Michael

“KEEP YOURSELVES IN GOD’S LOVE AS YOU WAIT FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO BRING YOU TO ETERNAL LIFE. BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE WHO DOUBT; SNATCH OTHERS FROM THE FIRE AND SAVE THEM; TO OTHERS SHOW MERCY, MIXED WITH FEAR, HATING EVEN THE CLOTHING STAINED BY CORRUPTED FLESH.”
Jude 1:21-23

Being born and raised in Madison, I had a good childhood with what I would call a “normal” family.

My dad was a hard worker and supportive father, and my mother was very loving and also a hard worker. I also had two sisters, and once we got older, the closer we got. I graduated from Bob Jones in 2007 and decided that was enough school for me. My parents told me to get a job if I was not going to be in school.

The next thing I know, I’m being graciously woken up by a drill instructor in Paris Island South Carolina. Hoorah! After basic training and infantry/FO school, I found myself headed to Afghanistan for my first tour of duty. It was not as fun as you would think. Unfortunately, this is where my mental state started to decline. After losing my brothers on the first tour and even more on the second, I could not cope with the fact that I only lost some hearing in my right ear.

I was discharged in 2014 and found myself mentally and emotionally unstable. I was at a low point. I didn’t have hope or see a purpose in living. I’d stay busy by working non-stop until I ended up in a Birmingham Hospital due to a terrible car wreck. I had a broken back, a punctured lung, and many more injuries that were making it extremely hard to work even after 4 months of physical therapy.

I was tired of living in my truck, so I came to the Downtown Rescue Mission. I entered the Life Transformation Program, and that’s when everything started to change.

I struggled at first only because I wasn’t interested in the biblical classes. However, I still had the motivation to change my life and not go back to my old way of living. After being here almost six months, something had changed. I started to not only understand scripture but started believing what I was reading. I constantly asked myself, “How did I end up here?” and I now know it was to bring me to faith. That’s not anything I did, but God’s doing!

For the first time in my life since I can remember, I’m hopeful for the future. I can finally rest in the fact that my identity is in Christ, not my own circumstances. My goal in coming to DRM was to get my life together, but now it’s more than that. I’m focused on God and enjoy helping others — who are in a place where I was — and showing them that there is hope.

–Michael

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