Stories - Page 65 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 Prison Ministry Recovery
CHANGING THE HEARTS OF INMATES

35 years. That's how long I was dependent on drugs and alcohol. My story is one of addiction and ugliness, that God turned into beauty and a message of redemption. I was sexually abused from five-years-old by three different men until age 14. I was nine when I learned that drugs could numb the pain. I tried to commit suicide at 26, but the Lord intervened. I accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized. But even with a relentless desire to change after accepting Jesus, I couldn't stay clean. I ended up in prison in 2010 to serve an 18-month sentence. But what Satan tried to use to harm me, God used to heal me. I studied every self-help, recovery and psychology book I could find in prison. But God spoke to me in my cell and said, "The only thing that will change the old mindset is the Word of God. Memorize a scripture a day". So, for two hours every day I studied and memorized scripture. This became my tool to freedom. As I began to heal in prison, I found many others had been through these same experiences and faced the same issues. The Lord nudged me in Luke 4:18 to help "set the captives free". While in prison, I started a class for my fellow inmates where I’d help them grow in their faith. We’d talk about the things that happened to them. And I could understand, because I had been there. The Lord gave me a prayer sheet for the ladies and I even sent it to other prisons. It… Read More

February 23, 2018
Children Labor Mentoring
KEEPING KENYAN KIDS OUT OF GANGS

Growing up with an absent father took a great toll on me, my siblings and my mother. I survived one struggle after another, but through God's mercy, I was able to finalize my studies. After school, life was still hard, as I searched for jobs to support my family. But through all these struggles, I met Jesus Christ. My life has never been the same again. I moved from my home in the Western part of Kenya, and settled in Central Kenya, in Mwea. This area is dangerous with a lot of gang activity. Young people all around are jobless and staying idle. I saw how people in my church were helping get these troubled youths out of the gangs and into God's Word. This was a great encouragement to me and I wanted to take part in this wonderful outreach. I have been training in martial arts since primary school. I thought I could encourage the youth in my area to join my gym that I had opened, and I could connect with them through martial arts. Over time, the number of youths at my gym increased, and I got that opportunity to preach to them, sharing the importance of salvation in their lives. In return, they have gained discipline, crime came down at an unbelievable rate in the region, and they are part of my project to reach out to even more youths. Just recently, I initiated a project to help those transformed youths engage in a farming venture on a small scale by growing vegetables and selling them for their upkeep. It… Read More

February 19, 2018
Children Church Activities Prayer
VERY SPECIAL QUILTS

I started teaching the three-year-old Sunday School class when I was only 16. For the last fifty years I have seen countless children come into my classroom. Some were scared and cried for their parents for weeks. Others marched in ready to play. Some came from wonderful homes where the peace of God permeates all members of the family. Others came from broken homes and lived in turmoil. Some from wealthy families where all their needs were met. Others came to me hungry and dirty wearing ill-fitting shoes. All were in need of love, compassion, and God's grace. More than that, though, each of these little ones needed prayer. So, for the last 30+ years, I have spent my evenings making quilts for each one of my students. As I sew, I bring the child's name before the throne of God asking him to guide that little one for the rest of his life. Then, when it is finished, I present that quilt to the child and his parents letting them know how much God loves that child and that He has a great plan for his life. I lost count of the number of quilts I've made over the years, but I know it's got to be close to a thousand. A thousand children who have been loved, prayed for, and taught the ways of the Lord. Some of those children are now grown. Some have become missionaries and pastors. Others have become teachers or leaders in business. I've even had some of their children come through my class. It's so… Read More

February 16, 2018
Labor Mission Work Verbalizing the Gospel
MAKING DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS

I encountered Jesus at the darkest point in my life, and it is only by His light that His purpose was revealed to me. It was when I suffered from major depression in my early 20's. At that moment, I believe God called me to completely surrender my life to Him; and through faith, I was healed. Since it’s my second life, I asked God to use my testimony to help others that were suffering. I continuously sought His guidance. He led me to the Middle East. When I arrived here, a former drug addict invited me to his church. I was amazed at how his life was transformed so I started studying God’s Word. In every free moment. After several years, I became an evangelist. God gave me a vision about the narrow gate, and He instructed me to let people know about Jesus---the way, the truth and the life. I started to conduct bible studies in the most remote parts of the city, as well as in the desert and on the seaside. Most of the time, it takes hours of driving just to reach these areas. But I always feel convicted by the Holy Spirit reminding me, “If you will not do it, who will?” and I always say, “Here I am Lord, send me!” I have a full time job here as a Technical Analyst but every week, several of us share the Gospel with workers in different companies. By God’s grace, we have grown in numbers and have formed a cell group called the Sea of Galilee. We are composed of Filipinos, mostly working in… Read More

February 13, 2018
Labor Overcoming Obstacles Verbalizing the Gospel
GOD HAD A PLAN FOR ME

My mother had three sonograms before I was born and none of them indicated any problems. But I was born without arms and legs. That obviously made life extremely challenging. I had tremendous parents but I was bullied throughout the early years of school. I became depressed and even had suicidal thoughts. My life changed when I was 15. I read how Jesus said the blind man was born that way so the works of God would be revealed through him. If God had a plan for that man, I certainly believed He had one for me. I totally surrendered my life to Christ. I realized God wasn't the one that gave me this pain. What was intended for bad, God could turn into good. But I wondered how. I found out when I gave at a speech at a high school. After the talk, a couple hundred students lined up to speak with me. A girl began sobbing uncontrollably as she approached, saying, "No one has ever told me that they loved me. No one has ever said to me I'm beautiful the way that I am." At that moment, I knew God wanted me to share my story with as many people as possible. That was His plan. So I now speak to thousands each year through my Life Without Limbs ministry. Our mission is to break down barriers and build bridges that bring people to the love and hope found in Jesus Christ alone. I am a man of faith and without that,… Read More

February 9, 2018
Adoption/Foster Care Children Special Needs
OUR FAMILY IS NOW COMPLETE

My wife and I had a plan early in our marriage. We would have a biological child and then we'd adopt one. And as so often happens, God had a different plan for us. My wife went through several difficulties. These were heartbreaking times for us both. We felt we were not meant to be biological parents and that God wanted us to adopt. So we embarked on several trips to Guatemala to begin the adoption process. This was an incredible journey. We eventually adopted a baby boy, Santo. A few years later, we again tried to have a biological child. Sadly, we went through even more difficulties. My wife and I heard God's message once again. He wanted us to adopt a second child. So back to Guatemala we went where we met our new boy named Xavier. He had special needs: he was blind, epileptic and had other complications. But an incredible feeling came over us both. We felt God had selected us to be with Xavier. It was very obvious. We bonded immediately. Having adopted two children has totally changed my world. It has made me a completely different person---at work, at home, everywhere. You realize what is truly important in this world. These children are such a blessing to us both. We can't imagine our lives without them. But, surprisingly, God wasn't done with us. Five years ago, my wife found out she was pregnant and we had our first biological child. Her two older brothers love their baby sister and we thank God for our… Read More

February 6, 2018

Browse all categories

Adoption/Foster Care 38

Church Activities 60

Financial Help 18

Loss Of Loved One 38

Loving Your Neighbor 66

Mission Work 52

Overcoming Obstacles 115

Prison Ministry 11

Senior Citizens 22

Special Needs 47

Unique Ministries 165

Verbalizing the Gospel 74

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