#ThankfulThursday I'm Forever Grateful For This Place

Shawn faced a rough life filled with trauma, addiction, and loss. Born in Illinois, he moved to Tucson as a teenager, growing up in an abusive environment. He turned to alcohol and later drugs, deepening his addiction. Despite this, he built a life and career, raising six children with his wife, Michelle, over 34 years. However, when she passed away, he struggled to cope with the grief, relapsing into drug use and eventually becoming homeless.

But, almost a year ago, just after last Christmas, his sister, a graduate of our Recovery Program, sat down with Shawn and convinced him to come to Gospel Rescue Mission and get help.

Initially skeptical, Shawn’s time at GRM transformed him. Through spiritual mentoring and the support of a loving community, he found God’s grace and began addressing the root causes of his addiction. And Shawn began to heal.

“God told me my wife is whole and complete and with Him now, and that healed me.”

Today, Shawn is a changed man. Through the love and support he found at Gospel Rescue Mission, he has not only overcome his addiction but also rediscovered his faith, purpose, and a renewed sense of hope.

“GRM saved my life, and I’m forever grateful for this place.”

He speaks of learning compassion, kindness, and the transformative power of letting God work in his life. Shawn now mentors others, sharing his story to inspire those still struggling. As he prepares to join GRM’s team, Shawn looks forward to giving back to the mission that saved his life. “This is the happiest I’ve been in my whole life,” he says, reflecting on the profound changes he’s experienced, and Shawn encourages anyone struggling with addiction to come to Gospel Rescue Mission for help.

#Thankful #gospelrescuemissiontucson #GRMTucson #gospelrescuemission #centerofopportunity #GRM #grm #Transformation #givingback

Keeping Jesus As The Focus

During the month of December, we have been looking at the hope that is ours because of the coming of the Messiah as a baby boy, God becoming man.

This week, one of the things that we will be talking about is that because of Jesus's birth, we can have a new birth.

Luke 2:7
And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

God loved us so much that He provided Jesus to be born as a man, live on earth facing everything that we have to face, yet not succumbing to sin. He became our perfect sacrifice so that we could be born again and have a relationship with Him.

In the parable of the sower in Mark 4:15, Jesus says that the enemy comes immediately to steal the Word. This is very evident in the birth of Jesus. When the wise men came seeking Jesus, the King killed all of the babies under the age of two to try to stop the Messiah from taking His place.

It is the same in our lives. As we begin to understand the love of God and that the purpose of the birth of Jesus was to provide us with new life, the enemy comes immediately to distract us and to cause us to get our eyes off of Jesus.

As we celebrate Christmas this year, keep Jesus your main focus. Have you allowed the work completed in Jesus to bring you new life?

#SundayScripture #thankful #ScriptureSunday #Hope #gospelrescuemissiontucson #GRMTucson #gospelrescuemission #centerofopportunity #GRM #grm