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April Ministry Spotlight: True To Life Ministries – Where One Step Leads to Lasting Change
- Amber Cole
- Apr 20
- 6 min read
This month, I get to share about a ministry in Brazoria County that is connecting with the community in a deeply impactful way. True To Life Ministries is on mission to deliver hope that leads to measurable life change by guiding people toward long-term stability. They do this by connecting with people right where they are, showing them their value with every interaction, and helping them overcome the obstacles that lie in their path.
True To Life Ministries began in the hearts of founder and CEO Meredith King and her husband, who had long felt a desire to start something that would help people move forward and get “unstuck” in life. They both imagined it would happen sometime in the distant future. But in 2009, God made it clear that the time was now. What started with a handful of volunteers around a dining room table has grown into a thriving ministry—and boutique-style resale shop—run by both paid staff and dedicated volunteers.
As Meredith and I talked about TTLM, she shared that the old saying, “If you give a man a fish, he eats for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime,” often comes up when she describes what they do. What really sets TTLM apart is that people who walk through their doors are looking for change. Meredith explained it this way: “One thing that is unique about True To Life is that people don’t come here unless they are ready to take a step forward. They might be ready for one step, or 25 steps, or 100 steps, but each one of them is important, and we don’t put an expiration on our availability to help people take their next steps. I think that is really important. One step is incredibly courageous.”
We also talked about the challenges people face and what it means to support them through different seasons along the way. TTLM has been serving long enough now that they often see people return later in their journey for help with a new service or next step. Meredith described them almost like resource brokers—helping pull together what someone needs and equipping them with the skills, support, and accountability necessary to move forward. Sometimes people take that step and keep moving for a while before returning again when they are ready for more growth. TTLM is also now serving multiple generations, including the children of people they once helped.
I had the privilege of volunteering at one of their Career Crash Course trainings, where people seeking services attended a workshop focused on interview skills. Immediately afterward, they were able to practice those skills through mock interviews with volunteers from local businesses. It was such a practical and encouraging opportunity, and I saw firsthand the generational impact of this ministry. In that class was a grandmother and her two grandsons. She had originally brought them to TTLM to receive support, only to realize that she too could benefit from the services they offered. So she began attending classes as well.
The room was filled with people from all walks of life—different ethnicities, generations, and backgrounds—all there with the shared goal of growing and becoming more employable. One phrase that stuck with me from the class was, “Your next job is the one that pays you.” It was a reminder that while long-term goals matter, being employed somewhere as you work toward them is an important part of moving forward. Students in the class also learned that TTLM offers free resume writing services and can help secure necessary forms of identification—such as a driver’s license, Social Security card, or birth certificate—even covering the fees for those documents when needed.
All of True To Life Ministries’ services are free, and there are no prerequisites or qualifications required to receive them. The only thing necessary is a desire to move forward and a willingness to follow through with next steps. They provide guidance, training, skills development, resources, and support—but they cannot do the work for you. A phrase often shared with clients is, “I can’t help you more than you want to help yourself.”
Ultimately, TTLM is providing hope through guidance, just as they declare in their mission statement, and it all starts the moment someone walks through the door. Jacob, a TTLM client who now serves as an intern with the ministry, shared a bit of his story with me. The truth that resounded throughout his story was the difference made by people showing him his value. While there are no requirements to participate in any spiritual aspect of the ministry, the opportunity for prayer and spiritual guidance is always there. Every person who walks through the door is treated as someone Jesus loves—with grace, dignity, and kindness.
Jacob shared that when he first found TTLM, he was simply looking for a place to complete required community service hours. At the time, he was living a lifestyle that had him on a difficult path, and he felt that the choices he had made were visible before he ever said a word. He told me that every place he visited in search of a community service opportunity made him feel judged and condemned—until he walked into TTLM. There, he was greeted warmly and connected with a Case Manager. Everyone who comes to TTLM leaves with a practical next step, and for Jacob, that next step was to begin serving there. He had many hours to complete in a short amount of time, so he showed up every day until it was complete.
But when his required service was complete, he kept coming back. He told me it was because of the way he had been treated and the sense of purpose he felt while he was there. Since then, he has stepped away from his old way of life and is working hard to provide for his family and continue growing into the man God is calling him to be. He shared that it isn’t always easy, but he is deeply grateful for the TTLM staff and the way they continue to speak life into him and his future.
Persephanie, a past intern, was also there attending the Career Crash Course and shared about her experience in Level Up, a summer program TTLM offers to help young adults build essential life skills. Through Level Up, participants learn about budgeting, housing, and career exploration. They also have opportunities to tour different workplaces and finish the program with a real internship in a field of interest. Persephanie shared that her time in Level Up helped her realize the career path she originally thought she wanted was not the right fit for her. Because of the guidance and opportunities she received through TTLM, she enrolled in college and is now pursuing retail and marketing, which she feels better matches her personality and strengths. She described the TTLM staff as being like family and said it meant so much to be welcomed into that family and supported so consistently.
TTLM also has a boutique-style resale shop called Refresh, which helps generate funds for the ministry while also serving as a practical space where clients can apply the skills they are learning through TTLM services. Refresh is a new and resale women’s boutique and social enterprise, offering a thoughtfully curated collection of gently used clothing alongside new items sourced from businesses that support ethical and sustainable practices around the world. Refresh also partners with another local ministry, Rainbow of Hope Texas, welcoming adults with special needs into the store for skill-building opportunities.
The resources TTLM offers in order to fulfill their mission seem almost endless. If you’re feeling unsure of your direction in this season, TTLM is a place where you can find help identifying your next step. And if you’re in the Lake Jackson area and have room in your life to volunteer, there is always a place to serve at True To Life Ministries. You can find more details, and even schedule a tour, at https://ttlm.org/volunteer/ or by emailing them at ttlm-info@ttlm.org.
We are so thankful for our listeners and donors who make it possible for KJIC to share stories like this and come alongside ministries like True To Life Ministries. Because of your generosity, we are able to go beyond the airwaves—helping connect people to places where real, lasting life change is happening. When you give, you are part of stories like Jacob’s… part of equipping someone to take that next courageous step forward. If you’ve ever wondered whether your support makes a difference, it does—every single day, in lives being restored and futures being rewritten through the hope of Jesus.
THANK YOU!