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 A New Way of Thinking
As Warren McElvaney, a chaplain at Hope Ministries, walked the familiar campus of his alma mater, Trinity Bible College in Ellendale, North Dakota, he felt a rush of nostalgia and a deep sense of gratitude to God. Beside him, maneuvering the paths with the aid of a cane, was Brian McFadden, 44, a student in The Door's STAR (Spiritual Training and Recovery) program.
"Brian came to Hope Ministries last summer," Warren recalls. "He rededicated his life to the Lord, then quickly applied himself to the STEP (Specialized Training and Evaluation Period) program at Bethel Mission. He enjoyed the Bible study and computer work and supported the other men in the program, too".
After Brian expressed a desire to go to Bible school, Warren suggested Trinity Bible College and the two made plans to attend "College Days" for new students there.
A Time of Disappointment ...
Before coming to Hope Ministries, Brian's life had been punctuated with disappointments. "I was in Texas attending school when I ran out of money last summer," he says. "Then I came to Springfield, Missouri, to reconcile with my wife, but when I got off the bus, I learned she had left town with someone else."
Brian sat on a bus bench in Springfield with $10 in his pocket praying about what to do next. Then the Lord reminded him of Bethel Mission. "I had graduated from the program there back in 1990," he says. Within hours, with help from friends, Brian boarded a bus for Des Moines and headed for the Mission. Disappointment and hopelessness were replaced with a drive to learn and to grow in Christ.
Looking Ahead with New Hope!
Brian scanned the mail and saw the envelope he'd so eagerly anticipated. Yes! He was accepted at Trinity Bible College and could attend in the fall of 2004! "I'll live on campus and pursue majors in biblical and ministerial studies with a pastoral emphasis," he says. Warren beams as he says, "It was the Lord's will that Brian came here and our great privilege to send him off to school. And he's encouraging others at The Door to follow in his footsteps."
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