Channing Eleton

Last night I had the honor and privilege of being a part of a very unique ministry opportunity. A couple weeks back, I was invited by my good friend, Keith Sammons, to come and be a guest musical artist at an event where he would be leading worship and coordinating. It was for a Christmas concert and service for the inmates of the Walker State Prison in Northwest Georgia. Keith would lead worship, then I would present a few of my songs and then there would be a guest speaker, (Dean Sikes).
Can I be honest with you? When Keith first asked me, I was a little apprehensive. I had never done this before since I’ve been a solo artist. I didn’t know what to expect. I imagined it would be a hassle and tough to get all my equipment checked and through security. So, I told Keith I’d get back with him. I knew this was something I wanted to pray about. Did God really want me to do this? So I began to pray throughout the day that I got the phone call and invitation, but with no clear answer from the Lord. The day after I’d received the invite from my friend, I remember something. I was doing a very comfortable, taken for granted, American thing…I was pulling out of Starbucks after getting my hot cup of coffee. As I pulled up to the red light, I began praying, “Lord, is this something You want me to do?” Immediately I heard within my spirit, “I was…sick and in prison and you visited me not.” (from Matthew 25:43)
I had received my answer…loud and clear. Holding that hot cup of coffee, conviction had forced me out of my comfort zone. I called Christina and told her what had just happened. I then text’d Keith and told him I’d love to be a part of it. 
So, fast forward to last night. After quite a few delays, we finally got all of my gear unloaded, checked and into a holding area. It was now time for my dad, Keith, the prison chaplain and myself to get checked and through the security metal detectors. (Now, this next part is a little gross, I’m warning you, but I have to share the details to show how awesome Jesus is).
After my boots had gone through the detector, I wasn’t ready for what happened next. After pulling on my left boot and zipping it up, I grabbed the right one to do the same. As I am pulling on my boot, my right hand slipped and the zipper mechanism catches my ring finger, fingernail…ripping it away from my finger. Though still attached, there was blood all under the nail and the pain was excruciating! I literally felt like crying…from the intense pain and the emotional strain of it all. I mean, what was I to do? I play the piano! We were past the first security check and there was no backing out now. My finger is throbbing like nobody’s business and the thoughts of playing the piano…well. As the chaplain went to his office to look for a Band-Aid to catch the blood, Keith began to pray that God would stop the bleeding and take away the pain. As the chaplain returned, he said, “God must be going to do something special tonight”. 
As we got through the last security checks, I managed to hurriedly get set up. As my finger continues to throb and bleed through a quick sound check, I’m wondering how in the world am I going to get through the concert(?)
7 pm arrived and all the inmates had filed in, (100 or so). There were gentlemen of all shapes and sizes and from every walk of life. White, Black and Asian men…young, old and middle-aged gathered into that gymnasium. In that crowd were faces needing hope and faces filled with hope. As Keith Sammons kicked off the evening with the uptempo worship song, “Lord You Are Good”, a lot of those men that had gathered in that gym began to worship the Lord, clapping and singing along. These were men who had nothing…nothing but Jesus! As I looked around the room, I realized that though prisoners, these were free men! I saw not hardened criminals, but anointed Believers that seemed more free than most folks outside those walls who gather in church buildings every Sunday morning. By the way, there was a peace in that place that can only come from Jesus…absolutely no fear.
Keith finished his song and then introduced me. What about my throbbing finger? Well, it was time to kick in my “professional” self and press through…or so I thought. I did my set and those gentlemen were so kind and gracious. They clapped and sang along, worshipped the Lord and cheered me on. I did some of my songs, some hymns and Keith and I did some Christmas songs together. Dean Sikes, the guest speaker, got up and delivered a powerfully anointed message. The only way I know to describe the next few minutes is this: The Lord’s presence was thick in that place. That prison gymnasium had become holy ground. After Dean Sikes’ message, there were several men that received Christ. Dean also led the room in forgiving anyone who had ever wronged them. Many of those inmates were set free in that moment. It was powerful! 
After the service was over, the prisoners lined up to shake our hands and hug our necks as they headed back to their cell blocks. Remember my finger? It was in that moment, of saying goodbye to the inmates, that my finger began to throb again with pain. It wasn’t my “pro” self that had gotten me through. God had totally taken away the pain during that incredibly anointed service. I had not even thought about it as I was pounding away at the piano!
Furthermore, I realized after I had gotten home that the Lord had stopped the bleeding before my set. I even text’d Keith a pic of my finger showing no trace of blood. I let him know that God had answered his prayer of faith.
By the way, I’m only scratching the surface of all the “God things” that happened last night. I went to that prison to be a blessing, but I walked out of that place being more blessed that I could ever imagine! 
I said all of that to say this:
Just think about all of His presence and blessings that we would miss if we refuse to get out of our comfort zones and to take a step of faith!
Thank you for reading.