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?
  • Children Mission Work

    LOVING ON THESE SWEET CHILDREN

    From the time I was a little girl, I wanted to be a missionary. Finally, God opened a door for me. After spending 30 years in special education, I retired in August 2015 and began working with Real Hope for Haiti, a medical mission primarily serving malnourished children. I homeschool the children of the missionaries serving at RHFH. After my teaching responsibilities end for the day, I am blessed to have opportunities to love and serve the precious children healing in the clinic. I spend nine months of the year in Haiti and then come back to the United States for three months. What I love about what I'm doing now is I am able to align the skill set I have with my faith. Every day I feel like I am where the Lord wants me to be.

  • Loving Your Neighbor Prayer

    SEEING EQUALLY

    My mom raised me to see the poor, to view life through the eyes of people who are economically at the bottom. She taught me that people living in impoverished conditions need help, and that I could serve through prayer, mission trips or volunteering. However, my perspective dramatically changed when I began working as a nanny for a wealthy family in California. Before working there, I had a mental picture of how wealthy people lived; I saw wealth as privilege without struggle. What I didn't expect to see was genuine need. These people had real struggles like everyone else, just not economic ones. It turns out I needed to see the rich in the same way my mother taught me to see the poor. Just like us all, regardless of class, there was a longing for love, attention, encouragement, and structure. The sweetest part was not just serving this family and meeting needs, but getting to be a point of connection to Jesus. My experience as a nanny taught me to disregard any sort of class system, and to approach all people as needing help and, most importantly, love. I now realize God's idea of significance is way different than mine, and He can use anyone, in any role, to be powerfully loving. Truly, He sees us all.

  • Prayer

    COMPLETELY TRUSTING THE LORD

    I'm nine weeks pregnant, and it is tough. It's not just the sloth-like tiredness, constant nausea, or the treacherous vomiting. It's especially difficult because I am so afraid of having another miscarriage. The other day, my husband brought home a maternity shirt, which was so thoughtful of him (and the shirt was surprisingly cute), but I was unable to fully enjoy it because I was afraid of losing this baby. The questions, "will I get to wear this shirt" and "will I remain pregnant", kept running through my mind. We heard about our church's Holy Spirit Conference and decided to attend despite our skepticism. We were really curious about this part of our faith that we hadn't really exercised. The coolest thing happened---we experienced the Holy Spirit in such a personal way. Before we went, I begged God to reassure me everything was going to be okay with this baby. I asked the Holy Spirit to send someone to pray for me who didn't know my situation. Then, while we were worshiping, a leader in the church came up to my husband and me and asked if he could pray for us. We said, "yes". He asked my husband to put his hand on my stomach and he began to pray for our pregnancy. He also prayed against all fear and anger. I was astounded by this real and instant answer to prayer. The moment he prayed, I was filled with an overwhelming peace that I have never experienced. The leader who prayed with us asked, "what are you feeling right now?",… Read More

  • Verbalizing the Gospel

    SHOWING EVERYONE A LOVING SPIRIT

    We are living in such tumultuous times, politically and spiritually. We live and work in a world that needs Jesus. I want to be someone who shows Christ's love so that people may know our Heavenly Father is THE living Savior. Right now, it seems our country is becoming so insular and fearful. It's as if we are all hiding in our own communities, instead of building bridges and connecting people who don't think the way we think, or believe the way we believe. This year, I have been participating in a weekly Bible study with my fellow Christian coworkers during our lunch break, which is encouraging and edifying, but insular. I had this epiphany during the election season about insularity, and now I am attempting a much more outward faith. One that allows for mutual respect, openness, and love. I have had some really incredible conversations with my Muslim coworkers, where I get to hear their perspective and also share mine. My genuine hope is that as I talk to people about my faith and current events, that I do so in a loving Christ-like manner, and bring others to Jesus by showing His love in all that I do.

  • Labor Special Needs

    SHE HAD THE VISION

    In the 70’s, I worked for a telephone call center that would call and check on blind and disabled people, to make sure they were okay. When I would talk with them, one thing kept coming up over and over again: they didn't have enough help for their everyday activities. So, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit. I started looking for volunteers to run errands for the disabled, to get them out of their homes just to go shopping or take them to recreational activities. To read their mail, fill out paperwork, and take them to medical appointments. The need was overwhelming. I started this with my own money, but somehow God provided the funds and the volunteers. And they loved how they were able to help. It grew into a nonprofit called Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC. We serve all five boroughs. We now have an Action Line where disabled people can call, tell us their immediate problem and we try to come up with a solution for them. I even wrote a book, Never Be Discouraged With God All Things Are Possible. We are not a religious organization but I definitely started this because I'm a born-again Christian. And I saw the need because I, too, am blind.

  • Labor Verbalizing the Gospel

    GOD KNOWS MY EVERY NEED

    I run a small pet grooming business. Sometimes, it's difficult to compete against huge corporations, but somehow God provides for me in the most intimate of ways. I still have concerns about the business, but even when I'm not sure He's looking, He lets me know He sees me. The other day I experienced a mini-miracle. One of my employees, who has become a good friend and has been working with me for nearly six years, decided to put in his two-weeks notice. I felt very discouraged but within the hour, my shop phone was ringing and a new groomer was asking for employment. Considering I've only had four people in my seven years ever call for employment, both the call and the timing was stunning. The next day, the groomer came in for an interview, and after about an hour of talking where I shared the amazing timing of her call, not only was she hired, but she was asking to come to our church. Frankly, I was shocked she was moved by our conversation. The thing is, I try not to proselytize, and unlike my former ways of reaching people thru apologetics, I now try to share Jesus through love and acts of kindness. I'm so grateful for this new understanding, and that Jesus uses me in this way.

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