August 2024 Newsletter

Aaron’s story of restoration

At His Mansion, God is healing broken lives and restoring His original design. Aaron Milette’s story illustrates how God draws people back to His design of finding fulfillment in Him.

Aaron grew up hungering for approval. As the youngest son of a Massachusetts pastor, he sought approval by putting on “a great face” and going through the motions of Christianity. He closely associated his dad with God, so when he was a teenager and recognized his dad’s brokenness, he decided he could not trust God. He ran away, seeking acceptance from his girlfriend and others, and began developing many harmful habits. A few years later his parents took him and his young daughter in. However, he continued in his sin, stealing to fund his marijuana problem. “I was just so depressed and so broken,” Aaron says. “Marijuana was killing me slowly, but it doesn’t kill you because it’s marijuana. It’s just destructive.”

In late 2022 God brought twenty-two-year-old Aaron to His Mansion as a Resident, while his parents cared for his daughter. As months passed, God convicted him of his selfishness and his desire to please people. “God really showed me in my whole time there, really to just seek approval through God and not from man,” Aaron reflects, “because He will fulfill you far greater than anything.”

As God revealed the approval Aaron already has through Christ, He started transforming Aaron’s relationships. “I learned to trust people because I trusted God first,” Aaron observes, “and I learned to put my trust and faith in Him and seek His approval and then everything else will just fall in line.”

Since graduating the resident program in February 2024, Aaron has been working to care for his daughter, Brooklynn, and continuing to grow in Christ. “I really trust Him now,” he testifies. “He’s just really been faithful when I’ve been so faithless.”

Graduation day

On June 21st His Mansion held a graduation ceremony. The chapel was filled with community members, partners, friends and graduate family members, all coming together to celebrate the restoring hope of Jesus Christ in the lives of the nine graduates.

The approval that transforms

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden.” Isaiah 58:11

We fundamentally desire and long to be approved of: to know deep down that we are known, valued and declared as “good.” The culture we live in touts the idea of acceptance and approval of everyone and everything. It is important to ask the questions, “What does it mean to be approved of?” and “Whose approval matters most?” For many of our Residents, the issue of approval has led them into pain, sin and ultimately into seeking God’s restoration here at His Mansion.

As beloved sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, in Jesus Christ, we are approved of, declared “good,” “precious,” “holy” and “valuable.” As sons and daughters, our identity is not found in what we do, but in whose we are. Because we are loved by our Father, He cannot simply approve of whatever we choose, a sentiment often championed by our culture. If He did, He would not be a good and kind Father. Just as a dad who quietly tolerates and allows his child to run into a busy road would be deemed neglectful, our perfect Father could not be called “good” if He tolerated the same. He must love, help and discipline His children who seek after harmful things, the approval of man and of the world.

Deep approval, the kind that transforms our hearts and minds, the kind that frees us from addictive behaviors and from striving for the fickle approval of people, is an issue of identity. Creatures can only receive their true identity from their Creator. If through Christ our identity is settled as children of God, we can receive correction and direction without fear of where we stand with the One who matters most. This is the identity we teach here at His Mansion.

Happening on the Hill: summer edition

• On July 20th the annual His Mansion Counseling Seminar was held. This year’s seminar featured Andrew Dealy, Executive Director of Austin Stone Counseling Center.
• On July 24th baptisms took place at the Deering Reservoir, followed by The Summer Shindig on campus.
• Work Groups continue to arrive. So far this summer three groups have spent a week working with the His Mansion community. At least five more groups will be coming, including groups from California, North Carolina and Michigan.
• The Summer Carnival rolls into town on August 17th.

Prayer requests

• Remember the nine June graduates. Pray for God to open doors, for the Body of Christ to come around them, and for the graduates to continue in the strength of the Lord.
• For Courtney, beginning this new season as Executive Director.
• For the work groups that travel to The Hill this summer from various churches and states. Pray for safety, that work is accomplished, and most importantly that they are deeply impacted by what God is doing in the community.
• For the Operations Team. Summer is packed with building and maintenance needs, gardening, lawns, cookouts and work groups.