Stories - Page 51 of 82 - 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 Recovery Unique Ministries
HELPING THEM OVERCOME ADDICTION

There are an overwhelming number of women who have had their children, lives, and freedom taken from them due to drug addictions. Many have professed a Christian faith but still face suicidal thoughts and a deficit of hope. After facing my own addiction with alcoholism and restoring my life in Christ, I knew He was prompting me to help these women reach a place of stability. I began my response to His call by sponsoring young women through AA, and then went on to receive training for Christian counseling. In 2018, I began volunteering to counsel young women regularly at a rehabilitation center. I currently provide Christian counseling to three to five women a week. Most of these women have been to prison and have a lot of work to do to rebuild their lives. In our weekly sessions, we help them identify the root cause of their addiction. This journey often involves a lot of shame, rejection, and other humbling emotions. We remind them what they mean to Jesus and that they are significant. We help them learn what healthy relationships and friendships should look like. Most importantly, we pray and facilitate the restoration of their hope in life through Jesus Christ. We work to help them restore their faith and progress toward facing a life free from the chains of addictions. I have been humbled and honored to see many of their lives changed. Watching these women week after week as their mind, body, and faith are restored is breath-taking. It is not always a happy ending, but most women… Read More

March 12, 2019
Children Food Unique Ministries
ENCOURAGING NOTES FOR YOUR KIDS

I've been writing notes on a napkin and putting them in my kids' lunchboxes for years. Some are funny, some are serious. But to me, it's just a way to tell them I love them and to make them smile, think, laugh or blush at the school lunch table. One day, I took a picture of a napkin I thought was clever, and posted it on my Instagram account to share with my buddies. I had no thought of it going viral, but it did. Apparently, it reminded people of things their family used to do to make their day brighter. So I continued to post my napkins each morning and they continued to get very heartwarming reactions. The number of followers kept growing. I came up with a name for them: Napkinisms. Someone at the Chick-fil-A Foundation heard about these napkins. Since they provide free lunches every week to needy kids in the inner city of Atlanta, they asked if I could create a napkin to be placed in each free lunch. A few years later, our local Children's Hospital asked if I could provide one each day for every kid staying in the hospital. So that's what I'm doing. I’m not trying to change the world through Napkinisms. I just hope I can change someone’s day, and let kids know somebody thinks they’re special. I know how significant that can be. If I've been gifted by God with certain talents, then it's my responsibility to use these gifts. And I believe God has directed me to pursue this.… Read More

March 5, 2019
Labor Loving Your Neighbor
HELPING THOSE AROUND ME

I served in the disaster relief ministry, one of the most intense and demanding times of my life, both spiritually and physically. This helped stretch me in ways I didn't even realize. But now, I am focusing my efforts to help those around me. I want to use the gifts that God has given me in compassion, wisdom, and discernment. After a lot of prayer, I feel God is directing me to pursue a formal bible college education, particularly in the area of biblical counseling, so I can grow more and use my gifts to more effectively serve the body of Christ. My prayer is to draw those outside of the faith into a loving and meaningful relationship with the one true God, through the Son. I want to use my technical experience along with the wisdom that God has placed in me to serve the Body---not only physically, but also spiritually, by discipling those who may be younger in their faith or possibly even brand new in the faith. God gives gifts to His people so they may bless the world, bless the Body, and ultimately give all the glory for such a gift back to the giver, Himself!

February 27, 2019
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

Browse all categories

Adoption/Foster Care 38

Church Activities 60

Financial Help 18

Loss Of Loved One 38

Loving Your Neighbor 67

Mission Work 52

Overcoming Obstacles 116

Prison Ministry 12

Senior Citizens 22

Special Needs 47

Unique Ministries 166

Verbalizing the Gospel 76

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