Chains: Applause and tears generated when inmates find the love of Jesus
Kristen Young calls sharing Jesus Christ with inmates in the Fannin County Detention Center, “The greatest honor of my life.”
Listen to Young for just a few minutes and you’ll know she is not just reciting empty words, her love of Jesus rolls off her tongue with every syllable she speaks.
Young is one of the founders of Breaking Chains North Georgia ministry. “Our weapon is the gospel and our ammo is love,” Young says.
From its beginning in 2022, it has grown to a group of 20 men and women who visit the local jail five nights a week to show inmates, “freedom happens, freedom through Christ,” Young says.
The idea for Breaking Chains came to Young when a loved one, a drug addict, was jailed during COVID-19. She recalls the lonely, dark place where he spent his days and nights. She thought of others in the same circumstance.
She says, “We forget these are people’s families,” sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, fathers or mothers. “We’re a small town, we have to heal them here with Jesus’ love. If we’re not reaching them in the greatest hour of their need, when is Christ’s love going to find them?” Young asks.
Young, the founder and president of Breaking Chains, met with Chan Mitchell and Rita Kirby in November 2022 and Breaking Chains was born.
Enthusiasm in hand, Young approached Sheriff Dane Kirby about her idea for a jail ministry. He laid down certain rules about structure and consistency. Young said he made it clear not to “show up and then abandon” the inmates.
“Dane has really been great...supportive and approachable,” Young says. “He and his staff have been a huge help in the success and growth of the ministry.”
And now the love of Jesus is finding the inmates.
There are worship services, Bible studies, a Christian counselor, and celebrations through a recovery program.
“An amazing revival is going on inside the jail,” she says, describing a recent event when 12 inmates were baptized. “You know Jesus has changed lives when you see men cry,” Young says.
She talks of the smiles and the change that is seen on so many faces as men and women come to the nightly services, each centered around a theme to show Christ’s love.
Young tells of both applause and tears after inmates watched the movie Chosen.
“It’s so beautiful to see these men and women learning to love themselves again,” she said.
Young is quick to give credit where credit is due, speaking to the love of Jesus and the move of the Holy Spirit. “Christ does the real work,” she says.
She stands firmly on her belief Jesus is for everyone. “We all fall short of the glory of God,” she says as she calls herself, “A great recipient of grace...a walking, talking testimony of what Jesus has done in my life.”
“By looking at the men and women there through the eyes of Jesus, we are able to see past their mistakes and instead see the underlying pain and great need for healing. Their mistakes do not define them and God doesn’t love them any less because of them,” Young says.
Information about Breaking Chains can be found at breakingchainsnorthgeorgia.org.
Breaking Chains success happening
By Bobbi Pippin
Breanna Rodriguez calls herself a living testimony to what Breaking Chains can accomplish.
Rodriguez experienced God’s love through the jail ministry during her time at Fannin County Detention Center. “It really changed my life,” Rodriguez said, sitting in a interview room at the sheriff’s office.
Before being reached by members of the ministry, Rodriguez was feeling like she didn’t have anybody. She explained that she felt like nobody cared.
After meeting with people from Breaking Chains and doing nightly devotionals, Rodriguez decided that she was tired of doing things her way. She said, “I fully surrendered.” She told of one of the founders of Breaking Chains, Kristen Young, praying with her and how she decided to be born again in Christ.
Young spoke of the transformation she witnessed in Rodriguez. “In situations that are not ideal, Rodriguez kept her faith knowing that God has a plan for her and He will walk with her,” Young said.
Rodriguez told how she will soon be transferred into Georgia’s prison system. Even there, she told of her excitement to continue to spread the word of God to the women she meets and do for them what Breaking Chains has done for her.
Rodriguez has seen firsthand how God can transform lives. She said, “Our attitudes help the men’s pod too.” After going to church, Rodriguez said that everyone is in such a better mood and without it everyone is depressed.
Several of the men in the jail have also experienced great things through Breaking Chains. Eleven of them worked to write and sign a letter to the people of Breaking Chains telling them how God has changed their lives as well as thanking them for pointing them in His direction.
That letter said in part, “All of ya’all I love so much more than words can possibly say...This is a letter of thanks from each of us here who you all treated as humans and much more as brothers...
God’s grace doesn’t stop when people leave jail either. Tyechia Ledford was in the Fannin County Detention Center for several months and continues to let God guide her through life now that she is out. Young tells how Ledford surprised them in church the Sunday after she was released and has been there every single Sunday since.
Ledford had many dental issues and Breaking Chains was able to partner with Morganton Baptist Association and get them completely fixed for her. Now she can express her newfound happiness with a beautiful smile.
Relating her smile to her urge to “be a better human,” Ledford said, “I’ve never wanted something so much in my life and I’m truly blessed.” She expressed so much love and gratitude for all those that have been her support system, including Breaking Chains and first and foremost God. She stated, “(They) have been a light for me in the darkest place I’ve been before and they saved me.”