As one of the original founding members of the Mobile Loaves & Fishes "six pack," Pat Patterson is a man who exudes selflessness. He even recalls how helping others in need at one point in life just wasn't fulfilling enough—only because it wasn't happening often enough by his servant-hearted terms. This conversation with Pat gives a touching look into his life as he reflects on his childhood on a farm, serving in the army, meeting the love of his life, Bunky, followed by 52 years of marriage and raising six children. When a hurricane struck the Gulf Coast in the early years of the Mobile Loaves & Fishes ministry, Pat realized that God had big plans for the path ahead. So Pat did what Pat does best—he continued to serve, and has been in awe of God's work ever since

A victim of abuse from as far back as she can remember, Penny Hunt first ran away from home when she was only 6-years-old. By the age of 12 she was hopping freight trains across the country -- partly for the adventure, but mostly for survival. At one point in her journey she landed in Austin with nothing more than a mountain bike, two backpacks and $80 in her pocket. Continued neglect and abuse followed, leaving Penny with a complete loss of faith in humanity. Penny, however, has never given up the fight. Today as a neighbor living in Community First! Village, she's doing her best embrace her new community of friends as she recovers from a lifelong journey filled with lots of love and whole lot of loss. 

As a sixth-generation Texan, Kathryn Whitaker has certainly had her share of life. She had a good upbringing in the Texas Panhandle, and soon began her own Texas-sized family (six kids from kinder through college) after marrying her college sweetheart. But the storms awaited, and so did her anger with God. In this authentic conversation, Kathryn shares how her struggles through a miscarriage, a troubled marriage and managing the needs of a child born with serious health complications has rocked, challenged and, ultimately, solidified her faith. She is also reminded daily that none of us is ever too far from God's redemption. (Be sure to check out Kathryn's soon-to-be-released book - Live Big, Love Bigger.) 

A self-described "straight F" student when he was growing up, Larry Cottrell never fully learned to read and write until he was 38-years-old ... when he was in prison. He was exposed to alcohol and drugs at a very early age, which was the main contributor to his spending more than two decades behind bars. But through it all, Larry says he never doubted God. He reads his Bible daily, knows that he's as imperfect as they get, and is learning to love again through new friendships and a dog named Trouble. 

Remember the dot-com heyday of the late 1990's? As co-founder of the software company Vignette, Ross Garber certainly does. Ironically, starting a successful high-tech start-up also happens to have been one of the most lonely and isolated moments in his life. Today, in midst of a decades long family genealogy project, Ross has acquired a growing sense of gratitude for his Jewish ancestors along with a desire to weave charitable acts, a giving heart and simple kindness into his everyday actions. As the topic of homelessness becomes an increasingly polarizing subject in Austin, Texas and other cities around the country, this powerful conversation with Ross Garber provides a timely reminder about priorities and the value of being connected. 

In many ways, Ellis Johnston is the epitome of one of our fundamental beliefs at Mobile Loaves & Fishes related to the largest cause of homelessness in our country. In almost all cases it starts with a profound loss of family or an otherwise significant breakdown in one's family unit. Ellis knows this all too well. An abusive childhood at the hands of his father led Ellis on a path toward drugs and alcohol at an early age. Following time in prison, he wound up homeless and paranoid while living on the streets of Austin. Today Ellis is an actively contributing neighbor of Community First! Village and thrives on the many friendships that are now a regular part of his life. 

She was never homeless, though Wendy Smith recalls how she easily could have ended up on the streets when she was ready to give up at one point in life. Following a rough childhood involving divorced parents, she found steady ground in her relationship with Christ. Following a failed date to a Huey Lewis concert more than 30 years ago, today Wendy and her husband Larry have found themselves as missional residents living in Community First! Village where they serve individuals coming out of chronic homelessness. It is an experience she never imagined encountering in life, and also one she's quite certain she would never change.

Raised as one of 11 children in a sharecropper's family in Mississippi, Dexter Batie encountered a literal life-changing storm when he was only seven years old. Several years after his mother passed away he dropped out of school, and as a teenager found himself on a path of crime and drugs. Dexter was in prison by the age of 17, and eventually wound up homeless on the streets of Austin for two decades. After living in Community First! Village for more than a year, he takes pride in defending his new neighborhood as a place that has him closer to the path he desires in life.

As a successful day trader with a solid work ethic, David Jamail distinctly remembers the point in his life when God offered him a welcomed alternative to his self-reliant worldview. For once, the Gospel made sense to him. The timing also couldn't have been more appropriate, as a self-inflicted marriage crisis soon followed that would test David to the core of his being. We love to talk about relationships on the Gospel Con Carne, and this deep discussion on the struggles faced by a husband and wife is a true testament to the power of unconditional love. 

The first real memory Robin Draper has of her parents is when they divorced when she was only 8-years-old. That breakdown in her family unit - the profound loss of family that we talk about so much at Mobile Loaves & Fishes - ultimately became the start of a long, tough road for Robin. She is an adventurer. She is a fighter. She is a mother. Today her own beautiful and spunky 8-year-old daughter is having a different kind of impact on the family all around her, and has given Robin new inspiration to become a better woman.