Ground 40

Today was a special day at the Ground 40 Ranch as we gathered for the ribbon cutting and dedication of our newest building, Taylor’s Tiny House of Hope.

What began as a vision became a reality through the incredible support of our community. We are especially thankful for our friends at the City of Monroe and for the opportunity to strengthen our partnership with South Piedmont Community College.

A special thank you to Dennis Baucom, the Construction Management Program, his students, and several of our men who spent countless hours helping bring this project to life.

As always, Mike and Ryan McGee and the entire McGee Brothers team stood beside us in support. We are also grateful for Danny Pyles and Pyles Construction for helping us complete the final details.

We were blessed to have Sam, Tammy, and Noel Phipps bring their expertise. Through Lee Park Loves Monroe, they helped make this newest addition feel warm and welcoming, just as Lee Park has done for our ministry time and again.

This building will be used for marriage and parenting counseling, family meetings, and those important moments when the Lord is restoring broken relationships and healing wounded hearts.

Most importantly, we thank Tad and Pam Baucom and their family for allowing us the honor of naming this building after their precious daughter, Taylor.

It is our prayer that Taylor’s Tiny House of Hope will always be a place where families find encouragement, restoration, and hope through Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory for all He continues to do through this ministry.

We are so grateful for our friends at Lee Park Church and their heart behind Lee Park Loves Monroe 💙

It’s not just an event… it’s a mission, and every year they commit to supporting our community, and every year they are faithful to show up and follow through. We have truly felt that here every single year.

Right now, we’re finally finishing up a small office on our Ground 40 Ranch property. It may be small, but it carries a big purpose. This space will be used in a lot of ways, but one of the most important will be giving our men a place to sit with their children and begin the process of reconciliation with their families.

A few months ago, Lee Park committed to coming alongside us to help furnish and decorate this space, and today they showed up ready.

Pastor Sam and Tami, along with Ms. Noel, came in eager to serve and ready to decorate. Ms. Becky is always eager to help us, and that kind of heart never goes unnoticed.

Last week, Mark Hill and his crew came in and handled the final touches on the interior painting. When we say this place is beautiful, they truly did an incredible job.

We can’t wait to have a ribbon cutting and share this tiny little house of miracles with all of you. We believe this space will be used to impact families for years to come.

Thank you to everyone who continues to stand with us and support what God is doing here 💙

Today we had the opportunity to stand in the Lancaster County Courthouse Drug Court Program and watch our very own Ken Henry graduate.

Moments like this never get old.

What many people don’t see is the amount of work that goes into this. The judge, the solicitors, and everyone involved aren’t just doing a job, they are fighting for people.

They are giving men and women a real opportunity at change, not just another system to pass through.

Because the truth is, locking someone up and hoping they figure it out has never been a real solution.

Structure matters. Accountability matters. Rehabilitation matters.

But we also know this, true, lasting freedom is not found in a program alone. It’s found in the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Programs can create structure, but only Jesus can transform a life from the inside out.

This isn’t about simply completing “probation.”
This is about completing something well.

This is about men and women being given the tools, the guidance, and the opportunity to actually walk in freedom, both practically and spiritually.

We are grateful for everyone involved in Drug Court in Lancaster County.

Thank you for believing that people can change, and for creating a pathway for true second chances.

Ken, we are proud of you. Stay the course.

Saturday night was one of the most intimate graduations we’ve ever had.

It was a prodigal kind of night.

We opened up Luke 15 and walked through the parables Jesus told. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son. And you could feel it in the room. This wasn’t just a story. This is real life for the men we get to walk with.

We talked about the son who took everything he had, ran off, and wasted it. How he found himself broke, empty, and worn down by the life he chose. But when he came to his senses, he got up and went back to his father.

And the scripture says while he was still a long way off, the father saw him, had compassion on him, and ran to him.

That matters.

Because in that culture, a man like that didn’t get welcomed back easy. He would have been met with shame, rejection, and people trying to stop him from ever making it home. But the father ran to him, covered him, and restored him before anyone else could speak a word over him.

That’s the gospel.

And that’s what we saw Saturday night.

Men who once were far off, now brought near. Not because they cleaned themselves up, but because they came home and trusted in the mercy of the Father.

It was a special night. A powerful night. One we won’t forget.

We’re grateful for every person who helped make it happen, and for a community that continues to pray, support, and stand with us so nights like this are even possible.