Rebuilt Through the Word

Harold’s world got turned upside down in a span of months.

He had been married nearly 30 years and then came the losses, one after another. He lost his brother, father-in-law and wife just months apart. Grief piled up, and Harold found himself trying to carry more pain than he could hold.

One night, around 2:00 a.m., he looked up at the sky and prayed a simple, desperate prayer:

"Lord, You take over. Either take me or show me something because I’m done."

The next morning, a name came to mind, an old acquaintance Harold hadn’t spoken to in years. Harold took that as God’s nudge. He picked up the phone, made the call, and within days, a door opened that he didn’t even know existed. That step of obedience brought him to House of Refuge Sunnyslope.

Harold will be the first to say he didn’t come in with a long history of rehab or a plan for “starting over.” He came in overwhelmed, grieving, and worn down. He also came in uncertain, unsure if he even belonged in a place like this. But House of Refuge Sunnyslope met him with structure, community, and steady encouragement. Slowly, Harold began to breathe again.

He leaned into the rhythm of the program. He started attending Celebrate Recovery, and what he thought “wasn’t for him” became a place of real growth. He connected with mentors who helped him process what he’d carried for years. Bible study became more than a weekly class; it became a lifeline. Over time, Harold found himself not only learning again, but healing.

Something else began to change, too: the way he saw people.

Harold admits he used to be quick to judge, measuring others by what they had, what they did, and how they looked. But day by day, he began asking God to reshape his heart: Help me be less judgmental. Help me see people the way You see them. At House of Refuge Sunnyslope surrounded by men rebuilding their lives, Harold started to recognize something holy in the struggle, men who were broken, yes, but also image-bearers, worthy of dignity, patience, and hope.

As Harold stabilized, he stepped into leadership as the night lead. He became someone others could count on, steady, consistent, fair. He worked hard, helped new residents find their footing, and chose to live with integrity. He didn’t just follow the rules, he honored the purpose behind them, creating a healthier environment for everyone around him.

Today, Harold points to one thing as the difference-maker: learning to be in the Word—daily, personally, consistently. He built a new morning routine: coffee, quiet, Scripture, prayer. Even 15 minutes became a reset for his mind and heart. The rest of the day looked different because the morning started differently.

When asked what House of Refuge Sunnyslope means to him, Harold doesn’t pretend he got here on his own. He gives God the glory. But he’s also clear about the gift House of Refuge Sunnyslope has been a close, Christ-centered community that helped him rebuild from the inside out.

Harold arrived carrying grief, pressure, and exhaustion. He’s walking forward with a steadier spirit, a softened heart, and a renewed desire to live with purpose, one day at a time, one step at a time, and one morning in the Word at a time.

“I couldn’t have done this without God and without the community I found here.”