While living on Catalina Island, it became clear that "Thesis 96" would not become a thriving institution of life learning for budding college students. About then (out of the proverbial blue) a friend on the mainland contacted me and said he would be sailing his boat to the Island, and wanted me to meet someone he was bringing with him. That person turned out to be a man close to and serving with Charles W. (Chuck) Colson, former counselor to President Richard M. Nixon.

I had read Colson's book, "Born Again," several months before this meeting occurred.

The outcome of that meeting resulted in my being invited to do a week-long seminar at a Federal Prison. So I took my ideas about Thesis 96 and condensed them into a syllabus of 35 presentations including 10 small group dynamic sessions. The seminar was an outstanding success. The inmates ate it up.

After several months of doing this, I was invited to become the first National Training Director for Prison Fellowship. The functional content of Thesis 96 was now being shared with thousands of inmates and people in churches and colleges throughout the United States and Canada.

Amazing.

One day, in the Prison Fellowship offices in Mclean, Virginia, I met with Chuck to discuss the syllabus content. He said to me, "Paul, I've been reading and evaluating your syllabus and I want you to know how excited I am about it." He continued, "This material would change the world if it were made available to the public."

That was a long time ago. Now Chuck is with Jesus, and his encouragement has been burning in my heart for decades. Now, with the Internet and Social Media, I can give it to the world.

As to whether or not Chuck was right about its influence -- that assessment belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ.

-- PDM