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
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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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
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It was 1998 when my wife and I went on our first medical mission trip to Venezuela. I had been a surgeon and in practice with my brother for 17 years. As we worked in a make-shift clinic on a rooftop, we felt God speaking to us and asking us to begin a new adventure with Him. We said yes and when we returned home, we began contacting hospitals, physicians, and leaders in the community to determine where the greatest need was. We found out that there was an overwhelmingly large group of low income and uninsured adults who fall within the "gap" that needed affordable and quality healthcare. We knew what God wanted us to do. In 2003, we opened up Victory Health Partners. On the very first day, we had 12 patients come in. By 2018, we had over 19,000 patients come in. Our building, which is 11,000 square feet, was provided for us with a lease of $1 a year. We meet the needs of patients who are age 19 to 64 with low to moderate income levels that cannot afford private insurance, government funded insurance, or cannot get health coverage through their employer. Many of our patients suffer from chronic diseases such as diabetes, COPD, high blood pressure, and heart disease. Besides primary medical care, we offer other specialty healthcare like dental, optometry, neurology, urology, wound care, MRIs and minor surgeries. Our medication dispensary makes it possible for patients to receive all or most of their medications at no charge. We have over 150 specialty partnerships… Read More
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When people are going through a crisis, friends need to come alongside of them and lend their support. That is the mission of Neighbor Brigade, a nonprofit started by my childhood friend, Pam Manikas Washek. She was diagnosed with cancer and fought the disease for a decade before losing her battle in 2012. But two years before she passed away, she decided to turn her pain into purpose by helping others experiencing similar crises. So she launched Neighbor Brigade. Volunteers sign up to bring a meal to someone struggling with a medical crisis or a death in the family. They simply drop it off in a cooler by the door. Recipients could be someone going through chemo, recovering from surgery or even just trying to find a ride to a doctor's appointment. Neighbor Brigade has chapters around the United States, and I decided to start one in my town with another friend, Nancy, to honor Pam's legacy. And it has brought both of us a tremendous amount of fulfillment. Nancy and I are amazed to see the wonderful work God does with this organization. The feeling of giving back to the community is an immeasurable one. The feedback we receive from the recipients truly warms our hearts. We consistently hear the same message that they don't know what they would have done without Neighbor Brigade. One family in particular said the Neighbor Brigade cooler at their front door was like a "magic box" and they couldn't wait to see what was in it. Another consistent message is that we have… Read More
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Who am I riding in the car with? He's cursing, doing drugs and has a gun. He pulled up to visit a friend, leaving me in the passenger seat, puzzled. The music was blasting, it lacked compassion, promoted drugs, violence, and promiscuity. The beat may have appealed to the flesh, but the words corrupted the soul. While I listened to the music and watched this unfamiliar man from the car, I realized he became a reflection of the music he enjoyed listening to. In that moment, my heart hurt, witnessing a once-close relative become a total stranger. He got lost in the music. Music has a powerful influence, and in order to make a difference, I had to fight fire with fire. I picked up a mic and became "SA" The Christian rapper from the Bronx. I had no experience and was a skinny little kid afraid to get laughed off stage. In 2004, using my fear as motivation, I became the CEO and founder of "D2S Records", formerly known as "Death2Self Records", a Christian record label for all music artists of every genre. The ideology behind the name and mission of our label comes from Luke 9:23: "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'" For our listeners, we provide an annual music festival, online radio broadcast, and coaching tools for new ministries on our website. All this started from sitting in the car, experiencing my relative's drastic change of… Read More