Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
What a blessing it is to be able to celebrate the birth of our Saviour! And how thankful we should be for another year! It is my honor to celebrate together with you in spirit this year.
I wish you contentment, peace, joy, love, blessing, prosperity, all much more this upcoming year. And I believe that starts with the reason for the season: Jesus. It is my prayer that, as your celebrate the Saviour’s birth and head into next year, you will become more intimately connected with God, and that in Him you’ll find your all-in-all.
In addition to desiring all of the best for you and yours, I also want to take just a moment to say thank you. The appreciation and gratitude I have for the love and support that you’ve shown to me is inexpressible! I am so thankful to you and for you. Even just the act of coming here to this site to check on me demonstrates your care. For that I am so grateful! Thank you so much for your continued support.
I am excited about the vast ways that God is working right now. I hope you are enjoying the new direction of the site. We desire that all the glory be given to God. We will be keeping the site more up to date for now on, so feel free to return often!
In conclusion, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Thank You, and God Bless!
In Christian Love,
Jon
Well Howdy Ya’ll!
And it is June! For those in AZ it means it is at least 100 degrees every day and your two best friends are your pool and your AC unit! (:
I hope and pray that you are doing well and that God is blessing your lives in magnificent ways! I must confess that all too often I take God’s blessings for granted. But the fact that you are reading this is a blessing. The prayers, thoughts, etc that you offer are a blessing and well, the list goes on.
Before I get into any new news I would like to clarify something from my last post. As I mentioned before I really appreciate feedback on this site. Recently for the first time in months, I received a couple feedback letters. One person noted how I seemed to be upset with my attorney who had not been able to reduce my sentence. If I may, please allow me to explain how I feel about that particular situation. While I pray every day that I will not be required to serve my entire sentence, I do not believe that I deserve to have even one day taken off. The process that did not yield results had to begin within 90 days of my sentencing. I felt that I owed it to my family to pursue any opportunities that could redeem my time away from them. My statement was only for the purpose to note that that opportunity had come to a dead end. I meant in no way to express disappointment in my attorney. I hope that I have better expressed myself. And I want to thank the person to that brought my blunder to my attention.
For now I will continue to do to attempt to do all of the time I do constructively and productively for God’s glory and to the benefit of the community. This is going to become more of the focal point of the site in the upcoming months. It is my desire to see that the site transfer its focus from me personally to focus on the work God has me doing. As always, I appreciate all the feedback as the project moves forward.
As you probably noticed on my contact page, my address has once again changed. I am no longer in Yuma but in Winslow. The move was due to physical issues I was experiencing in Yuma. I am thankful to God to report that healing has begun on these issues! What a blessing!
This is a very difficult yard here. The Christian faith is not looked upon kindly, and that does not make life easy on me. But I rest in the promised protection of Christ.
Before I close I want to wish my Dad a Happy Fathers day and all the Dad’s reading this. And I hope Mother’s Day was wonderful for all you Moms!
Have a wonderful day, and God bless you,
In Christ, Jon
Hello again,
I have just received the stats for the site, and it would seem that there are still a couple of you who still visit. So, I figure it would be a good time to write a quick blog. I’d probably do more of these, but I do not wish to overwhelm my brother.
To those of you who are blessing my life by continuing to send me notes and letters via this site, I want to thank you with all of my heart! If you wish to ever send me a tangible card or letter, here is my current (new) address.
ASPC: Winslow Kaibab Unit 4D-213-UP
2100 W Highway 87
Winslow, AZ 86047
( This address is no longer correct )
I’d love to hear from you, and I’m content to listen to anything you’d like to say to me! In the meantime, I deeply appreciate your continued love and support.
I know that there are also those of you who still visit the site to see how I am and what I’m up to. You also may feel free to use the above address. But, in the meanwhile:
God has continued to bless my life despite adverse circumstances. For almost 10 months now, I have been suffering from “spongiotic dermatitis”. It is painfully itchy and looks similar to chicken pox with a side order of extreme acne. I see the doctor yet again tomorrow as once again the latest treatment has failed. Of course, matters are complicated by the fact that the Dept. of Corrections refuses to give me certain medication such as the one med that would almost assuredly work, Benadryl. The other complication of the condition is that the constant itch, which of course, merits a constant scratch, leaves small open wounds all over my body which, especially in this environment are especially susceptible to staph infections. But, as He did for Paul, God gives grace and it is sufficient.
I’ve noticed that several people whose letters once frequented my mail are strangely absent as of late. The cool part about that is that while I hate to see friends go – especially ‘cause I have so few – the Lord has brought me to a place where He is my stability, comfort, and joy. And, while I do so enjoy the letters that I do receive, and they mean the world to me; if/when they do not arrive, I find solace in God.
As summer creeps up upon us, I am reminded of why I never wanted to move to AZ. 102 F on the first of April! Was God playing an April Fool’s joke, or what?! :) With no A/C in my living quarters I make my fan worth every penny! Praise the Lord for spending money through generous people like you to allow me to purchase the small 8” fan that they sell here! :)
Now, just because I’m attempting to see the positive side of some rough situations does not mean all is bad! I mean, prison is not where I want to be, but for being here, I am a blessed, blessed man!
The Lord has put it upon the administration staffs heart to allow me many privileges. I am working/helping in 3 different departments here all of which have the distinct privilege of helping others, which I love! I have even been given the tremendous responsibility of teaching 4 of the classes offered here on the unit!
God has also allowed me the great opportunity to continue to present the gospel in my life, in Bible studies, and in conversation. It is a blessing to serve the Lord in this way! I teach a Bible study each Saturday, contribute to another Bible study several days per week, minister to the yard at formal church services in song, and somehow have become one who several people think they may come to get any question about God’s Word answered. But, I am so grateful for God’s graciousness which allowed me to serve Him despite my past!
In closing, I just thank you – each and every one of you – for all of your prayers. For those of you who are remain faithful in prayer regarding my release, a quick update! The attorney who was handling my attempt to reduce the sentence imposed has just written a letter to me stating that he will be withdrawing as my attorney due to what he believes to be lack of reason to move forward. So, I will continue to pursue every option available to reduce my sentence as I firmly believe it is the least I can do for you all and my family. I may and so deserve to be here, but you all/my family does not deserve this. So we wait on God’s time - God’s way – for He is perfect!
In the love of Christ,
Jon Antonucci
Greetings!
As I sit here writing on this glorious, sunny, Saturday morning; we are already halfway done with January. It seems like just a few days ago that I wrote wishing each of you a Merry Christmas. But, here it is a month later and guess what? God is still just as good as ever!
This New Year has begun in a very busy fashion for me. The Lord has provided amazing opportunities to be a part of these men's lives, hopefully helping equip them to never return to prison. It has been, and is, a great honor and blessing to be given responsibilities in the programs dept., recreation dept., and education department. God has even granted opportunity for me to write for the small newsletter here. As I walk down the path of life each day, I'm reminded that I will succumb to temptation and fall back into sin if I do not stay in God's word and prayer, keeping the eyes of my heart fastened upon Christ. Each day to me is a test. Will I once again abuse the authority and/or opportunities that have been allotted me? To be honest, on a daily basis I'm quite scared that I will. My only hope is that I know that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I am so grateful to each of you for your support and prayer, as I seek God's strength to remain a humble servant of the most high in this corrupt and evil place. Oh that God would continue to use me as a tool to touch men’s lives.
The holidays here came and went with no real fanfare. I was incredibly blessed when, on Christmas Day my brother Josh came here to spend Christmas with me! It’s not very many people who will volunteer to spend Christmas in prison. I'm very thankful for him! :)
As I was reading in Proverbs, just the other day, I read Proverbs 17:17, which says: “A friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity. Without writing a theological dissertation on that verse, I want to share a thought. When I read that verse, is stuck out. It stuck out because it applies directly to me, and the situation I am in. Now, of course all of God's word applies directly to me, but this verse reminded me of you. Despite my grievous wrongdoing, you have loved me and supported me at all times. And as I read that verse I couldn't help but think two things. 1) How blessed I am to have people who love and support me. 2) I wonder if they – those who have stood by me and are standing by me – know how much your support means to me! The support, whether in the form of prayers, cards and letters, money, books, CDs, magazines, or active petition to the state, is phenomenal! And day to day I have no clue how I would survive without it. Thank you so much! Well, I have been taken enough of your time. Plus, I have two college exams that need to be taken. So I shall close for now. Have a wonderful day and God bless you!
Jon A.