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 Labor Verbalizing the Gospel

    THE SERVANT PASTOR

    To a lot of people, the word "pastor" implies leading without serving. The truth is so much different. We are part of the body of Christ, just like people in our congregation. I felt called to the ministry in 1988. I was a young man attending a retreat in New Mexico, and during the last night, I felt God calling out to me. He said, "come serve me," and He wouldn't let me go until I did. Up until that point in my life, I'd been helping my dad run his air conditioning business. When I left that field to pursue a life in God, I never realized how much He would utilize my previous experience to bring glory to His kingdom. I have chased hard after Christ's will in my life, but not just by preaching and teaching His word on the weekends. To me, fulfilling my call as a pastor is about serving. It's about doing the lowest of the low jobs, not holding any arrogance or pride. Even at fifty years old, I still work as an A/C man for a great company in Austin, Texas. In that, God has given me the opportunity to reach out to my lost coworkers in a way that a Sunday morning sermon couldn't. I've been able to live out Christ's example, even in a regular job. Jesus himself washed his disciples feet. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as… Read More

    August 27, 2018
  • Children Labor Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries

    RAISING MEN LAWN CARE SERVICE

    I was having a hard time deciding what I was going to do with my life. I prayed that God would use me as His vessel. I didn't hear anything from Him for a while. But in 2015, I was driving my car and saw an elderly man really struggling to cut his grass. So I got out of my car and helped him finish the yard. When I was driving away, I was amazed at how good that felt. And I truly believed God was speaking to me. So as I was finishing up my computer science degree, I would find widows, veterans, disabled or elderly people that needed their grass cut and just do it. For free. I couldn't believe how it touched them. So many of these people had lost a lot of joy in their lives. More than cutting their lawn, I'd spend time listening to their stories. So this was not just about taking care of their yard; it was showing them they matter and that God cares for them. Then I started getting kids in my city involved, encouraging them to take care of yards for people that couldn't do it themselves. We'll even blow leaves in the fall, and shovel snow in the winter. I give them a free t-shirt once they take care of ten yards, and if they do 50 yards, I'll give them a free lawn mower. It was my way of mentoring and training young men to give back to their community. Now it's developed into a ministry called Raising Men Lawn Care Service. We have 244 kids throughout the United States and in five different countries that… Read More

    August 22, 2018
  • Mentoring Recovery Unique Ministries Verbalizing the Gospel

    SHARING HOPE WITH OTHER ADDICTS

    I was a shell of a human being. By the time I was 20 years old, my drinking progressed to the point where I was emotionally and spiritually isolated from everyone around me. I abandoned my childhood faith and thought if God was real, He wouldn't want anything to do with a person like me. But I was given a beautiful solution to my addiction when I joined a 12-step fellowship and was able to reconnect with God. Recovery has allowed me to regain my family's trust, maintain genuine friendships, graduate from college, have a healthy relationship with my boyfriend, keep a job, and feel a sense of purpose through helping sick and suffering alcoholics and addicts. Recovery has transformed my idea of God and the personal relationship I have with him today. The most transformative, faith-renewing part of this journey has been talking about God with other alcoholics and addicts. No matter what kind of struggles you have overcome, your story can help others. I used to feel so much shame over the things I did, but I know God is using my past to help others in the same situation. The only reason why I'm able to do this is because someone else showed me the way by sharing their experience. I'm so thankful to now be that person for others. My walk with God hasn't been perfect. There have been times where I questioned him, even in sobriety, but I find He always brings me back to the truth. God never turned His back on me when I was stuck… Read More

    August 21, 2018
  • Adoption/Foster Care Children Prayer

    BECOMING A FOSTER FAMILY

    For years, my ministry revolved around music. I joyfully played the piano every week for worship. And during the week, I taught piano lessons to children in the church with the hope that they, too, would embrace a love of worship of God through music. Most of my time, though, was invested in my family. My three girls became the main focus of my life. I was very content with my music and my little family. But one day, I saw a booth at our local festival for fostering children. As I looked at the pictures of the faces of little children on the brochure, my heart broke. Then, as I looked at the faces of my three not-so-little girls, I realized I had to talk with my husband and daughters about fostering children. Within a few short months, we became licensed foster parents. We prayed each night as a family for the children who would join our family. And one beautiful, scary day, our social worker brought two little children into our home. These little ones became a part of our family. My girls embraced their role as older sisters and took care of them, reading to them, helping me make their food, and playing with them. My husband and I prayed with our new little charges multiple times each day as we worked to bring stability and trust into their young lives. Although I still play each week for worship and teach piano lessons, my true calling, my true ministry, are the little children that social workers bring… Read More

    August 16, 2018
  • Church Activities Labor Unique Ministries

    USING MY SKILLS FOR GOD’S GLORY

    I am a foreman of a construction crew. I really enjoy what I do for a living. I get to work with my hands, and with the help of my crew, create something that is needed. It's a lot of fun to see a bridge be built, a building rise out of nothing, or a road be fixed. At church, I do similar work for God. There always seems to be a need for something to be built. Whether it's a half pipe for the teenagers to skate on, the set of a musical for the children, more risers for the choir, or a large stand for a giant Christmas tree, I find myself very busy with work at the church. I may not be preaching or even participating in the musical itself, but I know my skills are needed in each area of ministry. I am helping teenagers come to Christ. I am helping children be discipled. And all that is just through my natural abilities of building. Some people might think I'm a little rough around the edges, and maybe I am. But working with my hands at church brings me a lot of joy. I am so glad that I am able to use my skills for God's glory.

    August 14, 2018
  • Church Activities Loving Your Neighbor Unique Ministries

    REACHING OUT TO INTERNATIONALS

    I am from India, and came to America three years ago to work on my doctorate. When my wife and I arrived, we knew we needed to find a church, but we quickly realized that most churches in our town are not diverse at all. Once we settled on what has now become our church here, we spoke to our pastor about this. We know there are communities in our town of various ethnicities, where many of the people just recently came to America. Our pastor looked at us, and asked what we would like to do about it. This began our ministry to internationals in our community. Each week, we have local teachers come to our church to tutor new internationals in English. Every month, we host a dinner and invite all the internationals we know in the community. Then, we get contact information from them and visit them. Many have now decided to attend our church because of those dinners and visits. These internationals feel like our church is a part of their community. Since we have more internationals at our church, we host prayer events for the countries represented within our congregation. I didn't intend on starting a new ministry. I'm a father or two little boys, a husband, a full-time doctoral student, and I have a job, so my time is very limited. However, I am so thankful for this ministry. We have found the community we were longing for, and we have seen many come to the Lord as a result. There are countless international… Read More

    August 10, 2018

Browse all categories

Adoption/Foster Care 38
Children 158
Church Activities 60
Financial Help 18
Food 41
Homeless 34
Hospital 44
Labor 169
Loss Of Loved One 40
Loving Your Neighbor 67
Mentoring 50
Mission Work 52
Other 13
Overcoming Obstacles 119
Prayer 57
Prison Ministry 12
Recovery 46
Senior Citizens 22
Special Needs 47
Unique Ministries 169
Verbalizing the Gospel 77
Submit a Story
Listen To Our Podcast
Support The Christian Heart
Sign Up For Our Inspiring Newsletter
X