When Alice shared her testimony with us here at CRM, we couldn’t help but think of the worship song “Love Came Down” by Kari Jobe. Kari sings, “Love came down and rescued me, love came down and set me free. I am Yours, I’m forever Yours.” Below, Alice shares how love saved her life and brought her to a place of freedom and joy.

“A friend of a friend told my mom about City Rescue Mission and she started researching and it just felt like a God thing. We didn’t know a place like CRM existed. I had been in and out of several facilities and none had worked for me. I came to City Rescue Mission struggling with low self-esteem issues and addiction to drugs and alcohol. For the longest time I believed there was no light at the end of the tunnel and that I was unworthy of happiness. Anytime I got a new job or something good going in my life I would self-sabotage and ruin it. Luckily, although I had given up on myself, my family had not given up on me. The support and love I received from my mom and the rest of my family got me to CRM.

One of the things I really appreciate about City Rescue Mission is the hard love I received that helped me break the bonds of my addiction. The staff here pushes you past the typical Sunday school answers and challenges you to dig deep within yourself and trust that God is who He says He is. My counselor once said that the process of recovery is “wonderfully painful, yet painfully wonderful” and I couldn’t agree with her more. The CRM family loves you so much that you can’t help but love God and love yourself… over time I’ve started to feel the excitement and promises God has for me and my life.

The love of Christ, my family and my CRM family has transformed my life. I have joy now and know what joy truly is. Joy comes from the Lord and nothing and nobody can take that from you. I have found freedom in letting go of being in control and handing it over to God. There are no words to express my deep gratitude for the unconditional love I have received in my time at City Rescue Mission. To everyone that supports this place, all I can say is thank you and you inspire me. Thank you for giving without expectation of receiving, and for giving from the bottom of your God given hearts. After I leave CRM, I hope to start giving in the way I have witnessed so many give at City Rescue Mission.