“I knew I needed God in my life.”

Justin’s childhood was filled with pain and instability that damaged his outlook as he grew up. “My mom was an addict. I thought that being in the streets and involved with drugs was the coolest thing ever.”

As the years went on, the consequences mounted: broken relationships, displacement and addiction. “I had no spiritual connection with life. I had nothing going on for me, and nothing left.” Desperate to fill that emptiness he felt, Justin turned to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

When he arrived, he was skeptical and angry, but everything began to change as he connected with counselors, staff and pastors. “My whole thinking changed,” he recalls. “Instead of being angry, I became grateful because this place is doing for me what I couldn’t seem to do for myself.”

“I had a void inside of me. I knew I needed God in my life.”

Through classes like Healthy Boundaries and Adverse Childhood Experiences, Justin found healing and learned how to process the pain of his past. “I was able to be vulnerable because I was tired of feeling this way. The staff walked with me through that misery. They helped me see past the lies I used to tell myself.”

Thanks to the Mission, Justin experienced a freedom he never thought possible. “I didn’t feel alone anymore. I worked in the warehouse and loved my community there. I even became head of house and chapel assistant.”

His faith – now a real relationship with God – has been nurtured and strengthened during his time at the Mission. “I’ve gotten a deeper understanding of a loving God that cares about me. I don’t feel lost anymore.”

This Easter, Justin has a new direction for his life. Thank you for lighting the path forward for him to experience a future of hope and peace! “I truly felt like I had lost my soul… but I’ve been given it back and I’m so thankful for that. I see a bright future ahead of me.”

Thank you for sharing support and compassion for neighbors like Justin!