From Prison to Praise

By Wayne Huffman

Raised in North Carolina, Michael Hall learned to love two things above all else; God and family. Unfortunately for him, when his way of serving both did not work out the way he thought it would, he lost his family, and his faith.

Michael spent years chasing happiness through the deepest reaches of sin until the day God needed him for a special mission.

Now Michael found himself getting back in touch with the Holy Father and preparing to take the Lords ministry into one of the darkest place imaginable: Federal Prison.

From Prison to Praise is a memoir of Michael Hall’s struggle with his own faith, and how he overcame the hold Satan had on his life, and how he continues to this day, even while incarcerated, to bring the promise of salvation to those searching for something to believe in, and to those who do not even know they are searching.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wayne Huffman
• Release date: Nov 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311183903

Wayne Huffman

Wayne Huffman has lived every level of meth addiction, from casual user to one of four ‘alleged’ leaders of a methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution organization that included over 250 known members and spanned several states.Wayne began his career as a meth cook in east Tennessee where he has made his home for the last 23 years.

Book preview

I would like to take the time to thank and acknowledge some people. Many of which I couldn’t have done this without.

I would first like to thank C.J. for the experience and allowing me to share it with many others. Through that experience I’ve been able to reach people that I otherwise couldn’t have reached.

Although your life was put on hold many others have been saved and changed. I also ended up getting a life sentence, and they have denied my appeal for the second time. But having gone through that with you, somehow it’s just a little easier. Let them NEVER count us among the broken men. Hold ya’ head!

I next would like to thank the many men of all races and factions who encouraged me to keep writing. Your encouragement through the years has been my motivation for my peers.

Next I would like to thank my family. Thank-you for the love, I apologize for the pain. You’ve all been with me since day one. Thank-you for never giving up on me. The best is yet to come, God ain’t done yet. And to my twin brother, we go back like car seats. Stay out of here, I’m proud of you man...

I would also like to thank the interns that I recently had a chance to sit down and talk with. Thank-you for the opportunity.

I have a new, clear, and fresh perspective on myself, life, and the things I m doing.

And to the young man who had my poem on the wall in the county jail when I went back for an appeal. They denied me, but you accepted me, the love is good. Seeing that helps, thank-you.

Last but not least, I would like to thank my mentor and friend, Dr. Michael Castell. What can I say? Without you and your program, I don’t know who I would be or where I would be. Because of you and your programs I’m better, and so are many others... Thank-you for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. You’ve inspired many... There were times that I felt like giving up.

Facing a life sentence and ultimately getting a life sentence has been the hardest thing I have ever had to go through. When I thought of giving up, you wouldn’t let me. When I wanted to let go, you wouldn’t let me. When I didn’t want to go on, you wouldn’t let me. Thank-you for not letting me. May God reward you for all the good you’ve done. Whenever you need me, I’m here.

Again thank everybody, I couldn’t have done it without you ALL.

Sincerely,

Corey Elder

DEDICATION

To all those in the life skills and the R-2 program, this book is dedicated to you. Thank-you for the love, it helps me get through the pain. Thank-you!

INTRODUCTION

The Other Side Of The Game is a small collection of poems written in the hopes of discouraging primarily at-risk youth, but also many others from coming to jail/prison.

My name is Corey Elder and I am 41 years old. I have spent the better part of my life incarcerated. At 17 years old I was sent to the California Youth Authority where I spent 3 years, locked up. Shortly after getting out of the Youth Authority, I was again responsible for some crimes that sent me to prison for 15 years. I ended up serving 9 years of the ‘5 year sentence. Again a short time later I was responsible for injuring a motorist as a result of a high speed chase. I went to trial charged with four felonies. I beat two of the felonies, but was found guilty of two others. I was sentenced to 46 years to life under California’s draconian 3-strike law. I have now been incarcerated for 11 years.

At 4’ years old I have 23 years of being incarcerated. I have more time incarcerated than being free in society.

In this collection of poems, I don’t want to discuss the many problems with the criminal justice system. Instead I want to explain and describe my choice and decisions and the result of them, as well as the pain and frustration of being locked up.

Because although the criminal justice system has many problems, I know peers of mine who have never committed a crime or been incarcerated. There were others who were incarcerated for a brief time and never came back to jail/prison. Still others like myself, chose to continue a criminal lifestyle. So I choose to