What Began as Survival Became a Journey of Faith

A police officer gave him a choice:
“I can take you to Gospel Rescue Mission, or you can do the rest of your time.”

At that point, Gabe didn’t believe in God. He came in as an atheist—but at the Mission, he met good people who cared. He began reading the Bible, studying, and little by little, his heart started to change. What began as an act of survival became a journey of faith.

Then, in 2017, God wove another piece of redemption into his story: Ellery.

From the beginning, Gabe was honest about his past, even trying to scare her away. But instead of running, Ellery stayed—and loved him through it. Together, they built a relationship rooted in honesty and grace.

At one point, they moved in with Ellery’s father to help with bills. What started as a good idea eventually became a toxic environment, and Gabe slipped back into old habits. When they were evicted, they went separate ways, each staying with friends until they found their way—once again—to Gospel Rescue Mission.

“I knew GRM helped me out years ago,” Gabe says. “So, I knew it would be a good place to come back to.”

When they arrived, they were amazed. “It blew my mind, just the amount of resources they have here,” Gabe shares.

Ellery admits it was overwhelming at first—but soon it became a safe and structured place to heal.

Living at GRM as a married couple hasn’t been easy—but it’s been holy. They’ve learned how to grow together through struggle, leaning on God and on the community around them.

“We’ve walked through hell,” Gabe says, “but we did it together—and we grew.”

He offers this advice to others on the same path:
“It’s okay to be selfish—be selfish for your recovery.”