By Angela Huggins
Mathew 19:26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
I want to start this story by thanking our heavenly Father, Jesus Christ. Time and time again, I see His work in the restoration of lives, families and souls. Glory be to our Father in Heaven for His gentle and loving hand upon this mission and this precious family. Lord, continue to lead, guide and protect.
-In Jesus name...AMEN!
Today I want to share one families journey... well the beginning of it. We will continue to follow this family's as time succeeds.
This is not just a picture of a beautiful family, no. This is a picture of Gods grace, love, kindness and the start of this families redemption story.
Pictured above from left to right is Landon, 5, Kinsey (mom), Jasper, 4, Josh (dad), and Dallas Lane, 3.
The Valley Rescue Mission journey for this family begins in July 2023.
Josh was incarcerated and sentenced to completing "rehab". During a phone call with Josh while at Crossroads, our second phase of recovery at Valley Rescue Mission, he eagerly tells me "after going through numerous contacts with many recovery programs I contacted Valley Rescue Mission." Josh said "none hit him like Valley Rescue Mission did." He decided to apply to our program. After getting approved for our program, he came down to Georgia from Tennessee and enter our Men's Addiction Recovery Program. He goes on to tell me, "what started as a prison sentence, became a new life and new journey in Christ." He describes his past by stating, "Before I didn't have a glimmer of hope. I didn't like myself. My addiction and not having Christ in my life made it hard to be a father or a husband."
Shortly after entering Valley Rescue Mission Josh's children were put into care of a relative and later into DFCS custody.
I was able to sit down with Josh's wife Kinsey. After speaking with Kinsey, she relayed to me that the Lord had started working on her road to recovery in inconspicuous ways. She said she kept hearing the word rehab echo in her mind. She ignored it.
She had been an addict herself since her early 20's. She was not ready for recovery until one day in early November. She was smiling as she told me the day that the Lord moved her to seek help. She said it was triggered in a conversation with her husband while he was in the first phase of recovery at Valley Rescue Mission.
She states," Josh was not always the man he is today. He used to be full of anger. One day I talked to him while he was in recovery. I knew he knew I wasn't doing right, but he wasn't mad. He wasn't angry or mean. He was concerned for me. He was making sure that I had ate, or slept. Not questioning me, but caring for me. I could sense he had a peace in his voice. I saw big changes in his demeanor. He told me that he had given his life to the Lord. I could tell the difference in him from our phone conversations. He definitely was not the same man." I was watching Kinsey as she spoke. He eyes were beginning to fill, her smile was widening. It was beautiful to watch her talk about this new man the Lord had given not just her, but their children as well. The man that the Lord had given her as the leader of their home. That mans journey and the peace that our Father had given him, was what began to stir inside of Kinsey. The newfound joy that her husband had gave her the desire to want what he had, for herself.
After interviewing the two of these wonderful people, the Lord revealed His glory. I interviewed Kinsey first in my office. I asked her, when did this conversation take place. The one where she knew something had changed in Josh. She stated, "about four months into Josh's stay at Valley Rescue Mission." I later interviewed Josh over the phone. He told me , "I found Christ in a big way. I got saved at Cascade Hills on October 31st. I was baptized that same day." Now folks...look at GOD! That phone call was a product of the Lord beginning His restoration process in Josh's life, and in turn beginning his work in his wife's life. She told me she saw a change in him about 4 months in to his stay here, he later tells me he was saved right at his four month mark. He entered our program on July 12th, 2023.
By December 8th Valley Rescue Mission was welcoming Kinsey into our Women's Addiction Recovery Program. She has since given her life to the Lord, been an active part of Valley Rescue Missions Recovery Program. She has been very welcoming in spirit and allowed us to help guide her and her family to the Lord. Kinsey sat in my office so full of joy and before she left she eagerly took a piece of paper out of her pocket and read a scripture that she carries with her. It read 1Timmothy 1:16 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.
Kinsey gave her life to the Lord on December 17th, 2024 and was baptized the next day! This past weekend the supervisor over our Women's Ministry, Brandy Nichols, coordinated with DFCS a visitation at Valley Rescue Mission for the family to reunite. This is only part of this families journey to recovery and restoration. The couple plans to carry their story back to Tennessee where Josh aspires to become an Associate Pastor.
On behalf of Valley Rescue Mission, I want to sincerely and humbly thank Josh and Kinsey for sharing their testimony. I pray for Gods love, kindness and everlasting joy to encompass you and your family for the rest of your lives.
Update on the Abel family......
Pictured below on the far right is Joshua Abels. He graduated Valley Rescue Mission on Tuesday April 16, 2024.
Congratulations Josh!
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