He Thought It Was a Job Opportunity | Dale's Story
- Western Michigan Adult & Teen Challenge
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Dale is 35 years old and originally from New Jersey. Before coming to Adult & Teen Challenge, he was addicted to a wide range of things at once: drinking, smoking, drugs, pornography, stealing, and violence. He'd spent about a year homeless, living in New York, caught in a hostile situation with nowhere left to turn.
A Sister's Call That Led Somewhere Better
Dale's sister reached out to him about an opportunity in Western Michigan. He assumed it meant a job and a place to live. What he found instead was something far more significant: Western Michigan Adult & Teen Challenge (WMATC). Looking back, Dale describes fear as what ultimately led him there, a fear of continuing down the path he was on with nowhere else to go.
Surrendering, Not Just Quitting
Since arriving at WMATC, Dale says Jesus asked him to surrender the things that had controlled his life: the drinking, smoking, drugs, pornography, stealing, and violence. He did, and he describes feeling better than he ever has since letting them go.
The most significant change in his life has been his relationship with Jesus, which he says has never felt more real. If there's one thing he wants to carry forward from the program, it's learning to love the way Jesus loves.
Three Things That Changed Everything
Dale points to three specific practices that deepened his relationship with Jesus more than anything else: prayer, Bible reading, and fasting. He describes these as the core ways a person can get to know Jesus better, and credits them with bringing his own relationship with Christ to its deepest point yet. Fasting in particular, he says, helped God set an entirely new foundation in his life.
What Comes Next
After graduating, Dale plans to work for Love Inc and stay with Fresh Coast Alliance. His hopes for the future include saving up for his own car, getting involved in a church ministry, and eventually getting married and having children, with a hope that his own kids won't need the same path he did to find their footing.
His Encouragement to Others
Dale's message centers on full commitment. He references Luke 9:23, which calls believers to carry their cross daily, meaning complete surrender. Since surrendering his own addictions, he describes experiencing the richest life he's ever known with Jesus.
He compares the relationship to any other in life: communication is the key. Jesus speaks through Scripture, and people speak back through prayer and fasting. For anyone looking for a sense of belonging or importance, Dale points to getting plugged into a local church, where God's people will help meet real needs.
Why Dale's Story Matters
For donors, Dale's story shows how far reaching this ministry's impact is, drawing someone from homelessness in another state entirely into a completely new life.
For prospective students and families, especially those with a loved one who is homeless or out of options, Dale's story is proof that even a path that starts in fear or desperation can lead somewhere transformative.
For the WMATC community, his story is a picture of what full surrender, not just partial change, can produce in someone's life.
If someone you love is out of options and out of a home, there is still a way forward.
Help make stories like Dale's possible.
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