Michael Franzese

Yeah, I said, I don't want a Bible. And I'm laying down there, and I don't know, just everything. You know, you feel sorry for yourself. A lot of emotions you go through in a short time. And I just, I'll never forget, I jumped off the cot and I picked up the Bible and I just slammed it against the wall. And I was just really upset. And about a minute later, you know, it came into my head.

Yeah, I said, I don't want a Bible. And I'm laying down there, and I don't know, just everything. You know, you feel sorry for yourself. A lot of emotions you go through in a short time. And I just, I'll never forget, I jumped off the cot and I picked up the Bible and I just slammed it against the wall. And I was just really upset. And about a minute later, you know, it came into my head.

I said, man, you know, I believe in God. I'm not really spiritual, but I believe in God and I get everybody mad at me. I don't need God mad at me. It's just me and him in the cell. So I picked up the book, Dr. Drew, and I just looked up at that cement ceiling and I said, you know what? I need help. If you're really there, give me something to help me out. I'm really in bad shape tonight.

I said, man, you know, I believe in God. I'm not really spiritual, but I believe in God and I get everybody mad at me. I don't need God mad at me. It's just me and him in the cell. So I picked up the book, Dr. Drew, and I just looked up at that cement ceiling and I said, you know what? I need help. If you're really there, give me something to help me out. I'm really in bad shape tonight.

And I, you know, I never read the Bible. You know, in Catholic school, you don't read the Bible. You read the catechism. This reads the gospel from the pulpit. And so I didn't even know where to begin. And it just fell open to the book of Proverbs. And I started reading Proverbs, which was enlightening to me because I'm a very analytical guy.

And I, you know, I never read the Bible. You know, in Catholic school, you don't read the Bible. You read the catechism. This reads the gospel from the pulpit. And so I didn't even know where to begin. And it just fell open to the book of Proverbs. And I started reading Proverbs, which was enlightening to me because I'm a very analytical guy.

I'm a guy that my whole life I had to deal with evidence from helping my father or helping myself. Evidence was everything in my life. Show me the facts. And I started reading Proverbs and I said, wow, this is a brilliant book. This guy is really smart, Solomon. And without getting into all of it, I just came to two verses. One verse that really, I think this was the epiphany.

I'm a guy that my whole life I had to deal with evidence from helping my father or helping myself. Evidence was everything in my life. Show me the facts. And I started reading Proverbs and I said, wow, this is a brilliant book. This guy is really smart, Solomon. And without getting into all of it, I just came to two verses. One verse that really, I think this was the epiphany.

It was Proverbs 16, 7 that just stopped me cold. And it says, when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, even his enemies are at peace with him. And because I had nothing but enemies that night, it kind of, wow, what does he mean by that? And then it's, you know, I had that look in the mirror moment where, were you kidding?

It was Proverbs 16, 7 that just stopped me cold. And it says, when a man's ways are pleasing to the Lord, even his enemies are at peace with him. And because I had nothing but enemies that night, it kind of, wow, what does he mean by that? And then it's, you know, I had that look in the mirror moment where, were you kidding?

Yeah, you walked away from the life and you married this girl, but you're still a gangster. You still got the mind. You still got it. You're still the same guy. So don't be mad at anybody but yourself. And I kind of just faced my own demon at that moment. And I start to read on from there. And another couple of verses really hit me. And I said, okay, here's what I said that night.

Yeah, you walked away from the life and you married this girl, but you're still a gangster. You still got the mind. You still got it. You're still the same guy. So don't be mad at anybody but yourself. And I kind of just faced my own demon at that moment. And I start to read on from there. And another couple of verses really hit me. And I said, okay, here's what I said that night.

I said, you know, I trusted my father more than anything in my life. I love my dad. My dad, I would have given my life for my dad at one point. And I believe he would have done the same for me. And I said, I trusted him. I got into this life and look where it got me. I said, then I took a blood oath. And when I came into the life, I gave it, I really felt for the life. I wanted to be that guy.

I said, you know, I trusted my father more than anything in my life. I love my dad. My dad, I would have given my life for my dad at one point. And I believe he would have done the same for me. And I said, I trusted him. I got into this life and look where it got me. I said, then I took a blood oath. And when I came into the life, I gave it, I really felt for the life. I wanted to be that guy.

And I wanted to be the best possible mom guy I could be. I said, so I made the wrong decision twice. I can't do it again. If there really is an eternity and I'm facing it, I want to know what's real or what's not real. And that's when I said, I kind of challenged God that night. And I said, just show me.

And I wanted to be the best possible mom guy I could be. I said, so I made the wrong decision twice. I can't do it again. If there really is an eternity and I'm facing it, I want to know what's real or what's not real. And that's when I said, I kind of challenged God that night. And I said, just show me.

And for the next 29 months and seven days, nonstop, I mean, if you see my prison Bible, there's more of my notes than there is scripture in there. I mean, I put notes on everything. And then I had my wife send me in books on every faith, and I just started studying. And I had a Sony Walkman. I would listen to Pastor Greg Laurie. I don't know if you ever heard of Greg. No.

And for the next 29 months and seven days, nonstop, I mean, if you see my prison Bible, there's more of my notes than there is scripture in there. I mean, I put notes on everything. And then I had my wife send me in books on every faith, and I just started studying. And I had a Sony Walkman. I would listen to Pastor Greg Laurie. I don't know if you ever heard of Greg. No.

He's a huge pastor out here. He's got Harvest Crusades. He runs every year. He's actually been at the White House several times. And I started to listen to him, and he was helping me interpret Scripture when I had an issue with it. He didn't know it, but he was doing it. It just happened to work out. And I just came out of there.

He's a huge pastor out here. He's got Harvest Crusades. He runs every year. He's actually been at the White House several times. And I started to listen to him, and he was helping me interpret Scripture when I had an issue with it. He didn't know it, but he was doing it. It just happened to work out. And I just came out of there.