A new book, Doing Time with God by Bill Dyer, offers prisoners a path to spiritual healing, forgiveness, and inner freedom through storytelling. It helps transform anger and pain into growth and empathy, inspiring personal reflection and change.
Many prisoners face profound spiritual challenges, often feeling trapped not just behind bars but also within their own anger, guilt, and resentment. They struggle with the consequences of their actions, the hurt they've caused others, and the pain they carry from their past. Bill Dyer’s new book, Doing Time with God, directly addresses these spiritual struggles, offering a path towards healing, forgiveness, and personal transformation.
Bill Dyer’s journey from being a victim of violence to working with prison inmates is central to the message of Doing Time with God. In 1998, while stopping at an ATM, Bill Dyer was robbed at gunpoint, shot, and left for dead. He spent three months in hospital and needed a full body cast to recover from his injuries. Dyer experienced overwhelming anger and a desire for revenge, emotions that many prisoners also relate to. His story, however, takes a transformative turn when he encounters God and begins to share his experiences with inmates. This sharing fosters mutual healing and opens the door to forgiveness—a theme that resonates deeply within prison walls. The book shows how inmates can turn painful experiences into opportunities for growth and redemption.
A key focus of Doing Time with God is helping inmates break free from their "inner prisons" of anger, resentment, and despair. Through storytelling, prisoners begin to heal by confronting their own emotions and developing empathy for others, including their victims. The book is filled with real-life stories of how this process unfolds, demonstrating that even in a physical prison, inmates can achieve emotional and spiritual freedom.
Each chapter of the book encourages deep reflection, not only for inmates but for anyone seeking personal growth. The included discussion points and questions foster meaningful conversations. These tools help readers apply the book’s lessons in their own lives, encouraging growth in compassion, empathy, and forgiveness.
Ultimately, Doing Time with God provides a powerful message of hope. It shows how God's love can transform lives, even in the most unlikely places. For inmates, this book offers a way to find peace and a renewed sense of purpose despite their circumstances. The stories within the book are a testament to the possibility of change, no matter how deep the wounds or how dark the past.
This content is provided in partnership with Doing Time With God and is intended for informational purposes only. The views, opinions, and advice expressed in this article are solely those of Doing Time With God and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of any other individual, organization, or entity.
