The Christian Heart

Home
United States
Birmingham, AL
The Christian Heart

Illustrating how men and women display their love for Jesus in their day-to-day lives. Little things that may have an eternal impact.

The Christian Heart is a not-for-profit ministry which shows how everyday people live out their Christian faith. Not everyone can be a Billy Graham or Mother Teresa. But we each can display our love for Jesus in our day-to-day lives. It may be little things, but they may have an eternal impact. Our mission is to encourage Christians to have a stronger walk with The Lord and put their faith into ac

tion; and to show everyone what happens when The Lord enters your life. Do you know somebody who is displaying their love for Jesus in their day-to-day life? If so, please share their story with us. You can do so here: http://www.thechristianheart.com/suggest-a-person/

09/04/2026

I was sexually abused multiple times as a six-year-old child. As a young boy, I was confused, shameful and guilt ridden. I didn't say anything to anyone. Even as an 11 year old kid, I recalled standing at the doorway of my mom and dad's room, determined to say something, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I was overcome by shame, guilt, and a fear that often comes with abuse. I bottled it up. For decades. But as an adult, I kept having the same recurring nightmare and finally got myself into counseling.

What people might not understand about abuse victims is that believing it wasn't your fault does not come easily or quickly; it's a process of forgiveness and self-reflection that usually happens in silence. For me, that happened on a river as I was fly fishing at age 38. I loved the serenity of fly fishing and found it to be the perfect place to talk to God. And it was on that river where He and I finally worked out all my demons.

So many people go through painful experiences and don't do anything with those experiences. But God showed me that He wanted me to do something impactful with this pain. I didn’t know what that might be, so I prayed and gave it all to God. He led me to do two things.

The first was to write a book about my experience called Picking Butter Beans. It allowed me to clearly put my thoughts and experiences on paper through some fictional characters. The book did surprisingly well, and God led me to use the money from the sale of that book to do something even bigger: to start an organization called On River Time.

We help provide hope and healing to children who have experienced abuse and neglect. These kids have endured horrible actions, usually by those they trusted the most. We want to change the trajectory of that child's life; to let them know that they are not defined by their past and they have a future filled with hope. We take these kids on a week-long trip to Idaho to fly fish for a couple days on the Snake River.

(To read the rest of this inspiring story, click the link in our profile and search for "On River Time")

09/03/2026

I never thought I'd quit my job as a fire fighter and go into full time ministry, teaching unemployed young men the art of wordworking. But I felt the Lord's calling and you don't say no when you hear that voice.

I planned on being a fire fighter my entire career but my life changed once I got saved by a friend at the station. I started reading my Bible every day. I got to Matthew 4:19, and I felt like the Lord was speaking to me directly. He was calling me to share the Gospel with people. But what could I possibly do to fulfill this?

I prayed and what became abundantly clear was that I was passionate about several things: Jesus, working, people and building things. I had built a few pieces of furniture and sold them to fund a mission trip, so I wondered if woodworking may be the vehicle to help me reach out to people.

On my off days, I started working with a couple guys who were having a very rough time in life, teaching them the art of wordworking. We built a couple pieces of furniture together and they sold right away at a consignment store. A few friends saw the positive effect this was having on these young men, and wanted to help me reach others who may be unemployed or struggling.

So we started Manufacture Good. We take unemployed young men--some just out of prison, some college graduates--and make furniture that is sold in stores and online. We don't just teach woodworking. We teach young men the art of work. We teach them responsibility, to show up on time, to work with integrity. We teach them about managing their money.

We all have a past, but we push their re-set button when they first enter the shop. And we help them grow spiritually. We pray, have a daily devotion and eat together. We are there to listen. So many millennials think work is miserable, something we just have to do. But work is a gift from God. It's a form of worship.

We may sound like a shop and think like a shop, but we also teach and minister. God has blessed this ministry beyond my wildest dreams. I'm excited to see where He takes this!

09/02/2026

My name is Leon Purley, aka “Leon the Jokester,” a blind comedian in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I grew up in Moreno Valley, California, home of money and pollution. I was raised in a Christian household by my mom.

One of my biggest hobbies as a kid was playing basketball and writing funny stories. My mother kept me with a pen and notepad at all times. She saw something special in me and knew someday I would write many books.

I attended Rainbow Ridge elementary school and always had a lot of friends. I met a kid in my neighborhood who was cool at first, then later on started offering me temptations to get in trouble. He exposed me to “inappropriate films” not suitable for kids or adults.

At 11, my young mind had seen “unclean” things that followed me for multiple years. I wanted to be free from this level of bo***ge, but didn’t understand how to be delivered.

In 2004, I packed up my bags and moved out of my mother’s house to attend college in Tulsa, Oklahoma to study journalism. College was a struggle for me, but my mother’s prayers got me through every semester.

School was a big challenge for me. Learning complex concepts never made sense to me. God got me through, so I could graduate from Oral Roberts University.

During this time, I felt like God was pulling on me to go into ministry, but like Jonah in the Bible, I continued to run from my calling.

On April 20th, 2009, God spoke to me and said, “This is your last warning. It’s time to repent of your sins.” The next day I called my mom and she led me to Jesus Christ. I got saved that day and baptized on July 8th, 2009.

I went through a season of unemployment and trying to make sense of life and ministry. I kept praying and God got me a job at the church as a youth ministry DJ. It was so much fun.

In 2016, I was afflicted with an eye disease called “RP” and I stepped down from my day job and jumped into comedy. For the last nine years, the Lord has used me to spread the Gospel one joke at a time.

My goal in life is to keep winning souls for God, impacting lives by sharing love, hope and laughter.

09/01/2026

My wife has Alzheimer's, so every afternoon I drive her through the country and we talk about the "good old days." I'm trying to bring back any remnants of memories she has left.

On our way to the country, we always pass the same homeless man on a downtown corner. One day, I decided to stop and talk to him, and now it's become part of our routine.

Each time we see Rick, I give him a little money, and he always gives me something in return. The items he gives me aren't as impactful as the stories he tells me, and the hope he has for his future. My wife doesn't remember a lot of what we talk about with him, but I do and every conversation manages to impact me in a powerful way.

Rick has a story, as everyone does. He desires love, like everyone does. And he deserves a second chance, just like everyone else. Thank goodness God gives us second chances, sometimes a number of them. I'm excited to see what Rick does with his second chance, and thankful he reminds me of the hope God gives all of us for the future.

08/31/2026

I was born with no legs, no left arm and only a partial right arm. My whole life I’ve been told what I can’t do, but I’m here to tell you what I can do. I’m a professional fisherman competing in the Bassmaster Open Series. And I’m a motivational speaker.

When I’m fishing, I attach lures using his mouth. To cast my line, I wedge my fishing rod between my neck and shoulder. And once I cast the line, it’s just fishing, like anyone else.

As a kid, I always wanted to be a pro athlete. I wasn’t going to let my circumstances define my life and keep me from living. But it was obvious the NFL or Major League Baseball would not be drafting me. I wondered if there was a sport I could take to the top level, so I pursued fishing.

I got into fishing when I was five years old because of my grandfather. He was an outdoors guy who loved hunting and fishing, and he showed me how to do both in spite of my challenges. He had a catfish pond in our small town of Hamilton, Alabama, and we’d fish together for hours.

I never allowed my physical disabilities to be an obstacle. My family was incredibly supportive. Whatever special things I needed to succeed in fishing, they got for me. But more than anything, they were supreme encouragers.

I began competing in fishing tournaments at age 15, and then at the state level in 1997. I was blessed with some fishing success, and qualified for some state championships and got to go to the Southeast Regionals.

I joined the Fishing League Worldwide and fished on that circuit from 2000 to 2010, and then started with BASS in 2012. I’ve had some wonderful supportive mentors who took me under their wing and gave me invaluable tips.

But I’m not just a professional fisherman.

My life took a turn one day when I was 18. God will allow things to come into our lives to get our attention. I woke up with the symptoms of a heart attack. But I didn’t tell anybody....

(Please click our profile link and click on “A Fisher of Men” to read the rest of this inspiring story)

08/30/2026

God’s Word is powerful. And true. That’s why we post these Bible verses. If you follow us, you’ll also see inspiring stories of everyday people showing their love for Jesus and living out their Christian faith.

08/29/2026

Is there someone you feel needs to see this powerful Bible verse? If so, please share it.

08/28/2026

My life changed dramatically five years ago. I woke up in the middle of the night to a room filled with emergency medical personnel. My husband lovingly told me that I had a seizure and we were going to the hospital.

After being admitted, doctors determined I had experienced a grand mal seizure, or what is medically known as a tonic-clonic seizure. Over the next few months, I had some recurring impaired awareness seizures, and I was diagnosed with epilepsy.

I was the mom of a six-month old baby and worked full time in a career that I loved. Now because of the seizures, I couldn’t drive. I needed to step away from my job so the medical personnel could determine the best course of action for me.

I felt alone and wondered how I would navigate all this. The fear of having another seizure was always on my mind. This is a very common concern for those with epilepsy.

But that was not all that was happening. A few months later, my husband experienced some headaches and underwent a sinus surgery right before an anniversary trip we had planned. We went on the trip but he started to feel bad and had some numbness in his arms and then his face. We flew back immediately. After two ER visits, he was placed in the ICU and doctors determined he had an infection on his brain. It seems his sinus infection had leaked into his skull and caused swelling in his brain. This infection nearly took his life.

We were two very healthy people who had both faced life-threatening situations. We had to rely on our faith in Jesus to get us through.

We were also determined to turn our pain into purpose. We are not promised an easy life as a Christian. I feel we are here to glorify the Lord for however many days He grants us here on earth, and to point others to Him. He is the one that provides peace despite what we may be going through. So we wanted to use our experiences to point others to Jesus.

And here is where God provided a way that neither of us saw coming...

(Click our profile link and search for “Epilepsy Changed Her Life” to read the rest of this inspiring story)

08/27/2026

I've played the piano and organ in churches for the last 50 years. I began playing piano at my church when I was about 15 and have continued doing so ever since. Every Sunday, I have found great joy behind the keys at my church. I spend hours pouring over music for Sunday's service. Each week is a wonderful challenge in finding just the right songs to encourage and inspire the congregation.

In college, I discovered an even deeper love for music when I was introduced to the organ. I decided to study music and spent almost every waking moment between those two instruments, learning new arrangements for old hymns. I would then try them out on a local congregation I played for throughout college. It was a wonderful time.

Since then, each Sunday finds me behind an instrument at two different churches in my community. Because both churches are very small, there just isn't anyone in the congregation who can play any music. Thankfully, the two services have times different enough to allow me to attend both churches.

I have served the congregations of these two churches for over 30 years and have loved every minute. Each week when my fingers hit the keys, I look up to see the faces in the audience as their voices belt out praise to God. It truly is a privilege to be used by God to praise His name each week. My prayer is that someone younger will be inspired by the music and begin her own journey in church music, giving God all the glory through the expressions of her talent.

08/26/2026

I first found Max outside my workplace. He was injured, with deep burns that had damaged his nervous system. His eyes reflected fear and pain; yet somehow, he trusted me. I felt a mix of shock and sadness; I had never seen such vulnerability in such a small being.

The first days were the hardest. Cleaning his wounds and watching him suffer gave me a tangible understanding of the suffering God feels when we are in pain. Despite everything, Max clung to me, slowly showing signs of trust and hope. Day by day, with constant care and love, his recovery became a quiet reminder that faith and patience can heal even the deepest wounds.

What made this experience even more transformative was realizing that God was speaking to me through Max. My spirit had been dulled at that time, but seeing a defenseless creature survive and fully trust in the one helping him awakened my heart. I learned that just as Max held on to me, I must hold on to God during my own trials. I clearly remember our first eye contact; his gaze silently said, “I need your kindness.” That moment of connection became a turning point in my life.

Max lived six more years, fully happy, and his passing was a painful, yet profound lesson. I learned to notice life’s small details, and to see God in them: breathing, walking, watching the flowers and clouds. His resilience taught me that trusting God is essential, even when facing suffering or uncertainty.

Max not only survived; he taught me how to live with faith, gratitude, and hope. His story reminds me that miracles often appear through simple acts of love and care, and that trusting God can transform any life.

Address

9340 Helena Road Suite F-121
Birmingham, AL
35244

Website

http://www.thechristianheart.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Christian Heart posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your organization to be the top-listed Non Profit Organization in Birmingham?