In 2004, after coming to a friend’s defense against a group of gang members, at a local club in Denver Colorado, the next week, Fransau McDonald found himself fighting for his life against the same gang members. While sitting in the barber’s chair at a local barbershop he is attacked by the gang members and knocked to the floor. In the shuffle of the fight, one of the gang members drops a gun and in an attempt to defend himself Fransau picks the gun up and accidently fires the gun killing one of his attackers. Unfortunately, the man dies soon later and Fransau was charged with 1st Degree Murder, but convicted of criminally negligent homicide. But what makes Fransaus’ story so different is that he is a man of faith.
Fransau received the maximum sentence of 3 years in prison but only served 2 years and 5 months due to good behavior. Prison was hard but God was good to Fransau. He faithfully served the Lord while there having Bible studies and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. By the grace of God, without knowing it, he was able to minister to the brother of the man he killed. When he found out who the man was he sought and received forgiveness from the man. Several times he was threatened by gang members but when God is for you no man can stand against you. Each time someone rose up against Fransau God would remove them from the prison. Things were difficult when he got out of prison. He stayed with his sister and searched diligently for a job. He applied everywhere Wal-Mart, Target but because of his record, no one would hire him. For six months he worked at job and got paid under the table. Eventually, he applied at few staffing agencies. But when things got desperate Fransau prayed to God and reminded God of the promises that God made him. He also held close to a prophecy he received from a woman of God that he would get a job making $14 an hour when he got out of prison. The next day, he received a call from one of the staffing agencies and was hired. He worked that job for 3 years and was promoted from the warehouse to the office. For the past 4 years, he has worked for a company that directs car dealerships how to effectively use their marketing budgets. This is the job that he was prophesied to receive because the entry level position paid $14 an hour. But that is not all. He was hired at the company at the entry level position but is now a manager making more money than he has ever made in his life. Fransau is the only one at his company without a degree and the only one with a felony.
Despite his criminal record, the obstacle that stood in his way, Fransau kept the faith and believed that he would get a job. Unlike, so many felons that wind up back in jail or return to a life of crime Fransau fought hard to become a productive member of society. Today, Fransau McDonald is a devoted husband, loving father, committed youth minister, and hardworking man that holds down a respectable 9 to 5 job. Despite his past he continues to fulfill the call of God for his life and loves to give people hope. He lets people know that God can change your life and work out the bad things in your life for good.
