He Led Me Here

Finding His Way to Arizona

In July 2007, at about 23, he moved from Michigan to Arizona to live near his sister. He spent years moving around the Phoenix area and described trying to fit in, even when the people around him led him toward choices that didn’t feel right. Travis moved to Tucson in 2016 with a partner, hoping for a fresh start. They had two daughters. He spoke about relationship struggles, drug use, losing custody of his daughters, and the exhaustion of trying to manage everything alone.

Homelessness, Faith, and a Turning Point

After a relationship ended, Travis gave up his home and spent about three weeks homeless. During that time, he recounted walking through the night to a church, where he experienced an encounter he understood as a spiritual warning. Church leaders welcomed him, fed him, and helped him. He later described asking God for direction while homeless and following what he believed were instructions to take bus routes that eventually brought him to Gospel Rescue Mission. There, he found a program and people who could support him. “He led me here,” Travis said, believing the mission had become a place where he could work through his challenges and strengthen his faith.

Learning to Live Differently

At the mission, Travis entered a workforce program and began seeking steady employment and transitional housing. He said the noise, activity, and different personalities have helped him practice coping rather than avoiding everything that overwhelms him. He is working on patience, managing anger, and setting boundaries, especially in relationships. When negative thoughts arise, he repeats, “Thank you, Jesus,” until he feels calmer. He hopes to complete peer-support counseling classes so he can help others facing difficult circumstances.

A Story Still Unfolding

Travis’s testimony is not that life has become easy, but that he has found reasons to keep moving forward through grief, recovery, and uncertainty. He speaks about faith as a source of hope and direction and tries to hold on to the belief that “with every negative you can find a positive.” At Gospel Rescue Mission, he says he is rebuilding routines, friendships, and confidence one step at a time, learning that he can face challenges without losing sight of the person he wants to become.