Nearly 250 female inmates at the Gadsden Correctional Institution in Tallahassee, Florida listened intently as Gwen Cockrill and Tara Adcock spoke about the journey through prison and the transformative path of love and hope they experienced in the Magdalene Program. It was the first stop on the eight-city Find Your Way Home Prison Tour. Gwen and Tara read from Find Your Way Home, a collection of true, inspirational stories written by the residents of Magdalene.In addition to the women of Magdalene/Thistle Farms, musical artists Julie Roberts and Marcus Hummon will be participating in the prison tour as well as Becca Stevens. Julie’s self-titled debut album included the single “Break Down Here,” a Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts. Marcus is a Grammy® award-winning songwriter with three number one country hits to his name, including “Bless the Broken Road” performed by Rascal Flatts. Along with her community work, Becca is chaplain of St. Augustine’s Chapel at Vanderbilt University and has written several books published by Abingdon Press. Along with the women of Magdalene she contributed to Find Your Way Home.
From Tallahasee the tour goes to Memphis and the Mark Luttrell Correctional Center. Funded by the Cal Turner Family Foundation, the tour will also visit New York City, Dayton, Chicago, Houston, Denver, and Los Angeles. In each city, the women will visit a local congregation to educate them about the truths and myths of why women walk the streets and how those people can be welcomed back into the larger community.
Magdalene was founded by Abingdon Press author Becca Stevens to rescue women from life on the street. Becca’s vision wasn’t just to help a sub-culture of women, but to change the culture itself. To support the Magdalene residents, Stevens launched Thistle Farms, a non-profit company that makes all-natural body-healing products.
About Abingdon Press
Abingdon Press is the publishing imprint for The United Methodist Publishing House. Abingdon Press has a distinguished record in religious publishing for a broad ecumenical audience and specializes in products for church leaders, as well as scholars and students engaged in theological education and the practice of ministry. Abingdon Press offers a wide array of quality academic, professional, reference, and devotional titles published each year.
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