Jeffrey Tatum doesn’t want to get ahead of God. He’s seen other men, ill-prepared for their new surroundings and desperate to make ends meet, land back in jail after a short period of time. They didn’t mentally adjust to life outside of prison and moved too quickly, he observed. Mr. Tatum doesn’t intend to make that same mistake. He wants God to navigate his circumstances.
“I just want to make sure it’s a good fit for what He wants me to do,” said Mr. Tatum, who was released more than two years ago. He served 18 months in Hutchins State Jail and lived in Dallas Leadership Foundation’s faith-based dorm.
Waiting on God has its benefits. The time has allowed him to reconnect with his family, which was important to him. Among the first steps he took after incarceration was to secure his relationships with his wife and his children. Eight-year-old twins and his 11-year-old stepson live with Mr. Tatum and his wife Juanita.
“I got a chance to really apologize and get before them,” he said. He has three older children who don’t live with him, whom he spoke with by phone.
James Reed, who leads the Church Prison Collaborative for Dallas Leadership Foundation, mentored Mr. Tatum in prison. Since Mr. Tatum’s release, Pastor Reed has
given him helpful advice, along with clothing and bus passes when Mr. Tatum needed them. “Pastor Reed is a genuine man who understands what it means to be a man,” Mr. Tatum said.“And then he loves God — and that’s something I’m really adamant about.”
Mr. Tatum, a formerly licensed barber, has finished his résumé, and supporters are keeping an eye out for possible jobs. He’s attending classes at Southern Bible Institute, courtesy of a sponsor. He will attend in the evenings to earn his Bachelor of Arts degree in theology. His focus: expository preaching.
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