Lives Changed through City Rescue Mission

God’s Toolbox

Every day at City Rescue Mission, we are blessed to see His workmanship in the lives of men like Ernie.

Chaotic describes Ernie’s childhood.  His grandma raised him until racial tensions in his Mississippi school became explosive, and she sent him to live with his father in Texas.  His dad was a heavy drinker, and here, Ernie suffered emotional and mental abuse.

“It was safer for me at school, but not at home,” he remembers of his time in Texas. 

At the age of 15, Ernie began his own battle with alcohol.  For nearly 15 years, Ernie was what he describes as a functional alcoholic; he had a good job in television production, a wife and kids, a house.  Then in 1986, he was introduced to crack cocaine.  “I was hooked as soon as I started using.  It’s that powerful.  My life became unmanageable.”

The next 20 years were spent in and out of rehab, moving from one job to another. He’d sometimes stay clean for a year … sometimes a day.  Last November, he hit rock bottom.  He had no job, no place to stay, his wife and kids were long gone, and he was sick and tired of this life.

By God’s grace, Ernie ended up on the doorstep at City Rescue Mission where God uses tools He’s carefully chosen—counseling, education, job-skills training, discipleship, Bible studies, food, shelter and much more—to restore homeless, broken men to stable, independent living.

Our staff encouraged Ernie to join Bridge to Life, our Christ-centered recovery program.  Now he participates in chapel, prayer and personal Bible study.  He’s growing in his faith and learning to live by God’s principles.

Counseling and support groups are helping him heal and overcome his addiction.  Classes in relapse prevention have taught Ernie to take sobriety one day at a time.  “I am tempted every day,” he says.  “Staying clean and sober is a daily battle.  I see people (at the Mission) who are beat up physically, spiritually, emotionally; they are in the midst of their addiction.  I use them to stay clean.  I don’t want to be like that.”

Our professional staff digs deep into each resident’s addiction to identify underlying causes.  For Ernie, one is depression.  Now through our network of community partners, he is receiving medication to address his mental health needs.

“I am truly grateful for City Rescue Mission,” Ernie shares.  “They took me in or I would be homeless under a bridge somewhere.  God used people at this Mission to get me where I am now.  The program is a steppingstone to being a productive member of society!”