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?
  • Food Homeless Verbalizing the Gospel

    IT COULD EASILY BE ME

    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

    September 9, 2019
  • Children Loss Of Loved One Unique Ministries

    ANGELS IN WAITING 91:4

    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

    September 3, 2019
  • Adoption/Foster Care Children Special Needs

    ADOPTION IS NOT PLAN B

    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

    August 26, 2019
  • Recovery Senior Citizens Special Needs

    FINDING LOVE AND FORGIVENESS

    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

    August 19, 2019
  • Financial Help Labor Mission Work

    VICTORY HEALTH PARTNERS

    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

    August 12, 2019
  • Food Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries

    THE NEIGHBOR BRIGADE

    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

    August 5, 2019

Browse all categories

Adoption/Foster Care 38
Children 162
Church Activities 60
Financial Help 18
Food 42
Homeless 35
Hospital 45
Labor 172
Loss Of Loved One 41
Loving Your Neighbor 67
Mentoring 50
Mission Work 52
Other 13
Overcoming Obstacles 123
Prayer 58
Prison Ministry 12
Recovery 46
Senior Citizens 22
Special Needs 48
Unique Ministries 174
Verbalizing the Gospel 78
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