Stories - The Christian Heart

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?

Unique Ministries Verbalizing the Gospel
THE MAN WHO WEARS THOSE SHIRTS

After I had some heart issues, I began walking to improve my health. Walking was a form of mediation, and an invitation to grow in both my physical and spiritual stamina. As I was hustling through the mall, it occurred to me that “people tend to advertise for other people by the shirts they wear.” The decision followed: If they could advertise their purpose, I could advertise mine too! My purpose is to serve Jesus Christ. From here, my newfound ministry began; “not only reflecting the name ‘Jesus,’ but who the ‘Jesus’ was.” Over 20 years of wearing my “Jesus T-Shirts,” some purchased, some gifted, and my ministry presses on. I am not only known in the mall, but I’m known around town as “the man who wears those shirts.” I’ve had mixed reactions from those whom I encountered, while sporting my tees. Some appreciated them, others would shun or look away from me. I could tell that my shirts offended them. But that never deters me from proudly proclaiming the Name of Jesus. I’m led to the choice of my Jesus T-shirt based on how I present myself on a given day. We each bear a responsibility as Christians, as people even, and what we represent is important. As I walk, I follow a certain set of rules; a standard set for myself that allows me to accurately represent the person of Christ. For example, I respect and am courteous to the shoppers and the merchants; I am sensitive to my surroundings; I am careful with how I represent myself; and mostly, I smile… Read More

January 7, 2026
Children Overcoming Obstacles
AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY

I came to the United States in 2018, already in my third trimester of pregnancy. The plan was only to visit for a short time and buy a few things for our baby. But the situation in Venezuela worsened quickly, and soon the embassies closed. Suddenly, we couldn’t return home. We had to ask for asylum, and it became one of the most vulnerable times of my life. Although I had visited this country before as a tourist, being forced to stay was completely different. I couldn’t even say goodbye to my family, and that pain was deep. But I could see God’s hand through it all. My parents and in-laws still had valid visas, so they were able to visit and support us a few times. Being far from our country helped my husband and me grow closer. We learned to rely on each other and to prepare for parenthood as a team. I remember going to the library to study about pregnancy in the middle of winter — a season that can easily make one feel nostalgic — yet I still felt God’s presence in every step. Across the street from where we lived, there was a small church. There, I met wonderful people who offered genuine help. Through them, I found medical care, prenatal classes, and guidance about breastfeeding. It was a blessing that I will never forget. Today, I can truly say that we made it through only because of God. If I hadn’t surrendered my life to Him, none of this would have been possible. Kelly's own story… Read More

December 31, 2025
Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries
THE PAPER ROUTE

There’s something incredibly special about spending your entire life in one place. I’m 65 years old, and I spent the first 18 of them on Johnson Road in Wallburg, North Carolina. It’s a quiet, meandering road dotted with ranch homes, farmland, and good people. I was blessed with an idyllic childhood there. My father must have known that my siblings and I wouldn’t want to stray far from the nest, because he wisely purchased land just two miles away for us to build on. As soon as I got married, I knew exactly where I would settle down. Over the years, I’ve seen Johnson Road change with the times. Some of my original neighbors have passed on to their heavenly homes. Now, their houses are filled with young people and children -- the next generation entrusted to steward this stretch of land we love. In fact, my youngest daughter, Carly, now lives in my childhood home with her own family. However, there are a handful of folks on the road who still remember me as a child. When I was a young mother, I delivered cassette tapes of the Sunday sermon to them, bringing the message into their homes when they couldn’t get out to attend church. As technology advanced, those tapes became obsolete, replaced by online streaming. I yearned for a way to connect with my neighbors again. A few years ago, God laid it on my heart to start what my husband and I call “The Paper Route.” A few times a week, we drive the short jaunt over to see those… Read More

December 24, 2025
Recovery
HE MET ME IN MY RUIN

For most of my life, I carried invisible wounds. Childhood trauma left deep marks--emotional, physical, and spiritual--that I didn’t know how to face. I learned to survive by pretending everything was fine, but inside, I was unraveling. To dull the pain, I turned to anything that could distract me from it. Food became comfort, alcohol became escape and relationships became my way of feeling seen. I kept searching for something to fill the ache, never realizing what I was truly longing for was peace--the kind only Jesus could bring. Then came the night my soul broke open. It was the darkest night I had ever known; the kind where even your own heartbeat feels painful. I sat alone, surrounded by silence, holding a handful of pills, and whispered “I just wanted to go home… wherever home was.” I truly believed everyone would be better off without a shattered mess like me. The pain inside felt unbearable, I was ready to let go. And then, in that stillness, something sacred happened. It wasn’t a voice or a vision; just a quiet, undeniable presence that filled the room like light breaking through smoke: “I’m not done with you.” Those words stopped me cold. I fell to the floor, sobbing, realizing that Jesus hadn’t left me. He had been there all along, waiting for me in the ashes. Jesus didn’t demand that I be better, He didn’t ask for perfection. He simply poured love into every place I thought was beyond repair. That night became my beginning. Healing came slowly; through surrender, forgiveness, and learning to walk with… Read More

December 17, 2025
Overcoming Obstacles Prayer Prison Ministry
GOD FREED ME

I spent 10 years in prison because of the choices I made during the darkest season of my life. I was deep into drugs, anger, and pride, and one terrible night, it all caught up with me. I got into a violent fight that left a man seriously injured, and I was charged with aggravated assault. For a long time, I blamed everyone else. But the truth was simple—I had become a person I didn’t even recognize. I hurt people, I lied, and I lived like nothing and no one mattered. By the time I was sentenced, I had burned every bridge I had. Prison didn’t soften me. It hardened me even more. I carried anger like an armor. I woke up with it, walked the yard with it, and let it sit on my chest every night like a weight I couldn’t lift. Shame followed me everywhere, and I kept replaying the night of my arrest, wondering where it went wrong until the memory felt like a wound that never healed. One afternoon, while I sat alone at a metal table in the rec room, the chaplain approached me. He didn’t preach or give a long speech. He simply placed a worn Bible in front of me and said, “Whenever you’re ready.” Then he walked away. I stared at that book long after he left, unsure why I didn’t push it aside. That night, when the block went quiet, I opened it. I just flipped through and read whatever caught my eye. The stories surprised me. They were full of broken people, men and… Read More

December 10, 2025
Overcoming Obstacles
THE BEST OF TIMES

Charles Dickens’ enduring line, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times,” perfectly describes my life in 1976. Parties were plentiful, responsibilities were shallow, and worries felt far away. Yet, this way that seemed “right” left me with a deep sense of longing. The faith I had inherited from my parents, once a steady anchor, now felt irrelevant. Looking back, I was like a punctured balloon, drifting erratically and aimlessly until all the air spilled out. Christmas Eve 1976 was just another day of party hopping. In fact, I didn’t even realize it was Christmas Eve. As I made my way to the next stop, I suddenly felt the pressure of a sturdy hand on my shoulder — a bit unsettling, since I was all alone. Yet, I allowed it to guide me through the countryside and into the parking lot of a church preparing for a Christmas Eve service. I joined the flow of congregants entering the sanctuary. As I worshipped, I told myself, “I am supposed to be here.” From that night forward, I began attending worship regularly, and 50 years later, I hardly ever miss (my pastor can vouch for that!). My life today is still the best of times and the worst of times. It is the best of times because I have found the way that leads to new life, hope, and purpose. I have found where God wants us to be. Yet, it is the worst of times because I lament for those who are still lost, traveling down the road that seems right to them.… Read More

December 3, 2025

Browse all categories

Adoption/Foster Care 39

Church Activities 61

Financial Help 18

Loss Of Loved One 48

Loving Your Neighbor 70

Mission Work 52

Overcoming Obstacles 138

Prison Ministry 13

Senior Citizens 23

Special Needs 49

Unique Ministries 178

Verbalizing the Gospel 81

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