Gospel Rescue Mission

We were honored to welcome members of the Cox Communications Southern Arizona Leadership Team to Gospel Rescue Mission for a campus tour and the opportunity to serve lunch to our guests. Their time, compassion, and willingness to serve made a meaningful impact, and we are grateful for their partnership in bringing hope and support to those we serve each day.

The team shared how their work at Cox spans everything from maintaining communication lines above and underground to handling installations and service calls in homes and businesses throughout our community. Beyond their professional roles, many are also deeply invested in serving Tucson through organizations like Pantano Christian Church. Their connection to GRM runs deep—through Rooted groups and supervisors who have been volunteering here for years.

One of the things that makes Cox's community impact so meaningful is their commitment to service. Every employee receives 16 paid volunteer hours each year, allowing them to step away from the field, pull technicians from their routes, and transform team-building days into opportunities to give back and serve alongside one another in our local communities.

As they toured our campus and learned more about the work happening every day at GRM, several team members shared their thoughts:

💬 "It's a great opportunity. There's so many services offered under one roof here to serve Tucson. It's pretty cool to be a part of it."

💬 "It's a great opportunity to be here and volunteer, and it's a beautiful campus."

💬 "I feel honored to be here and to learn how I can assist and how to further advance the program."

We are incredibly grateful for the Cox Communications team and their willingness to invest their time, talents, and hearts
into serving our community. Thank you for making a difference and helping bring hope to those who need it most.

If your company provides opportunities for employee volunteering, we invite you to spend that time at Gospel Rescue Mission.

This Workforce Wednesday is about preparing today for tomorrow’s opportunities!

While this week’s workforce program focuses on building strong resumes, every week brings new opportunities to grow, develop, and prepare for success in the workplace.

Guests begin by exploring essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism, and attitude, alongside practical hard skills that could help them thrive on the job. They also spend time discussing character in the workplace—what it means to be dependable, respectful, trustworthy, and someone others can count on.

For many, traditional work experience may be limited. Some have been out of the workforce for years, while others are rebuilding their lives after incarceration. Through these workshops, they learn how to recognize the value in experiences that are often overlooked—serving in a kitchen, volunteering in the community, or taking on responsibility during difficult seasons—and translate those experiences into meaningful strengths on a resume.

By the end, our guests are doing far more than creating resumes. They are discovering their potential, identifying their strengths, and learning how to confidently present themselves to future employers. Week after week, they gain new skills, fresh insights, and a renewed sense of purpose as they move toward a brighter future filled with opportunity.

If you’d like to contribute and support programs like this as we continue our mission, visit: www.grmtucson.com

Adrian was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona—the second of six children in a single-parent household. As a young boy, he was hanging out with much older kids, smoking ma*****na by the age of eight and being pulled into an adult world far too soon.

Despite the challenges he faced, Adrian kept showing up to school. Behind the scenes, however, he was battling substance abuse and a severe eating disorder.

At sixteen, Adrian found himself homeless, moving from couch to couch while trying to finish school. With support from Youth On Their Own, he was eventually able to get a small apartment and even graduate. Yet addiction remained a constant presence in his life. What began with co***ne eventually escalated to methamphetamine use at age twenty-seven after a close friend spiraled into addiction and drew Adrian along with him.

M**h, he says, “really took a hold” of him. It led to psychotic breaks, and eventually an overdose on fentanyl.

Then came a sixteen-month relationship that became increasingly toxic. Within a single month he said, “I lost my job, my home, my best friend, my relationship, and ended up in the psych ward because I had a nervous break,”

Adrian had heard about Gospel Rescue Mission before, but it wasn't until March 2 that he finally walked through its doors. Looking back, he believes God was pursuing him all along. “God calls to you in different ways,” he says. “God doesn’t give us anything that we can’t handle… God is near to those broken at heart.”

After arriving at the Mission, Adrian switched from the workforce track into recovery. A relapse prevention book challenged him to confront a truth he could no longer ignore: “I really do have an issue. I really am an addict.”

Today, Adrian is about four months clean. He has completed CBT courses for construction, regularly attends chapel, and works with therapists both inside and outside the Mission. Most importantly, he is learning how to extend grace to himself.

At Gospel Rescue Mission, he is finding hope, rebuilding what was lost, and moving forward one day at a time.

✨ Mission Monday ✨

This past week, we were honored to participate in Hope in the Park, where we had the privilege of serving our community through Operation Rescue's Mobile Closet, by providing clothing, socks, bags, and information about the resources and support available through Gospel Rescue Mission.

Moments like these remind us why we do what we do. One person recognized our team and warmly shared, “It’s great to see you guys.” Another individual, while picking up a pair of socks, said, “I really needed new socks.” We also had the opportunity to help a parent find a button-up shirt for their son.

While these may seem like simple interactions, they are powerful reminders that meeting practical needs can create meaningful opportunities for connection, encouragement, and hope. Every conversation, every item shared, and every act of kindness helps remind people that they are seen, valued, and cared for.

We are grateful for every opportunity to serve and to be a visible presence in our community. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event possible. Together, we are making a difference—one person, one conversation, and one act of compassion at a time.

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” — Hebrews 13:16

Stop Being Offended

When we look around the world today, there is always something we could be offended by—and many people are.

I'm sure you know people who seem to be offended by something all the time. Offense is easy to pick up, but why would we want to?

When someone says or does something that tempts you to take offense and respond in a way that is unlike Jesus, ask yourself this question:
Do you want to make a point, or do you want to make a difference?

James 1:19–20
"So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."

Are we truly listening, or are we reacting too quickly and saying the first thing that comes to mind?

Are we becoming angry before we fully understand the situation?

Instead, take a moment. Ask questions. Seek clarification. Listen for understanding.

Then ask yourself:
If I allow this to become an offense, how will it impact that person's life?

Will my response demonstrate the love of Jesus, or will it simply prove that I am right and they are wrong?

Choosing not to be offended does not mean ignoring truth or compromising convictions. It means responding with wisdom, grace, and love—qualities that reflect the heart of Christ and have the power to make a lasting difference.

Today, we are especially grateful for Christ Child Society and their generous donation of beautifully knitted blankets, clothing, and other essential items for our guests.

We are blessed by the support of organizations like Christ Child Society, whose commitment to helping those in need allows us to continue providing care and hope to the guests we serve each day. Thank you for partnering with us and for being a shining example of God's love in action.

"Let all that you do be done in love." — 1 Corinthians 16:14

A New Chapter of Hope

Dawn grew up in the small town of Yuma, Arizona, in a home where love was present but rarely spoken. She became a mother at eighteen, moving between her own place and her parents’ home, and later faced one of the greatest trials a parent can endure: her young son was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. So, they came to Tucson, but they couldn’t find a bone marrow match, and he passed away a year later. Over the years, Dawn also lost her brother, both sisters, and then both parents in close succession, leaving her feeling, “I’m by myself in the world.”

Even with all this loss, Dawn built a long career—22 years with the VA—before retiring. But retirement meant less income, and staying with her children brought new heartbreak as old wounds surfaced. Rejected and overwhelmed, she drove her truck “out in the boonies” ready to give up. That’s when God stepped in through a phone call—her daughter’s employers knew about Gospel Rescue Mission and helped her get in, even after hours.

“I know He sent me here because I was at the point of not being here anymore,” Dawn says. “I believe He brought me here.”

At first, being at the Mission was “overwhelming.” She worried she was “taking somebody’s place” because she doesn’t struggle with drugs or alcohol. But slowly, God has been using this season to heal and reshape her.

“Overall, I feel safe here, and my mind is starting to relax.”

She’s gotten medical and dental insurance, is actively looking for work, and is learning new skills through classes like Emotional Intelligence, which teaches her “how to speak to people and read body language.” She’s already passing that hope on, encouraging a new guest who has lived on the streets:

“I just try to be a shoulder to lean on.”

Through trials and tribulations, Dawn holds on to a simple declaration of faith and hope:

“I just tell myself that this is temporary… While I’m here, there’s no reason for me not to take all the opportunities that they offer.”

She believes God brought her to Gospel Rescue Mission not just to survive, but to become more understanding, more compassionate, and to one day be restored with her children.

I DESERVED REJECTION… BUT HE GAVE ME ACCEPTANCE.

So many times, I hear people say, “God could never accept me. I’ve done too many bad things.”

We beat ourselves up over our past, forgetting that sin was natural to us because we were born with a sinful nature.

Thank God we don’t have to clean ourselves up before He accepts us.

Jesus came to take our filthy rags and make us righteous. No matter what we’ve done, He accepts us, cleanses us, and calls us His child.

In Luke 19, we read about a man named Zacchaeus.

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, but no one believed he was worthy enough. People pushed him aside and treated him like an outcast.

So Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree just to catch a glimpse of Him.

When Jesus reached that spot, He looked up and called Zacchaeus by name.

He saw him… truly saw him.

Jesus told him to come down because He was going to his house that night.

In the eyes of the world, Zacchaeus was one of the worst sinners. People believed he didn’t deserve to be near Jesus.

Yet Jesus accepted him, changed his heart, and called him His own.

No matter what you think about yourself right now… you are not hopeless.

Jesus sees you.

Jesus loves you.

And His grace is still enough.

This Thankful Thursday, we’re incredibly grateful for the amazing team from Nova Home Loans who recently spent time serving at Gospel Rescue Mission. 💙

During their visit, the team helped prepare meals, toured our campus, and took time to learn more about the lives being transformed every day through hope, compassion, and community support.

One volunteer shared, “I feel very grateful that we have opportunities like this to go out and volunteer.” She also expressed how meaningful the experience was because someone very close to her once received help through GRM.

Another volunteer said, “I like being able to give back to the community and help out where I can.”

Moments like these are a powerful reminder that when people come together to serve, lives are changed — not only for those receiving help, but for those giving it as well.

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others.” — 1 Peter 4:10 ✨

Thank you, Nova Home Loans, for sharing your time, compassion, and heart with our community.

If you would like to volunteer, get involved, or help bring hope to those experiencing homelessness, visit GRMTucson.com.

🎉👏 We’re proud to celebrate the graduates of the Pima Basic Construction Training Cohort at the Job Training Center at Gospel Rescue Mission!

Through our partnership with Pima Community College’s Building & Construction Technology program, these students successfully completed their training, earned their National Center for Construction Education and Research core credential, and received the equivalent of 6 college credits — creating a stronger and faster pathway into careers in the construction industry. 🛠️🎓

This accomplishment represents hard work, perseverance, and the determination to build a better future. We are incredibly proud of every graduate and all they have achieved.

One family member shared, “I’m so proud of him, and I would not miss this.”

Another graduate said, “It feels good to be certified anywhere I go.”

And another shared, “Now I have the experience to get into an entry-level career. This was worth the credit — it’s amazing.”

Programs like this do more than provide training — they open doors to opportunity, stability, and long-term transformation.

Congratulations to the entire cohort! Your future is bright, and we can’t wait to see where these new skills and opportunities take you next. 💙