Out of Darkness

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the
longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Such as
sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction
and iron; Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned
the counsel of the most High: Therefore he brought down their heart with
labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried unto
the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness, and the shadow of death, and brake their
bands in sunder.” Psa 107:8-14

When I read these verses exactly one year ago before I came to the Dominican Republic I saw my daughter’s face on every verse, and with a father’s heart I prayed that God in His goodness would “satisfy the longing soul” and bring her “out of darkness.” Specifically my three biggest requests were that He would meet her spiritual needs, protect her physically, and release her from prison.

One year later (June 15th) I was reading the same passage and I still had the same concerns, so I laid those same three requests before the feet of Jesus.



Two hours later the phone rang. A friend told my wife that they had picked up the judges’ decision for her recent appeal and Cherish was to be legally released on parole! In fact, he was on his way to deliver the decision to the prison and to get Cherish.

At 1:00 that afternoon Cherish called on a cell phone as she was in the car pulling away from the prison. She was absolutely giddy! She knew that morning when she got up that it was the day to receive the decision of her court appeal, but during her devotions told the Lord that as much as she wanted out, she truly wanted His best for her life. It had not escaped her notice that when she rebelled against the words of God, He brought down her heart with labor. It was in prison when she cried unto the Lord in her trouble. He sent His word and healed her … in prison. So she knew that it could still be God’s will for her to remain in prison.

So she got up that morning and continued her normal routine of prison life not wanting to take anything for granted. I believe that once she has started this parole request five months ago with the resulting roller coaster ride of hope and disappointment, she has been humbled under the sovereignty of God, and like Nebuchadnezzar has learned that the Most High ruleth over all the earth. At least she expressed sentiments similar to this to me.

Somehow the inmates learned the news of her release before she did. While she was busy with her routine prison chores she looked up to see a group of screaming, excited girls running toward her. Some were in tears of joy … some in tears of sorrow knowing she would be leaving. I can hardly imagine the bond that these girls must feel after being together for four years in a hard situation like this.

While she was on the phone with us for the first time as a free woman I asked what she was going to do. With a slight hesitation she said, “I haven’t thought about it … and I don’t think it matters right now.” She couldn’t get over the feeling of being able to look around without seeing an “agent” (prison security guard), or to lift her arms without having handcuffs on. Oh, she did mention to Carol that she was thinking about robbing a bank. I’m pretty sure she was joking … right?

Our daughter spent the night in the capitol Santo Domingo so she could visit a few of the Christian friends who had been such a support and fellowship in the last few years. It reminded me of Peter in the book of Acts when he was miraculously released from prison. He immediately went to share the news to his Christian brothers and sisters who were praying for him.

While our daughter was in prison, the computer game Wii was invented, we can see our granddaughters while talking with our son in Japan on something called “Skype”, and Cherish lost both of her grandfathers. She is catching up on the technology, but nothing can replace the loss of family or the memories of being able to say a proper goodbye. One of her main prayer requests was to be able to see her only surviving grandmother …. my mother. God answered that prayer in a wonderful way.







On the same day that her grandmother boarded a plane to fly to the DR to visit us, our daughter walked out of prison as a “semi-free” woman. And, on the same day that Grandma landed in Santiago, Cherish came up to welcome her at the airport. On that day (June 16) we saw our daughter for the first time since she was on parole and saw my mother for the first time in a year.




For the next two weeks we witnessed an answer to prayer as our daughter and her grandmother spent time together. Grandma taught her how to line dance. They swapped stories, walked on the beach, shopped at malls, and went to church together. Just as my wife’s grandmother Sasser has been a strong, godly example in her memory through the years, I believe Grandma Dale will be the same for our daughter who sincerely wants to please God.














Grandma has gone back to Idaho now and we are beginning a new life together with our daughter. I praise God that He brought her out of darkness, and the shadow of death, and brake her bands in sunder.