When I look back over the past 20 years, since Paul and I started Springs Rescue Mission, I am so in awe at how God has used us — and so many wonderful, generous, and gifted people all over Colorado Springs — to make a difference in the lives of men and women experiencing homelessness here.

But we always felt God called us to do it. We had such a heart to serve and to share the love of Jesus with people. So we started picking up homeless people and bringing them to church, preaching the gospel to them, and feeding them. And it all just grew from there. It breaks my heart to see how many more people are homeless today. They aren’t just alcoholic men anymore: they’re women and children, displaced families who’ve lost jobs or can’t find one, and even mentally ill people.But the Christians here in Colorado Springs are so caring, and God has faithfully used them to help build the Kingdom of God, through this Mission, for 20 years, and if we keep God first, I know we’ll continue to make a difference. God opened the windows of heaven when we first started in 1996 and I pray His blessing continues for another 20 years. When Paul Vyzourek founded Springs RescueMission in 1996 and asked me to join the board, it wasn’t because I was particularly interested inhomelessness. It wasn’t a passion or a calling.But I soon found that when God puts something in front of you to do, it’s the path to your passion and He’ll make a way for you to keep doing it. And for 20 years, that’s exactly what happened. I’m still on the board, still teaching guys at the Mission, and still supporting it financially.Homelessness is an important issue. But what I really care about is transforming the lives of individuals who want to change. Springs Rescue Mission is all about changing hearts, not just behavior. So when I look back over the past 20 years, I don’t look at how we’ve affected the homelessproblem in Colorado Springs, I look at how God has used us — people like you and me — to change individuals through the power of Jesus Christ.If God’s hand wasn’t on this Mission, we wouldn’t be here. But we’ve been here for 20 years, so we must be doing something right. Today, Springs Rescue Mission — thanks to God and everyone who supports this place — is offering real solutions to homelessness. And that’s important to me.