A Life Transformed by the Mercy of God
My name is Ron R. I first met Catalyst Ministries in the early 2000s at GCI, and the message I heard there has never left me: YOU ARE NEVER FORGOTTEN. God will never leave or forsake us.
A Hard Road
I have been incarcerated since 1988. At 21 years old, I was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life with a 25-year mandatory before parole could even be considered. As of today, I have served 37 straight years.
Over the years, I have lost both of my parents, a brother to suicide, and a sister to murder. While I still have siblings, some I have not heard from in many years. Yet, even in loss, God has surrounded me with a family in the Body of Christ.
A Praise Report
On October 15, 2025, I had my third parole hearing. I had no natural family present, but four brothers and sisters in Christ spoke on my behalf. Two members of my victim’s family spoke in opposition — and I understand the pain my crime caused. I will live with remorse for the rest of my life.
I know God has forgiven me for the innocent life I took, and through His Holy Spirit I have learned to forgive myself. I pray for every victim my actions created. By God’s grace, I will never create another.
God Opened a Door
In spite of the odds, the Florida Parole Commission gave me a favorable ruling. I was placed in the Dr. Regina B. Shearn transition PRE-CTP program, with a subsequent review in 18 months and a projected release date of 2031 — a date that may come down at the next review. This program has paroled men with life sentences. To God be the glory.
Proverbs 21:1 reminds me: ‘The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord… He turns it wherever He wishes.’ God truly turned hearts in my case.
Gratitude
I am not a bad person; I made tragic choices. But in Christ, I can begin again. I am a child of God. Catalyst’s ministry is not in vain — your love reached me and countless others. Thank you for never forgetting us.
— Ron R