I was set free in one conversation while drinking a milkshake. A few years earlier, my soul and body had been traumatized. From that day, I would cry and wonder how I could ever have a healthy marriage. Would the panic attacks ever go away? Would I ever sleep through the night again? Over that milkshake, a new friend shared her story and how she made it through a similar horrific event in her life. Her words were a lifeline for me. Her life was a sign of hope for tomorrow. God had made her whole which meant He could do the same for me. This experience was like a runner passing the baton to a teammate in a race. She completes the loop and then hands it off to the next runner. My friend passed her baton of hope by sharing her story. She was vulnerable and bold enough to reach down in the pit and help pull me out. Today, I get the honor of passing the baton again and again to others who have been in the pit of despair. Our ministry, The Baton Pass, exists so that others can be seen and known in their quiet desperation. They can know they are not alone in their journey. This all happens at community-based events, online, and in one-to-one connections with ministry ambassadors. We are empowering women to overcome and to be restored through the hope found in Jesus. I want to give other people the experience of the cycle of healing. My story (and your… Read More
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?
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Bourbon Street, New Orleans. Before my first visit, I didn't know what to expect. I wasn't prepared for the "conveyor belt" of humanity when I first stepped out onto the corner of Bourbon and St. Peters. In 2007, I connected with RAVEN Ministries to do street evangelism on the most chaotic dark street, possibly in all of America. Week after week, we take the light and love of the Gospel to Bourbon Street, which brings in an average of 50,000 people on a non-event weekend. We literally have the opportunity to "go unto all the world," without having to board a plane. People from every nation flock in droves to see the infamous "Big Easy." I have had a lot of great conversations with people, and have seen demoniacs being set free as well as men and women come to salvation. But the ministry we do on Bourbon Street is not for the faint of heart. There have been many times we've been cursed at and mocked. I've also been physically assaulted by a self-professing witch, so we experience both extremes. Preaching truth to sinners is always an offensive thing, yet the Lord has turned my heart toward these very people. I have come to realize that rather than being a part of the crowd, every single person out there is looking for answers and desires to know the truth about the world they live in; they just need to humble themselves and look to the creator of the heavens and the earth: Jesus Christ. Ministry like this can at times be challenging, but… Read More
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Nine years ago, my friend, Justin, and I were feeling an extreme passion to serve God. Justin felt the need to bring awareness to the homelessness issue in our small town in North Carolina. While we prayed and dreamed, we pulled more people together to figure out how to serve the homeless in our area and beyond. One time, we gathered at the local soup kitchen and asked for folks to drop off supplies while we pulled an all-nighter out in the cold to bring awareness to the growing problem. We didn't really have a plan for what we would do with what was donated because we were just trying to obey God one step at a time. The next day, my friend went into the city and spoke with some police officers to learn more, and they told him where the best place would be to share the supplies. Ever since that day more than eight years ago, we've been setting up every two weeks where the highest concentration of homeless people are to share donated supplies, bring awareness, and build relationships. We have seen so many people in the Body come together from all different backgrounds and churches to share the love of Christ. Sometimes, people ask me why we keep doing this year after year. For me, it's all about the great commission. We're called to go out into the world and love others. Yes, I could share about my own homelessness, about how many times I've been close to homelessness in my life, or how I… Read More
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I have been a Neonatal ICU nurse since 2010. I am also on the bereavement committee, and part of my job includes dressing babies once they pass on to Heaven. God had been speaking to me about finding someone to help sew gowns small enough to fit our premature patients, and in turn, assist grieving families through the bereavement process. As always, God had already paved the way. At a small group meeting through our church, I met a new friend. She had delivered a baby boy in 1985 who was only on this earth for a few hours, then delivered beautiful twin girls who were born sleeping in 1993. God had also placed it on her heart to help other grieving mothers. After meeting at small group, and through several conversations and confirmations, we both decided to say yes to the Lord, and Angels In Waiting 91:4 was birthed. The Lord gave us Psalm 91:4 as a reminder that He will and does cover us with His wings, and under His wings, we find refuge. We wanted to share this verse with the families for them to hold onto during their time of grieving. Angels In Waiting 91:4 takes donated wedding dresses and transforms them into beautiful Angel Gowns for an infant’s journey to meet our Lord and Savior. Several ladies have now joined us on our mission. Though they initially thought they were only there to sew, they have encountered Jesus in mighty ways, and many hearts have been transformed. We meet every Tuesday to transform donated wedding dresses into gowns. We… Read More
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Even before we were married, my husband and I knew we wanted to grow our family through adoption first. I initially felt a need to adopt when I was in high school and saw the orphan crisis up close through one of my trips abroad. It wasn’t a magical spiritual moment or a lightbulb that went off or a verse that jumped off the page. I just realized I didn’t have that strong need to carry and birth a child the way my friends did. Instead, I had an overwhelming desire to see orphans grow up in the security of a family. Family is what psychologically grounds us in so many ways. It’s where we develop a sense of belonging. It is the first community a person ever experiences. Our first words are usually mom or dad. When we first started the adoption process, we were looking for a healthy girl under the age of four. But during the first year of paperwork and red tape, we saw so many faces of kids waiting for families who didn’t meet our criteria. They were slightly older; some had Cerebral Palsy, others Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Many had histories of trauma or medical needs that would mean weekly therapies and possible surgeries. Slowly, the Lord began to change our hearts toward these children. It was truly only Him. There was nothing we did. Over time, He softened and molded us until we were ready to say yes to our Ben. Adopting Ben meant learning sign language and figuring out how to parent a… Read More
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At a very young age, I had to move in with my grandparents. I was little, and of course I missed living with my parents. But deep down, I knew it was for the best. However, my papaw wasn't too keen on his new living situation. From day one, I felt unwanted by him. His words really hurt me, and at a young age, I didn't like him. But when I was 11 yrs old, my papaw fell. He hit his head on the pavement, which led to severe damage and bleeding on his brain. I remember watching my mamaw pray over him every day. I really love my mamaw, so anytime she needed me to do something, I did it. I wanted to help her, even if it meant caring for him. Shortly after his fall, I was helping a lot. I would help him back and forth to the restroom, I was proactive in making sure he took all his medication on time, I helped feed him, and at times I had to lift him. It was hard. A lot of times, I found myself remembering the past, and the hurtful things he used to say to me. But as I matured, I felt something inside me change. I started to really care about my papaw, and a love for him started to grow. It's been four years since his accident and his health improves each day. Unfortunately, he still suffers from apraxia and aphasia---the inability to understand or form speech. I still help him walk, feed him,… Read More