Their circumstances couldn’t get worse.

“The only way left was up,” Cabell said.

The two were not just homeless. They were sleeping on the ground. And to make matters worse, Crystal was pregnant.

Then came a miracle, Cabell said. The two were interviewed by the Family Promise program sponsored by area churches.

The program helps the homeless become self-sufficient, said Lynn Love, spokeswoman for the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Temple.

Ms. Love said the Cabells slept at the church in quarters prepared from former classrooms. Within four months of entering the program, the Cabells were in their own home and on their own.

Cabell talked about how his fortunes improved on Thursday at a Christmas Day luncheon at Bethel for church members, those without families at Christmas and the homeless.

The 32-year old native of Brentwood, N.Y., said it’s terrifying to wake up one day and realize you no longer have a home to live in.

Cabell said he joined the Army 10 years ago and ended up staying in Texas when released from Fort Hood.

“A couple of years ago I was laid off from my civilian job,” Cabell said. “Then before long we were homeless. The first thing I did was to find a shelter for Crystal fast because she was pregnant.”

Cabell said he went to the street. “Men’s shelters are not as secure as women’s. They are filled with drugs and crazy stuff.”

But his wife wanted to come join him sleeping outdoors, Cabell said.

“I can’t tell you it was hard on me because the infantry teaches you to live that way,” said Cabell, laughing. “What made it hard was that I had a pregnant wife with me.”

Cabell said their circumstances took an uptick the day he spotted Temple police officers handing out fliers on the street. Most homeless avoid police - especially in certain areas, he said. But Cabell walked straight up to an officer and asked what was going on.

When he found it was about a job fair he told them he had no criminal record and asked if the police department was hiring.

“They said no,” said Cabell. “But the good news was the job fair.

One thing led to another. A day of work at the VA hospital led to a referral to an intake screener with Family Promise. The program does a criminal background check and checks for past problems with drugs or alcohol before admitting a client.

“From there, we just got up,” Cabell said. “In four months we were self-sufficient and out of the program.”

Each week the couple stayed at a different church at night. The program helped Cabell find work and assisted the couple in the discipline of saving money.

But recently Cabell was again laid off from his job. And Crystal is pregnant again.

He said he is looking for any type of work until March when he registers in a junior college program preparatory to entering a degree program at UMHB with a major in geology using his Montgomery GI bill.

“I can work gas station, warehouse, loading dock - anything it takes,” he said. “Anything to keep me and my pregnant wife off the streets.”

After he starts school he said he would supplement grants and student loans with part time work.

Asked if he has transportation, Cabell said he has his two feet.

“It’s the best transportation known to man,” he said, laughing. “I’m old school infantry. I walk everywhere.”

Crystal said they live two blocks from the HOP and use it to get to the grocery store and medical appointments.

Ms. Love said 38 guests attended the Christmas luncheon at Bethel Assembly of God on Thursday, including other members in Family Promise.

“The Cabells are celebrating their first year of recovering from being homeless and becoming self-sufficient,” she said.

Ms. Love said Bethel can hold up to a maximum of 14 people.

“A church member stays here at night with them to take care of any emergencies,” she said.

Cabell said the program turned his life around even though he and Crystal have had ups and downs along the way.

“We are still struggling, but we are going to make it,” he said. “You take it one day at a time and put it in God’s hands and follow His way, not yours.”

Cabell said the love of God in his heart makes things happen for him.

“It’s not you doing it,” he said. “It’s God.”