When Kendall first arrived at Springs Rescue Mission, he was desperate for some hope.

“I came here to die,” he said. “I wasn’t going to do anything dramatic. I just wanted to fade away.”

But what happened next is a living testimony to the heart of God — a Father who refuses to give up on His sons.

Kendall’s life has been a winding road marked by bold highs and bitter lows. Now 57, Kendall has been a Marine, a professional powerlifter, a gym owner, and an author. But failed marriages, and mental health struggles led him into complete despair.

“I was tired of failing at everything,” Kendall said. “I’d have a little bit of success, and then I messed it up somehow. … I was out of options, and I didn't have a plan. I was broken and defeated. I was completely in the dirt, you know, in my life. Completely exhausted — used up.”

But God wasn’t done with Kendall.

Kendall came to SRM last year in an attempt to stabilize. But it became so much more than stability: it became a place of safety and of restored faith; a place where, for the first time, Kendall felt safe enough to be vulnerable and honest with a supportive community of believers.

“I’m working on myself for the first time, really in my life, ”he said. “It’s incredible.”

As a young man, Kendall searched for himself in the ranks of the U.S. military. He served in the Marine Corps in the years leading up to the Gulf War, making his family proud. But he struggled to find his true identity.

In the years since he left the military, Kendall had a series of broken marriages and gradually drifted away from the people in his life. His mental health struggles and his addiction led him into isolation.

But here at the Mission, all that changed. Kendall began forming meaningful relationships and engaging with staff. “That’s what really made the difference, ”he said.

“These people walk the talk,” he said. “They really are true Christian warriors — and they're my heroes. … They have been strong where I've been weak. And they've inspired me to grow and see what I'm capable of. They celebrate every move I make.”

The story of Kendall’s transformation is not just about recovery from homelessness or mental illness. It’s about a return to the truth of who he is in God’s eyes: a beloved son.

“I was saved at age 21,” he said. “I was really involved. I was doing jail ministry and all kinds of things. I thought I wanted to be a preacher, so I went to college for it. …  But when my first marriage fell apart, I just quit.”

Like the prodigal son, Kendall wandered. And yet, God never stopped waiting for him to come home.

Thanks to a caring community who make SRM’s work possible, Kendall found the support he needed here at SRM. He now sets a daily rhythm of self-improvement: mentally, physically, and spiritually. He doesn’t chase lofty, far-off goals, but rather seeks to be one step better than he was yesterday.

“I want to improve every single day,” he said. “I want to improve my body — do one more push-up. I want to improve my mind — read the hard book so I can write the fun books. And I want to improve my spirit — by denying myself what blocks me from growing spiritually.”

Kendall’s creativity is returning too. A writer at heart, he sees fiction as a way to express the deeper truths of his life — he even wrote a book during his time at the Mission.

During his recent graduation ceremony, Kendall received the key to his new apartment in SRM transitional housing and was honored by a crowd for his hard work. He has a secure job doing custodial work at Fort Carson and is continuing to lean into the community of hope and support he found here.

To the donors who make this ministry possible, Kendall has a simple but powerful message: “Your gift actually does make a difference. It matters. It changed my life. … This program is making a difference. And the staff here walk the talk. They really live by faith and I appreciate every one of them. And I appreciate you.”

Your generosity allows men like Kendall to not only survive, but to begin again — to discover that even after decades of struggle, God is still writing their story.

This is the miracle of Springs Rescue Mission. It’s not just a shelter. It’s a living extension of God’s grace. It’s proof that no matter how far someone has gone, there is always a way back.

Thank you for making stories like Kendall’s possible.

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