HH #588 A Story of Redemption with Branden Terrell

·1 hr 2 min·5 clips

In solitary confinement, Brandon heard a loud voice ask, 'What are you gonna do for me?'

Jamie Ivey introduces the episode by recounting her visit to San Quentin prison with Bob Goff and Tiffany Daniels, where she met Brandon Terrell shortly after his release. Brandon shares his background as an athlete whose identity was tied to sports, leading to trouble and expulsion from school. He describes falling into addiction and criminal activity, culminating in the killing of his friend Ryan during a fight in 2012. After his arrest, Brandon felt suicidal but found comfort in reading the Bible in his jail cell, though he hadn't fully committed to faith. He served time in maximum-security prisons before arriving at San Quentin, where he relapsed and was placed in solitary confinement for nearly a year. In solitary, Brandon heard God's voice asking 'What are you gonna do for me?' and surrendered his life, leading to his deliverance from addiction. He discusses the unique rehabilitation environment at San Quentin, including over 300 self-help programs and a baseball team that plays civilian teams. Brandon helped start media programs like For This Productions, which has a zero percent recidivism rate among participants. The conversation touches on forgiveness, with Brandon noting he doesn't need Ryan's family's forgiveness but hopes they find it for their own healing. Jamie shares a personal moment where she caught herself thinking 'I could never do that' about a murderer, then realized the judgmental nature of that thought. Brandon reflects on the importance of empathy and not viewing people as inherently bad, but as good people who made bad choices. He talks about the challenges of re-entry, including complex emotions when visiting former inmates, and his current work expanding media programs to other prisons. The episode concludes with Brandon sharing how to follow his initiatives and Jamie emphasizing the need to treat all people humanely.

As heard by us

A prison story that turns redemption into a test of how Christians see other people.

Brandon Terrell's conversation with Jamie Ivey begins at San Quentin, then opens into a Christian reflection on what happens when a prison sentence stops being the main definition of a life.

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Why you'd press play

Press play when you want a prison story that asks you to see a person beyond his sentence.

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