INSPIRATIONAL STORIES
~Bill, is a free-spirited college student, and a new believer. One Sunday morning, he walked into a church near the university with wild hair, a worn out T-shirt, and ripped jeans. The service had already started, so it was packed and there were no seats to be found. He walked all the way to the front, looked around, and no one moved to make room for him on a pew. Undeterred, he took a seat right there on the floor, like a scene from the Jesus Revolution. The tension in the air was thick and there was no sound other than the click clack of a deacon’s cane as he made his way down the aisle toward the younger man. All eyes were focused on him. Thinking he would escort the man out, to their surprise, the elderly deacon dropped his cane and with considerable effort, he lowered himself to the floor next to Bill, joining him in worship. When the pastor gained control of his emotions, he told the congregation, "You may never remember my sermon today. But, what you have just seen, you will never forget." Remember Jesus’ words: “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” You might be the only Bible they ever read.
~Easton's Mom told him he could adopt a new pet. He could have gotten an adorable puppy, or a sweet tiny kitten from the animal shelter. But, the little boy fell in love with Tiny, a 10-year-old big, fat cat who had just lost his longtime home. On the car ride back home, he let Tiny out of his cage and the cat curled up on Easton’s lap and has stayed close to his boy ever since.
Things we love to see
~It’s such a sweet gesture to pick up the tab for someone’s meal. Well, a man who was in Benton Harbor Michigan to attend his friend’s memorial service did more than that. He left a tip at the local café in memory of his friend. He asked the server to split it with the other staff members. The bill was $32. The tip $10,000. He’s living out the verse that tells us to “clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Business Insider
~Liz came home after her shopping trip, and with her arms full, a bag dropped and she heard glass break. Her brand new candle was ruined. Frustrated, she was ready to throw the whole thing away, but her husband stopped her, saying, “It will still light; it will still serve its’ purpose.” But, as we women do, she argued, “But it’s broken and ugly and glass is everywhere. It’s just not the same.” She walked away and when she came back, her hubby had placed the candle on the counter and lit the wick. She says, “My heart was immediately was drawn to the light.” Then the floodgate hit as she realized, “How often do we do this in our own lives or with others? Things don’t turn out the way we want them to. Plans fail. Dreams shatter. Goals hit the floor. People break our hearts. And we are ready to throw the whole thing in the trash. But, the wick still lights and the candle still brings the fragrance of goodness." Allow the broken pieces of your story to shine a light for others to see Christ working. (From Liz Liles, Daughters of Worth)
~A San Antonio, Texas woman has been reunited with her bridal photos that had been lost for decades. The pictures were spotted at an auction in Virginia by a woman who posted about the find in a Facebook group, where a user was able to track down the owner, 85-year-old Harriet. She had sent the glamorous bridal portraits to her mother in 1959, shortly after her wedding. She wore a Christian Dior gown and elegant elbow-length gloves in the pictures. The photos were apparently sold in an estate sale after Harriet’s mother died. She had always wanted to leave them to her granddaughters. She can do that now and says, "Little things that you don't think matter might be very important to somebody else."
Fox News
~Four Tulsa, Oklahoma teens put their own lives on the line to save their 90-year-old neighbor. As Catherine was getting ready for bed, her headboard caught fire. She tried to put out the flames, but the smoke quickly overcame her and she called 911 as her house alarm blared. Before the firefighters could get there, though, the teenagers smelled the smoke and heard the alarm and rushed to help her. They broke doors down to get inside. Fourteen-year-old Nick found Catherine in the hallway, covered in smoke. Catherine said, ‘This young boy was right there. He picked me up, and said, ‘We’re getting out of here.” Seventeen-year-old Wyatt said, ‘Ever since that night, my life has just changed…for the better.”
Faithpot
~Linda prayed, “Lord, show me how to love to these women.” Linda works in an office near a women’s prison. Several of them clean her office building, so she got to know them. God answered her prayer, prompting her to plan a surprise Thanksgiving dinner for them, complete with her best tablecloth, china, and silver. When the big day arrived, the women walked into the office and saw the beautiful table loaded with food. They assumed it was a Thanksgiving meal for the employees. “No. It’s for you,” she told them.
They were speechless and then one woman said, “Those smells bring back so many memories. What I miss most is the feeling of family during the holidays.” The women sat down at the table, amid tears and excited conversation. “I can’t believe someone cared enough to do this for us,” one said. Another suggested they hold hands and pray. Some prayed for forgiveness, some prayed for their families, and others thanked the Lord for the bountiful meal, an unexpected Thanksgiving feast. Linda’s prayers were answered as all the glory went to God for His provision. Jesus makes a place for us…all of us at his table.
CBN
~James and Clarissa closed on their new home and a few days later they found a treasure hidden in a built-in cabinet —50 gold and silver coins valued at $15,000. Legally, the coins were now their property, but they would have none of that. They gave them back to the previous owners, who shared the the story of the good deed in hopes of inspiring others during these difficult times. They said, “Now is a good time to pause and reflect about how we treat each other. If there were more people like this, this world would be a much better place.”
Good News Network
~ When it was the worst of times for Jersey City restaurant Würstbar, their neighbors at Virile Barber Shop swooped in to help. The entire staff was quarantined for Covid exposure, so the barbershop employees jumped in and took shifts to keep the eatery open until they could be tested and cleared. Now, that’s neighbor helping neighbor!
Good News Network
~Caitlyn, a PhD student in Michigan, defended her dissertation wearing a unique fashion choice. She showed up in a skirt she designed out of 17 rejection letters she’d received while studying—from scholarships, academic journals, and conferences. The idea came out of a desire to normalize rejection and take pride in overcoming it. She says, “The whole process reminded me that you have to apply to a lot of things to succeed. A natural part of the process is to get rejected along the way.”
Good News Network
~Lynda’s husband looked at her with his comforting, no nonsense way and said, “Keep your chin up. One foot in front of the other.” She was gripped with fear and fighting back tears as they loaded him in the ambulance to take him to the hospital. It was pneumonia and he only stayed one night. Relieved, they laughed about it over the next days at home together. Then, unexpectedly, God called Bryan home. His words a week earlier were emblazoned on her heart as she grappled with the daunting flood of grief and the timeless question, “Why?” Sharing the story with a friend, Laci told her ‘one foot in front of the other’ was a phrase she’d learned in Swahili on a mission trip to Africa. Mustering a laugh, they agreed it should be a slogan on a shirt. When Lynda returned to work, she found a t-shirt on her desk with a sweet note from Laci. The shirt was printed with that phrase in Swahili (Mbele Kwa Mbele) and English along with the verse Philippians 3:14: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” No matter what road you’re on today, press on. Chin up. One foot in front of the other!
(From Lynda Stringer, KVNE)
~Mark is a single Dad whose special needs son lives with him now. For years, he only had weekends with him. One day Mark’s mom wanted to make plans and he said, “I can’t do anything this weekend, I have to watch my son.” With a soft smile and a gentle tone, his very wise mother quickly corrected him. “No, Mark. You GET to watch your son.” That changed how he looked at things and he would never forget his mother’s words. Life can be difficult, even overwhelming. But think about how you look at it. Everyday provides an opportunity to be positive and kind to those around you. You don’t HAVE to face life’s challenges with a smile on your face and kindness in your heart. You GET to! [Love God, Love People-Danny Gokey]
~Damien, an officer with the Fresno PD pulled up to where a guys’ sports team was practicing to say hi and bring them some Gatorade. Their reaction will warm your heart.
[LightWorkers Audio-Video Link-Fresno PD]
We can build bridges and come together in remarkable ways.
~Grey is just 2 years old, but he’s mastered the art of good manners, politely telling his mom, "Thank you" whenever she gives him a yummy treat.
[LightWorkers Audio-Video link-Polite 2-year-old]
Goals for all the young moms out there!
~Graduation is a big deal. A teen with Down’s Syndrome wanted to share his special moment with the person he loved the most, his late mom. He dressed up especially for her and brought flowers to her graveside to share the good news...
[LightWorkers Audio-Video video link-Teen Grad]
Even when are loved ones are gone, they are still with us in our hearts.
~Sometimes God sends a hero to protect us. In this case, the hero was barely out of Kindergarten. Six-year-old Bridger stepped between a charging dog and his baby sister. After getting bit several times, he grabbed her hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He had to have 90 stitches, but is OK. He said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” God had other plans. His family calls their brave boy a superhero. He even got a personal congrats from Captain America Chris Evans!
Nikki Walker/Instagram
~Sixteen-year-old Hetti usually has a packed schedule, but with the pandemic, time kind of stopped. Instead of wasting it on mindless social media posts, she wanted to use her spare time to bring joy to others. That’s when Hetti’s Smile Boxes was born. With nominations from parents and friends, she sends care packages to kids dealing with a severe illnesses or difficult times. The kids post gift box reveal videos as they open the boxes of toys, gifts and handmade cards designed personally for each of them. Hetti says, "I love seeing people happy and smiling.” By giving joy, she’s receiving lots of it in return.
HettisSmileBoxes
~Psalm 23 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.” A teacher described goodness and mercy as being like puppies that joyfully follow us everywhere and sometimes run ahead of us. That spoke to her friend, Maureen who says, “I should have named my two dogs Goodness and Mercy; they follow me everywhere I go, looking at me to make sure there’re still with me. And sometimes they run on ahead of me and wait for me to catch up. These are strange, unprecedented times, but God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is still with us. Let’s look for His goodness and mercy, not only following us, but sometimes running on ahead, waiting for us to catch up.”
~Paul is a landlord. He knows his livelihood is in jeopardy as more and more people lose their jobs during this time. One of his tenants is self-employed with four kids trying to make ends meet. He’s worried that they could end up in the street before long, but Paul did something unexpected. He knocked on the young dad’s door and told him they could stay in the property rent free for five months. Paul’s heart is full today and his conscience clear as he challenges other landlords, “if you can, do more, do something.” [Dear Younger Me-Mercy Me]
~Hattie loves to be held, so she slept with Macy and Matt nearly every single night. On a Monday night, after they finished reading, Hattie looked up at her Mom and said, “Mommy, I can see Jesus and he is wearing all white.” Early the next morning morning, Hattie was asleep between them when the tornado warning sounded. The youth pastor and his wife grabbed Hattie and their infant daughter, Lainey, just before the twister hit and chaos blew their lives apart. They ended up near the front porch still holding their girls. Lying unconscious, a loving neighborhood and church family took over rescuing them from the rubble and filling in the blanks when they woke up. Jill held Lainey and checked her into the hospital. Luke held Hattie, even after she had already passed into the arms of Jesus. Matt says, “My girls never touched the ground." This broken family is being held now by love and support as God works through his people.
Matt Collins/Facebook
~The heat was blazing as he choked down the MRE and shifted in the miserable cot. Afghanistan wasn’t exactly a cheery place. When he heard his name at mail call, he perked up a bit. When he opened the box, tears began streaming down his face as socks and toothpaste, beef sticks, M&Ms and other treats fell into his lap. At the bottom...a card from a kid and some military moms. “Praying for you. Come home safe,” it said. A huge grin broke out on the face of the soldier missing his family. He wiped the tears away and tore into the M&M’s first, sharing his bounty with his unit. In this moment, gobbling chocolates and wiping red green and yellow stains from his hands, he felt God watching over him and his buddies.
-Lynda Stringer
~Hearts continue to melt across social media after Lee Loechler, a filmmaker, proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Sthuthi David, by reanimating the ending of her favorite film: Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. It took six months of work to animate the scene and arrange for the movie screening. When the movie got to the scene where the prince kisses Princess Aurora, the skin and hair colors of the animated characters started to change and the on-screen prince held up a ring and tossed it into the air so that Lee could “catch it” from the front row of the audience and get down on one knee for what was potentially the most heartwarming fairy-tale ending in history. His princess accepted the proposal to live happily ever after. And the video of the proposal has racked up more than 6 million views on YouTube.
Good News Network
~After her mom died, Jill was on a downhill trajectory. A ski trip taught her that life can be sweet after a few falls. She was a novice skier and her instructor, picking up on her fear said something that made her nod in stunned recognition: “Jill, fear stops everything.” She says, “Peter was talking about skiing, about how your muscles tense up when you’re afraid, often causing you to fall. But it’s true in life too. When you let fear prevent you from doing what you love, life stops. With Peter’s words on my mind, I kept going, even as snow started to fall, daubing the trees in white, hushing all sound. By day’s end, I’d improved enough to fly down hills that had intimidated me, a grin on my face, tears in my eyes. Tears not from the cold, but of gratitude. I’d faced my fears on the mountain, and I knew conquering the rest wouldn’t be far behind.”
Women's Day
~An Ohio church showed a pizza delivery guy what Christ's love is all about. When the 22-year-old delivered an order to Life Point Church in Mentor, they surprised him with $700 in tips. When he arrived at the church he was asked to bring one of the pizzas to the pastor on stage. The pastor's original plan was to tip him $100, but the congregation lined up handing him tips of their own. He was overwhelmed with emotion and made a video, saying through tears, "I've been having such a hard time lately, just struggling to stay clean. I'm just trying to get my life back and this just really truly amazes me -- that people who don't even know me just wanted to help me out that much."
Huffington Post
~There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. A wedding. Father and daughter getting ready to walk down the aisle, but Dad Todd Bacjman had something else in mind for his daughter, Brittany. He stopped the procession, ran to the front row and grabbed the arm of Brittany's stepfather, Todd Cendrosky. He wanted to share the special moment with him. So both of them walked their daughter down the aisle to give her to her groom.
Huffington Post
~Easton's Mom told him he could adopt a new pet. He could have gotten an adorable puppy, or a sweet tiny kitten from the animal shelter. But, the little boy fell in love with Tiny, a 10-year-old big, fat cat who had just lost his longtime home. On the car ride back home, he let Tiny out of his cage and the cat curled up on Easton’s lap and has stayed close to his boy ever since.
Things we love to see
~It’s such a sweet gesture to pick up the tab for someone’s meal. Well, a man who was in Benton Harbor Michigan to attend his friend’s memorial service did more than that. He left a tip at the local café in memory of his friend. He asked the server to split it with the other staff members. The bill was $32. The tip $10,000. He’s living out the verse that tells us to “clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”
Business Insider
~Liz came home after her shopping trip, and with her arms full, a bag dropped and she heard glass break. Her brand new candle was ruined. Frustrated, she was ready to throw the whole thing away, but her husband stopped her, saying, “It will still light; it will still serve its’ purpose.” But, as we women do, she argued, “But it’s broken and ugly and glass is everywhere. It’s just not the same.” She walked away and when she came back, her hubby had placed the candle on the counter and lit the wick. She says, “My heart was immediately was drawn to the light.” Then the floodgate hit as she realized, “How often do we do this in our own lives or with others? Things don’t turn out the way we want them to. Plans fail. Dreams shatter. Goals hit the floor. People break our hearts. And we are ready to throw the whole thing in the trash. But, the wick still lights and the candle still brings the fragrance of goodness." Allow the broken pieces of your story to shine a light for others to see Christ working. (From Liz Liles, Daughters of Worth)
~A San Antonio, Texas woman has been reunited with her bridal photos that had been lost for decades. The pictures were spotted at an auction in Virginia by a woman who posted about the find in a Facebook group, where a user was able to track down the owner, 85-year-old Harriet. She had sent the glamorous bridal portraits to her mother in 1959, shortly after her wedding. She wore a Christian Dior gown and elegant elbow-length gloves in the pictures. The photos were apparently sold in an estate sale after Harriet’s mother died. She had always wanted to leave them to her granddaughters. She can do that now and says, "Little things that you don't think matter might be very important to somebody else."
Fox News
~Four Tulsa, Oklahoma teens put their own lives on the line to save their 90-year-old neighbor. As Catherine was getting ready for bed, her headboard caught fire. She tried to put out the flames, but the smoke quickly overcame her and she called 911 as her house alarm blared. Before the firefighters could get there, though, the teenagers smelled the smoke and heard the alarm and rushed to help her. They broke doors down to get inside. Fourteen-year-old Nick found Catherine in the hallway, covered in smoke. Catherine said, ‘This young boy was right there. He picked me up, and said, ‘We’re getting out of here.” Seventeen-year-old Wyatt said, ‘Ever since that night, my life has just changed…for the better.”
Faithpot
~Linda prayed, “Lord, show me how to love to these women.” Linda works in an office near a women’s prison. Several of them clean her office building, so she got to know them. God answered her prayer, prompting her to plan a surprise Thanksgiving dinner for them, complete with her best tablecloth, china, and silver. When the big day arrived, the women walked into the office and saw the beautiful table loaded with food. They assumed it was a Thanksgiving meal for the employees. “No. It’s for you,” she told them.
They were speechless and then one woman said, “Those smells bring back so many memories. What I miss most is the feeling of family during the holidays.” The women sat down at the table, amid tears and excited conversation. “I can’t believe someone cared enough to do this for us,” one said. Another suggested they hold hands and pray. Some prayed for forgiveness, some prayed for their families, and others thanked the Lord for the bountiful meal, an unexpected Thanksgiving feast. Linda’s prayers were answered as all the glory went to God for His provision. Jesus makes a place for us…all of us at his table.
CBN
~James and Clarissa closed on their new home and a few days later they found a treasure hidden in a built-in cabinet —50 gold and silver coins valued at $15,000. Legally, the coins were now their property, but they would have none of that. They gave them back to the previous owners, who shared the the story of the good deed in hopes of inspiring others during these difficult times. They said, “Now is a good time to pause and reflect about how we treat each other. If there were more people like this, this world would be a much better place.”
Good News Network
~ When it was the worst of times for Jersey City restaurant Würstbar, their neighbors at Virile Barber Shop swooped in to help. The entire staff was quarantined for Covid exposure, so the barbershop employees jumped in and took shifts to keep the eatery open until they could be tested and cleared. Now, that’s neighbor helping neighbor!
Good News Network
~Caitlyn, a PhD student in Michigan, defended her dissertation wearing a unique fashion choice. She showed up in a skirt she designed out of 17 rejection letters she’d received while studying—from scholarships, academic journals, and conferences. The idea came out of a desire to normalize rejection and take pride in overcoming it. She says, “The whole process reminded me that you have to apply to a lot of things to succeed. A natural part of the process is to get rejected along the way.”
Good News Network
~Lynda’s husband looked at her with his comforting, no nonsense way and said, “Keep your chin up. One foot in front of the other.” She was gripped with fear and fighting back tears as they loaded him in the ambulance to take him to the hospital. It was pneumonia and he only stayed one night. Relieved, they laughed about it over the next days at home together. Then, unexpectedly, God called Bryan home. His words a week earlier were emblazoned on her heart as she grappled with the daunting flood of grief and the timeless question, “Why?” Sharing the story with a friend, Laci told her ‘one foot in front of the other’ was a phrase she’d learned in Swahili on a mission trip to Africa. Mustering a laugh, they agreed it should be a slogan on a shirt. When Lynda returned to work, she found a t-shirt on her desk with a sweet note from Laci. The shirt was printed with that phrase in Swahili (Mbele Kwa Mbele) and English along with the verse Philippians 3:14: “I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” No matter what road you’re on today, press on. Chin up. One foot in front of the other!
(From Lynda Stringer, KVNE)
~Mark is a single Dad whose special needs son lives with him now. For years, he only had weekends with him. One day Mark’s mom wanted to make plans and he said, “I can’t do anything this weekend, I have to watch my son.” With a soft smile and a gentle tone, his very wise mother quickly corrected him. “No, Mark. You GET to watch your son.” That changed how he looked at things and he would never forget his mother’s words. Life can be difficult, even overwhelming. But think about how you look at it. Everyday provides an opportunity to be positive and kind to those around you. You don’t HAVE to face life’s challenges with a smile on your face and kindness in your heart. You GET to! [Love God, Love People-Danny Gokey]
~Damien, an officer with the Fresno PD pulled up to where a guys’ sports team was practicing to say hi and bring them some Gatorade. Their reaction will warm your heart.
[LightWorkers Audio-Video Link-Fresno PD]
We can build bridges and come together in remarkable ways.
~Grey is just 2 years old, but he’s mastered the art of good manners, politely telling his mom, "Thank you" whenever she gives him a yummy treat.
[LightWorkers Audio-Video link-Polite 2-year-old]
Goals for all the young moms out there!
~Graduation is a big deal. A teen with Down’s Syndrome wanted to share his special moment with the person he loved the most, his late mom. He dressed up especially for her and brought flowers to her graveside to share the good news...
[LightWorkers Audio-Video video link-Teen Grad]
Even when are loved ones are gone, they are still with us in our hearts.
~Sometimes God sends a hero to protect us. In this case, the hero was barely out of Kindergarten. Six-year-old Bridger stepped between a charging dog and his baby sister. After getting bit several times, he grabbed her hand and ran with her to keep her safe. He had to have 90 stitches, but is OK. He said, “If someone had to die, I thought it should be me.” God had other plans. His family calls their brave boy a superhero. He even got a personal congrats from Captain America Chris Evans!
Nikki Walker/Instagram
~Sixteen-year-old Hetti usually has a packed schedule, but with the pandemic, time kind of stopped. Instead of wasting it on mindless social media posts, she wanted to use her spare time to bring joy to others. That’s when Hetti’s Smile Boxes was born. With nominations from parents and friends, she sends care packages to kids dealing with a severe illnesses or difficult times. The kids post gift box reveal videos as they open the boxes of toys, gifts and handmade cards designed personally for each of them. Hetti says, "I love seeing people happy and smiling.” By giving joy, she’s receiving lots of it in return.
HettisSmileBoxes
~Psalm 23 says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all the days of your life.” A teacher described goodness and mercy as being like puppies that joyfully follow us everywhere and sometimes run ahead of us. That spoke to her friend, Maureen who says, “I should have named my two dogs Goodness and Mercy; they follow me everywhere I go, looking at me to make sure there’re still with me. And sometimes they run on ahead of me and wait for me to catch up. These are strange, unprecedented times, but God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, is still with us. Let’s look for His goodness and mercy, not only following us, but sometimes running on ahead, waiting for us to catch up.”
~Paul is a landlord. He knows his livelihood is in jeopardy as more and more people lose their jobs during this time. One of his tenants is self-employed with four kids trying to make ends meet. He’s worried that they could end up in the street before long, but Paul did something unexpected. He knocked on the young dad’s door and told him they could stay in the property rent free for five months. Paul’s heart is full today and his conscience clear as he challenges other landlords, “if you can, do more, do something.” [Dear Younger Me-Mercy Me]
~Hattie loves to be held, so she slept with Macy and Matt nearly every single night. On a Monday night, after they finished reading, Hattie looked up at her Mom and said, “Mommy, I can see Jesus and he is wearing all white.” Early the next morning morning, Hattie was asleep between them when the tornado warning sounded. The youth pastor and his wife grabbed Hattie and their infant daughter, Lainey, just before the twister hit and chaos blew their lives apart. They ended up near the front porch still holding their girls. Lying unconscious, a loving neighborhood and church family took over rescuing them from the rubble and filling in the blanks when they woke up. Jill held Lainey and checked her into the hospital. Luke held Hattie, even after she had already passed into the arms of Jesus. Matt says, “My girls never touched the ground." This broken family is being held now by love and support as God works through his people.
Matt Collins/Facebook
~The heat was blazing as he choked down the MRE and shifted in the miserable cot. Afghanistan wasn’t exactly a cheery place. When he heard his name at mail call, he perked up a bit. When he opened the box, tears began streaming down his face as socks and toothpaste, beef sticks, M&Ms and other treats fell into his lap. At the bottom...a card from a kid and some military moms. “Praying for you. Come home safe,” it said. A huge grin broke out on the face of the soldier missing his family. He wiped the tears away and tore into the M&M’s first, sharing his bounty with his unit. In this moment, gobbling chocolates and wiping red green and yellow stains from his hands, he felt God watching over him and his buddies.
-Lynda Stringer
~Hearts continue to melt across social media after Lee Loechler, a filmmaker, proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Sthuthi David, by reanimating the ending of her favorite film: Walt Disney’s Sleeping Beauty. It took six months of work to animate the scene and arrange for the movie screening. When the movie got to the scene where the prince kisses Princess Aurora, the skin and hair colors of the animated characters started to change and the on-screen prince held up a ring and tossed it into the air so that Lee could “catch it” from the front row of the audience and get down on one knee for what was potentially the most heartwarming fairy-tale ending in history. His princess accepted the proposal to live happily ever after. And the video of the proposal has racked up more than 6 million views on YouTube.
Good News Network
~After her mom died, Jill was on a downhill trajectory. A ski trip taught her that life can be sweet after a few falls. She was a novice skier and her instructor, picking up on her fear said something that made her nod in stunned recognition: “Jill, fear stops everything.” She says, “Peter was talking about skiing, about how your muscles tense up when you’re afraid, often causing you to fall. But it’s true in life too. When you let fear prevent you from doing what you love, life stops. With Peter’s words on my mind, I kept going, even as snow started to fall, daubing the trees in white, hushing all sound. By day’s end, I’d improved enough to fly down hills that had intimidated me, a grin on my face, tears in my eyes. Tears not from the cold, but of gratitude. I’d faced my fears on the mountain, and I knew conquering the rest wouldn’t be far behind.”
Women's Day
~An Ohio church showed a pizza delivery guy what Christ's love is all about. When the 22-year-old delivered an order to Life Point Church in Mentor, they surprised him with $700 in tips. When he arrived at the church he was asked to bring one of the pizzas to the pastor on stage. The pastor's original plan was to tip him $100, but the congregation lined up handing him tips of their own. He was overwhelmed with emotion and made a video, saying through tears, "I've been having such a hard time lately, just struggling to stay clean. I'm just trying to get my life back and this just really truly amazes me -- that people who don't even know me just wanted to help me out that much."
Huffington Post
~There wasn’t a dry eye in the place. A wedding. Father and daughter getting ready to walk down the aisle, but Dad Todd Bacjman had something else in mind for his daughter, Brittany. He stopped the procession, ran to the front row and grabbed the arm of Brittany's stepfather, Todd Cendrosky. He wanted to share the special moment with him. So both of them walked their daughter down the aisle to give her to her groom.
Huffington Post
~Charmaine Mercado prayed for God to save her child from the fatal illness he'd suffered since he was 10 years old and when he passed away at age 16, she could have crumpled with lost faith and given up on a dream of his for her. But, she soldiered on for J.C., her precious son she'd cared for in his hospital room for years. He had encouraged her to become a nurse and he got to see her in her scrubs before he died. She wanted to quit, but, for him, she went back to her nursing classes a week later. Today, she is an inspiration and encouragement to other scared families praying for their children. She is a pediatric ICU nurse, bringing a deeper level of understanding, courage and compassion to the care she provides. She's also encouraged by the support of the families of the children, and that reassures her that she's "going in the right direction." We may not know the plans that God has for us, but sometimes heartbreak has a larger purpose than we can understand at the time. We just have to continue to walk by faith.
Indianapolis Star
~Many of us see our Dad's as the big strong hero that can fix anything and protect us at all times. Sometimes, life throws them curve balls that make that the toughest job in the world. But for Ray Kimbrell, a Marine, he was up for challenge. Here's his story: "I’d been on plenty of marches in my time as a Marine, but never anything like this. My platoon today was undisciplined, stopping to kick at twigs, talking and laughing as we hiked through the woods, no one paying attention to the sound of rushing water ahead. Then again, I expected that from a bunch of 10-year-olds. I was about as far from the battlefield as I could get, accompanying my son, Patrick, and his fifth-grade class on a three-day field trip at Camp Classen in the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma. I looked down at Patrick, sitting in the three-wheel jogger I pushed in front of me. My son has cerebral palsy and 10 years ago doctors didn’t think someone with his brain damage would live, much less be hitting the trail with his classmates. Before Patrick, the biggest challenge I had was achieving my dream: becoming a Marine officer. My dad was a Navy man, and I knew I wanted to serve in the military. In college at The Citadel, I chose the Marines. To me there was no greater honor than leading the most elite fighting force on earth. Now, on the trail at Camp Classen, I ruffled Patrick’s hair. We emerged from the woods and reached the water. I stopped cold. We were at a dam holding back a lake. A rush of water fell six feet to the river below. The only way across was a row of round cement pillars spaced out along the edge of the falls. No way could I wheel Patrick across. “We didn’t know there wasn’t a bridge,” his teacher apologized. I stared again at the pillars. They reminded me of something I’d seen a long time ago. The Marine Boot Camp Confidence Course. “No one stays behind!” I yelled. I hoisted Patrick onto my back. “Hold still,” I said, stepping onto the first pillar. Halfway across, he started laughing. His laughter echoed across the lake, a sweeter sound than I could ever have imagined. Maybe God did have a plan for me all along. The Marines were just a part of it, training for the most important duty of my life: being Patrick’s father."
Guideposts
~Nick was born without arms or legs. Sounds like a bleak existence, but the 30-something Australian evangelist, husband, and father says, “I don't need arms and legs as long as God gives me a purpose.” He’s fulfilling that purpose by sharing a message of hope with more than five million people in 44 countries and heading up his ministry Life Without Limbs. He became a Christian when he was 15 after he read the story in the Bible of Jesus healing the blind man and giving him a purpose in life. Nick says, "My inspiration is God and the power of Jesus Christ. God is my foundation and the ceiling of the unlimited hope I have. He created me, but also allowed me to have pain in life just like anyone else. He took my broken pieces and made it complete in the life of others."
Inspire Magazine
~When Kay first became a Christian, she wrote Hebrews 12:2 on the inside cover of her Bible. "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus." One day she imagined a woman bent over with bricks piled on her back. On each brick was words like fear, worry, anger, sorrow, jealousy, hatred. The woman was slowly trudging toward a light. Jesus was standing in that brilliant light and when she looked up, Jesus came into focus as she squinted. She began to walk upright and the bricks began to fall off her back and she was able to run into his arms. Kay realized through this imagined scene that as we walk the road of life, our burdens can become so heavy that they bend our backs under the weight. When we stand upright and fix our eyes on Jesus, the burdens, the struggles and the negative words that weigh us down, fall away and God carries the load for us.
~The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, or whatever anyone might say or do. It is more important than appearances or skill.The remarkable thing is that we have the choice to create the attitude we have for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the way people act. We cannot change the inevitable. The one thing we can change is the only thing we have control over, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what actually happens to us and 90 percent how we react to it. - Charles Swindoll
~You may never know the impact you have on someone's life. Sometimes, you get to see it. For 40 years, Mrs. Flexer taught 1st grade. She not only taught them reading, writing, and math, but to really care about each other. Those life lessons stayed with her students for years to come and when several of her former students found out she was retiring, they decided a surprise was in order. And surprised she was! She was speechless as they walked into her classroom. Just as she had taught them when they were little, they showed her how much they cared by showering her with words of love and encouragement.
Huffington Post
~Two friends - both named Spencer - had big plans. Spencer B wanted a dog and Spencer T was saving to go to camp. The teens set up a lemonade stand and had a thriving business going. Their goals were in sight when one customer decided to take more than his glass of lemonade. A thief made off with their profits. But, when news spread around the community, their neighbors stepped up and generosity flooded in. Now Spencer T has memories of summer camp and Spencer B has Coconut, his new pup!
WJLA
~Her beloved Gizelle was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, and so Lauren, a travel writer, made a Bucket List for her and they went on adventures all over the country. The best friends took a canoe ride. They went to Times Square. They cooked a lobster in Maine. The took a road trip in the car. They hung out with friends at a party. They were tourists at Washington Square Park. Gizelle is Lauren's 160-pound English Mastiff dog she adopted when she was in college. Lauren hopes to make a book covering more of her bucket list adventures with Gizelle to further help others cope with losing a pet.
AngelicaKiss
~Amanda was almost 18 and about to “age out” of the foster care system. But even young adults need a mom and a dad. Amanda still yearned for a mother’s love to soothe her on the bad days and share the joy with her on the good ones. She wanted a dad to hold her hand and walk her down the aisle. Amanda always dreamed of having somewhere to come home to on the holidays. At long last, her prayers have been answered. Tom and Gail Wahl adopted Amanda and on Thanksgiving Day (2013) she took a seat at the table… with her very own family.
Life News
~Amanda has a huge heart for kids and she’s taking the love and compassion that God gave her to change their lives. She started sponsoring a child through Compassion International when she was a struggling college student, working an extra job to pay for it. But, she didn't write a letter to the girl she sponsored for more than two years. That changed after she read a blog post one night. As a typhoon was about to strike the Philippines and families were being evacuated, a little girl ran back toward her home. She had to run in and save the letters she’d received from her Compassion sponsor. Amanda says that really hit home with her and made her realize that it’s more than about scraping together the money to sponsor a child every month. It’s about building a personal relationship and a bond for life. She now writes letters to 20 kids.
Inspiring and Awesome Podcast
~She passed him on the highway. He was pushing a bicycle loaded down like a pack horse with seemingly all of his meager belongings. Her thought was, "How could he push that bike with all that stuff?" She thought about him for a few minutes and drove on. She had to get to work. On her way home, she saw the man again! Five hours later, he was still on his journey. She heard God’s voice in her head: “Share my love with him.” She turned around and stopped a convenience store nearby to buy him some food for the night. She laid the food and drinks on the counter, and then spied the man in the store looking at the soda case. He got in line behind her with a just a Dr. Pepper in hand. She turned with the sack and told him, “This is for you. God loves you.” His response? “I know!” His tanned, leathery skin, tousled hair and a huge grin that showed some teeth missing made her think of how God’s love washing over people makes them more beautiful than diamonds. God had given her an opportunity to bless him, yet he had blessed her even more than she had imagined. God showed her something beautiful in this highway traveler.
Lynda Stringer-Net4Christ
Indianapolis Star
~Many of us see our Dad's as the big strong hero that can fix anything and protect us at all times. Sometimes, life throws them curve balls that make that the toughest job in the world. But for Ray Kimbrell, a Marine, he was up for challenge. Here's his story: "I’d been on plenty of marches in my time as a Marine, but never anything like this. My platoon today was undisciplined, stopping to kick at twigs, talking and laughing as we hiked through the woods, no one paying attention to the sound of rushing water ahead. Then again, I expected that from a bunch of 10-year-olds. I was about as far from the battlefield as I could get, accompanying my son, Patrick, and his fifth-grade class on a three-day field trip at Camp Classen in the Arbuckle Mountains of southern Oklahoma. I looked down at Patrick, sitting in the three-wheel jogger I pushed in front of me. My son has cerebral palsy and 10 years ago doctors didn’t think someone with his brain damage would live, much less be hitting the trail with his classmates. Before Patrick, the biggest challenge I had was achieving my dream: becoming a Marine officer. My dad was a Navy man, and I knew I wanted to serve in the military. In college at The Citadel, I chose the Marines. To me there was no greater honor than leading the most elite fighting force on earth. Now, on the trail at Camp Classen, I ruffled Patrick’s hair. We emerged from the woods and reached the water. I stopped cold. We were at a dam holding back a lake. A rush of water fell six feet to the river below. The only way across was a row of round cement pillars spaced out along the edge of the falls. No way could I wheel Patrick across. “We didn’t know there wasn’t a bridge,” his teacher apologized. I stared again at the pillars. They reminded me of something I’d seen a long time ago. The Marine Boot Camp Confidence Course. “No one stays behind!” I yelled. I hoisted Patrick onto my back. “Hold still,” I said, stepping onto the first pillar. Halfway across, he started laughing. His laughter echoed across the lake, a sweeter sound than I could ever have imagined. Maybe God did have a plan for me all along. The Marines were just a part of it, training for the most important duty of my life: being Patrick’s father."
Guideposts
~Nick was born without arms or legs. Sounds like a bleak existence, but the 30-something Australian evangelist, husband, and father says, “I don't need arms and legs as long as God gives me a purpose.” He’s fulfilling that purpose by sharing a message of hope with more than five million people in 44 countries and heading up his ministry Life Without Limbs. He became a Christian when he was 15 after he read the story in the Bible of Jesus healing the blind man and giving him a purpose in life. Nick says, "My inspiration is God and the power of Jesus Christ. God is my foundation and the ceiling of the unlimited hope I have. He created me, but also allowed me to have pain in life just like anyone else. He took my broken pieces and made it complete in the life of others."
Inspire Magazine
~When Kay first became a Christian, she wrote Hebrews 12:2 on the inside cover of her Bible. "Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus." One day she imagined a woman bent over with bricks piled on her back. On each brick was words like fear, worry, anger, sorrow, jealousy, hatred. The woman was slowly trudging toward a light. Jesus was standing in that brilliant light and when she looked up, Jesus came into focus as she squinted. She began to walk upright and the bricks began to fall off her back and she was able to run into his arms. Kay realized through this imagined scene that as we walk the road of life, our burdens can become so heavy that they bend our backs under the weight. When we stand upright and fix our eyes on Jesus, the burdens, the struggles and the negative words that weigh us down, fall away and God carries the load for us.
~The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. It is more important than education, money, circumstances, failures, successes, or whatever anyone might say or do. It is more important than appearances or skill.The remarkable thing is that we have the choice to create the attitude we have for that day. We cannot change our past. We cannot change the way people act. We cannot change the inevitable. The one thing we can change is the only thing we have control over, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what actually happens to us and 90 percent how we react to it. - Charles Swindoll
~You may never know the impact you have on someone's life. Sometimes, you get to see it. For 40 years, Mrs. Flexer taught 1st grade. She not only taught them reading, writing, and math, but to really care about each other. Those life lessons stayed with her students for years to come and when several of her former students found out she was retiring, they decided a surprise was in order. And surprised she was! She was speechless as they walked into her classroom. Just as she had taught them when they were little, they showed her how much they cared by showering her with words of love and encouragement.
Huffington Post
~Two friends - both named Spencer - had big plans. Spencer B wanted a dog and Spencer T was saving to go to camp. The teens set up a lemonade stand and had a thriving business going. Their goals were in sight when one customer decided to take more than his glass of lemonade. A thief made off with their profits. But, when news spread around the community, their neighbors stepped up and generosity flooded in. Now Spencer T has memories of summer camp and Spencer B has Coconut, his new pup!
WJLA
~Her beloved Gizelle was diagnosed with terminal bone cancer, and so Lauren, a travel writer, made a Bucket List for her and they went on adventures all over the country. The best friends took a canoe ride. They went to Times Square. They cooked a lobster in Maine. The took a road trip in the car. They hung out with friends at a party. They were tourists at Washington Square Park. Gizelle is Lauren's 160-pound English Mastiff dog she adopted when she was in college. Lauren hopes to make a book covering more of her bucket list adventures with Gizelle to further help others cope with losing a pet.
AngelicaKiss
~Amanda was almost 18 and about to “age out” of the foster care system. But even young adults need a mom and a dad. Amanda still yearned for a mother’s love to soothe her on the bad days and share the joy with her on the good ones. She wanted a dad to hold her hand and walk her down the aisle. Amanda always dreamed of having somewhere to come home to on the holidays. At long last, her prayers have been answered. Tom and Gail Wahl adopted Amanda and on Thanksgiving Day (2013) she took a seat at the table… with her very own family.
Life News
~Amanda has a huge heart for kids and she’s taking the love and compassion that God gave her to change their lives. She started sponsoring a child through Compassion International when she was a struggling college student, working an extra job to pay for it. But, she didn't write a letter to the girl she sponsored for more than two years. That changed after she read a blog post one night. As a typhoon was about to strike the Philippines and families were being evacuated, a little girl ran back toward her home. She had to run in and save the letters she’d received from her Compassion sponsor. Amanda says that really hit home with her and made her realize that it’s more than about scraping together the money to sponsor a child every month. It’s about building a personal relationship and a bond for life. She now writes letters to 20 kids.
Inspiring and Awesome Podcast
~She passed him on the highway. He was pushing a bicycle loaded down like a pack horse with seemingly all of his meager belongings. Her thought was, "How could he push that bike with all that stuff?" She thought about him for a few minutes and drove on. She had to get to work. On her way home, she saw the man again! Five hours later, he was still on his journey. She heard God’s voice in her head: “Share my love with him.” She turned around and stopped a convenience store nearby to buy him some food for the night. She laid the food and drinks on the counter, and then spied the man in the store looking at the soda case. He got in line behind her with a just a Dr. Pepper in hand. She turned with the sack and told him, “This is for you. God loves you.” His response? “I know!” His tanned, leathery skin, tousled hair and a huge grin that showed some teeth missing made her think of how God’s love washing over people makes them more beautiful than diamonds. God had given her an opportunity to bless him, yet he had blessed her even more than she had imagined. God showed her something beautiful in this highway traveler.
Lynda Stringer-Net4Christ
