truly believe that. You know what we say? “God is good, all the time” - believe that.

Thank you very much. God is awesome, and always remember that. No matter what, we have to stay strong.

Love, your brother in Christ - George Davis