"Joy of Christ" - April '22 Mission Moments

I was born in Covington, LA and after spending some time in a foster home, my mother regained custody of my sister and me. We moved from Lake Charles, LA to Panama City, FL when I was in the 1st grade. Being from a broken home with no father figure around, I acted rebellious against my mother and did not graduate high school.

In and out of juvenile detention centers, at the age of 14, I started using recreational drugs. Those drugs became hard drugs rather quickly. By the age of 20, after spending two and a half years in D.O.C., I was so emotionally withdrawn from life! Being a felon at such a young age was not good, and made it hard to get a job. I found a job as a reinforcing ironworker and although I was working, I continued using drugs on and off. At the time I thought I was doing okay.

In 2007, pursuing my career in ironworking, I arrived here in Huntsville, AL to work on a new hotel that had just begun construction. In 2019 after using the drug ice frequently I knew that I needed help. After losing my house and my job, my youth and adult life left me spiritually dead so I came to the Downtown Rescue Mission.

After hearing about the program they had to offer I was excited to get started. I did not know anything at all about God so it was all foreign to me. My fears got in the way and I exited the program after 3 months. I came back to the program and exited the program once again after a year had passed. I spoke to the program ministry about coming back again after coming and going to the overnight section of the facility. They welcomed me with open arms.

I knew after reentering for the 3rd time I had to remove myself out of the way and fully submit to Jesus Christ. On Nov. 16th, 2021, while I was waiting 3 weeks to begin the first step called Matthew, I got saved and baptized here at the program graduation. During graduation, there are men and women moving forward on steps or completing the program.

God reveals himself to me more and more every day through Jesus Christ, my Lord, and Savior. Instead of being emotionally withdrawn from life, I am becoming emotionally driven by the joy and love from my Lord Jesus Christ. The joy here at the Downtown Rescue Mission is the joy of Christ! I am thankful for the day when I found God my Creator and God intends for us all to find him!

— In Jesus Christ – Erik

“AS A SHEPHERD LOOKS AFTER HIS SCATTERED FLOCK WHEN HE IS WITH THEM, SO WILL I LOOK AFTER MY SHEEP. I WILL RESCUE THEM FROM ALL THE PLACES WHERE THEY WERE SCATTERED ON A DAY OF CLOUDS AND DARKNESS.”

Ezekiel 34:12