Reformed
How a Life Sentence Became My Saving Grace
by Amanda Warner, Jojo Godinez
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date Jun 26 2018 | Archive Date Feb 01 2019
Gatekeeper Press | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles
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Description
Jojo Godinez grew up in L.A. County surrounded by gangs. The night he
joined one, he swore to represent his gang until death. Fights,
shootings, and arrests followed, but his love of violence waned through
the years as more and more of his friends died around him.
Amid
the bloodshed, he met a homegirl, Dalia. At just 18 years old, they
married in Vegas, but their honeymoon was interrupted when a crime Jojo
committed brought him into court and eventually into a 45-years-to-life
sentence. On the day he was found guilty, Dalia gave birth to their son.
Suicidal,
Jojo lost himself in the evils of the jail, trying to forget his former
life and even his family. It was during a stint in solitary confinement
that he came to terms with his need for change. He asked God for
forgiveness and resolved to never fight again.
Jojo's nonviolent
rebellion against the prison culture of hatred and racism was
consistently met with death threats but he was willing to risk
everything for his newfound faith. In prison after prison, Jojo spread
peace, while his wife, Dalia, and their son faithfully waited for the
day he finally came home.
The powerful true story of Jojo
Godinez shows the incredible transformation of a man once written off as
nothing more than a criminal.
Advance Praise
“Careful with this book. It dares to hold the heat of the streets, of a
gun barrel, of a young man’s pounding heart, and even hotter as that
heart’s chambers load with the fire of divine love. This is what change
looks like, up close. I hope this gripping book can ignite new fires in
cells and minds alike.”
-Chris Hoke, gang pastor, cofounder of
Underground Ministries, and author of WANTED: A Spiritual Journey
Through Jail, Among Outlaws, and Across Borders
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781642370874 |
| PRICE | $13.99 (USD) |
Links
Featured Reviews
Cristie U, Book Trade Professional
I feel that it is important to disclose that I am not a religious person. With that being said, I have a friend who goes to our local prison and speaks to incarcerated women about God and her experiences. I have always wondered why these women go from having no belief in God to being religious even after being released from prison. This well written book offered me insight into how women develop a relationship with God when everything else is falling apart and how that can be the thing that literally saves their life. I enjoyed this book immensely, as it gave me information on a subject that I did not know much about.
Educator 457944
I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher providing the opportunity to review "Reformed". This book tells the true story of the transformation of Jojo, from a young man mired deep in the gang life of LA county, into a servant of God, being used to spread the message of salvation even as he was serving a life sentence in prison. An uplifting reminder that being a Christian doesn't mean you are perfect or have an easy life, but that you are willing to follow God's lead, wherever it may take you.
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