“Everybody was so welcoming and so kind,” Zach recalls. “I found that everybody was very accepting. Everybody would answer your questions about the Bible. It was just a really good thing — something I needed to do for myself.” 

With a heart burdened for the lost and a deep longing to serve with unwavering faithfulness, Kristen returned from a missions season overseas forever changed.  Feeling the burden of the world's unmet needs, Kristen was ignited with an unwavering passion to share the gospel with those who had never experienced its hope. 

What started as a small yes, the Lord grew into something greater. As a busy parent, Sarah offers what she has, and the Lord is using her time to build something greater. Between navigating the art of naptimes and mastering the occasional meltdown, she makes service a steady heartbeat in the life of her family.

Tim has never been one to merely sit on the sidelines. He takes action, lends a hand, and it doesn’t take long to recognize his warm and humble spirit. Even as a public accountant, his quiet office and endless spreadsheets are a means of connecting with clients. He acts as a problem solver, helping others navigate financial roads they don’t understand. His mind may be filled with numbers, but his heart is for people.

Michael’s life before Christ was without direction.  He had many questions about faith but didn’t have an outlet to share those questions.  His parents had divorced by the time he entered middle school.  By high school, he decided the whole religion thing wasn’t for him.  He didn’t understand the reason for it.  At this point, his thoughts turned very dark.  Life was worthless, and he couldn’t make life better, no matter what he did.

Before Maria came to Christ, she was desperate for love.  Without a father figure in her life, she was looking for love in all the wrong places.  At the age of 17, she found herself in a bad relationship.  At 18, she was pregnant and gave birth to her daughter.  The father of her baby left her shortly after.  He took everything with him and told Maria she’d never be anything without him.  Her world was shattered, and she was alone. 

Giving generously is a blessing! A few weeks ago, we shared that our church family was able to respond to a crisis at one of our local partners, World Relief Western New York, with a gift of $75,000.  These funds went to help 212 families with the basic needs of housing, clothing, food, transportation, and health care. Click here to read the whole story, including the testimony of one Christian Venezuelan family who received the help they were promised.

After spending years searching for purpose in the wrong places, Mike found himself ready to take his own life- but God intervened. Mike had been trying to fill the void he felt in his life with material things and overworking to the point where it was harming his marriage and family life.