I am highly susceptible to self-improvement plans, especially those that lay out steps to success: Do these 5 things and you will be a better wife, mother, employee, friend, Christian. I desperately want someone to show me the way to be the best me I can be.

Almost exactly two years ago, I came to Union Gospel Mission at a time when I was learning what felt like extremely hard (but extravagantly important) lessons. Lessons about God and about myself.

By John Dunne, former UGM Recovery Counselor

“Hey, I hear they got this thing called ‘grace’ down at the Mission, so I guess you can get away with doing anything you want down there now.”

This is a conclusion that frequently surfaces when we begin a discussion of our grace-based environment at UGM. It is the natural result of the fact that in our everyday culture, the word “grace” is usually synonymous with license—when we fail to hold someone accountable for his actions, we say we are giving him “grace.”

Two weeks into camp and amazing things are already taking place. The following are two incredible stories written by UGM Camp Photographer/Blogger Clare Pursch.

By Merrily Brast, former Staff Writer

“You are worse than you think you are, but also far more loved than you feel you are.”

–Timothy Keller

By Merrily Brast, Former Staff Writer

Making ambitious resolutions is a New Year’s tradition for many of us. And while the end of January marks the end of those resolutions for many of us, UGM resident Tim O’Brien has chosen to stick to his on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis.