Mark Gonzalez

My name is Mark. I spend my days reading, studying, assisting with sermons, and work to train my dog, named Eve (shown in my profile). I have no expectations of the future, I am thankful and grateful for each new day and anxiously awaiting my day in front of the parole board, I have taken advantage of the higher education opportunities offered in preparation for starting a career one day soon. I like to write poems and have one here to share with you:

Here’s to you, Jesus.

I turned from you and chose my own way, the world’s way. I was violent, confused, angry. A thief. A lost sheep. A rebellious child without direction and big, fantastic dreams.
Unfamiliar with the Shepherd’s voice, I wandered on crooked paths and fell victim to the devil’s schemes.

But Lord, you refused to see the worst in me.
Today, my heart is quiet because of the unshakeable belief that I am in your hands.
My plans? Ha! You just laughed.
I wanted to do this. I was gonna do that.

This is what the Lord says about our plans:
“Behold, I am forming a disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Now turn back, each of you from his evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds!” But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans and each of us will persist in the stubbornness of his evil heart.’ ”

Man, I was stubborn. This clay was a little tougher. A little more molding necessary, for those I caused to suffer.
So here I am in the fire of my own hell living out my destiny.
Being purified in a cell I guess is what’s best for me?
Humility is a hard lesson to learn. And though your grace is freely given, Lord, faith is painfully earned.

But God, you refused to see the worst in me. And for your mercy, I thank you.
More unworthy than the dirt you gave breath to; I commit my life to the One you gave death to.
To atone for my sins, you sent your son.
Despite his deathly fear and anguished soul, he said “…not my will, but yours be done.”

Jesus said to be his disciples we must deny ourselves daily.
So, every day I struggle to kill my flesh, and I often fail.
But Jesus suffered in agony and bled as they pounded the nails.
Sometimes I lose sight of what He did, I admit.
But he didn’t take the beating, take the nails, take the spear, and all of our sins only for us to forget.
We must remember and honor what He went through because when He took the bread, took the wine, raised the cup and said when this flesh is torn open, when this body is broken and bleeds…This blood for you.
Cheers to you, Jesus.

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• Incarcerated Since: 1999
• Sentence Received: Life
• Earliest Release: 2026

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