Despite his off-colour and Southern sense of humor, real estate mogul Todd Chrisley has never been away from talking about his faith in God. But it was the latest chapter in his life – his prison for over two years, which tested his dependence on his Lord.
Chrisley and his wife, Julie, are stars of the popular reality television series Chrisley Knows Best, and have maintained their innocence since their 2022 Atlanta trial, where they were ultimately convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion charges. Chrisley says on his part he will detail evidence of illegal beliefs in upcoming shows.
The pair were just forgiven this spring by President Donald Trump.
In a lengthy conversation with his daughter Savannah’s podcast, Chrisley uncovers his doubts and his struggle to not understand how his wife ended up in prison.
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“The first night was tough. I was so mad at God,” Chrisley said of his first night behind the bar. “I remember lying there and crying when the lights went out. And then I said, “God, why did you abandon me? What have you done in my life that guarantees this?”
The 56-year-old said he had a dream when he finally fell asleep. In it he recalls what God had told him.
At the time, Chrisley said that dreams mean nothing to him, but his perspective changed since then.
“Now I understand that,” he told his daughter. “Because when I leave, they stand up, I leave and now the place is closed.”
The Federal Prisons Bureau announced in December that it would close the Federal Corrections Institute in Pensacola due to “significant devastation” and “maximise resources and reduce safety concerns.”
The decision to close the facility came last year, but Chrisley praises the move. At a press conference at the end of May, he said some of the FCP prisoners had been discriminated against.
The BOP says it is “recognized” by Chrisley’s statement and is considering his concerns.
When he first went to prison, Chrisley told God that he had to learn to “fully surrender” especially when it came to his children.
Savannah became the legal guardian of her granddaughter Grayson and granddaughter Chloe, which reality TV legally adopted.
“In my mind, you looked after Grayson and you knew you were going to take care of Chloe,” he said. “And I prayed for your strength every day. I asked God to update you every day. I said the same prayer every night, so that God would place a hedge of protection around my family, and that he would always put a healing hand on you.”
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