God in the Midst of It All

When Billy first arrived at the Mission, he wasn’t looking for comfort, he was looking for stability.

After difficult family circumstances and the loss of work, he found himself searching online for a shelter. “I looked on my phone, and I looked up shelter,” he shared. What he found at the Mission was more than a bed or a meal. He found people who believed in him, encouraged him, and reminded him that God was still working in his life.

THE RESCUE MISSION IS A REALLY GREAT PLACE. THEY GAVE ME ALL THE NECESSARY TOOLS OF WHAT I NEEDED TO DO.”

Over the months he spent there, staff members walked alongside him, helping him secure resources, apply for housing, and rebuild hope for the future. Recently, he was approved for housing assistance, something he says he never imagined would happen for him.

But for him, the biggest impact wasn’t just practical support. It was spiritual encouragement.

YOU REALLY CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT GOD. I NEVER REALLY FOUND A PASTOR WHO CAN TALK ABOUT GOD LIKE THAT, AND REALLY SIT DOWN AND HELP YOU.”

Through chapel services, conversations with staff, and pastors who took time to listen, he found a deeper sense of faith and belonging. 

The Mission became more than temporary shelter, it became family.

“It’s more than a family,” he explained. “I think it’s love to a family, because God’s in the midst of all of it.”

Even while receiving help himself, he quickly found ways to serve others. Whether helping clean or volunteering in the kitchen, Billy wanted to give back. “I do it from the heart,” he said. “You got to give back.”

Originally from Louisiana, he brings Southern flavor and warmth into the meals he helps prepare. “I always try to put the Southern in it,” he laughed. But behind the humor is genuine compassion. “You can get a man or anybody to say your food is good, that means something.”

Today, he is preparing to move into housing and hopes to secure work closer to home. Though his season at the Mission is changing, he says he will never forget the people who walked alongside him.

“This will be a place that I would never forget,” he said. “And the group of people who work here, I will never forget them.”

When asked what keeps him grounded through uncertainty, his answer comes quickly: faith.

“Don’t ever rush God,” he said. “When He says He’ll work it out, He will work it out in the end.”

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