Forgiven Felons

PUSH THROUGH

Surgery prep took me off all supplements.

If you ever want to know how much the daily stuff you take/do actually affects you, stop it all.

You’ll see.

It’s hard. I feel old. Workouts are harder. I feel sluggish. Tired quicker.

But I’m pushing harder. Leaning in more. Changing my workout up. I’m not just NOT working out. Just a few more days til my surgery, then I can start it all again.

This is giving me a better perspective for when I start them all back up post surgery.

If you ever want to know if your prayers, Bible reading, fellowship with other believers, is making a difference, try stopping them all.

Life gets a little harder. Working through things gets harder. You’ll feel spiritually tired and sluggish.

It’s all working. When it feels like it’s not. Press in. Change it up. Change reading plans. Join a small group. Go to corporate prayer with your church.

It’s all working. Don’t believe the lie of the enemy.

Don’t retreat. Press in. Shake it up.

SURGERY IS BACK ON

National Recovery Month

They figured the error out and are putting my knee on the schedule for next Tuesday, Sept 29th at 12:30pm.

Thank you for your prayers.

They made me get off all my peps and muscle supplements from Vintage Muscle, but I still take what they allow me to take.

Sometimes rejection is protection. Others times, rejection is deflection. Stay the course.

Looking forward to the recovery. Not the surgery! But I’m tired of being broken so surgery is necessary.

We can’t have the proper recovery without proper surgery. Sometimes we have to get rid of some things for the surgery and recovery to be successful.

UPDATE ON SURGERY

Was supposed to be tomorrow, Sept 22. Evidently there was a clerical error in the system so it won’t happen tomorrow. Prayerfully soon. I’m not in pain right now and I can walk on it better so that’s good. But it needs to get repaired.

In the meantime, looking at my MRI which was taken over a month ago. AI was very helpful in helping me read it. Pretty neat stuff.

If you’re a Christmas light client of mine, I’ll be reaching out soon since recovery will go deep into the season.

ROMANS 12

If just all of us, who profess to be Christians, truly lived out this chapter, the world we live in (politics, business, churches, everywhere) would be a much better place, and more people would actually want to become Christian AND truly live for Him.

This is an indictment on me too. I can get better too.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2003

10pm

In just under two hours, 23 years ago, in a 6x9 solitary confinement cell, I experienced God like I never had before.

My life was changed as the cell filled up with Gods presence, and could feel the tension between Satan and God for my soul.

As Satan began to affirm my past, God affirmed who I was in Him, through the blood of his Son, Jesus.

Was I that important? Why was God fighting so hard for me? Everything the devil was saying about was true.

Why would the God who spoke the universe into existence care enough about me to go to war with the devil?

I don’t know. But I know He gave His own Son for me. No one has ever loved me that much.

I spent 8 days in confinement. In one if those days, He delivered me from the desire to drink Jack Daniels.

He didn’t deliver me from the desire to get drunk. I still get drunk, I just switched bartenders.

But His love for me is another reason I stay sober.

His love for me is the reason we started Forgiven Felons.

His love for me is why we won’t stop doing the things He’s called us to do, the house, the podcast, visiting them in prison.

He loves you too. He loves your loved one. He’s fighting for you too. He’s fighting for your loved one.

You are worth it. He hasn’t given up on you or your loved one. How do I know? He didn’t give up on me.

Thank you all for believing in us enough to pray for us, encourage us, donate to us.

If you want to partner with us, you still can.

Our website:
Forgivenfelons.org/support

Cash App:
$ForgivenFelons (Look for Jay Gumm)

Mail:
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283
Cedar Hill, TX 75106




HeFightsForYou

what CAN you do!

Don’t focus on what we CAN’T do.

I want so bad to do that leg machine on the other side of me. But I can’t for a while. Maybe six months.

I could stay down about it and just not work out at all or I can continue to workout the areas where I’m not limited.

My legs won’t grow in this season. But my upper body will grow even more.

So when the devil tries to convince you to focus on what you can’t do, double down on other areas and grow more during that waiting season.

It's North Texas Giving Day

We are using this day to kick off our fundraising for the site plan. We have contractors and trades ready to work, but they need a site plan. This is something we cannot finance.

Watch this short (two minute) video of where we've been, what we've done and are doing, and, with your help, where we are headed. Forgiven Ranch will be a place of recovery, restoration, transformation, redemption, education, and more.

It's out in the county, far away from everyone, but close enough to Corsicana that we can connect with people, churches, and businesses. The location will allow us to help more men, with varied crimes, without fear of backlash from city ordinances or judgement.

Today, we start with a matching fund up to $2500. The first $2500 will be matched dollar for dollar. After that, a little bit still gets added on to each donation through Communities Foundations of Texas. That lasts all day, til midnight.

We are trying to raise the $50,000-$100,000 by the end of the year so we can officially break ground in early 2027.

Here are the ways to give:

North Texas Giving Day Website:
https://www.northtexasgivingday.org/organization/ForgivenFelons

Our website:
Forgivenfelons.org/support

Cash App:
$ForgivenFelons (Look for Jay Gumm)

Mail:
Forgiven Felons
PO Box 4283
Cedar Hill, TX 75106

If you are able to join us by giving today, we thank you. If you are not, but can share with people you think might give, that would be appreciative. There are drawing each hour for extra prizes for the organizations that had donations that hour. So give throughout the day.

North Texas Giving Day 2026- The Plan: Where We've Been and Where We Are Headed Short video of where we've been, what we've done, are doing, and wh...