How Everyday People Live Out Their Christian Faith

Illustrating how men and women display their love for Jesus in their day-to-day lives.
Little things that may have an eternal impact. Might these stories motivate you to use your talents?
  • Church Activities Labor Unique Ministries

    SENDING CARDS TO HURTING PEOPLE

    When I retired from my job, I knew I wanted to serve the Lord with my gifts and volunteer at my church.  I went to a meeting at my church. A leadership position needed to be filled. I was new to the group so I kept my hand and my head down. I didn’t want to volunteer to be a leader, that was for someone else. The next position was for the “Sunshine Committee.”. Only one person was needed to send out the get-well cards to church members. I knew that it was the perfect position for me. My hand quickly went up as I said, “I’d like to do that.” I really wanted to. I am a person who likes to work quietly behind the scenes. I knew that God had found me a position where I had skills and an interest. For the past three years I’ve received our church’s prayer list. I pray over every person that is on the prayer list and then send out care cards with love from God and our congregation. I carefully choose cards that fit men, women, and children. Some weeks are busier than others. I typically send 200 cards per year. Occasionally people approach me at church and thank me personally for the cards. Sending a hand written card is becoming a lost art. I believe people still enjoy getting a hand written, personalized card that lets them know that someone is thinking about them and praying for them. We carry each other’s burdens in prayer. Sending cards may not… Read More

    March 23, 2020
  • Children Food Verbalizing the Gospel

    THE BREAKFAST CLUB

    “God sees you. He loves you. God has a good plan for your life. Your life matters.” This message of love and hope is how I end every Breakfast Club. In a world where teenage depression, anxiety, and suicide are all too commonplace, I want these young adults to know regardless of how unloved and unworthy they feel, they are, in fact, very loved. That is why I helped start Breakfast Club at our local high school. I wanted to provide a safe place for all teenagers. Our mission is to feed bellies so that souls can be fed. This mission is carried out every other week with a slew of volunteers who come to my house in the wee hours of the morning to prepare breakfast; a breakfast that provides physical nourishment to an always-hungry teenager. After tummies are full, I spend twenty minutes allowing the Holy Spirit to talk through me as I give these young adults the spiritual nourishment their hungry souls crave. Regardless of the week, the message always places Jesus as the friend they need, the lifeline they seek, and the answer for their pain. And by God’s amazing grace, lives are being changed! Young adults are finding a relationship with Christ. Kids who are battling depression are finding hope. And parents are being impacted too as they wonder what all the fuss is about and come to volunteer. All the glory goes to God! I’m so humbled by His amazing grace; He is providing everything we need to feed hungry bellies and souls. It… Read More

    March 16, 2020
  • Church Activities Labor

    THE PRAISE TEAM LEADER

    I never expected to be doing the things that I've been doing at my church for the last ten years. When I first joined the praise team, I said I’d help create the PowerPoint slides for the contemporary song presentations and that I would learn to play guitar. I learned how to play guitar through people that were already on the praise team. The team then acquired a guitarist and asked if I could learn bass, so I made the switch to help out. Later, the praise team leader asked me if I would be willing to sing because they wanted another male voice. Needless to say, I didn’t think I had a good enough voice to help lead worship. I was content with playing bass. God kept pushing me out of my comfort zone and I tried out to be a singer on the team. I started singing with them in 2010. I’m still critical of my voice even though people say that I'm a good singer. I give all the glory to God. I also said I never wanted to be the praise team leader. However, God had a different plan. When the original praise team leader stepped down in 2015, I was voted on as the person to replace him. I was shocked and honored at the same time that the entire team thought I would make a good leader. I’m in charge of researching and picking the music for our service and setting up the equipment every week. I enjoy working with other talented individuals. I… Read More

    March 10, 2020
  • Labor Unique Ministries

    THE REGULAR GIRL

    From the first time I walked through the door at The River, I had a feeling of hope. I didn’t know what to expect, but forming relationships and watching lives change right before my eyes was not what I anticipated. There have been many women come through for help. Homeless, down and out, and broken, they come to get the help they need. They come to escape for a little while, get job training, wash clothes, have a meal and maybe get a haircut. They can take classes and training in areas that will help them succeed. These are the little things we take for granted sometimes. I know I did. I was only supposed to be there temporarily. The regular girl that had been volunteering needed to stop, and I told a customer of mine that I would help out. I could pitch in for a while until they found somebody that wanted to do it permanently. I didn't mind helping out, but I was not staying. That person was not going to be me. I was a newer mom and extremely busy with my three year old son. Now, my son is thirteen and I can’t believe ten years went by so fast. I guess it’s safe to say that I am now the regular girl. Women still come. Sometimes they come in and just want a friendly face and someone to listen. Other times, they may be preparing for a job search or interview. Some days, they may not want to talk, but just relax. In every… Read More

    March 3, 2020
  • Church Activities Special Needs Unique Ministries

    SIGNING FOR GOD

    I learned to sign at a very young age because I had a family member who used it to communicate. I learned from a video series alongside my siblings. Early on in college, I decided to change my major to American Sign Language and Deaf Interpretive Services. I wanted to learn the language and learn more about deaf culture because of my family member. It helped me grow closer to this family member and build a stronger bond with them. While in college, I met the head interpreters for an area church. They helped me get a sign language internship which allowed me to interpret for deaf members of the congregation during worship services. It was all God-orchestrated. He brought the right people into my life at the right time. I am thankful and grateful for these women that invested in my growth and development as an interpreter. As interpreters, we prepare for services by creating written translations of the music beforehand and by studying the scripture passages. Other than that, we are trained to go at it cold. We are usually a couple of words, if not a whole sentence, behind the speaker so that we have a chance to process. Working as a team also helps. We try to always have two interpreters working together, so we can break up the workload. We become very in tune with each other’s signs of fatigue, so we can relieve each other. As interpreters, we sign everything that the hearing people hear: the corny jokes, the “Amen!” in the back of… Read More

    February 25, 2020
  • Children Financial Help Food

    THE CAKE GUY

    Seeing children battling cancer has always tugged at my heart. Five years ago, I saw a story about a teenager who was battling leukemia. He was fighting for his life at Children’s Hospital, but he spent time going around to other rooms, encouraging kids in their battle. Wow. I was heartbroken when he passed away. I heard his family was struggling to pay his medical bills. A couple nights later, I saw a Kitchen Aid mixer on television and had this wild idea. My mother had a great pound cake recipe. What if I bought that mixer, made some pound cakes and sold them to raise money for the family’s medical expenses? I ordered the mixer and began making cakes. Now I’m not a baker; I own a flooring company, so this was not in my wheelhouse. I planned to make 25 cakes and raise $500. It turns out I made over 100 cakes and raised $9,500 for the family. Without that money, they said they may have lost their house. It was one of the most gratifying things I’ve ever done. So I set out to do this for another child. And then another. I pay for the ingredients so all the money raised goes to the families. People heard what I was doing and wanted to help. People started giving me bags of flour and sugar. One man started donating all the eggs we need. I bought several other mixers and gave them to people who volunteered to make cakes. When we do a fundraiser, we bake about… Read More

    February 18, 2020
  • Church Activities Prayer Senior Citizens

    BRINGING HOPE TO THE HURTING

    I am a simple man, but I have a heart for people. For the past 16 years, that passion has led me to visit sick and hurting people in the hospital as well as elderly people who are unable to come to church. I oversee the Hospitality and Care Ministry at my church. I coordinate a group of men at the church and together, we visit everyone on our list each week. This ensures that every person is visited on a regular basis. This ministry is so rewarding because I can bring the hope of God to people who feel hopeless and lonely. It is hard being an elderly person who is always alone, or a person who is sick in the hospital. They need to be reminded of God’s hope and love for them. On Wednesday of every week, I make my rounds to people. I always bring my guitar and sing for them, which ushers in the presence of God. This uplifts them in a tremendous way. I love what I do, and I do it with excitement! I love to see the joy on a person’s face when I sing a worship song. The most important thing I do while I’m there is pray with them. Nothing can touch them like Jesus can! I know the people I visit look forward to having someone from the church there with them every week. I love these people, and I love knowing that I am giving them something priceless in this world: hope. Romans 15:1 says, “We who are… Read More

    February 11, 2020
  • Children Labor Verbalizing the Gospel

    THE CLASSROOM SANCTUARY

    I have always loved helping people. As a young black teacher, I want to be a role model to the youth in my community, my church, and my classroom. So many children go through life without a father or support system in their home, and it is important for me to support my students in areas where they are lacking. As the son of a pastor, I have witnessed the power of prayer and faith, and this has had a major effect on my spiritual life and determined how I interact with God’s people. I let my light and my life speak for me. I truly feel that God has used me to be a vessel to young men, women and even my peers right in my classroom. God meets you right where you are. I remember a fifth grader coming up to me after class, asking me to pray for his grandmother who was sick. I stopped what I was doing and prayed for him and his family. It brings me great joy to know that my students see my connection with God without me even saying a word. My classroom transitions into a sanctuary and a therapy room for my students and coworkers; they know it’s a place to relax, relate, and release. I believe God can touch people and change them through prayer, song, scriptures, poems and people. God has given my students someone to pray for them and with them at their request through me, and has used me to become a not only a teacher… Read More

    February 4, 2020
  • Church Activities Other Verbalizing the Gospel

    A TRULY SACRED WEDDING CEREMONY

    Every girl dreams of her wedding day, and I was no different. When I got older, I attended a wedding that gave me vision for what I wanted for my wedding. I didn’t walk away from that ceremony adoring the flowers or the bride’s dress; I walked away in awe of how glorious God is. I decided, THAT is how I wanted my wedding to be. A wedding is a once in a lifetime event. It’s the one opportunity you have to gather all the people you love together and share with them, in one ceremony, what your marriage is all about. My husband and I wanted everyone to experience and see that our marriage was about the Lord; it was about demonstrating the love of Christ. We so wanted the name of Jesus to be praised, for it to be evident who this was really all about. We made this our top goal from the beginning of the planning period. We carefully put together a ceremony that placed an emphasis on worship. We chose songs that had deeply ministered to our hearts. When it came to choosing who would lead worship, we wanted to make sure we had a team that knew and loved the Lord and who could cultivate a true atmosphere of praise. The more we planned, the longer the ceremony became. Overall, the ceremony took nearly two hours but we had already decided we didn't care how long it would take. We only get this opportunity once, so we were going to do it the way… Read More

    January 28, 2020
  • Children Other Unique Ministries

    OUR MINIVAN MINISTRY

    I spend a lot of time in my van. I am a busy homeschooling mom of three active kids, and a lot of our talks about God happen while on the road. It is important to me to have Jesus as the driving force in our family. When we moved from Kentucky to Nashville, Tennessee, I had no idea how quickly this would unfold. During our adventures driving around a new town, we found a ministry where we could serve together and it has become important to our family. As a parent, I always wanted to give my children the best, but not by giving them things. I wanted to raise kids that have a heart to serve God. Downtown Nashville presents daily opportunities to connect with the homeless. Many carry their lives on their shoulders or pull it in a cart. Looking for unoccupied benches, they try to find a place to sleep at night. My children's hearts, as well as mine and my husband's, were troubled. As we discussed it with our kids, we let them know that these are people just like us. God is not a respecter of persons, and He loves them just as much as anyone, but they have just had some hardship that put them in a bad place. We agreed that helping people is what Jesus would want us to do. Our desire ignited us all to look for ways to do just that. As a family, we determined we could help by making "blessing bags". We gather supplies that these individuals… Read More

    January 22, 2020
  • Children Unique Ministries Verbalizing the Gospel

    THE SON STILL RISES

    When our son, Isaac, was 17 months old, we were told words that no parent ever wants to hear: “your son has cancer”. I remember feeling numb. And I wanted to run screaming from that room and tell them they were wrong. Instead, I sat there rocking my baby and silently asking God ‘why?’. I remember looking out the windows of the hospital those first days very angry, thinking "how can the sun still shine when we are in such darkness?" Then I realized that the sun is always shining. Even when we can’t see it on cloudy days, it is there; maybe not visible, but present just the same. It was a turning point for my attitude. You see, I realized that just as the sun rises each day, no matter what we might be going through, the Son has risen FOR us. It was no easy journey and people would ask “how do you do it?” And while the simple answer was that we had no choice, we decided to begin to use it as an opportunity to share our faith. One night, a dear friend called and told me she just couldn’t understand why God would do this to us. I told her that if I started asking myself "why us", it would imply that I wanted it to be someone else. Yet, why is a pretty common question we have in times of need. So as I spoke on the phone that night, I told her that maybe she was… Read More

    January 14, 2020
  • Children Food Unique Ministries

    GRACE

    One Saturday of every month, I host a prayer breakfast for adults in my home. One day, we noticed a diverse group of children walking up and down my street with nowhere to go and nothing to do. Idle time can create trouble for pre-teens and teenagers, especially without much supervision at home. I prayed and asked God, "Lord, if you want me to start a Bible class for these kids, then send me five to participate. I could hold a class on the other three Saturdays of each month." I chose the number five because of the five letters in the word, Grace. G-R-A-C-E is love in action. Grace is what every man needs, what none can earn, and what God alone can and does freely give. God sent more than five on that first Saturday. In fact, for the past nine years, kids have come for a hot cooked breakfast, Bible study, memorization time, and singing and music time. The kids are sometimes accompanied by adults. The Bible class eventually grew to over 30 kids, three Saturdays a month. It now even includes kids who don't live in the neighborhood. These kids ask to be dropped off, or call for a ride. They want to get here. The kids especially love the music. We play the piano and sing praises to the Lord. Memorization time is spent learning the Ten Commandments and Bible verses. Hebrews 10:25 says "Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as… Read More

    December 30, 2019
  • Children Unique Ministries

    MENTORING A YOUNG BOY

    As a university professor, I spend most of my time with adults. I love mentoring these future leaders. It's very fulfilling work. But twice a month, I spend my lunch hour with an elementary school boy that I met through Big Brothers/Big Sisters. I joined Big Brothers/Big Sisters as a way of showing my students how to give back to the local community. As a father of three adult children, I knew I would enjoy spending time with a little boy, but I had no idea just how much life our relationship would give me. I look forward to these lunches. I know that we'll have interesting conversations and that I'll leave our time not only having invested in a young man who needs a solid male role model, but I'll leave with a heart full of love and a few fun anecdotes to share with my students. This gives me an opportunity to put my Christian faith into real action. My Little Brother has given me so much insight on life, God, teaching, mentoring, and how I see the world. Each week, I am amazed as he shares his young heart with me. My only hope is that I am able to bless him as much has he has blessed me. And I hope this inspires others to look into their own local Big Brother/Big Sister program. Almost everyone can sacrifice a few lunches a month to spend some time with a young person who needs it.

    December 9, 2019
  • Financial Help Prayer

    SOMEHOW PROVIDING FOR MY FAMILY

    I was 26 years old when my dad passed away. He was one of my heroes. He battled bipolar disorder, and unfortunately took his own life. It was sudden, not something we saw coming. We were in total anguish, and left with such a void. Yet, in that moment, I cried aloud, "Thank you Jesus." I said it three times. Suddenly, I was overwhelmed with a peace that surpassed my understanding. I had truly felt God. In the days that followed, my family and I grieved. On top of that, my mom and little sister couldn't afford to continue living in her home. At the time, I shared an apartment with my brother and knew it would be too small for them to move in. Being the eldest, I wanted to take care of my mom and little sister, but didn't know where to start. I spent my days in prayer, constantly relying on God for strength and guidance. A friend of mine builds homes for a living. He was just about to break ground on a new home, and out of the blue, he came to me and offered it at his cost. Financially, I looked at the numbers and I knew this was God. So I bought it. I wanted the home to be a surprise for my mom. After all, she's the other hero in my life. It would be something she could call her own, with me right upstairs. The day came to unveil my mom's surprise to her. It was a day filled with tears, but… Read More

    December 2, 2019
  • Labor Mission Trips

    THE PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT

    I felt called to serve the Lord when I was in high school, and that's when I went on my first mission trip. Then during physician assistant school, I started going on mission trips with the Christian Medical and Dental Association and other organizations to Central and South America. It is encouraging, serving alongside and building relationships with a diverse group of providers and international believers. Seeing how God uses short-term missions to draw people to Himself is amazing. Now as a full-time physician assistant, I don't have the chance to go on as many mission trips. I work in a teaching hospital and clinic, and that has helped me learn more about what it means to disciple others. Working closely and regularly with people has helped me better receive and extend grace. I try to follow what's written in Micah: "To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Serving the families of and children with many different kinds of cancers and blood disorders has given me the opportunity to encourage, give hope, and help ease complicated and sometimes sorrowful situations. In what some might find to be an emotionally heavy field, I find strength in what I know to be true of our Heavenly Father. Knowing God's goodness, that He is ultimately in control, and that He works all things for the good of those who love Him helps me find joy in Him in any circumstance. I pray for ways to share this with my coworkers and patients in a secular environment.

    November 25, 2019
  • Food Labor Special Needs

    A SPECIAL APPROACH TO BUSINESS

    My wife and I opened an ice cream shop three years ago, and it's been an amazing experience for our family. Not just the ice cream, although that's good! It's our 12 employees. All but one are young adults with special needs. We have some with autism, some with Down Syndrome and one in a wheelchair. They bless us and our customers each day. They truly enjoy their job and simply pour out love to everyone that walks through our doors. I've been in the restaurant industry my whole career, an industry with a terrible turnover rate. So many people think they are above this work. They can't stand the repetition, and get frustrated dealing with the public. One day, I was studying the Bible passage about the disciples fishing all night long on one side of the boat. They didn't catch a thing. Jesus said try fishing on the other side, and their nets became full. What would happen if we tried "fishing on the other side" when it came to business? And that's what we've done. There aren't a lot of jobs for people with special needs. Hope starts to fade away. But people with special needs are thrilled to work, and so many actually thrive on repetition. Plus, they love being around people. Our goal is to change the way businesses hire people with special needs. We've got one company store and one franchise store, but we have franchise applications from 100+ locations that would all employ people with special needs. This experience has deepened our faith.… Read More

    November 18, 2019
  • Prayer Verbalizing the Gospel

    A LEGACY OF FAITH AND PRAISE

    I am 80 years old. I’ve lived a full and blessed life. When I leave this earth, in God’s timing, the only thing I want people to say about me is “she loved God, and she loved people.” I don’t want to write my epitaph, I want to live it. I’ve been serving the Lord for over 40 years, I was 36 years old when I started my journey with Him. From the start, I knew my call from the Lord was to speak my testimony and that is what I have done. I speak life and faith over others every day. I am so grateful for every little thing in my life. I’ve been suicidal, I’ve been messed up, I’ve battled sickness, I’ve even been declared dead three times but I always gave God the glory for every victory He brought me through. It’s an honor to me that those around have taken notice of the God that I live for. If my light is on and my door is cracked, people know they can come here for prayer. It’s my opportunity to show others that God is real, He’s personal. I want others to believe it when God says they have a purpose, because if they don’t believe it, they won’t receive it. I want my home to always be open to those in need. I want to reach out in love, in prayer, or even with just a smile to others, because when I leave my home, my ultimate goal is for others to see Christ in… Read More

    November 12, 2019
  • Children Labor Unique Ministries

    SUFFICIENT GRACE MINISTRIES

    I founded Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women in 2004, eight years after the loss of my twin daughters Faith and Grace and about six years after the loss of my son, Thomas. Faith and Grace were born still in 1996 at 26 weeks, while Thomas only lived for six hours after he was born full-term. When I was pregnant, he’d been diagnosed with Potter’s Syndrome, which was termed ‘incompatible with life.’ I chose to continue to love and carry Thomas to term so we could meet and hold him before he went back home to Heaven. One of the greatest privileges of my life has been to sing to my sweet boy in my arms as he went to the arms of Jesus. While many mothers naturally find themselves searching for purpose in the pain or beauty from the ashes after the loss of a child, I was hesitant in the early years of raw grief to enter into the bereavement support world. It wasn't until I was searching for a way to support a friend who was walking through the grief when her daughter was born still in 2003 that I began to ask myself, "What would I have wanted? What would've been a comfort to me?" It was like waking up from a deep sleep, as God brought to my heart the great need of the grieving mothers around me. I began with the Dreams of You Memory Book, a baby book created especially for babies with a brief life--a place to write memories and the… Read More

    November 4, 2019
  • Labor Other Unique Ministries

    THE VOLUNTEER

    Most people look forward to the day they retire. I suppose I was no different. At first, I wanted a typical sit-around-and-lounge retirement, but the fantasy of that wore off quickly. It didn't take long before I was bored and searching for something to do. I started to get involved in the community that I love dearly, and that's when I really began to enjoy my retirement. Most people don't understand the concept of volunteering. They think they are doing others a service, or maybe themselves a service by checking their "good deed" box. Volunteering is simply giving of yourself, expecting nothing in return, and having joy in that simple gesture. Jesus set the perfect example of volunteering. The Bible says Jesus came to serve, not to be served. In the past five years, I have joyfully volunteered with 10-12 organizations and currently spend 25+ hours a week participating in seven different organizations. It truly is the joy of my life being the hands and feet of Jesus with these organizations. God has provided so many opportunities for me to be a light all over my community by simply doing what Jesus did, and that is to serve.

    October 28, 2019
  • Food Labor Unique Ministries

    BLESS-N-BASKET

    I remember a time when family not only meant that which you were born into, but also the people around us who we "do life" with. God is the greatest advocate for community, and I do not believe it is by chance that we find unity there. Bless-N-Basket was birthed from the very idea of putting unity back into community, and loving on our neighbors as Christ commanded. What was supposed to be a small get together for women in the living room of our home soon became a call to start a complete food pantry. The very first meeting in July 2018 brought 15 to 20 women together in our little living room in Lincoln, Alabama. We had a time of devotion and prayer, and afterwards, each lady left with a box or two of food for their own family or friends. That night, it became evident that these meetings were not just for women. For as many women as there were in our living room, there were just as many men standing outside. We quickly outgrew our home, so we moved the meetings to our business showroom. By November, we were busting at the seams and knew that we were going to need a bigger place to meet. I look back now and can see the hand of God was always orchestrating the next move. About the time the need for more space became a necessity, we were blessed with a divine connection to New Hope Ministries in Oxford, Alabama. In January of 2019, Bless-N-Basket Food Ministries held… Read More

    October 21, 2019
  • Unique Ministries Verbalizing the Gospel

    MINISTERING TO WOMEN IN JAIL

    I was a sixteen year old girl when I heard Matthew 25:36. “I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you cared for me, I was in prison and you visited me.” The verse about visiting those in prison had always stuck with me. Many years later, a group called the Gideons spoke to my church about their prison ministry. I asked one of the members after church if I could get involved in their ministry. He said that I had to be a Gideon, and I reluctantly left it at that. But three months later, the member reached out to me, saying that a new jail was being built in my town that would house men and women. They were told if they didn’t have a woman to visit the women’s section, they could no longer go to minister to the men’s section. I jumped at the chance. Each and every Saturday morning for the past 19 years, I have spent two hours at the women's jail. I meet with the women, listen, pray, and bring them hope and encouragement. I want them to know that God loves them, God created them, and there is nothing they have done that God will not forgive. I use a set of seven bible studies, each comprised of 12 - 24 lessons. I teach four lessons each time we meet. They read the lesson, have discussions, answer questions and take a test. When they finish, they are awarded a certificate of completion that is so important to many of… Read More

    October 14, 2019
  • Other Prayer

    GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US

    Looking back, God had prepared us for the accident that day. Close to the end of a leisurely bike ride, a fluke accident happened and we both went tumbling to the pavement. My husband suffered a horrific concussion. He was immediately life flighted to Grady Hospital in Atlanta. I immediately knew we were in the place we needed to be: one of the best level 1 trauma centers in the country. Tim would soon be rushed into ICU for a needle drain on the top of his skull. He had severe bleeding on his brain. I immediately knew that God would take care of Tim. Whether that meant he would not survive, or that he would stay here with us, I knew He was in control. God gave us doctors who not only encouraged us to pray, but prayed with us. After a few days, the doctors told me there was only so much they could do medically. They said, "what is left to do now is to pray." At the smallest sign of progress, the doctors would say “let’s close the door and praise God”. A favorite (Nurse Katie) wrote “you are loved” on the tape holding Tim’s breathing tubes in. The waiting room was a prayer circle of everyone whose loved one was suffering. I was present when a previous coma patient came walking through the ICU to thank the medical staff. Dr. Danner said, “look, he made it and Tim can too.” He also told me this “coincidence” was God’s way of staying anonymous. The Caring Bridge… Read More

    October 7, 2019
  • Labor Mission Trips

    I ALWAYS KNEW I’D BE A MISSIONARY

    I have always loved missions. I attribute a lot of that love to my mother. From a young age, she encouraged my brothers and me to go on short-term mission trips. I was in 6th grade when I took my first trip to Slovakia where we had the opportunity to build foundations for a campground at a local church. After Slovakia, I spent summer after summer going on more trips. I was hooked. My parents used to say if any of their children were to leave the U.S. for the mission field, it would most definitely be me. As the years passed, my passion for missions grew and my heart burned for the lost around the world. I desperately wanted to bring the hope of Christ to those who needed Him most. I refused to let go of the passion and the dream to one day serve on the mission field. There were trials that came my way delaying my departure. At the age of 16, I lost my beloved mother, the very one who had inspired and encouraged me in my love for missions. Then in 2010, I was in a terrible accident, completely crushing my leg, resulting in years of physical therapy and multiple surgeries. At the time, it was so tempting to give up on the dream I had always had, but I knew God had called me, so how could I do anything but persevere to answer that call. I always knew I would be a missionary, and despite trials and obstacles, I now have the… Read More

    September 30, 2019
  • Other Unique Ministries

    THE BATON PASS

    I was set free in one conversation while drinking a milkshake. A few years earlier, my soul and body had been traumatized. From that day, I would cry and wonder how I could ever have a healthy marriage. Would the panic attacks ever go away? Would I ever sleep through the night again? Over that milkshake, a new friend shared her story and how she made it through a similar horrific event in her life. Her words were a lifeline for me. Her life was a sign of hope for tomorrow. God had made her whole which meant He could do the same for me. This experience was like a runner passing the baton to a teammate in a race. She completes the loop and then hands it off to the next runner. My friend passed her baton of hope by sharing her story. She was vulnerable and bold enough to reach down in the pit and help pull me out. Today, I get the honor of passing the baton again and again to others who have been in the pit of despair. Our ministry, The Baton Pass, exists so that others can be seen and known in their quiet desperation. They can know they are not alone in their journey. This all happens at community-based events, online, and in one-to-one connections with ministry ambassadors. We are empowering women to overcome and to be restored through the hope found in Jesus. I want to give other people the experience of the cycle of healing.… Read More

    September 23, 2019
  • Church Activities Verbalizing the Gospel

    SERVING ON THE FRONT LINE

    Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Before my first visit, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't prepared for the "conveyer belt" of humanity when I first stepped out onto the corner of Bourbon and St. Peters. In 2007, I connected with RAVEN Ministries to do street evangelism on the most chaotic dark street, possibly in all of America. Week after week, we take the light and love of the Gospel to Bourbon Street, which brings in an average of 50,000 people on a non-event weekend. We literally have the opportunity to "go unto all the world," without having to board a plane. People from every nation flock in droves to see the infamous "Big Easy." I have had a lot of great conversations with people, and have seen demoniacs being set free as well as men and women come to salvation. But the ministry we do on Bourbon Street is not for the faint of heart. There have been many times we've been cursed at and mocked. I've also been physically assaulted by a self-professing witch, so we experience both extremes. Preaching truth to sinners is always an offensive thing, yet the Lord has turned my heart toward these very people. I have come to realize that rather than being a part of the crowd, every single person out there is looking for answers and desires to know the truth about the world they live in; they just need to humble themselves and look to the creator of the heavens and the earth: Jesus Christ. Ministry like this can at… Read More

    September 16, 2019
  • Food Unique Ministries Verbalizing the Gospel

    IT COULD EASILY BE ME

    Nine years ago, my friend, Justin, and I were feeling an extreme passion to serve God. Justin felt the need to bring awareness to the homelessness issue in our small town in North Carolina. While we prayed and dreamed, we pulled more people together to figure out how to serve the homeless in our area and beyond. One time, we gathered at the local soup kitchen and asked for folks to drop off supplies while we pulled an all-nighter out in the cold to bring awareness to the growing problem. We didn't really have a plan for what we would do with what was donated because we were just trying to obey God one step at a time. The next day, my friend went into the city and spoke with some police officers to learn more, and they told him where the best place would be to share the supplies. Ever since that day more than eight years ago, we've been setting up every two weeks where the highest concentration of homeless people are to share donated supplies, bring awareness, and build relationships. We have seen so many people in the Body come together from all different backgrounds and churches to share the love of Christ. Sometimes, people ask me why we keep doing this year after year. For me, it's all about the great commission. We're called to go out into the world and love others. Yes, I could share about my own homelessness, about how many times I've been close to homelessness in my life, or how I… Read More

    September 9, 2019
  • Children Unique Ministries

    ANGELS IN WAITING 91:4

    I have been a Neonatal ICU nurse since 2010. I am also on the bereavement committee, and part of my job includes dressing babies once they pass on to Heaven. God had been speaking to me about finding someone to help sew gowns small enough to fit our premature patients, and in turn, assist grieving families through the bereavement process. As always, God had already paved the way. At a small group meeting through our church, I met a new friend. She had delivered a baby boy in 1985 who was only on this earth for a few hours, then delivered beautiful twin girls who were born sleeping in 1993. God had also placed it on her heart to help other grieving mothers. After meeting at small group, and through several conversations and confirmations, we both decided to say yes to the Lord, and Angels In Waiting 91:4 was birthed. The Lord gave us Psalm 91:4 as a reminder that He will and does cover us with His wings, and under His wings, we find refuge. We wanted to share this verse with the families for them to hold onto during their time of grieving. Angels In Waiting 91:4 takes donated wedding dresses and transforms them into beautiful Angel Gowns for an infant’s journey to meet our Lord and Savior. Several ladies have now joined us on our mission. Though they initially thought they were only there to sew, they have encountered Jesus in mighty ways, and many hearts have been transformed. We meet every Tuesday to transform donated wedding… Read More

    September 3, 2019
  • Children Other Special Needs

    ADOPTION IS NOT PLAN B

    Even before we were married, my husband and I knew we wanted to grow our family through adoption first. I initially felt a need to adopt when I was in high school and saw the orphan crisis up close through one of my trips abroad. It wasn’t a magical spiritual moment or a lightbulb that went off or a verse that jumped off the page. I just realized I didn’t have that strong need to carry and birth a child the way my friends did. Instead, I had an overwhelming desire to see orphans grow up in the security of a family. Family is what psychologically grounds us in so many ways. It’s where we develop a sense of belonging. It is the first community a person ever experiences. Our first words are usually mom or dad. When we first started the adoption process, we were looking for a healthy girl under the age of four. But during the first year of paperwork and red tape, we saw so many faces of kids waiting for families who didn’t meet our criteria. They were slightly older; some had Cerebral Palsy, others Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Many had histories of trauma or medical needs that would mean weekly therapies and possible surgeries. Slowly, the Lord began to change our hearts toward these children. It was truly only Him. There was nothing we did. Over time, He softened and molded us until we were ready to say yes to our Ben. Adopting Ben meant learning sign language and figuring out how to parent a… Read More

    August 26, 2019
  • Other Senior Citizens Special Needs

    FINDING LOVE AND FORGIVENESS

    At a very young age, I had to move in with my grandparents. I was little, and of course I missed living with my parents. But deep down, I knew it was for the best. However, my papaw wasn't too keen on his new living situation. From day one, I felt unwanted by him. His words really hurt me, and at a young age, I didn't like him. But when I was 11 yrs old, my papaw fell. He hit his head on the pavement, which led to severe damage and bleeding on his brain. I remember watching my mamaw pray over him every day. I really love my mamaw, so anytime she needed me to do something, I did it. I wanted to help her, even if it meant caring for him. Shortly after his fall, I was helping a lot. I would help him back and forth to the restroom, I was proactive in making sure he took all his medication on time, I helped feed him, and at times I had to lift him. It was hard. A lot of times, I found myself remembering the past, and the hurtful things he used to say to me. But as I matured, I felt something inside me change. I started to really care about my papaw, and a love for him started to grow. It's been four years since his accident and his health improves each day. Unfortunately, he still suffers from apraxia and aphasia---the inability to understand or form speech. I still help him walk, feed him,… Read More

    August 19, 2019
  • Financial Help Labor Mission Trips

    VICTORY HEALTH PARTNERS

    It was 1998 when my wife and I went on our first medical mission trip to Venezuela. I had been a surgeon and in practice with my brother for 17 years. As we worked in a make-shift clinic on a rooftop, we felt God speaking to us and asking us to begin a new adventure with Him. We said yes and when we returned home, we began contacting hospitals, physicians, and leaders in the community to determine where the greatest need was. We found out that there was an overwhelmingly large group of low income and uninsured adults who fall within the "gap" that needed affordable and quality healthcare. We knew what God wanted us to do. In 2003, we opened up Victory Health Partners. On the very first day, we had 12 patients come in. By 2018, we had over 19,000 patients come in. Our building, which is 11,000 square feet, was provided for us with a lease of $1 a year. We meet the needs of patients who are age 19 to 64 with low to moderate income levels that cannot afford private insurance, government funded insurance, or cannot get health coverage through their employer. Many of our patients suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Besides primary medical care, we offer other specialty healthcare like dental, optometry, neurology, urology, wound care, MRIs and minor surgeries. Our medication dispensary makes it possible for patients to receive all or most of their medications at no charge. We have over 150 specialty partnerships… Read More

    August 12, 2019
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