Dane Ellis’s purpose in life is to serve God and His kingdom.
Dane Ellis grew up in a Christian home, attending church with his father. “I was a believer from a young age,” he said. But while he was in college studying information technology, he fell prey to the allure of hard drugs. He found they numbed the pain of the emotional weight he was carrying, and when the drugs took over his life, he dropped out of college.
He entered the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center’s program in Austin, Texas, and was in and out of rehab programs for years, always eventually relapsing. “You know what to do,” he said, “it’s just a matter of doing it.” Major Steve Justice and his wife Donna had been very kind to him during his time in Austin, so when they were transferred to Orlando, Dane bought a bus ticket and followed them here. But the cycle of recovery and relapse continued, and Dane found himself living on the streets.
Eventually Dane found his way to Project Hope, the Mission’s men’s home. After a few nights in the overnight emergency shelter, he joined the discipleship program. For more than a year, Dane participated in the program, and then he relapsed again. For six months he was back on the streets, where life was extremely violent. He nearly died several times from gunshot wounds and overdoses. He had what he called “some really wild experiences,” and realized that God and the devil are real. “I know for a fact that Jesus is who He says He is.” At one point, feeling himself dying from a drug overdose, he prayed, in despair, that he was afraid he would not enter heaven. Shortly after that prayer, he began to recover.
In April 2025, Dane reentered the Mission’s discipleship program, and this time has been different. “I should have been dead many times. It’s all God’s hand, His leading. I am so grateful that He brought me to this place. My whole perspective has changed, a transformation. It’s no longer about myself. What can I do to be of service to God and His people? I want to go out there and share my testimony to a world that is so resistant, to lend a hand and point others to Jesus Christ. I’m just grateful for each day, because I shouldn’t be here. That’s why I’m still here – to serve.”
Each day Dane asks, “God, what do you want me to do today?” He attends Bible classes each morning and chapel services each evening (he calls it “a double dose of the Holy Ghost”) in addition to working in registration for the overnight guests at Project Hope. He has also received good counseling, direction, and insight from Pastor Shane, Pastor Richard, and Joe Picotte. “They are a real delight to talk to,” he said. “They have been so good to me since I’ve been back.” He plans to complete his IT certification, and he’s depending on God to show him where he can best serve. Dane believes the best evidence for God is to see dramatic transformation in the lives of others. “It can happen only by the hand of God,” he said, and he is thankful for the donors who make it possible. “What goes on here at the Mission and the lives that are transformed here because of Jesus – there’s nothing that’s a higher priority than bringing people to the foot of the cross.”
