The Author

Dear Reader,

My name is Tony Casson, and I live in Washington, DC. I am 61 years old, I live and work at the Central Union Mission, and I am a newly baptized and very grateful member of Capitol Hill Baptist Church. I moved to DC in May of 2014 after spending a little over 4 years in prison at  the Federal Correctional Institution in Oakdale, LA for possession of child pornography. I do not say this because I am proud of the fact. Indeed, I am deeply saddened that anyone’s life can deteriorate to the point where such actions would even be considered. At the same time, there are many, many things I did in my past that could sadden me to the point of immobility if I allowed myself to dwell on them, but the pages in this blog will not focus on the things I did. I will simply draw upon those experiences to illustrate what God does when we turn to Him for help, even if we have spent our entire life  turned away from Him.

I believe in transparency of purpose, and my purpose in writing here will be to help others understand how a life gone terribly wrong can be renewed and restored by the grace and mercy of God. My purpose is to lift God up to all who visit and give Him glory for His grace, His mercy, and His forgiveness.

God does forgive us when we seek forgiveness, and He demonstrates to us the need to look forward and not live in our past mistakes, no matter how egregious they may have been. In the Bible He says, “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”  ^{(Hebrews 10:17 NIV)}

He also tells us that He has big plans for us if we will allow Him to illuminate the path He wants us to take. One of the more well-known passages of scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, and it demonstrates God’s intentions quite succinctly:  ^“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. ”   ^{(Jeremiah 29:11 NLT)}

If the subject of God and, in turn, the Bible makes you uncomfortable, don’t worry. You are not alone. I was once very uncomfortable with the subject myself, but once my story is known and we explore God’s remarkable work in the life of this sinner, perhaps we will all feel a little closer to Him, a little more secure with Him, and a lot more loved by Him.

Please take this journey  on the ‘Path To Freedom’ with me, and let me share the joy to be found when we surrender to the victory won for us on the cross by Jesus Christ.

I would love to have some company.

I mentioned that I live at the Central Union Mission. In the Mission newsletter is an article I wrote in October of 2014. Perhaps reading it will answer some questions you may have about me and how I came to stumble upon this path. Click here to go directly to the article: My Story

With God’s Love,

Tony Casson

PS: There is a link to the original “Oakdale Chronicles” next to where you clicked to read this page. I invite you to visit and spend some time poking around through the 230+ articles posted over the 4 years I spent at Oakdale FCI.