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

    A NEW LIVER AND NEW LIFE

    In New Mexico, one will find vast blue skies, beautiful mesas, and true evidence of God’s majestic plan of creation. However, while there are many stories of hardship and poverty here, there are also stories of overcoming and endurance through Jesus Christ. Richelle Shorty is a Native American woman from the Navajo tribe of New Mexico. Many people she grew up with had negative views and misconceptions of Christianity, but deep down, she knew these thoughts were not true. As a little girl, she accepted Jesus Christ into her heart on the playground with her friends, but little did she know the challenges that lay ahead of her and the rocky path that would follow. Her childhood was tumultuous, with her parents arguing relentlessly and eventually divorcing. Richelle was used to being “scooped up” from one relative’s house to another, and after her parents’ divorce, she was eventually sent to live at her Christian aunt’s house. Though she didn’t always like her aunt’s rules, she agreed with her on one thing: she didn’t like her dad’s drinking. Unfortunately, despite her critique of her father, Richelle ended up becoming an even worse alcoholic than him. One day, she woke up and the world around her looked eerily brown, and her eyes were hauntingly yellow. She desperately prayed to God not to go blind, and she went to the doctor only to find out the most disheartening news: she had end stage liver disease. Richelle, in her distress, continued to pray. She realized God was her only hope for survival, and in September 2022, she received… Read More

  • Overcoming Obstacles Recovery

    OVERCOMING ADDICTION

    My childhood was rough, and from the time I was 17, I started a destructive path of smoking, doing drugs, and drinking alcohol. This pattern continued for many years. Honestly, I feel as though I have always been self-destructive. No amount of self-medicating could control my feelings or my mental health issues. I refused to seek medical help because I didn’t believe it would work. Many times, I hit what I assumed was rock-bottom, only to go through it again and again. One day, I had a complete mental breakdown at work. They sent me to an out-patient rehab that lasted 12 weeks, but the effects were short-lived. Whenever there was a setback, I would be angry and blame God and wonder why I was still here. Eventually, I sought more help because my addictions to medications for sleeping, anxiety, and mood stabilizers was out of control. I was abusing them to the point where I was so high that I fell asleep in my car, in front of a store, while the vehicle was still running. Luckily, my cousin happened to come by and found me. She woke me up by beeping her horn and asked me what I was doing. I said I really had no idea. After that, my mom took my keys away, and I began therapy. There was so much I needed to talk about with someone who would not judge me. During this time, my aunt sent me a book about God, and I quickly read it. She then sent me the Good News Bible and began sending me… Read More

  • Children Mission Work

    SAVING CHILDREN IN HONDURAS

    When I was a little girl of only nine, I learned what it means to be an orphan. From then to sixteen, I prayed each night for God to make it possible for me to work in an orphanage someday. At some point, I forgot about that prayer; however, God did not forget. In 1985, my husband and I lived in High Springs, Florida. One evening, we were watching the show World Relief, and they were featuring Honduras. As the cameraman panned out, we could see a tiny baby lying on the steps of the capital. Crying and malnourished to the point his abdomen was swollen and extended, the people there seemed to be unmoved. They walked over this child like he did not exist. So torn up by this, my husband turned to me and said, “We are to go to Honduras.” I asked him, “When?” He said he wasn't sure, but we would wait for God to let us know. My father-in-law had also become quite ill then. We rushed to visit him, and he said to Denny, “Son, you’ve been talking about going on the mission field. If you are waiting on my blessing, go. It’s time for you to go.” He told us he was feeling fine and we should go home. Early that next morning, we got the call that he was struggling, and he sadly passed before we could reach him to say goodbye. When we finally felt the nudge to go to Honduras, we reserved a room at the Hotel Sula in San Pedro. Denny said he… Read More

  • Children Food Loss Of Loved One

    GRANDMA PEGGY’S BREAKFAST CLUB

    My grandson, Sam, died last year when his moped was struck by an oncoming vehicle. I was completely devastated. But I have found a very unique, and healing, way to honor his memory. Sam was a high school sophomore, and he and his buddies would sometimes go out for breakfast to a local diner before school. When we were talking one day, Sam told me, “The diner’s food has nothing on you, Grandma. You make the best breakfast.” So I casually said, “Why don’t you come to my house with your friends sometime and I’ll make them breakfast.” He loved the idea and invited eight of his classmates over the next Wednesday. I served them bacon, eggs, pancakes and fruit. They had a great time at my house, and it was wonderful for me to be surrounded by these kids. These are the most polite and loving kids you’ll ever find. As they were leaving, they asked, “What are we having for breakfast next week?” So a tradition started. Each Wednesday, they would show up at 7:00 and I’d serve them a hearty breakfast. But one awful day, so much of my world changed. Sam was killed in an accident. When Sam passed away, people did their best to comfort me. My neighbors got me some flowers and shrubs, and planted a garden in my front yard; they even displayed a picture of Sam. His friends checked on me every single day to see what I needed and what they could do for me. You think the grief will get easier but it doesn’t. I know… Read More

  • Children Hospital Overcoming Obstacles

    GOD TAKES CARE OF US

    When I was pregnant with my fifth child, my pregnancy for the most part seemed to go normally. I didn’t gain more weight than usual and although I was extra tired, it still wasn’t so much that it felt out of the ordinary. When it came time to give birth, we anticipated a standard delivery. The pregnancy was largely uneventful. Until later. After our daughter was born, I wanted to go home right away so our new baby could meet all her sisters and I could sleep in my own bed. Due to complications with excessive bleeding, that was not an option. The doctor prescribed a clotting factor to help curb the blood loss, so I had to stay in the hospital extra time to ensure there were no other complications. Our new baby also needed some additional TLC due to dropping a slight bit more weight than what’s expected after birth. Eventually, everything seemed to be going well for both of us, and we were finally able to go home. About a week after her birth, I was pulling the trashcan out to the road, which is moderately uphill, and I noticed that by the time I got back to the house, I felt out of breath. Even my chest felt tight and I was exhausted from that small bit of effort. I went upstairs to lay down and found my husband reading something in our bed. When I sat down next to him, I mentioned that this delivery was definitely harder than the ones I’d had before. He asked what I… Read More

  • Loss Of Loved One Recovery

    AN EVER-PRESENT HELP IN TIME OF NEED

    I’m a widower. A father to two girls who lost their mom over a year and a half ago. A husband who lost his bride and helpmate. I’ve been allowed to walk through some really heavy, but undeniably rich moments over the past six years. That might sound strange, but it sets the stage to start to talk about things like suffering, hope and living life. I’ve seen God be an ever-present help in time of need by providing for physical needs, emotional outlets and spiritual resiliency. I’ve seen Him be incredibly tender toward my family, especially as we walked through some really dark and tough times in life. He slowed down moments in, what was becoming, the typical fast-paced American life. So, here’s a little bit of our backstory: In the summer of 2017, my wife, Ashley, and I were expecting our second child. There was so much excitement around God providing ways for us to grow our family. As quickly as that excitement came, so quickly it was stifled on one summer day when Ash experienced some neurological symptoms that landed her in the hospital. After some initial tests showing something going on in her brain, it was determined we needed to deliver our daughter a month early so she could undergo some more rigorous tests and scans. When all was said and done, we sat there as a newly-minted family of four hearing the words from the doctor that Ash had brain cancer. Initially suspected to be a low-grade tumor, a difficult and nearly life-ending surgery in October of that year revealed some… Read More

X