Vital Signs
It’s a very precarious thing to lay in a chain-gang bunk bed the night prior to your release following a 5-year hiatus from society and have absolutely no idea what the next chapter of your life holds; terrifying, would probably be a more suitable adjective to capture the essence of emotion. I had zero money, even less leverage, no support from family, and very few friends in the outside world who still loved, cared, or believed in me. My drug-induced behaviors left behind a wake of destruction consisting of burned bridges, broken hearts, and a scarred sense of self-worth. I did however, have [hope]. And my hope, was centered around the reality that God still loved me, and would make a way for me where there “appeared” to be no way at all. This is his specialty after all, and the prominence of his way-making abilities are all too evident in the stories I spent much time reading (and absorbing) while doing time.
This is a God who divides the Red Sea in order for Moses to deliver his people from the chains of bondage in Egypt (Exodus 14:21). This God of mine walks on water continually (Mark 6:48), calls chariots of fire from the sky in order to rescue prophets from certain death (2 Kings 2:11), heals incurable sicknesses (Luke 17:11), causes the lame to walk again (John 5:8), restores sight to the blind and sounds to those who are deaf (Matthew 11:5); He feeds the multitudes where there is lack (Matthew 14:15) and He restores the souls of righteous men who have lost absolutely everything, except their faith (Job 42:10).
Vital Signs Ministries, along with founder & CEO Pastor Lee Robbins, has been my unrealistic prayer, answered. This ministry not only serves as a re-entry home for recently incarcerated men who are striving to re-establish themselves in the Lord & within society, but Pastor Lee Robbins also provides valuable economic stability training; within our home, core values are promoted that will help us to gain spiritual & financial traction for the rest of our lives. This ministry has provided me with a beautiful house to call home: equipped with high-speed internet (+Wi-Fi), premium cable, every streaming service under the sun, a well-paying job, spectacular church service on Sundays, bible study on Wednesdays, life-coach counseling sessions, countless amazing meals, and transportation to & from work/probation/grocery stores/doctor visits.
Not only has Vital Signs Ministries provided me with a working system for financial & spiritual success, but Pastor Lee Robbins personally afforded me the vacation of a life on 24April2024; based on my elevated progress within this ministry, and his networking recommendation, I was awarded a trip to Nashville, TN. This opportunity provided me with the perfect platform to share my incarceration testimony, as well as my road-to-recovery story at a national warden’s conference hosted at the luxurious Downtown Hilton Hotel. This vacation was paramount on so many levels with respect to the the spectacular food, booming concert halls, trendy night clubs, hip crowds, and its overall stellar southern vibe; the pinnacle however, was the reality concerning my testimony helping to influence private prison reformation, nationwide. My shared experiences broadcast unto this gathering of wardens was used directly to promote positive & progressive change for so many displaced inmates nationwide who are away from their families, serving time with little to no resources. It was such a moving opportunity to advocate on behalf of so many men lacking a voice, who are enduring tough prison conditions; it’s especially rewarding to know my shared testimony created positive changes that are in place now, affecting men’s lives behind bars for their betterment, in real time. I count it all joy & consider this opportunity a total victory.
All services provided & vacations aside, it’s the individuals, the brotherhood, and the relationships that do it for me. In the last 6 months following my incarceration release on 05Feb2024, I have bonded with some of the greatest minds, hearts, and souls I have ever encountered in 35 years of life, thus far. And none of it is of any coincidence. This ministry is a [miracle], in real life and in real-time. We touch lives at Vital Signs. We introduce men to God and we demonstrate our faith through our works, and our works are made apparent through our results. Our ministry motto is: Mindset is Everything. We maintain a miraculous mindset and we bear miraculous fruit. The very best part is, our results are lasting because they are rooted in an immovable source, Christ Jesus.
Vital: /vīd(ə)l/ (adj.)
1. absolutely necessary or important; essential;
2. full of energy; lively
Signs: /sīns/ (noun) an object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else (often divine)
James Vessels, B.Sc.
Quality Control Technician II
VF America
jamesvessels111@gmail.com