“My mother has been donating to the rescue mission for many years,” recalls Chris. She was participating in the idea of ‘sowing and reaping.’ As she gave to the mission, Chris’ mother was planting seeds of blessing that would produce a great harvest for her son later in life.

Prior to this Chris, experienced his own sort of sowing and reaping. He liked to party.
“I did it well,” he says. “By the time high school came around I was into cocaine, then
I discovered speed and I used until I was 30 years old.” Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind.

Chris says, “Eventually, I got tired of it. Living that kind of lifestyle and the chances I was taking was too much for me. I stopped using. I was sober for 15 years.” But many seeds had already been sown. After the tragic death of his daughter, Chris spiraled out of control. “I was devastated. I went to a dark place and started drinking heavily. I tried to quit on my own. I ended up at my parents’ house. My relationship with my father turned sour. We fought all the time. It broke my heart, I started to use again and contemplated suicide.”

Thanks to the gifts of Chris’ mother and others, the mission was there to help. “I spoke to my mother about what was going on in my life. I told her I needed out. I told her I wanted a faith based rehab I was living my life my way and you are not supposed to do that, you are supposed to live God’s way. My mother has been donating to the mission for many years so she knew about this place.” Chris came, found help, and began to sow different seeds. These were ‘mission seeds’; seeds of refuge, recovery, and restoration.

He says, “Here, I was able to heal from the death of my daughter. It’s too bad more people can’t go through a program like this. The classes and teachers here are amazing. I have a great relationship with my father now and that gives me joy. If it weren’t for the mission,
I would be dead or in prison. I know that God has plans for me.”

Thinking of sowing and reaping in the future, Chris states, “I would love to do something…maybe open up a homeless shelter. It’s wonderful how my mother’s donations went full circle. I am evidence of that. When you give, it eventually comes back to you, I think even in a greater capacity.”

Thank you for sowing seeds of grace. Through your giving to the mission, many reap the blessings of rescue every day.