Stories - Page 41 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 Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries
MAKING A CROSS FOR THEIR YARDS

Staying at home during this pandemic is not easy. We all need to be finding some meaningful things to do with our time. Since we were coming up on Easter week, I decided to make our two grown sons a wooden cross that they could place in their own front yards so people could be reminded of the sacrifices Jesus made for all of us. So I went to Home Depot, bought several pieces of lumber and started working. I put them up in their yards one morning before they woke up and they each loved them. One suggested I do this for others that may not have the chance to get out right now or the ability to make them. So I put something on Facebook, saying I'd make anyone a cross and deliver it to their house. At no cost to them. It'd be my honor to do that. I am not the biggest Facebook guy but in just a matter of hours, I was inundated with requests from friends, family members, and people I didn't even know that heard about it, including some from other states. So for the last few days, I've been in my garage measuring, sawing, drilling and then delivering these crosses all around my community. I just pull up and place it on their lawn and drive off. Social distancing, you know. I've had to make some additional trips to buy even more lumber as more people make requests. This is my very small way of honoring the Lord. To let people know that God is still in… Read More

April 8, 2020
Church Activities Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries
SENDING CARDS TO HURTING PEOPLE

When I retired from my job, I knew I wanted to serve the Lord with my gifts and volunteer at my church. I went to a meeting at my church. A leadership position needed to be filled. I was new to the group so I kept my hand and my head down. I didn’t want to volunteer to be a leader, that was for someone else. The next position was for the “Sunshine Committee.” Only one person was needed to send out the get-well cards to church members. I knew that it was the perfect position for me. My hand quickly went up as I said, “I’d like to do that.” I really wanted to. I am a person who likes to work quietly behind the scenes. I knew that God had found me a position where I had skills and an interest. For the past three years I’ve received our church’s prayer list. I pray over every person that is on the prayer list and then send out care cards with love from God and our congregation. I carefully choose cards that fit men, women, and children. Some weeks are busier than others. I typically send 200 cards per year. Occasionally people approach me at church and thank me personally for the cards. Sending a handwritten card is becoming a lost art. I believe people still enjoy getting a hand written, personalized card that lets them know that someone is thinking about them and praying for them. We carry each other’s burdens in prayer. Sending cards may not seem like a big job,… Read More

March 23, 2020
Children Food Mentoring Verbalizing the Gospel
THE BREAKFAST CLUB

“God sees you. He loves you. God has a good plan for your life. Your life matters.” This message of love and hope is how I end every Breakfast Club. In a world where teenage depression, anxiety, and suicide are all too commonplace, I want these young adults to know regardless of how unloved and unworthy they feel, they are, in fact, very loved. That is why I helped start Breakfast Club at our local high school. I wanted to provide a safe place for all teenagers. Our mission is to feed bellies so that souls can be fed. This mission is carried out every other week with a slew of volunteers who come to my house in the wee hours of the morning to prepare breakfast; a breakfast that provides physical nourishment to an always-hungry teenager. After tummies are full, I spend twenty minutes allowing the Holy Spirit to talk through me as I give these young adults the spiritual nourishment their hungry souls crave. Regardless of the week, the message always places Jesus as the friend they need, the lifeline they seek, and the answer for their pain. And by God’s amazing grace, lives are being changed! Young adults are finding a relationship with Christ. Kids who are battling depression are finding hope. And parents are being impacted too as they wonder what all the fuss is about and come to volunteer. All the glory goes to God! I’m so humbled by His amazing grace; He is providing everything we need to feed hungry bellies and souls. It is my hope that there… Read More

March 16, 2020
Church Activities
THE PRAISE TEAM LEADER

I never expected to be doing the things that I've been doing at my church for the last ten years. When I first joined the praise team, I said I’d help create the PowerPoint slides for the contemporary song presentations and that I would learn to play guitar. I learned how to play guitar through people that were already on the praise team. The team then acquired a guitarist and asked if I could learn bass, so I made the switch to help out. Later, the praise team leader asked me if I would be willing to sing because they wanted another male voice. Needless to say, I didn’t think I had a good enough voice to help lead worship. I was content with playing bass. God kept pushing me out of my comfort zone and I tried out to be a singer on the team. I started singing with them in 2010. I’m still critical of my voice even though people say that I'm a good singer. I give all the glory to God. I also said I never wanted to be the praise team leader. However, God had a different plan. When the original praise team leader stepped down in 2015, I was voted on as the person to replace him. I was shocked and honored at the same time that the entire team thought I would make a good leader. I’m in charge of researching and picking the music for our service and setting up the equipment every week. I enjoy working with other talented individuals. I… Read More

March 10, 2020
Homeless Labor Recovery
THE REGULAR GIRL

From the first time I walked through the door at The River, I had a feeling of hope. I didn’t know what to expect, but forming relationships and watching lives change right before my eyes was not what I anticipated. There have been many women come through for help. Homeless, down and out, and broken, they come to get the help they need. They come to escape for a little while, get job training, wash clothes, have a meal and maybe get a haircut. They can take classes and training in areas that will help them succeed. These are the little things we take for granted sometimes. I know I did. I was only supposed to be there temporarily. The regular girl that had been volunteering needed to stop, and I told a customer of mine that I would help out. I could pitch in for a while until they found somebody that wanted to do it permanently. I didn't mind helping out, but I was not staying. That person was not going to be me. I was a newer mom and extremely busy with my three year old son. Now, my son is thirteen and I can’t believe ten years went by so fast. I guess it’s safe to say that I am now the regular girl. Women still come. Sometimes they come in and just want a friendly face and someone to listen. Other times, they may be preparing for a job search or interview. Some days, they may not want to talk, but just relax. In every… Read More

March 3, 2020
Church Activities Special Needs Unique Ministries
SIGNING FOR GOD

I learned to sign at a very young age because I had a family member who used it to communicate. I learned from a video series alongside my siblings. Early on in college, I decided to change my major to American Sign Language and Deaf Interpretive Services. I wanted to learn the language and learn more about deaf culture because of my family member. It helped me grow closer to this family member and build a stronger bond with them. While in college, I met the head interpreters for an area church. They helped me get a sign language internship which allowed me to interpret for deaf members of the congregation during worship services. It was all God-orchestrated. He brought the right people into my life at the right time. I am thankful and grateful for these women that invested in my growth and development as an interpreter. As interpreters, we prepare for services by creating written translations of the music beforehand and by studying the scripture passages. Other than that, we are trained to go at it cold. We are usually a couple of words, if not a whole sentence, behind the speaker so that we have a chance to process. Working as a team also helps. We try to always have two interpreters working together, so we can break up the workload. We become very in tune with each other’s signs of fatigue, so we can relieve each other. As interpreters, we sign everything that the hearing people hear: the corny jokes, the “Amen!” in the back of the church, and… Read More

February 25, 2020

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 112

Prison Ministry 11

Senior Citizens 22

Special Needs 47

Unique Ministries 160

Verbalizing the Gospel 73

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