FROM A LIFE SENTENCE TO A LIFE TRANSFORMED: JUDY HENDERSON’S POWERFUL MEMOIR WHEN THE LIGHT FINDS US RELEASES APRIL 2025
Judy Henderson shares her journey of wrongful conviction, resilience, and faith in “When the Light Finds Us,” releasing April 15, 2025.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI / FEBRUARY 11, 2025 – When the Light Finds Us: From a Life Sentence to a Life Transformed is a gripping narrative that explores the depths of human resilience and the transformative power of hope through the story of Judy Henderson, a woman who was wrongfully convicted of a crime and given a life sentence in prison.
While building her own business and raising two children, Judy Henderson’s life took a devastating turn when she was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Despite facing relentless hardships, Judy pursued an education, became a paralegal, and advocated for the rights of incarcerated women, all while behind bars.
Through her perseverance, faith, and the support of key advocates, Judy was finally granted a full pardon in June 2018, after 36 years in prison. Today, she advocates for justice system reform, sharing her powerful testimony to fight wrongful convictions and support incarcerated women. Her new book with Jimmy Soni, When the Light Finds Us: From a Life Sentence to a Life Transformed, is more than a memoir — it’s a powerful reminder that hope and faith can prevail in even the darkest of circumstances.
TALK WITH JUDY HENDERSON ABOUT
- The shock of adjusting to life behind bars and the challenges of reentering society after decades of wrongful imprisonment.
- How Judy’s faith gave her strength, hope, and the ability to persevere even in the darkest of moments.
- The power of forgiveness and its role in personal transformation.
- The heartbreaking reality of being separated from children while serving a life sentence, the ways she stayed connected to them, and the emotional journey of rebuilding relationships after 36 years apart.
- Her advocacy efforts to improve the rights and conditions of incarcerated women, bringing attention to the urgent need for prison reform.
- Her pioneering work creating programs to help incarcerated mothers maintain relationships with their children.
You can pre-order your copy of When the Light Finds Us today.
Judy Henderson was a thirty-two-year-old mother of two running a successful business when she was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Rather than surrender to despair, she transformed her sentence into a mission. Behind bars, Henderson earned her GED and paralegal certification, pioneered programs connecting incarcerated mothers with their children, and became a powerful voice for women’s rights and prison reform. Her advocacy work led to landmark legislation recognizing battered women’s syndrome as a legal defense in Missouri. After thirty-six years of unwavering faith and persistence, Henderson was pardoned in 2018. Her release wasn’t just freedom—it was vindication. Today, she channels her hard-won wisdom into serving others through Catholic Charities and advocating for criminal justice reform. A sought-after speaker and activist, she shares her inspiring message of hope and redemption while cherishing time with her two children, nine grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Her remarkable journey from wrongful conviction to transformational leader demonstrates how one voice, even from behind bars, can ignite lasting change.
Jimmy Soni is an award-winning author whose latest book, The Founders: The Story of PayPal and the Entrepreneurs Who Shaped Silicon Valley, was a national bestseller. His ghostwritten works have appeared on multiple bestseller lists. He Lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Worthy Books, a division of Hachette Book Group, publishes inspirational, transformational, and educational books that inspire readers to grow in faith, wisdom, and purpose. Worthy is committed to excellence in both content and presentation, delivering resources that engage thoughtful readers and strengthen their spirits. Their titles span across Christian living, memoir, business and leadership, women’s interest, and more.
Hachette Book Group is a leading book publisher based in New York and a division of Hachette Livre, the third-largest publisher in the world.
Contact: Carly Hamilton, 575-621-0371, carly@130a.com
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