“I've opened my eyes to what's important.”

Michael's childhood was a mix of light and shadows. He remembers fishing trips with his father and the loving presence of his grandmother, who was "more like a mom to me than my mom."

But as he grew older, life became harder.

“My dad drank a lot... and was abusive to my mom. So I started getting anger issues,” he recalls.

In adulthood, tragedy struck when his son was murdered. "I started using drugs and drinking... me and my wife were fighting all the time." He eventually wound up in jail.

After serving time, followed by years of homelessness, Michael hit rock bottom. "When you wake up in the morning and you don't care if you live or die... you have nothing to look forward to."

That's when he first came to Bread of Life Mission.

"They taught me how to love God, how to love myself and how to show love to others," he remembers. "And I haven't done drugs since then."

A few years after his first stay at the Mission, Michael thought he could return to drinking for "just a few drinks with friends," but it led to his relapse. "I lost my job and went back on the streets again. So here I am again at the Mission, trying to get it back together."

This time, Michael is determined. He's been faithfully attending classes for nearly nine months. "I'm still learning how to love God with all my heart, and I'm learning about personal responsibility and money management."

Today, Michael is starting a new job with the City of Seattle. "It's kind of strange... you get used to bad stuff happening, so when things are going well you get nervous that it won't last. I have faith that God will see me through; I'm excited for this opportunity."

This Easter, Michael has a new direction for his life. Thank you for lighting the path forward for him to experience a future of hope and peace!

"Being here has changed my life and helped me focus my priorities. They've helped me to open my eyes to what's important."