Stories - Page 15 of 81 - 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 Senior Citizens Unique Ministries
BEAUTIFUL HAND-PAINTED BOOKMARKS

I believe God can use anyone to fulfill His plans no matter how old you are. I’m 100 years old, and I paint freehand bookmarks with artwork on the front and “God Loves You” on the back. They’re distributed randomly to people we meet to remind them of God’s love. It's a simple way of getting out the most important message anyone can see. I truly think that if you're breathing, God can use you. Everyone has some type of gift that can be used for The Lord. Our gifts are all different. There is no point to just sitting on them because you're old. About four years ago, I was doing a devotional study every morning for one whole year on God’s love. I was studying the different aspects of biblical love and it struck me that God loves us so deeply that we may not be able to comprehend it because He Is Love. After retiring at the age of 60, I learned to paint at the local Senior Center. Years later when I was no longer able to stand to paint large canvases, I kept getting a nudge from God telling me to paint bookmarks to share His message of His love with others. I was hesitant about doing that because nowadays so few people take time to read actual books. But I kept reflecting on Zechariah 4:10, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.” So I adhered to His nudging, and now I’m thrilled that God has given me this whole new adventure. In the grand scheme of… Read More

May 3, 2023
Other
A NEW WAY OF LIVING

As an Old Order Mennonite, I grew up with a strong and firm commitment to the traditions of my culture. From a young age, dressing modestly, abstaining from particular technologies, and yes, even using a horse and buggy to get around! Adhering to other moral codes of our religion were a way of life. However, as I got older, my faith and perspective toward the world around me drastically changed. I began to question my devotion to the religious customs and beliefs I had known my whole life. It wasn’t that I had lost my faith, but instead it was more of a searching and seeking in order to find Jesus and to truly understand the purpose of my faith. After my second child, I became a born-again Christian. I found comfort in a new way of living that was balanced between modern and traditional beliefs. I make sure that my life follows Jesus’ teachings regarding charity, morality, and compassionate service. My focus is to spread the Gospel! My new lifestyle can be seen as the perfect blend of both the Old Order Mennonite and the modern world. I am able to live a life that is pleasing to God while also embracing the technological advances of today. No longer do I need to feel restricted and tied down by the doctrine and customs of my people, but instead I am able to live with balance and in true understanding of what it means to be a devoted Christian. I drive a car, wear pants and use a cellphone. It truly feels like… Read More

April 26, 2023
Labor Overcoming Obstacles
EPILEPSY CHANGED HER LIFE

My life changed dramatically five years ago. I woke up in the middle of the night to a room filled with emergency medical personnel. My husband lovingly told me that I had a seizure and we were going to the hospital. After being admitted, doctors determined I had experienced a grand mal seizure, or what is medically known as a tonic-clonic seizure. Over the next few months, I had some recurring impaired awareness seizures, and I was diagnosed with epilepsy. I was the mom of a six-month old baby and worked full time in a career that I loved. Now because of the seizures, I couldn’t drive. I needed to step away from my job so the medical personnel could determine the best course of action for me. I felt alone and wondered how I would navigate all this. The fear of having another seizure was always on my mind. It turns out this is a very common concern for those with epilepsy. Sometimes you’re reluctant to do certain things because of that fear. For example, kids who have epilepsy may not want to go to their church’s youth group because of all the flashing lights that are sometimes used. But that was not all that was happening. A few months later, my husband experienced some headaches and underwent a sinus surgery right before an anniversary trip we had planned. We went on the trip but he started to feel bad and had some numbness in his arms and then his face. We flew back immediately. After two ER visits, he was placed in the… Read More

April 19, 2023
Loving Your Neighbor Overcoming Obstacles
MINISTERING TO WOMEN

I was raised Catholic but became a believer in the 1970s. I then became distracted by the world and married a nonbeliever. However, God’s grace brought me back to Him when my first child was born. Becoming a mom pushed me to seek God’s help. Unfortunately as our family grew, my husband struggled with prescription drug addiction and abuse. Due to that and my upbringing, I strived to be perfect and attempted to fix and enable people. The more I did for my husband, the less he did for us. I lost myself being both mom and dad to our kids. We ended up divorcing. Following the divorce, the Lord was faithful to bring me healing. He also used a woman's Christ-centered recovery program to help heal me, and I attended it for five years. Hearing other women’s testimonies renewed my strength and hope. They showed me it was okay to be vulnerable. Later on, the Lord called me to become a leader in that same program and help other women. I didn’t try to fix them, I just loved and encouraged them. God allowed me to serve there for seven years. That experience showed me that Jesus has given me a heart for ministering to women. Now, the Lord has called me to lead a women’s Bible study. I have the blessing of getting to intentionally know the ladies in my group. I lead the study, pray with the women, listen to them, and get to know them personally. And the Lord has given me many chances to welcome and include… Read More

April 12, 2023
Children Hospital Overcoming Obstacles
OUR CHERISHED GIFT FROM GOD

“Your baby is missing his left eye.” With that one sentence, my life was forever changed. This was supposed to be a routine ultrasound where I would have the chance to finally see my precious baby and perhaps take home a picture. My husband and I had previously welcomed a little boy into our life and were looking forward to our second child. This news completely blindsided us but we prayed. Our family prayed. Our friends and their friends prayed for a miracle, that God would heal our baby, but sometimes God’s answer is “no” as it was for us. Our son William was born without his left eye as well as his left ear. I was able to cradle him for just a moment before he was rushed to the neonatal ICU. Even though I had prayed for God to heal him, I knew that William could be born with this condition, yet nothing can ever truly prepare you for that reality. My heart sank into despair as I listened to the nurse share her concerns about my son. It was a lot to process! I could only be grateful for the support of my family and friends. The ensuing days and months felt like a run-away roller coaster ride. William remained in the NICU for three months, and for weeks we could not hold him because of the danger of dislodging the breathing tube inserted into his throat. Since I could not cradle him in the traditional way, I had to be creative in letting my baby know I was there… Read More

April 5, 2023
Children Overcoming Obstacles
OUR MIRACLE DAUGHTERS

When my former husband left me and the church to pursue what he thought to be higher truth, I could never imagine God redeeming that low point of my life and the shame that my former husband had heaped upon me. My God didn’t just bring me out of that dark place to the life I had wanted. He brought me to a life I never knew I could have asked for. I met a man whose whole family left Cuba as refugees. They immigrated to America to worship God freely and serve Him with their whole lives; not just in secret, but as the main focal point of their lives. He and I met and were married, both having come from broken marriages. My husband and I were ecstatic to pursue parenthood, and our whole church family stood behind us in anticipation. I became pregnant and after visiting the doctor and seeing the little apple seed on the ultrasound and hearing his heart, my own heart was filled with a million little fantasies about motherhood and raising this child. A month later, I heard the words that doctors hate to deliver. I heard the words that will stop a woman’s heart cold in her chest. “There is no detectable heartbeat.” With the help of IUI treatments, we became pregnant again. And again, I lost the baby. One time again after, I heard those words and felt my heart grow colder. And then I began to truly seek God’s voice in my life. I knew that He wanted me to become a mother, but I… Read More

March 29, 2023

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Adoption/Foster Care 38

Church Activities 59

Financial Help 18

Loss Of Loved One 38

Loving Your Neighbor 66

Mission Work 51

Overcoming Obstacles 111

Prison Ministry 11

Senior Citizens 22

Special Needs 47

Unique Ministries 160

Verbalizing the Gospel 73

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