“Jesus called me, so I answered the phone.”: Kat’s Story

When Kat first walked through the doors of Muskegon Rescue Mission, she carried more than a few bags, she carried three years of uncertainty.

“I have been homeless for about 3 years on couches,” she shared. “I didn’t know how bad it was ever going to be, and I’ve been waiting for senior housing.” But one by one, the age limits went up, “I was stuck in the middle.”

Kat has been on disability for about 23 years and was worried she would have to go back to work. She realized her chances of finding affordable housing had dropped even lower. “That’s when I came to the Mission,” she said. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

The 23 days she spent at Muskegon Rescue Mission were some of the hardest and most life-changing of her life. “It was scary,” Kat admitted. “You have people with mental illness, addiction, families just waiting for a chance, and people like me, just trying to survive.”

In that uncertainty, Kat turned to something that had always grounded her: writing. Every day during chapels, she filled pages with poems and prayers, words that helped her process the chaos around her and remind herself of God’s faithfulness.

JESUS CALLED ME, SO I ANSWERED THE PHONE. IT WAS A MESSAGE OF LOVE. HE FOUND ME A HOME.”

Soon after, Kat’s prayers were answered. She found an apartment near her 80-year-old mother. “When they told me the rent would be $900, I almost cried,” she said. “It’s not affordable, but it’s a roof over my head. I knew I couldn’t go back to sleeping in a car.”

Even with the uncertainty of bills, Kat is filled with gratitude. “God put me at the Mission for a reason,” she said. “I learned to let go of the fear.” Kat met people who reminded her that she was not alone. And now, she sits in my own home, and can thank God for every person who gave to make this possible.

Kat still writes every day, filling notebooks with words of faith and hope. “If I had the money, I’d give everyone a dollar notebook and a pen,” she said. “So they could write it out, too. Because it will get better.”

Thanks to the compassion of donors, Kat no longer faces each night in fear. She has a place to rest, to write, and to rebuild her life, one prayer at a time.

Connect with us to get the latest news from Muskegon Rescue Mission