I See You: Remembering the Incarcerated Through a Living Letter

I See You: Remembering the Incarcerated Through a Living Letter

If your loved one was behind bars and your only way to communicate was through letters, would you feel equipped to write to them? Would you know where to begin? Would you know what to say? Douglas Cupery, director of church mobilization at Crossroads Prison Ministries, wrote I See You: Remembering the Incarcerated Through a Living Letter to help people outside prison have meaningful conversations with their loved ones despite the barriers created by prison walls. Cupery shares from his own experience behind bars to emphasize that letters are an extremely powerful tool for letting incarcerated people know that they are seen, heard, and understood. The book includes topics and tips for opening doors to meaningful discourse about guilt, forgiveness, grace, redemption, loss, grief, acceptance, and new beginnings. The first step to meaningful conversations through letters is a willingness to listen and understand the person living behind bars. Cupery’s guidance first appeared in dozens of monthly columns for the 3,100 volunteer mentors who study the Bible with Crossroads students and write encouraging letters to them every week. Each year, Crossroads mentors write more than 100,000 letters of encouragement to people living behind bars. I See You is a compilation of Cupery’s most memorable guidance for writing to incarcerated men and women. The topics in the book are applicable beyond the ministry of Crossroads. Family members and friends of incarcerated people will find valuable tips for strengthening connections as they discuss difficult topics from a mindset of love and compassion. I See You can be used for daily devotions or book study groups. It can also be a valuable tool for jail and prison ministries. Prison chaplains can use the book to help incarcerated people write letters that build meaningful relationships with their loved ones despite separation.