Stories - Page 16 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?

Overcoming Obstacles Recovery
BATTLING LYME DISEASE

This is the story of how God brought me through a difficult Lyme diagnosis. I had an ideal childhood, it was wonderful. But life was difficult, too. I experienced migraines, digestive issues, and more. I didn’t know what was wrong, but the Lord did. Finally, I took a Lyme test, which showed that I tested positive for Lyme. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection either from a tick which invades your body, or it’s passed down from one of your parents. It takes over your body and causes severe symptoms such as numbness, fatigue, joint pain, and headaches. Following my diagnosis at age 17, I was relieved to finally have an answer to all my symptoms. I felt nervous too, but God gave me peace. Following high school graduation, someone invited me to work at my church. I agreed, and life stabilized. Unfortunately, some injuries and illnesses weakened my body in the summer of 2021. My Lyme flared up horrifyingly fast. I couldn’t work because I developed a heart condition from the Lyme. Insomnia and autonomic dysfunction filled my days and nights. I couldn’t eat and thought I was dying. Then miraculously, God healed my heart condition after receiving prayer! I then tried to return to work multiple times, but I was still too weak. So I quit. But God was faithful to bring even more healing after I quit. My body then calmed down, but shortly after, things went south. In March of 2022, my insomnia was triggered. I couldn’t sleep. One day, I prayed for God’s will to be done. After… Read More

March 22, 2023
Homeless Loss Of Loved One Mission Work
HONORING OUR SON’S MEMORY

To honor the memory of our six-year-old son who passed away, we started a ministry that builds houses for the impoverished and homeless in Honduras. How we became involved in this is truly the work of the Lord. In March 2020, our son, John Luke had an ATV accident. He was a healthy, happy, beautiful boy. My husband, a paramedic, worked on him and got his heart beating, and we were able to med flight him to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham. He was put on a ventilator to sustain him, but the doctors prepared us for what was to come. He lived for four days and as I look back, I know the Lord knew I needed that time with John Luke to say goodbye. My husband was a huge advocate of organ donation and bringing life to others in the midst of our heartbreak. There was a six-year-old boy in Texas that needed a perfect match for a liver. And there were two adults in Birmingham that each needed a kidney. So John Luke was able to help save the lives of three people. This horrible tragedy made me want to share my faith and to do so in a bold way. I grew up as a Christian but I never had a deep connection with Jesus until that fateful day. That’s when I needed Him, and he was right there for me, just like He had always been. He truly carried me through this awful experience. There were days that were so difficult, and I could feel His presence. God is… Read More

March 15, 2023
Church Activities Overcoming Obstacles
ON A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STAGE

I always had a vision of fame and my life’s purpose was music. I loved performing; if a stage was available, I wanted to be on it. I spent my high school years honing my craft in drama, chorus, and music class. I was good and the applause felt great. I knew that I wanted more of it. After graduating, I left home to start a band. I played bass and had a few talented friends that convinced me that we could make it on the big stage. I was sure we’d be discovered in no time and I’d achieve my dreams. Once on my own, I quickly realized that the high school stage, with an audience full of parents and families, was very different from the adult world of gigs and rock and roll. Finances were tight, and I struggled to make money, jumping from part time job to part time job, working 12 hour shifts to pay the bills. After a full day's work, I'd spend nights gigging with the band. As I burned out, I turned to drugs to cope with my failures. Though I was high most of the time, I was really at my lowest low. After several wasted years, I wandered into Grace Church in Boston, Massachusetts. During worship, I broke down, singing with my head hanging in surrender and my arms up in praise. Somehow, my voice rang out, over the rest of the congregation and the volume of the speakers. The worship leader came right up to me after service and invited me to join the… Read More

March 7, 2023
Hospital Overcoming Obstacles Recovery
BRAVELY FACING MY HEART ISSUES

I am often known as “the girl who has heart issues”. I have a rare heart condition that led me to have open heart surgery at age 17. Several years later, I had to undergo two more open heart surgeries in just a three-week period. And last year, I was about to undergo a fourth heart procedure, but doctors were concerned about my blood count and discovered that I have leukemia. So, I'm currently in the midst of some very difficult chemotherapy treatments. I believe everyone has struggles and a story to tell. Some may look different than others; my struggles are all medical. What God has allowed to happen in my life is something that I want to share in order to encourage others. I want to help them as they walk through their own difficulties. So, I started to document my challenges in a blog to help encourage others that might be in a similar situation, and to give the glory to God alone. My blog has become the journal of my life, but also one of my biggest blessings. I started blogging when my husband and I got married and I moved away from my family. I initially found it to be a great way to keep in touch with family and friends and let them know what was going on with my life. When our miscarriage, through a gestational carrier, happened, which you’ll read about more below, I really opened up and became completely vulnerable on the blog. Sometimes people can put on a façade and… Read More

March 1, 2023
Labor Mission Work Verbalizing the Gospel
A WORKPLACE MISSIONARY

Before my feet hit the floor each day, I always thank God for the new day, telling Him He is Holy and righteous in all of His ways. This is the day the Lord has made and it is time to rejoice in it. Before work each day, I begin with prayer, a devotional, and listening to God’s Word through a sermon. In my time with God, I ponder with the expectation that my workplace is indeed God’s plan for my life. I hold in high regard that God has chosen me for this time now at this particular Goodyear store. It's more than a job; it's a place of ministry. I never know who is going to walk into the doors of my shop. Each person presents a different story or need. Seeing each customer as a new opportunity to share encouragement or the Gospel, I am honored to be where I am at that point in time to be a vessel of God’s love and good news. I watch people and listen to them. If I see someone hurting, for example, I will ask if I can pray for them. Jesus knows their situation and I am not afraid to pray with them in the moment if they are willing. I am unashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and love to share His love poured out for me with others. I simply allow the heart of God to move in the situation as I show compassion to them. My strength and… Read More

February 22, 2023
Children Overcoming Obstacles Unique Ministries
COPING WITH MY INFERTILITY

I thought I was broken. “I am a worthless wife if I can’t give my husband children.” This is one of the lies I was tempted to believe as I experienced my second miscarriage followed by the news that I had both genetic and blood clotting disorders. Both would not only increase my chances for another miscarriage but could also lead to my carrying a baby with a severe life-ending syndrome. Feelings of anger, isolation, low esteem, guilt, and anxiety were considered normal by the specialists treating me but there was more at work here than just feelings. I realized that there was a root cause, negative thoughts which, when left unchecked, led to actions. Each of these feelings gave rise to its own negative attitudes such as low self-esteem because of my body’s inability to have children. This is a basic process, normal for every woman: the ability to bear a child, yet I could not. Another emotion I experienced was anger that was silently directed at God. After all, if He truly loved me and really was good, He wouldn’t have denied my longing to be a mother. Instead of taking these thoughts and emotions to God, I shared them with everyone else. While they listened sympathetically, there was nothing they could do to soothe my soul. I finally came to realize this truth when I was utterly exhausted from trying to deal with it all in my own way. After such a long, unfruitful season of attempting to handle it on my own, I poured out my heart to the… Read More

February 15, 2023

Browse all categories

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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