Overcoming Everyday Hurdles with God’s Help

Bill Mable’s nickname around the Mission is “Able Mable”, and he earns it every day because of his perseverance and stick-to-it-ness. Bill has fought a tough battle to gain his sobriety over the last 17 months, and every step of the way there were hurdles set in his path that would have stymied a less committed man - but not Able Mable! Bill is a finisher like his personal Savior Jesus Christ, and his desire to overcome is inspiring staff and residents alike to keep trying no matter what.

Getting the Help He Really Needed

Bill Mable is a very gifted machinist with countless hours of hands on experience running powerful lathes, mills, and other metal finishing systems. For several decades Bill has worked for many of the machinist shops in town. Along the way he has gained a level of mastery over the complex machines and the computers that control them. His ability to learn new systems quickly and completely helped Bill gain a reputation as the “go too” guy in the shop.

But along the way Bill struggled with alcoholism, and it seemed like each step he took forward was followed by a step or two backwards. When Bill entered the Men’s New Life Program in 2014 he had tried everything he could to hang on to this life and move his career forward. But even “Able Mable’s” formidable will power was not enough to overcome the stresses and issues of life this side of Heaven and Bill began looking for help. That help came when he bent a knee to God and accepted His free gift of salvation and the 24x7x365 assistance of the Holy Spirit.

Doing Life Together Suddenly, Bill found out that life with God’s help was something he could not live without. Daily challenges that used to sidetrack him were easier to overcome when he asked for God’s help to calm his heart and show him the best way through the current issue. Bill applied for and was accepted to the Mission’s Graduate Services Program after graduating from the New Life Program in March of 2015. I began walking through the next season of Bill’s recovery and was able to witness firsthand the challenges that Bill faces daily. On several occasions we tried our best to overcome an issue he was struggling with, and every time prayer was the only possible option available to Bill. The best part was watching how our creative God helped Bill jump over each hurdle exactly on time and in ways that we would have never dreamed of without God’s help. Bill’s newfound faith has been growing in leaps and bounds over the last 6 months as he has watched God answer his prayers and guide him towards a new and healthy life.A Brand New Nickname to Match His Heart Early on in Bill’s recovery process the men in the program gave him the title of “the grumpy old guy” because he grumbled a lot and always seemed to have a storm cloud over his life. But in the last few months Bill has been smiling from ear to ear and chasing storm clouds away because God has really come through for him in some key areas.Now instead of being the grumpy old guy, Bill is the happy old guy, and his cheerful attitude and quick laugh lifts up the other guys around the house. The “happy old guy” challenges us all to not take life too seriously and to rest in the care of our loving Heavenly Father who blesses us with lots of reasons to smile instead of frown.Only God!About a month ago I received a phone call from a machinist shop in town, and they were looking for Bill! The company had just been blessed with a bunch of projects and the foreman and shop owner knew Bill’s background and that he was back in the market and looking for work. Bill called them back immediately, filled out the necessary paperwork, and was running a machine just a few days later.They started him out on the day shift for the first two weeks so that he could receive some training and get used to the machinery. But, of course, thatlasted less than a week because Bill learned the processes so quickly that they felt comfortable moving him to the full time night shift.Bill is doing great and the company is very happy that they found him again. It is taking some time for Bill to get used to standing at the machine for 10 hours a night, but God is helping him slowly get back into shape again. But more importantly, God is helping Bill work out a shuttle service with the help of his brothers in the house, and now the company even wants Bill to work on Saturdays and make time and a half!Things are definitely looking up, and each hurdle Bill overcomes (through prayer) further testifies to God’s faithfulness and inspires others around him to turn their challenges over to God. Bill is changing the definition of his nick name from Able Mable because he does it all, to Able Mable as a testimony to how able his God is.Please pray for Bill as he continues to get used to the demands on his body of a 10 hour a day job and as he walks towards jumping over the hurdles of getting his driver’s license back.The staff and volunteers at Springs Rescue Mission have been serving our neighbours experiencing homelessness, poverty and addiction since 1996. We are powered by the generosity of our community. Discover how you can get involved.