Grace at the End of the Road: Chris' Story

Chris had a good childhood. He grew up in a loving home and was raised in the church. He was baptized, active in youth group, and part of that ‘90s church culture. After high school, he went off to Ozark Christian College with hopes of becoming a pastor. He even led worship at a local church for a time, but he didn’t finish his degree.

After college, life took a different turn. Chris started chasing jobs and promotions with Amazon, moving from place to place, always in search of the next opportunity. Somewhere along the way, driving a truck became his routine, Phoenix was just another exit off the highway but to Chris, it felt like a chance at having a life again. He didn’t really have a social life, or much of a life at all at that point.

Chris found a place to rent, a condo owned by a retired truck driver he’d met along the way. He was driving for Uber with a rented Tesla. The money was hit or miss, and deep down he could see the hamster wheel he was stuck on. It wasn’t going to be a career. But people loved the Tesla and the passengers he picked up often brought a kind of party atmosphere with them. Before long, it wasn’t just rides he was being invited to the parties themselves.

One night, after leaving a party, he crashed the Tesla into a boat. He woke up in the ER. The boat had gone through the windshield but miraculously missed him. He knew the Lord had spared his life. The consequences, however, were serious. He was left with a huge hospital bill and a DUI. His first time ever in legal trouble. When he returned home, still covered in blood, his landlord told him he couldn’t stay there anymore.

With nowhere to go, Chris was at a crossroads. Around that time, he had talked to an old friend, someone he’d known for 20 years, dating back to those Ozark college days. He reminded Chris that his father was a pastor in Phoenix. Chris had once lived with this family overseas when they were church planting.  During the Easter weekend of 2024, Chris called him. The pastor welcomed him with open arms and even introduced him to someone in the church who owned a pest control business. That man, who had once been through the House of Refuge Sunnyslope program himself, offered Chris a job and told him about HRS.

At first, Chris said, “That’s not for me.” But one day after work, that same man dropped him off at HRS anyway and introduced him to Mike Baker. Mike told him, “I’ll let you into the program—but you have to stay here.” Chris replied, “Yes, I know.” Mike clarified, “No, I mean right now.” And so, he did.

Chris says what made him stay was seeing that HRS was serving Christ first. That mattered to him. And as he looked back on the sequence of events that brought him to that doorstep, he couldn’t deny that the Lord was leading him there. It wasn’t a coincidence.

His time at HRS became a “timeout,” a space to pause, reflect, and face the man in the mirror. He realized he’d spent so long chasing after earthly things, all while praying for something deeper: a family, community, a church home. Maybe, he thought, this is exactly what the Lord had been preparing him for.

His journey wasn’t easy. He faced multiple DUI hearings, attorney and legal fees, a night in jail, and wearing an ankle monitor while juggling jobs without a vehicle. But God continued to provide. Through a plea agreement, four of the six charges were dismissed. In December, Chris received a car only to have it totaled three days later when someone rear-ended him at a red light. Still, just recently, he received the insurance payout and now has another car.  And yes, with an interlock system.

Throughout it all, he acknowledges the support and encouragement of mentors and of Ron, who often met with him one-on-one and became a consistent source of strength. Chris remains grateful for the people who have walked alongside him on this journey.

Now, Chris is preparing to graduate from the HRS program this April. He’s moving into a nearby apartment and working full-time. He sees God’s hand in every part of his story; how He protected him, led him, and is still leading. Chris plans to stay connected with Ron and his mentors, and he looks forward to attending Bible study with Chris Durkin on Wednesday nights.

His journey is far from over but today, Chris walks forward with faith, purpose, and a community around him.