Chasing after the wind, I was a high schooler who longed for ‘the moment,’ whether it be a concert, sporting event, or school dance. Underneath it all, I knew I was living in the shadows; distracting myself from the consequences of my sin. I was addicted to my lusts, which were distracting me and only adding to the tab of consequences. The pandemic in 2020 was a shelter to the wind I was chasing. I had no wind to chase, and as a result, I longed for renewal with the God I was distracting myself from. I ended up giving my life to Jesus; only to discover his unimaginable grace that was nothing short of a miracle. Not only was I a new creation in Him (and He in me), but the Lord began to sanctify me of my sin. He led me across my own Jordan River, overcoming a previous harmful addiction that I had struggled with for over four years. Three years later, I am now a student ministry leader with Cru, where I lead campus evangelism and an apologetics study group. While studying Human Communication Studies, I utilize the curriculum to converse and build relationships with students where I share the Gospel with them, and answer their questions to the faith we have good reason to fight for. It is a nerve-racking step out of my comfort zone, considering my campus is increasingly hostile toward God’s Word. I also lead an apologetics study group, which is an outlet for the students in our ministry to continue to learn to provide a… 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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In the depths of my heart, a fire burned—a calling that could not be ignored. As a single mom, life had dealt its blows, but my faith in Christ remained my anchor. With trepidation and trust, I opened my home to foster children, answering God's whispered invitation. Jamal and La' Velle were the first, their laughter filling my once-empty rooms. Together, we journeyed—a dance of laughter, tears, and victories. In doubt, I turned to prayer, finding solace in God's unchanging love and His call to care for the vulnerable. More children came, each carrying their own stories of shattered dreams. In our togetherness, love became our tapestry of healing. Weariness threatened, but Christ renewed my spirit, reminding me of His purpose in my labor of love. My home became a sanctuary, where laughter mingled with tears. Some found permanence through adoption, forever etching themselves upon my heart. In reflection, I am humbled by the transformative journey, a testament to Christ's love and the power of redemption. As I continue, I carry the torch of love, blessed beyond measure. Each life touched is a recipient of grace. In our shared space, they find healing and a glimpse of the Divine. In the symphony of life, my role as a foster parent is but a verse, a melody harmonizing with the grand symphony of creation. Driven by my soul's whispers and guided by Christ's love, I trust that my labor makes a difference—one child, one heart at a time.
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My dad did something every month for nearly 10 years that impacted countless people in our community. And he kept it totally quiet until a few weeks before he passed away. He gave a $100 bill every month to our local pharmacist, Brooke Walker, to help people in our small town of Geraldine, Alabama that needed assistance in paying for their critical prescriptions. He never wanted anyone to know where the money came from or how it was used. He just asked Brooke to use her judgment and to tell the recipient that “this is from someone that felt led by God to help another”. My dad grew up in Geraldine, so he knew the people in the community. He was pretty sure that some people were having trouble paying for their medicine. He’d been down that road himself. Our mom had suffered with MS and passed away in 1999. She had been prescribed a lot of different medicines to deal with her symptoms. My parents were not well off since they were farmers, and were astounded at the high price of her prescriptions. I know they must have struggled to pay for those medicines. He likely noticed others struggling in the pharmacy to pay for their prescription. My dad heard the Lord saying “I’ve got a mission for you.” He slipped Brooke a crumbled up $100 bill and instructed her to give it to someone who needed help paying for their medicine. And he’d go to the pharmacy every single month and give Brooke another $100; sometimes a lot more. Brooke said, “I always… Read More
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After teaching personal body safety to over 1,000 kids, I was inspired to write the Say NO! and TELL! books. Child sexual abuse is prevalent and increasing nationwide. I know too many friends and family who have experienced this trauma. The intervention, sharing a survivor story and recovery parts are growing strong in this movement, although I saw a gap in prevention education. Almost instantly, I had a vision about the butterfly telling her story plus scenarios to role-play. I wanted to create something light, bright, colorful and positive with an animal character delivering this prevention message. I realized that children across the nation and world-wide could benefit from a boundaries approach to help prevent child sexual abuse with child-friendly language and age-appropriate content. And, body boundaries do not need to include reproduction so we can begin training very young children during those teachable moments. In January of 2015, I began researching prevention of child sexual abuse for about 1.5 years while writing the read-aloud children's books of Maisie Monarch for girls and Daxton Dolphin for boys. I also researched the tactics of an abuser and identified eight common ones, which I turned into positive life skills to role play. I also trained about 80 children’s church volunteers one summer, which led to writing the training workbook. During that time, my great concern was that our pornified culture and society was trying to lower the age of consent and normalize pedophilia. Sadly, it seems that it is already on our doorstep today. My husband and I have fully funded this endeavor and we… Read More
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In a bustling city filled with skyscrapers and noise, I’m a construction worker. My life was once marked by emptiness and uncertainty, but amidst the chaos, an unexpected encounter with Christ brought solace and purpose to my existence. During my early years, I wandered through life, desperately searching for meaning. Addiction and the weight of my past mistakes burdened me. Deep inside, I yearned for something more substantial than the hollow pleasures offered by the daily grind. One fateful day, as I took a break from my construction work, I stumbled upon a small, weathered church hidden in a forgotten corner of the city. Intrigued, I entered, seeking refuge from the turmoil in my heart. Little did I know that this moment would mark the beginning of my transformation. Within those humble church walls, I encountered a community of people whose faith emanated genuine love and acceptance. They welcomed me with open arms, sharing their own stories of redemption and grace. Through their unwavering devotion to Christ, they introduced me to a love I had never known. Over time, I became a regular attendee of the church, hungry for the truth and hope that resonated in their lives. I immersed myself in the teachings of Christ, spending countless hours delving into the words of the Bible and seeking solace through prayer. In my newfound faith, I discovered an overwhelming peace and a sense of purpose that had eluded me for far too long. Through the transforming power of Christ's love, my life began to change. I found the strength to overcome my addictions, mend broken… Read More
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Through walking this life with Christ, I’ve had the chance to witness the miracles that come with having faith, but it still doesn't change the shock and warmth one feels when experiencing one of these miracles first hand. I'm very passionate about charity. Little did I know, that passion would make me worthy of feeling the miracles of Christianity on a day where a miracle was greatly needed. I was given the chance to orchestrate an incredible act of kindness, to be a part of an effort that provides the homeless with food and other basic necessities. We reached out to a local homeless veteran’s shelter. I started by interviewing 30-40 individuals, asking them about their unique stories. I also asked for prayer requests, and if there was anything they needed at that moment that I could provide, which turned out to be anything ranging from something as vital as a wheelchair down to something as simple as a bus ticket. I spent time sharing each veteran's heart wrenching story on social media. I reached out to newspapers, as well as local radio and tv stations, hoping to spread the word. Thankfully with donations from local businesses, I was able to provide everyone with what they had asked for. The room where the gifts were placed was filled to the brim with items for each sweet soul, stacks of items that were towering over everyone. Little did I know this was only the beginning. Businesses had also donated food. There was one point I was concerned we weren't going to have enough for everyone… Read More