Sustaining a Sacred Calling: A Missionary in My Own Community
This is a PERSONAL love offering campaign to support me as a servant in the ministry God has called me to. Donations made through this platform are not tax-deductible, but they are an eternal investment in offering comfort to parents in their darkest hour.
If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift to our nonprofit ministry, please visit:
www.footprintsontheheart.org
As the Co-Founder of Footprints on the Heart, I have dedicated my time, talent, and treasure to delivering in-person support, H.O.P.E. Boxes, our signature annual Candlelighting & Remembrance event, outreach opportunities, education and training, and compassionate peer support for grieving families across Northwest Georgia.
God placed this sacred calling—to walk alongside families through the unimaginable loss of a baby (up to age two)—on my life the night my granddaughter, Natalie, was delivered stillborn on February 9, 2011.
Our ministry has always been—and remains at this time—100% volunteer-led.
What that means is:
• Every program we have offered has been built entirely on volunteer time.
• I have never received a salary for this full-time ministry work.
• While this work is my joy and my calling, it has also meant carrying personal financial burdens—student loans, medical bills, and basic living expenses—without stable income to help support my family.
Our nonprofit board is actively working toward a long-term solution: fundraising for a sustainable staff role so I can continue this work without sacrificing my family’s needs. But until that campaign is launched, I am asking for help to bridge the gap.
Families facing the loss of a baby don’t get to choose the timing of their grief. They need someone who can show up in their darkest moments—not just when it’s convenient.
Your support right now allows me to:
• Continue providing in-person support at hospitals and funeral homes for grieving families.
• Maintain the inventory and care involved in the tangible keepsakes we provide.
• Continue offering outreach opportunities, volunteer gatherings, annual events, and educational opportunities—especially with nursing students.
• Sustain the emotional, spiritual, and physical presence that is at the heart of our ministry.
How You Can Help
Your gift helps cover basic living costs so I can continue offering this ministry full-time while our nonprofit builds a long-term solution. My initial goal is to raise $15,000 to prevent the need for outside employment—employment that would delay time-sensitive crisis care for grieving families.
This is not easy for me to write or share beyond my closest circle. As the cost of living continues to rise, my family needs my support. My husband has graciously carried the weight of me not working so I could follow God’s calling, and the time has come for me to contribute financially as well.
I have tried working outside the ministry in earlier seasons, and sitting at a job—watching the clock while knowing a grieving family was waiting—was less than ideal. This work requires presence, availability, and immediacy.
If you have ever been touched by the ministry of Footprints on the Heart—or if you believe in my sacred calling to comfort grieving families in Northwest Georgia—I invite you to partner with me personally in this season, just as you would support a missionary.
Missionaries don’t always cross oceans. Some of us are called to serve our own communities. That is my story—serving families across six Northwest Georgia counties.
Your gift is not just financial. It is a seed sown into a ministry of presence, compassion, and hope. This work cannot be measured in hours or even in what is given—it is measured in lives touched, tears shared, and hope restored.
Your support ensures that I can continue supporting grieving families—and also care for my own.
Prayer Requests:
• Strength as I serve grieving families
• Provision for my family and for Footprints on the Heart
• Comfort and hope for every parent walking through unimaginable loss
Monthly support would be an incredible blessing. Recurring partnership allows me to serve with confidence, knowing consistent support is in place. Sharing this campaign with others who may feel called to help is also deeply appreciated.
With love and gratitude,
Khristie Staines
To learn about our ministry efforts visit:
