Stories - Page 13 of 82 - 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?

Labor
GET MOVIN’ CHURCH

Growing up in rural Indiana, I spent my childhood riding bikes and climbing trees. It’s not a surprise that I chose a career in corporate wellness. My job was to encourage employees to eat healthy and move more regularly. But after three decades and innumerable fitness campaigns, it became clear I’d been remiss in proffering the most important ingredient: surrender to the Spirit. After earnestly petitioning God about His plan for my life’s “third 1/3”, I felt Him calling me to bring the message of physical hope and healing to His Church. But how? I wanted to put my faith into action to serve through my corporate talents. Stirring Words was my first step, a podcast with a sister in Christ. Since the fall of 2019, we’ve recorded our weekly phone conversation discussing the Biblical call to physical self-care. By God’s grace, we regularly receive notes of thanks from women across the country who are breaking physical barriers by the power of the Holy Spirit. Next came Sprinkled Clean, a small group curriculum designed to move participants from frustration and defeat in their weight loss efforts to surrender and victory. I personally struggle with being judgmental, quick to anger, pounding my fist, demanding my way. My own willfulness gives me empathy for those who clamor for unhelpful foods. Sprinkled Clean reveals God’s gentle yet uncomfortable process of sanctification. I believe James’ challenge to be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves (James 1:22) is a clarion call to Christians, physically as well as spiritually. So in September of 2022, I launched a… Read More

October 4, 2023
Labor Overcoming Obstacles Unique Ministries
A FISHER OF MEN

I was born with no legs, no left arm and only a partial right arm. My whole life I've been told what I can't do, but I'm here to tell you what I can do. I’m a professional fisherman competing in the Bassmaster Open Series. And I’m a motivational speaker. When I’m fishing, I attach lures using my mouth. To cast my line, I wedge my fishing rod between my neck and shoulder. And once I cast the line, it's just fishing, like anyone else. As a kid, I always wanted to be a pro athlete. I wasn’t going to let my circumstances define my life and keep me from living. But it was obvious the NFL or Major League Baseball would not be drafting me. I wondered if there was a sport I could take to the top level, so I pursued fishing. I got into fishing when I was five years old because of my grandfather. He was an outdoors guy who loved hunting and fishing, and he showed me how to do both in spite of my challenges. He had a catfish pond in our small town of Hamilton, Alabama, and we’d fish together for hours. I never allowed my physical disabilities to be an obstacle. My family was incredibly supportive. Whatever special things I needed to succeed in fishing, they got for me. But more than anything, they were supreme encouragers. I began competing in fishing tournaments at age 15, and then at the state level in 1997. I was blessed with some fishing success, and qualified for some state championships… Read More

September 27, 2023
Adoption/Foster Care Children Labor
RUNNING ORPHANAGES IN PAKISTAN

In light of recent Christian persecution in Pakistan, it is important to recognize and honor those doing the work of Jesus Christ in a mostly Muslim country. Only about 1% of the population openly identifies as Christians. On August 16, 2023, several hundred people were brutally attacked on a Christian settlement in Pakistan in the Punjab district, hitting too close to home for Rimsha Kamran, Sawera Shahbaz, and Faisal Masih. Together, these three believers in Jesus are running orphanages in Punjab, Pakistan, under the name of “Life Saving Ministries.” They have come together to serve children through Christ, and have combined their efforts to enhance their opportunities and power in the community. They form a trinity, three acting as one, to help needy children in the area with food, school supplies, clothing, and of course, Christian education and hope. With collectively over 150 children, they focus on Bible studies and teaching the basic principles of Jesus’s life. They emphasize how to live like Jesus Christ even through suffering. Unfortunately, this isn’t easy. Though Punjab has a generally low poverty rate, Christians are regularly targeted and persecuted due to their beliefs and due to strict “blasphemy” laws in the country. On top of that, there have been recent issues with clean water, which can lead to disease and sickness. Further, it is difficult for them to find much support for their orphanages, due to a general lack of Christian resources in the country, but their faith in God has proven that anything is possible with Him. When asked how they get through the tough… Read More

September 20, 2023
Adoption/Foster Care Children Labor
ADOPTING ONE OF MY STUDENTS

As a teacher, I never thought I would adopt one of my students, but you never know what the Lord has as His will for your life. I work at a school located in a very urban area. It’s a fairly rough school and there are a number of students who, unfortunately, are part of the Department of Children and Families. I’m used to seeing kids who come from difficult backgrounds. I felt nudged to get personally involved with one of my students several years ago. I discovered one of my first graders was not allowed to go back home. It broke my heart. I actually thought about fostering for the first time since I was single and had an extra bedroom. But I never acted on this. About this time, I started to go to church once again. I went as a child but now as an adult, I only attended on holidays. But I began to go regularly, and could feel my relationship with the Lord starting to blossom. That’s when I met Nate. Nate transferred to our school in January, 2018 as a first grader. At the time, I was teaching reading to first, second and third graders. Nate stood out from other kids because he was in a wheelchair. Both of his legs had been amputated right below the knee, as well as part of his left arm and three fingers on his right hand. I learned this was due to sickle cell anemia where red blood cells tend to die early, creating a deficit of the necessary cells which the… Read More

September 13, 2023
Children Church Activities Mission Work
BUILDING THE CHURCH IN KENYA

The effects of HIV and AIDS have ravaged many families in Africa, and for Eldady Onkware, this is no exception. Though he was raised in a happy Christian family, at 6 years old, his mother passed away due to the progression of AIDS. From that point on, his life changed forever, as he was raised by relatives, while his father worked away from home. Unfortunately, he was overworked by his stepmother and injured badly by his brother. To add to his despair, his father also passed away due to HIV/AIDs at 14. His childhood was tumultuous, as he was thrown around from family member to family member, often abused and mistreated. He was baptized in water and by the Holy Spirit in high school, and this is when he received a vision from God: a vision to help children just like him, ravished by conditions of poverty, instability, and at times, severe hunger. Still, Eldady never lost hope. Eldady may be an unusual name for Americans, but there is a story behind it. Originally named Brian at birth, he was prayed over as a child, and the pastor changed his name to Eldad, which means “favored by God.” His dad misspelled it and added the ‘y’. To this day, his name is always a reminder of his father. Now, he is the founder of Irima Church of God, with the mission to create a “Heavenly Home for Orphans” in Kisii, Kenya. This is an extremely rural area, with about half of the people living in substantial food poverty. Despite the challenges, he has… Read More

September 6, 2023
Children Labor
TEACHING AT A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

“Mr. Granger, what’s the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?”, a young student of mine asked. Following my simple and concise explanation, it registered in my mind that this young student didn’t own a Bible. “Would you like me to get you your own Bible?” I asked. Long story short, this young student is now reciting Old Testament stories in flying colors and perhaps ready to answer the same questions other students once asked. Teaching at a Christian private school is an incredible opportunity to positively influence the next generation of believers at the moment that they first find interest in God. In Matthew 19, Jesus pronounced, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” As a disciple of Christ, I get to join the building of his Kingdom and be his hands and feet to serve my students and point them to Jesus in all that I do. Another verse that comes to mind is in 1Corinthians 10, where Paul writes “Whatever you do, whether you eat or drink or not, do it all to the glory of God!” As a PE coach, I ask myself what this is supposed to look like. When I do my job, I have the objective to make physical exercise a fun experience that the kids look forward to. Far too often, students dread Physical Education, and these same students may end up dreading exercise for the longevity of their life following their poor experiences with it growing up. Throughout this past summer,… Read More

August 30, 2023

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Adoption/Foster Care 38

Church Activities 60

Financial Help 18

Loss Of Loved One 38

Loving Your Neighbor 67

Mission Work 52

Overcoming Obstacles 116

Prison Ministry 12

Senior Citizens 22

Special Needs 47

Unique Ministries 166

Verbalizing the Gospel 76

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