Last spring, Jon, 55, was living down in Texas—in a tent by railroad tracks. He’d lost everything due to his addiction. In his words, he was “in a deep, dark place.”

He describes homelessness as “loneliness . . . a huge amount of loneliness. You’re always alone at night in the dark, thinking about bad things that could happen. ”

But there came a point where he’d had enough. “I got on my knees one night in the woods and just gave it all up to God. I said, ‘What should I do? I’ve wrecked everything. I’ve got nothing.’”

Jon’s desperate prayers and his desire to change led him to Hope Ministries. Just days after he arrived at our men’s shelter, a tornado ripped through the area where he’d been living in Texas, destroying the very spot where his tent had been located. Jon says if he hadn’t known before it was God who led him to Hope Ministries, he certainly did then.

“It was humbling and a little surreal to walk through the doors. But I knew I would get sober here. I knew I’d be held accountable,” he says.

Jon’s addiction to alcohol stems back to his teenage years. He had loving parents and a good childhood. But he had a lot of exposure to drinking, and by the time he was a young adult, it was a regular part of his life.

“I joined the Army, but alcohol messed with that. That’s just been the story of my life. I’ve lost every single job I ever had due to my addiction. I’ve lost relationships.”

But that’s Jon’s old life! He’s now been at Hope Ministries for about nine months and he’s thriving in his new life. He’s thankful for a roof over his head, three meals a day and friendships with other men in life recovery. “You build relationships here that are unbreakable,” he says.

Jon is hoping and praying for restored relationships with loved ones back in Texas, and he’s looking forward to one day working in ministry. More than anything, he’s depending on God for each and every step.

“I have surrendered to God. That’s the only way to maintain my sobriety,” he says. “This place saved my life—not just this building, but the people in it who show their love. I have a feeling of commitment and completeness now.”