Beyond Bars: Celebrating Women's History Month Inside and Out

CHRISTIAN COMMENTARY

When I was locked in a county jail, staring at a wall covered in photos of family milestones I had missed, I didn't feel like a woman worth celebrating. If someone had asked me about Women's History Month—a time to celebrate women and their contributions to society—I would have told them it didn't apply to me. As I looked back on a cycle of drug addiction, convictions and incarceration, I couldn't imagine ever having a life that mattered.

I'm only one of many. Nearly 200,000 women and girls are spending Women's History Month behind bars this year. But this month is for them as much as it is for any other woman.

This March, we celebrate how powerfully God uses women to touch their communities and the world. We celebrate their unique giftings and incredible impact. As Christians, we also celebrate that God has a purpose for every woman behind bars—and, as Hebrews 13:3 reminds us, a calling on every woman outside of them. 

When I was a convicted felon serving my fourth sentence, I thought my life was over. Like many other incarcerated women, I had been raised in a broken home where substance abuse replaced love. I thought surely my worthlessness was as obvious as my record. I was convinced everyone else saw me the same way—but God made it clear that He did not. 

Day after day, Christian volunteers at the small prison chapel displayed His love and faithfulness to me. I called them "the women with the sparkly eyes." One day, the light that illuminated their eyes—that is, the love of Jesus—broke through within my own heart. I realized I wasn't irredeemably bad. God could love me, too, and use me for His purposes. 

The volunteers hadn't given up on me, and neither had He. When I left prison, I knew I had a job to do: help other incarcerated women know the Truth. Incarcerated women face unique challenges both in and out of prison—and I know this all too well.

Apart from the obvious physical differences and needs, incarcerated women—especially mothers—often carry a unique kind of shame. Society judges them more harshly than men. Even simple, well-intentioned things such as programs about good parenting can add to the sense of guilt that comes with being separated from children. 

After release, this social stigma and personal shame compound reentry barriers all formerly incarcerated people face, hindering women from getting back on their feet. Shame can trap incarcerated women in feelings of worthlessness and in unhealthy relationships, resulting in a cycle that often leads back to prison. 

Society may think less of a woman with a record, but Scripture tells a different story. From Mary Magdalene to the woman at the well, the Bible is filled with examples of Jesus and His followers seeking out social outcasts, drawing them close to a love they had never known before. 

Christians know that formerly incarcerated women like me are not broken, lesser, or beyond redemption. Equipped with the knowledge that God can transform anyone, we can extend the steadfast love and support that changes hearts—including hearts like mine.

When we think of making a difference as women, we might think of lawmakers and lobbyists, of speeches on the senate floor and legislative wins. While those are powerful ways to drive change, they are far from our only tool. 

Those sparkly-eyed volunteers who looked me in the eye, spoke to me with care and taught me the Bible—they were change-makers. By intentionally building a relationship with me, those women showed me that my shame did not define me, that I was capable of breaking the cycle I had been stuck in for decades. 

Today, there are almost 200,000 other women who need to be "remembered" (Hebrews 13:3). Whether through praying for incarcerated women, signing up for Prison Fellowship Angel Tree to serve children and families impacted by incarceration, or volunteering for an in-person program, the Church can make a lasting impact on women behind bars.

Systemic problems that touch thousands of lives can feel far too large for everyday people to fix. However, that looming sense of helplessness is a self-fulfilling prophecy—one we must break. 

Making an impact isn't only about advocating for just laws or making impassioned speeches. My world was changed by the volunteers who faithfully showed up at my prison chapel, even when it must have felt dark and discouraging. I am a living testament to the power of small steps of faithfulness. 

Every day that I advocate for and serve incarcerated women as a director of correctional programs for Prison Fellowship, I carry forward the torch that those women lit for me in that small prison chapel.

Incarcerated women are our sisters, not statistics. This Women's History Month, let's remind them of the hope and support that Christ offers to all. Through faith, support and advocacy, redemption is possible for every single woman.

***Tammy Franklin serves as a director of correctional programs for Prison Fellowship.