When I was 12 years old, my parents sat me down and told me we were moving. They were becoming house parents at Big Oak Ranch, a Christian home for children needing a chance. It’s one thing to talk the talk, but another thing to actually commit your life to making a difference, and that’s what my parents decided we were going to do. My parents showed me through this sacrifice that life is all about what you do to serve others using the gifts God has given you. We stepped out of our “comfort zone” as a family, and committed to serving and loving God’s children that weren’t fortunate enough to receive that love from their own parents. Over the course of those eight years, I had the chance to be a brother to about 20 boys between the ages of five through eighteen. This incredible experience shaped me into who I am today. I learned to see the value in every person, no matter their circumstances. My biggest role in the ministry was to be the best example I could be to these kids who did not grow up having the good example to follow. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” This wonderful upbringing taught me to never be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, and watch what God can do through you when you take that step.… Read More
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?
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I always had nursing in the back of my mind as a career, but I chose a different major in college. After receiving a bachelors degree, I wondered what I would do. My husband and I brainstormed my next step, but nursing kept tugging at my heart. I was nervous because I'd have to go back to school and basically start over; then once I became a nurse, I'd be liable for lives. As I searched my heart and prayed with my husband for answers, some doors started to open. The confirmation came when my husband, like a Nike ad, said "Just do it, what do you have to lose!" So I did. I went to school, got my second degree in nursing and I've been a nurse now for six years. I've worked in different units: some where the loss is significant like the ICU units and some not as critical. But the Cardiovascular ICU for heart babies is where God touched me the most. Watching families go through hell, not knowing if their child was returning from surgery, or seeing them lose their child altogether, impacted me greatly. As I watched others suffer, I would continually pray, "Lord, how do I love these families in the midst of tragedy?" I heard an answer while working with one very special family. Their child had a chronic heart condition, and was given three weeks to live. A few days into that third week, she passed. Watching this family endure such tragedy and being there for them changed my life forever. My passion for nursing… Read More
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The challenges of caring for a child with special needs can be overwhelming. Care must be provided at all times. Our son, Aaron, had cerebral palsy, and we took loving care of him for 27 years until he passed away in 2009. Our loss devastated us, and we searched for how to make sense of it. We knew God had a plan, we just didn't understand it during that period. We didn't know what to do next, but from our personal experience, we always knew there needed to be some relief for the parents of children with special needs. While we were taking care of Aaron, we didn't have any time to pursue this idea. But God started revealing His plan to us. A woman came up to us at church and said "The Lord is telling me that you have a dream. I don't know what it is, but it's time for you to pursue that dream." Wow! With that nudge, we started to investigate the possibility of providing a ministry dedicated to providing respite for parents and guardians who have children with special needs. So we started Aaron's Staff in 2010. Volunteers give their time to provide quality care for these children and their siblings while their parents take a Saturday night out for themselves. It's open to anybody in the community, not just fellow Christians. And it's not simply babysitting. The children take part in a program that includes arts & crafts, story time, music, recreation and movies, all of which is Christian-based. We minister to these… Read More
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My heart is and always has been teaching the youth. Teenagers are in the most vulnerable time in their lives, and I feel I should help make straight as many paths as possible. It says in 1 Corinthians 3:11, "For no man can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ." There are so many bad influences out there in the world today. We see this so often in movies, songs and video games. It is easy for our youth to take a step back from moral values and make bad choices. I feel it is up to me and all Christians to step up and teach our youth God's Word, and help them establish a life worthy of our Lord. I use the analogy of an old car going up a hill: it takes so much effort to get it to the top of the hill; yet with perseverance and hard work, it makes it. Such is a life with Christ. It takes perseverance, dedication and hard work to live the life He set out for us. But too many children today take the fast ride down the hill, with no work or dedication, conforming to the worldly ideas, and missing out on what God has for them. My mission in life is to reach as many teenagers as possible, whether on the street, in a park, in a gym, anywhere; and let them know they can have a life that is filled with power, gifts, rewards and peace through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
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I fought off becoming a Young Life leader most of college, but after graduating and returning home, my heart changed; I began to appreciate that Young Life truly goes where the teens are. Young Life teaches its leaders to listen, invest time, and hopefully earn the right to speak about Jesus' love and the truth of God's Word. I'll never forget my very first meeting as a volunteer---this young girl marched right up to me and introduced herself. I could see right away that though she was young, she had an old soul, and in that moment, I knew our relationship was going to be special. I learned of her compassionate nature and how she truly cared for others. She started coming to Young Life faithfully as a freshman, and she would even campaign to her other classmates about it! She told me about one friend she'd known since middle school, and she was worried about her because she was headed down a dark path. She told me how special this girl was. After hearing this, I knew we had to get involved. I met this girl not long after our talk, and all three of us started hanging out regularly. We would grab coffee, dinner, ice cream and talk authentically about anything and everything. Over the years, we walked through life's intense stuff together: high school stratospheres, boys, heartbreak, family issues, parents with cancer, fear, hurt and many other things. Our relationships grew exponentially over time. I was their leader at first, and then we all became best friends. Sometimes we may think… Read More
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It has always been my desire to find inexpensive, meaningful ways to get Bibles into the hands of people willing to take one. I became a Christian a little later in life, and reading scripture has had a deeply profound impact on my life. I went from not knowing about true unconditional love, grace, and acceptance, to experiencing all of these things and more through God's word. My desire now is for others to experience this as well. Since there are a lot of homeless people living near me, I thought it might be a cool place to start sharing God's love letter. The only barrier for me was cost. But one day while shopping at the 99-cents store, I came across a bunch of small Bibles. I knew I had to buy them. So for the past few years, I've kept a large stack of Bibles in my car, with a dollar stuffed inside each one to hand out. Now, if anyone asks for money, I offer up money and a Bible. The Lord wants us to step out of our comfort zone and share the "good news". I guess this is my way of taking those initial steps! My hope is that each person receiving this feels God's love and acceptance, just like I did.