OVERCOMERS
On average, over 250 men step through the doors of Crossroads Rescue Mission each year. Whether they stay for a day, or for years, they are offered food, shelter, clothing, and most importantly: the life changing message of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Since its beginnings in 2001, we have helped thousands to experience the life of an Overcomer.
"My name is Mark Badger. I am 43 years old and was raised in Gastonia, NC. I want to thank my Lord and Savior jesus Christ for saving me and for turning my life around. Without Christ I am nothing.
I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol at the age of 12. By high school, I was an alcoholic and a drug addict. For the next 15 years of my life, I was what many would call a "functioning addict." I was able to keep a job and maintain relationships with family and friends. That all changed when I began using crack-cocaine. I started to lie, cheat, and steal to feed my addiction. I stole from those closest to me until nobody wanted anything to do with me. Many times I tried to quit. I tried the N.A. way, the A.A. way, and Mama's way, but nothing worked until the Holy Ghost showed me the Only Way!
The Lord saved me at the age of 35, and for the next little while I was able to stay clean, but I did not have a foundation to stand on. I stayed in the same neighborhood where I was introduced to crack, and it wasn't long before I was back to my old ways. By June 2012, I was at a point where I had nowhere left to turn. Thankfully, I heard about Crossroads Rescue Mission. After my salvation, Crossroads is the best thing to ever happen to me. I was in the program for 14 months and then was blessed to be able to work for Crossroads for another 2 years. In those 3 years, God gave me the foundation I needed to stand in this wicked world.
The Lord has done amazing things in my life these past few years. He has restored relationships that I thought were ruined forever. He has also allowed my family and friends to trust me again, which I am especially thankful for. God has given me a good job, a great church, the best Christian friends, and He has put a wonderful, Godly woman in my life. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me in the future. I look forward to serving Christ for the rest of my life."
1 Corinthians 15:57, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
"My name is Dennis Blanton. I came to Crossroads Rescue Mission for the first time in 2001. The day I got there, I had nothing. Drugs and alcohol had taken everything from me and ruined my life. I started using drugs and living the lifestyle that goes along with it at the age of 10, and that lifestyle continued for the next 40 years of my life. At the age of 50 I have never had anything, I have never had a home, a car, a family, and all of this stemmed from 40 years of drugs and alcohol. I chose to waste everything I had on a wicked lifestyle but this lifestyle left me empty and sleeping in the woods.
Over the last ten years I came back to Crossroads several more times, but I wouldn't stay long enough to get what God wanted me to receive. Each time I left my life got worse and worse. Finally, I came back in 2011 when I was at rock bottom in my life and I finally surrendered my life to the Lord and that is when he completely changed my life. This time I stayed for the whole program and became a supervisor in the men's program.
I decided that I was going to wait on the Lord and I was willing to stay at Crossroads as long as the Lord wanted me to. During this time I became a member of Faith Baptist Church, and it was there that I met my sweet wife. Next to the Lord saving me, she is the best thing that's ever happened to me. We were married in November 2013 and that's the day I left Crossroads Rescue Mission.
It's been almost three years since I left the mission, and today I serve the Lord full-time at Crossroads as the Head Supervisor. I am happily married, and live in a beautiful home. God has really made a difference in my life. Not only has he saved my soul and delivered me from my wicked lifestyle, but He has given me a completely new life. I would like to thank you for supporting Crossroads Rescue Mission. If it wasn't for Crossroads and Brother Rocky Shelton, I have no idea where I would be today. Through God and your support, Crossroads has helped to save my life and soul. To God be the glory!"
