KEITH OVERHOLT, MBA President/CEO
BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD…
WhenI was sixteen years old, like most kids, I was excited to get my driver’s license. As one of my first big adventures, I thought I would drive about 13 miles from home to meet my dad for lunch in downtown Buffalo, NY. My dad was the Executive Director of the City Mission in Buffalo at the time, so I thought I would surprise him and that maybe he would take me out for lunch.
When I arrived at the mission he was surprised and did offer me lunch, but he wasn’t taking me out to eat. He offered me lunch at the mission instead. I was a little disappointed, to say the least, but that day would change my life forever.
drunk on weekends and then progressed to smoking “a joint or two” every day. Because of that, he started hanging out with a bad crowd and he started taking hardcore drugs. He ended up addicted and started stealing from his parents. After trying to help him numerous times they finally kicked him out of their house. After a few days, Joe quickly burned all of his bridges and ended up at the City Mission hungry, cold, and with nowhere else to lay his head.
“I THANK GOD EVERY DAY FOR PLACES LIKE THE DOWNTOWN RESCUE MISSION WHICH HELPS SHARE THE GOSPEL TO A LOST AND DYING WORLD.”
As we were eating our lunch (which was very good, by the way) the overnight guests started to line up to be fed. As I was talking to my dad, out of the corner of my eye I saw a curly-headed blonde guy, who looked very young, get in the lunch line. I took a double take and said to my dad that I thought I knew the guy. He looked just like a guy that went to my high school. My dad told me that I should go talk to him and I did. Sure enough, it was Joe, a guy who had graduated from my high school that past year.
Joe was eighteen and had grown up in the same middle-class suburb of Buffalo that I did. I told Joe that I was shocked to see him at the mission and asked him how he ended up staying here. He told me that when he was playing sports at school he got into the partying lifestyle. It started with him getting
After about a half hour of talking with him, Joe said he had to go. Even though I would look for him when I went to the mission, I never saw Joe again. Seeing Joe changed my life because it made me realize at that young age that Joe’s story could have been mine. That day I decided that I wanted to help guys like Joe because his story broke my heart for all those who find themselves homeless and in need. They are people just like me and just like you. Years later, I went to work for my dad at the City Mission, and during morning Bible study he would tell us “But for the Grace of God there go I”. Thirty-plus years later I am still working and ministering to men and women just like Joe. I thank God every day for places like the Downtown Rescue Mission which helps share the gospel to a lost and dying world.
FROM TRAGEDY TO TRANSFORMATION
“IN JAIL WAS FOR SURE MY MOMENT. YOU ALWAYS HEAR GOD’S NOT GOING TO PUT YOU THROUGH ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN’T HANDLE. BULL CRAP. HE PUT ME THROUGH EVERYTHING I COULDN’T HANDLE. BUT IT WAS SO I WOULD TURN TO HIM.”
Keith:
So when that phone slammed on the wall that day. What happened to you?
Adam:
As soon as I heard that phone slam. I obviously knew that something was bad because I could hear my mom’s voice (As she said My baby!?) yelling, and I walked into the room and I see the look on my step dad’s face because my mom was in the corner in the fetal position, looking at my stepdad and the look in his face, now knowing what the look on his face was was “Oh crap I’m gonna have to be the one to tell
him.” “Is it Bryant?” which was my brother’s name. He responded “Yeah” so I looked at my mom and said “He’s dead isn’t he…”
It was a lot moving to this new big School. It was huge going from school in Maine where there was 100 kids to this Christian School with 40 kids K-12 to this really big school. It was fun but it was a lot to trying to be cool and try and fit in and not knowing who I was.
Keith:
So you get into sports, you get into skateboarding, and you get hooked up with these guys that are kind of partiers Right?
Adam:
Yeah they knew how to have a good time.
Keith:
So tell me how that goes.
Adam:
So I start hanging out with these guys, going to parties, wanting to be cool and fit in. Was smoking weed and drinking and that became the norm. Not only did it become the norm because it was the cool thing to do. But that’s when I felt confident and that’s when I felt cool. I felt involved and a part of something…. I fell in love with the mind-altering substances. That void that I needed to be filled from my parents, my brother, being the new kid…was being filled with instant gratification. I became addicted to not hanging out with people and having friends but getting messed up….
“HERE I QUICKLY LEARNED. DO NOT PUT YOUR IDENTITY IN CIRCUMSTANCES. PUT YOUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST. AND THAT’S WHAT WORKED FOR ME.”
Adam:
In Jail was for sure my moment. You always hear God’s not going to put you through anything that you can’t handle. Bull crap. He put me through everything I couldn’t handle. But it was so I would turn to him.
Adam:
My life was one day at a time. Pursue quitting drugs, One day at a time, I’m an addict. Here I quickly learned. Do not put your identity in circumstances. Put your identity in Christ. And that’s what worked for me.
Keith:
How long have you been a Chaplain now?
Adam:
Two years May 28th.
Keith:
So you graduated and you’ve been doing great since the program. Helping other people here at the Mission.
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October 25, 2024
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