Scott's Story
"The more depressed I got, the more anxious I got and then the two of them are a very vicious cycle. They feed off of each other like nothing else."
"The amount of love that I've gotten from everybody in this place when there are so many different personalities and mindsets from people from all different backgrounds. But the one thing is, we're all in this together."
Depression and anxiety robbed Scott of his peace. Like two devils sitting on his shoulder, they whispered lies and poisoned his thoughts. Amid the war waged in his mind, he lost his marriage and could no longer hold down a job.
“The more depressed I got, the more anxious I got. The two of them are a very vicious cycle – they feed off each other,” shares Scott.
After 10 years battling for his mental health, Scott leaned in when he heard about Union Gospel Mission of Salem’s New Life Fellowship (NLF) program.
“Eighteen months, and with all the classes and everything that they offer – the college upon graduation, two years of that – I was like, ‘Wow, if that isn’t enough to start over, nothing’s gonna work,’” he says.
Time, truth, and the love of Jesus began healing Scott’s wounds. The 18 months spent in NLF provided him with the tools he needed to thrive outside of the Mission after graduation in November 2021.
When asked where he’d be without the Mission, Scott says, “Six feet under, I’m pretty certain.” Today, his depression is at a “bare minimum.”
Not only does your partnership with UGM change lives, but you are also saving lives! Outfitted with professional mental health counselors and a tight partnership with local JD Health & Wellness, the Mission is prepared to help guests heal beyond physical health; we want to address body, spirit, and mind.
Scott has left the Mission equipped to be an independent member of society again, armed with ambition to become a counselor so he can minister to hearts that hurt like his did.
“I can’t put into words how grateful I am to God for making the Mission available to me and other people,” says Scott. “I just want to be able to continue His work.”
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13