Stories - Page 50 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?

Church Activities Loving Your Neighbor Recovery Unique Ministries
BRINGS FURNITURE TO THOSE IN NEED

If you were to see me in passing, you'd notice nothing different about me compared to my fellow man. God has blessed me with a job in which I work a 40-hour week. I come home to a wonderful family and spend the remaining hours of the day with them, before it's time to do it all over again. However, there was a voice which began to awaken my spirit. The same voice that told Peter to, "Feed my sheep," was calling me to do the same. God began to open my eyes to the needs of my city. You cannot enter the city limits without being greeted by a homeless person on the street corner. How could I who has been given much, not give in return? Reading through the Scriptures, I was reminded of James who said, "Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" My church offers a variety of outreach programs, and I found one that served the needy. Every Saturday, people come together to collect and deliver furniture. It's a program designed to help those who are trying to get back on their feet. It ranges from people coming off the streets into an apartment to refugees arriving in the States. Being part of this program really opened my eyes. I would come into tiny apartments where the lights were off because they couldn't afford to pay their electric bill.… Read More

February 18, 2019
Children Special Needs
THE LUCKY GIRL

Lucky. We can all apply this word to our lives in one sense or another, but for me, the definition has radically changed recently. I am a junior in college, majoring in occupational therapy. I have always had a heart for helping others, but it wasn't until last year that I found the true avenue for my passions. It started when I followed a family on Instagram who had adopted three kids, two of which have Down syndrome. I felt naturally drawn to this family and knew in some way, I was meant to be a part of their lives. One day, the mom, Heather, posted an ad for an internship opportunity. For me, I knew it was from God. I immediately applied and earned the position. Each week, I assisted Heather with her activities and got to hang out with her kids. I had always been drawn to the joy and love of people with Down syndrome, but this family was my first personal introduction to kids with Down syndrome that were treated as competent and who were allowed to experience a whole range of normal emotions. The way Heather treats people has truly impacted my life, and shaped how I want to treat people. I absolutely believe it was a "God thing". God used this opportunity to teach me how much every person has to offer and how to view people as Children of God first. Heather has a strong faith, and talks about how her life isn't what she thought it would be but it is so… Read More

February 12, 2019
Children Financial Help Food Unique Ministries
GOT ‘FREE’ MILK

In 2017, my oldest daughter started kindergarten. The school she attends has the highest poverty rate in our district, where 75% of the students receive a free or reduced lunch. So, there is a lot of need. A month into the school year, I sat down with the principal and asked, "How can we help? What is something you are struggling to cover?" Her instant response was, "We need milk." I didn't totally understand, but she explained. While most of their students get a free or reduced lunch and even breakfast before school, milk during their snack break was not covered by the program. Since most families couldn't afford the additional cost, the majority of kids in the school went without milk during breaks. The principal believed many of those students were getting the bulk of their nutrients at school, so it was vital they get the milk they need while they were there. At the same time, our church was looking for tangible ways to serve our community. Armed with an idea, I went back to our church staff and explained the need. We launched a campaign asking our church members to sponsor milk for one or more children for a semester or the whole year. Within a few weeks, we raised about $5,000 to help purchase milk for students in two entire grades. One lady wrote a check for $1,100. When I thanked her, she said, "I went to that school as a girl--those are my people." I think for all of us, it was a great lesson in showing the love of Christ… Read More

February 5, 2019
Food Hospital Labor Unique Ministries
HEALTHY MEALS TO CANCER PATIENTS

I have worked in the cancer field my whole career. I've seen the struggles patients go through and how it permeates every facet of their lives. I know how difficult it is to get the right nutrition during different phases of cancer treatment. So the idea of delivering nutritious meals to cancer patients started swimming in my brain years ago. But I kept it bottled up. How could I possibly pull off something like this? Whenever I let my mind wander on to this dream, I saw obstacles pop up. A year ago, I had three close friends in their forties diagnosed with cancer, so the idea was really on my mind. That's when I told a few people about my idea. They were all rather intrigued, so they promised to pray about it. Within a few months, several pieces of the puzzle came together. Was this a sign from God? So I started praying for further signs, figuring if God wanted to use me, I would be all in. And the signs came. I prayed for some guidance on nutrition, and a chef volunteered her time. I prayed for direction on how to make meals for a number of people at once, and the availability of a local commercial kitchen reared its head. So I started asking people to pray for a specific obstacle that stood in my way, and one by one, the obstacles dissolved. Maybe not the way I expected, but the door was opened for me. So I jumped in and formed Meals OnCol. We provide cancer… Read More

January 28, 2019
Children Unique Ministries
USING MY UNIQUE TALENTS FOR HIM

I come from a very musical family. I wasn't blessed with the gift of singing, but I was rhythmically inclined. My mother was a great dancer, and she showed me a few moves. Then, I discovered Michael Jackson and James Brown. I studied their moves and worked to perfect my gift. Growing up in Queens at the time, Hip Hop was a bit combative. I started to learn how to battle rap and dance. It was a way for me to express myself. It wasn't long until I became a part of that culture and fluent in its artistic language. In my late teens, I left New York and moved to a small town in Kentucky. I gave my heart to Christ in 2000 and He completely turned my life around. I began serving in the youth ministry at my church, and quickly became a mentor to a number of young people. I saw a little bit of myself in some of the kids, and I wanted to help them express themselves with their God-given talents. Thus began the start of Opfor: Open Platforms For Outreach. It was a vision that God birthed in my heart to empower creative young people to use various art forms to bring enrichment to our culture and communities. One manifestation of this is our Friday night "sessions." We set up in a parking lot on a busy street in town every week. I open with prayer, then we play music; and dancers, singers, rappers and visual artists come out and share their talents with the community. We take time to spread the Gospel during each session, and to encourage and build up the young people of the area. Ultimately, the purpose of Opfor… Read More

January 25, 2019
Children Homeless Labor
TUTORING HOMELESS CHILDREN

I was 46 years old and with my only child entering high school, I was praying about what I should do with the second half of my life. As a teacher and educator, I volunteered at my daughter's school, and one day I picked up a magazine to read while I was waiting for my next student. I was looking for a pumpkin cheesecake recipe in a magazine when an article called 'Lessons in Love' caught my attention. There was an older lady standing there with a child, both holding school supplies and backpacks in their hands. It was Agnes Stevens and she had started a program called School on Wheels in California. Agnes was a retired nun and school teacher who had been teaching school across the street from a homeless shelter. All the homeless kids would come to school without supplies or backpacks. Here was a woman who saw social injustice, wanted to do something about it, and just did it. As I was reading the article, it felt like God tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Here you go." I called Agnes and asked her how to start the program here in Massachusetts. And I did. We started in 2004 by working with two family shelters, giving out 50 backpacks and tutoring about 20 kids a week. By the time I retired as executive director in June 2018, we had 14 program sites tutoring over 250 kids and giving out 2,800 backpacks. I always knew this was too big for me, but it wasn't too big for… Read More

January 21, 2019

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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