“God put me in the right place”
Arthur woke up in the woods, as he did many mornings, while he wandered lost, experiencing homelessness and controlled by addiction. He stumbled through the dark and the cold, battling the elements and his inner demons. Every day was a struggle to find his next meal – let alone a shred of hope. Frantically searching for a way to escape the deep hole that had become his reality, he pleaded with the Lord to intervene.
“Please God, help me, I gotta get out of here.”
Arthur’s life didn’t always look this bleak. At one time, he had it all: a good job, a nice house, a wife and four beautiful children. Then Arthur and his wife divorced. Heartbroken and alone, Arthur started looking for love in all the wrong places and befriended those who, with their own interests in mind, lured him into addiction.
His life spiraled out of control, and he lost his home, his family and all his possessions. Looking back, he shares today, his mind became so clouded he couldn’t see what had been missing – a relationship with God.
“I went from riches to rags by not putting God first in my life” 
One day, while Arthur waited to board a bus, a woman noticed the distress in his eyes and offered to pray with him.
After their prayers, the good Samaritan brought Arthur to the Mission.
That was just 12 months ago, and Arthur says, “my life has done nothing but gotten better in one year’s time.” In our holistic LifeBuilders Program, Arthur’s healing has come full circle, from dental work and care for other physical needs to life-skills development and a growing understanding of the Scriptures. In our Bible-focused classes, Arthur has learned, “we have freedom from addiction – we have the cure book.” Perhaps the biggest lesson for Arthur has been to put Christ first and everything else will fall into place.
“If you do what you’re supposed to do, put a little extra into it, trust in God, I think I’m going to be okay. I think we’re all going to be okay.”
Arthur served as a dorm monitor, helping others who have lost their way get their lives back on track. At 61 years old, “God is showing me I still have life left,” he says. He shares his story of the trials and tribulations he experienced so God could bring him to where he is now.
“Before I came to the Mission, I was broken, hurt and sad. Now, I’m happy, spiritually filled with God, and I can’t wait to wake up every day and tell Him thank you… how much I love Him… and ask what I can do for Him.”
Looking ahead, Arthur hopes to work on staff at the Mission so he can continue to show others through his testimony that the love of God – and help from friends like you – can change their lives. He also looks forward to rebuilding relationships with his children and grandchildren and being a godly role model for his family.
