Investing in Second Chances: Meet the Martins
- Peyton Silvius
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
A story of second chances, obedience, and quiet faithfulness
John Martin is quick to say he is still figuring out who he is.
“I am still trying to figure that out,” he says, reflecting on a life marked by hard work, risk, and seasons of change.
Raised in McBee, South Carolina, John attended high school in Hartsville and later Clemson University. In the years that followed, his path was anything but linear. He started a men’s shirt company that saw both success and failure. He paid off debts, worked in the family business, stepped away, and then returned again. He and his wife, Mary Jane, moved several times as family dynamics shifted, eventually settling closer to their children and grandchildren.
Mary Jane describes those years with honesty and perspective.
"He would get excited about something, stop doing what he was doing, and try something else. Through all those starts and stops, I felt like God was leading him, but I didn’t know where.”
Looking back now, she sees those years differently.
“Now, in this stage of life, I can see that God was shaping him to be a Christian leader. Those experiences prepared him for what he is doing today.”
That preparation eventually led John into prison ministry through JUMPSTART SC.
Being Planted Where God Intended
John traces his involvement with JUMPSTART back through years of relationships and connections. He was involved with the CIU Prison Initiative for a long time before meeting others who would later become part of JUMPSTART’s story. What felt scattered at the time began to connect slowly.
“From the outside looking in, it really does feel like God was orchestrating all the pieces in His timing to plant me where He wanted me in the vineyard,” John says. “That is probably the story of my life.”
Second Chances and the Opportunity to Give Back
John and Mary Jane have supported JUMPSTART both through volunteering and financially, including helping purchase a home in Restoration Village. When asked what they believe they are really giving to, John does not hesitate.
“My story is not as dramatic as the men I work with, but I have been given second chances over and over,” he says. “People talk about being self-made, but I don’t think there is any such thing. I know I’m not self-made.”
Those second chances shaped his understanding of generosity.
“If I have been given those chances, if I am not self-made, if I have been given a head start, then I am obligated to give back.”
Mary Jane frames their giving in simple terms.
“When we give, we believe we are investing in people,” she says. “Investing in people improves their lives, and that improves our communities.”
For her, the calling is also deeply biblical.
“The Bible tells us to visit prisoners. John does that in person. I visit them in prayer.”
One story, in particular, captures what their investment represents.
“He told us, ‘I was 53 years old in prison with no hope. I thought I was too old to start over. But now I have hope. I understand there is a future I can look forward to,’” Mary Jane recalls. “That, to us, is the summary of what this is about.”
Serving From Relationship, Not Obligation
John is thoughtful when asked about generosity and service, especially the idea that generosity counters materialism.
“The power of the Holy Spirit changes everything,” he says. “You could visit all day, you could give away all your money, but if the Spirit is not in it, what is the result?”
For him, service must come from a relationship with God, not pressure or appearances.
“People serve for all kinds of reasons that are not rooted in God sending them into that particular vineyard,” he says.
That perspective also shapes how he encourages others, especially those who feel unsure where they fit.
“I tell the guys inside, you have to try things,” John explains. “Go try it. If it’s not a fit, try something else. While you do that, love and serve people. A lot of other things will take care of themselves.”
Mary Jane echoes that encouragement, especially for younger volunteers.
“Sometimes we think serving is all about what we are giving, but we forget how much we receive,” she says.
Witnessing Transformation Up Close
Watching men leave prison and rebuild their lives has deeply shaped John’s faith.
“What has impressed me most is hearing several of the men say, ‘Thank God I got sent to prison,’” he says. “They see prison as an intervention that saved them.”
For John, the transformation he sees is not theoretical.
“I don’t have to theorize about it. I can see it in the changed lives of these men and their families.”
Mary Jane sees the same fruit from a distance.
“They become grateful even for the hard circumstances that slowed them down and turned them back to God,” she says. “That strengthens my own faith.”
Obedience Over Outcomes
As John steps into a new season, gradually handing the family business to his son, his perspective remains steady.
“I don’t think it is for me to decide where all this goes,” he says. “What matters most is obedience. God is the one who makes it all work.”
Mary Jane agrees.
“Over time, we learn that if we rely on God, things work out, maybe not the way we imagined, but the way He knows is best.”
When asked how spending time with incarcerated men who have trusted Christ has shaped his faith, John returns to the heart of the gospel.
“There is no real difference between me and the man sitting next to me in the circle,” he says. “The same Savior. The same grace.”
Mary Jane reflects on that truth through her own journey.
“God is so forgiving and so loving that He will take you anytime,” she says. “The same blood that covers me covers them.”
For John and Mary Jane, that truth is why they keep going. Quietly. Faithfully. Week after week.
If you've been to any of our events recently, you know that Lee is doing well in the program on the outside. He helped in the kitchen during numerous events last year, as well as with projects around Restoration Village. He now works with one of our employment partners, Takeuchi.
Sitting in a cell at 53, Lee saw a path forward with Christ and community that is now a reality he lives at Restoration Village.
👉 Want to make an impact like the Martins? 👉 Discover how you can get involved by visiting us online at: https://www.jumpstartvision.org/get-involved-south-carolina