I have a new friend named Ray. I love talking to him because he always has a unique perspective. 

You see, Ray spent 36 of his 61 years behind bars in prison.  Ray was one of 12 kids and had an alcoholic father, and got a really rough start in life. He got himself into a boat load of trouble, eventually killing a boy. While he was in jail, he continued to get into trouble and added on a few more sentences to his time.

But back in 1993, Ray met Jesus, and Jesus really messed him up. Changed his whole life around. And Ray become a follower of Jesus.

Fast forward to 2008. Ray was released from prison after 36 years on the inside and ordered to stay in NH for the next 3 years to finish out his parole. The media got a hold of this story and plastered his picture all over the news. "Child Murderer released into society...Killer set loose...etc" And all the townspeople got riled up and ran him out of town. Actually he's been run out of a few towns now by people running down the street with tar and feathers.

But all the people chasing Ray from town to town refuse to use his name. They call him "Murderer" "Killer" "Predator"...you name it. Because when you're a prisoner, you're known by your crime. You have a label, sometimes multiple labels that describe who you are by what you've done. That label is what keeps a prisoner in prison. Being a "murderer" is why you are behind bars.

But we're all prisoners. We all have something that holds us back from real freedom. It may be a label that was given to us. It may be a label that we gave ourselves. But they weigh us down and keep us a prisoner-keep us from freedom.

What is your label? What holds you hostage?

**Ray is now staying with my cousin, who is also my pastor. My cousin has inadvertently created an uproar by housing Ray temporarily, and it's caused more than a few debates about faith and whether it can really change people.  Please pray that he is able to find work and get an apartment.**