Newsletter

Before I found myself at the Mission, I had an adventurous childhood. I was born in Florida and grew up surrounded by four-wheelers, mud trucks, camo gear, hunting, and fishing – just your typical country lifestyle. I even raced dirt bikes for seven years. Then, everything changed. My mom left my dad and married another man, and my whole life flipped upside down. 

 Living in Greensboro with shiny cars was nice at first, but my stepdad was abusive, and the fun of the city life faded quickly. My relationship with my dad shifted to occasional visits during summer and school breaks-a painful adjustment that left a lasting impact on me. My stepdad’s behavior continued to worsen over the next eight years. In high school, I stayed busy with activities like Beta Club, the drone program, robotics club, baseball, and track and field – using them as a way to keep myself distracted and focused on something positive. Eventually, my mom left him and took me and my siblings to live with our grandma in Florida. The pressure of caring for my siblings became overwhelming, leading me to make poor choices as a wayto deal with the stress. Life was tough, and I didn’t want to deal with it, so I started sneaking out, climbing out of windows, doing drugs, and disappearing for days on end. 

What started out as an escape, became my imprisonment. This led to multiple arrests, toxic relationships, a lack of responsibility, and even prison. I found myself unable to keep a job, my weight dropped, and sleepless nights became the norm. My anger started to consume me, leading to violent outbursts. The cycle repeated for years until I was arrested in Athens, Georgia. An officer found me unconscious in my car-and though I didn’t realize it at the time, he had just saved my life. After I was arrested, I fell into a dark place. I was overwhelmed by hopelessness and the painful feeling that my family was slowly losing faith in me. My dad, who is a correctional officer, told me it was clear jail wasn’t working for me anymore-I needed something different. That pushed me to start looking into rehab programs, and that’s when I found the Rescue Mission. I applied, got accepted, and that’s when eve1ything really started to change. I arrived at the Mission on September 15th, 2024. When I got to the Mission, I instantly felt surrounded by a sense of peace and genuine welcome. I have been working on myself ever since, allowing God into my heart so He can allow me to rest in Him. It has been the best experience for me, and I am very grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way. 

 I’ve experienced a complete change in the direction of my life since coming to the Mission. I am so much better mentally, emotionally, and of course physically. 

While at the Mission, I stayed active and found purpose in both work and community. I restored furniture, repaired drywall, painted buildings, and even built aswing for residents to enjoy. I also got involved spiritually-attending Celebrate Recovery at nearby churches and was baptized in the creek behind the Mission. When I first came here, I was filled with hopelessness, believing that change was impossible for me and that I was unlovable. But this program gave me the space to open up, allowing me to show my true self and embrace vulnerability in a safe, supportive environment. The people at the Rescue Mission met me right where I was and walked alongside me every step of the way on my journey to recovery. For the first time, I was able to be loved for who I truly am. I’ve spent a lot of time trying to change my behaviors without really understanding where they were coming from. Now, I realize the importance of the self-evaluation process. It’s something that can be applied to almost any situation, whether good or bad. My time at the Rescue Mission has allowed me to form meaningful, lasting relationships-and, more importantly, to rebuild the relationship with my family that I thought was lost. 

I graduated in July, and I am continuing my journey in our transitional program, Aftercare, while searching for a job. I hope to start a career as a diesel technician working with heavy machinery. I would like to stay in Aftercare long enough to get on my own two feet and build a solid foundation for myself, then step out and fully apply what I’ve learned to my life moving forward. I intend to keep in touch with the staff and continue walking alongside the brothers and sisters in Christ I’ve met during my time at the Mission. I’ve learned that my true identity is in Christ, and with Him, I’m capable of doing all things that are good. 

As I continue this new chapter, I’m learning to trust the process and remain grounded in the truth of who I am in Christ. Every step I take, no matter how small, brings me closer to the life I’ve been working toward-one built on faith, purpose, and resilience. I know there will be challenges ahead, but I no longer face them alone. With God’s strength guiding me and the lessons I’ve learned shaping my path, I’m walking forward with hope, determination, and the confidence that my best days are still to come.