God’s Feet are in My Sandbox: Faith Chronicles of a Texas Death Row Chaplain

Rick Anderson
Tate Publishing (2011)
ISBN 9781617398100
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (7/11)


Author Rick Anderson openly chronicles his spiritual journey. His story begins as a twenty-one-year-old loser with an alcohol problem contemplating suicide. He goes on to candidly share the events that led to divorce and remarriage. He describes how he surrendered to preach the Gospel. He relates the experiences behind a decision to adopt a Chinese orphan, of losing his wife to breast cancer, and of later finding love again.

In my review I have tried to go beyond the information shown on the back cover of the book to alert the potential reader that much of the story leads up to the highlights of his ministry on Death Row. For other readers, the subtitle “Faith Chronicles of a Texas Death Row Chaplain” may lead to similar expectations.

Rick tells of his experiences as a Chaplain ministering to condemned men on Death Row at the Polunsky Unit of a Texas prison.  He details the events that led to his being made a scapegoat by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in their effort to place blame on him for an embarrassing death threat against a Texas State Senator which was posted on the internet.

I personally was drawn into Anderson’s narrative right from the beginning. The prologue beautifully explains the basis of the title “God’s Feet are in My Sandbox.” I also was very impressed with the way Anderson introduced encouraging words from the Psalms and other selected scripture passages that added spiritual insight and encouragement, promise, and inspiration to the incidents of the preceding narrative.

Many readers will appreciate the clarity with which Anderson presents the Gospel message. Other readers may be looking for more detailed insight into the role, duties, and policies applicable to prison chaplaincy. Anderson draws attention to ongoing discipline practices often prevalent behind the scenes in the prison environment, of the need for prison reform, restorative justice, and into the ongoing debate regarding the death penalty.

By reading “God’s Feet are in My Sandbox,” I have been moved again to re-examine God’s involvement in the “Sand Box” of my life.

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