Inspirational Videos

Judge Frank Caprio, of “Caught in Providence” fame, believes that there is a “special place in heaven” for those who are parents to children with special needs.

Parenting is one of life’s biggest blessings. There is no feeling like opening your heart and home to a child, either through birth or adoption. Children add so much joy, love and happiness to life. 

But like everything else in life, worthwhile things are also difficult. The actions, words and lessons children learn from their parents will impact the rest of their lives. There are massive responsibilities that come with being a parent. That’s especially true if the Lord blesses a couple with a child with special needs. 

In a clip posted on YouTube, Judge Frank Caprio said parents who have been blessed with children with special needs have been set apart in the eyes of God. In fact, he believes that heaven has a “special place” for those who care for and love children with special needs.

“There’s a special place in heaven for parents who are raising children with special needs,” the judge said. “Raising any child is challenging. Parenting a child with special needs will teach you just how strong you really are. It requires incredible tenacity, patience, resourcefulness and an unwavering commitment to never-ending love.”

What a beautiful sentiment from the kind, loving and gracious judge about life, parenting and children with special needs. 

Yes, that child may require more time, attention and assistance than other children. But they are still just as special and loved in the eyes of the Lord, and as Judge Frank Caprio believes, so are that child’s parents. 

True parenting, the judge adds, is not about caring for and loving the child you thought you would have one day but doing that for the one you do have. 

Ephesians 6:4 “And, you fathers, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord.”

The quick and heroic actions of an off-duty firefighter saved the life of his neighbor’s child, who was choking and unable to breathe.

While the world is lost and broken, full of hurting and struggling people, heroes still exist. However, sadly, these true heroes do not get the praise and attention they deserve. Instead, society's attention and spotlight are too often focused on those falsely considered heroes. Sports stars, musicians, greedy Washington politicians and Hollywood actors hog all the attention, acclaim and underserved praise while never doing anything heroic.

A clip posted on YouTube shines the light on a real hero, Greg Tabeek. Greg, a trained paramedic and a firefighter, encountered a horrifying situation while off-duty but remained calm and saved the day.

The situation began when Al, a Florida father, noticed that his infant daughter had collapsed. He knew something was immediately wrong and acted, not wanting to waste a second. Al ran over to his neighbor Greg’s house. 

The video shows Al holding his young daughter as he rings the doorbell, waiting for Greg to answer. Once he does, Greg grabs the young girl, asks Al if he has reached out to 911 and immediately gets to work. 

Eventually, Greg was able to successfully dislodge a large piece of plastic that had become stuck in the child’s throat. 

Greg, recalling the scary life-or-death situation, said he was able to help because of the lessons he’s picked up and learned throughout his career.

“It was a little bit of a shock to what’s going on,” Greg said. “But again, it’s just the training and trust in your skills, and stay calm and let my training go to work and try to handle it.”

Praise God for Greg and his heroic efforts! He saved a life and kept a father from experiencing the worst thing that any parent could ever endure: losing a child. 

Romans 15:1-2 “We who are strong have to be a support to the feeble, and not give pleasures to ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good, to make him strong.”

One woman is grateful for the Greenville, South Carolina, employees who went to great lengths to find her wedding ring after it fell into a dumpster.

Weddings are beautiful ceremonies in which two people pledge to stick with one another through life’s ups and downs, through the good and the bad. Of course, everyone knows that in addition to the vows during the ceremony, rings are exchanged. The rings are a sign of that never-ending commitment, becoming valuable and cherished pieces of jewelry because of that significance.

So, when Melanie Harper loses her wedding ring, it’s easy to imagine the terror and dread she must have felt. She was placing trash in a recycle bin when the ring slipped off her finger and into the endless sea of recyclable material. 

“After I didn’t find it, in my head, I imagined that Price is Right game, Plinko,” she said. “And the ring just like plinking down to the bottom.”

Melanie, trying to recover the ring, reached out to the Greenville, South Carolina Department of Public Works. The department’s supervisor had empathy for Melanie. He put himself in her position and then made a decision.

They spilled out the contents of the container all over the parking lot and then began searching through the trash, looking for the lost ring. The odds of ever ringing something so small are minuscule, next to zero, right?

Well, Travis Golden did happen to find the ring!

After the ring was recovered and returned to Melanie, she met up with the men to express her sincere gratitude. 

Praise God for their kind and diligent efforts. That would have been a devastating loss if that ring had been lost forever. 

What a terrific example of how our efforts and hard work can and do directly impact the lives of others.

Proverbs 18:9 “He who does not give his mind to his work is brother to him who makes destruction.”

A woman in California came across a massive black bear hanging out and enjoying itself under her house. 

Most people adore animals. It’s nearly impossible for individuals to get their fill of cats, dogs and other members of the four-legged and furry friend community. They would do anything and everything they could to help and protect them. It pains people to see an animal suffering or in any pain.

However, there are some animals from which people should keep their distance, or they might be the ones who end up hurting and in pain. Snakes, alligators and bears immediately come to mind when considering members who fit this exclusive category. 

But for one woman, Tina, it was impossible to avoid a run-in with a massive black bear because it had parked itself under her house! 

“When I saw the crawlspace grate ripped off its hinges, I’m like, ‘Oh, no, it’s down there,” she told Kelly Clarkson. “So, I walked down to my basement with my flashlight, and the eyes shone right back at me.”

However, Tina, despite having a bear weighing several hundred pounds staring right at her from under her house, managed to get the animal out on her own!

Hilariously, Tina first turned to Google for answers to fix her problem, searching, “How to get a bear out of a crawlspace.” Unfortunately, the internet wasn’t much help. So, she turned to her town’s mayor and the police, who advised her to purchase mothballs.

Taking the advice, Tina secured some mothballs and threw them underneath the house with the bear. That was successful. The bear left on its own, probably to look for another crawlspace to hang out under.

The creatures God placed on Earth deserve love and respect. However, if I found a bear parked under my house, I’d have a for-sale sign in my yard quickly!

Proverbs 12:10 “An upright man has thought for the life of his beast, but the hearts of evildoers are cruel.”

This man uses the sun to make magnificent art pieces!

In this clip of the Kelly Clarkson show, Kelly interviews Michael Papadakis, a creative artist who uses the sun to make some amazing pieces. It is almost hard to believe he made these with just the sun and a magnifying glass. 

During the interview, Michael says that he has been an artist for many years and went to college for fine arts. In 2012, he went on a long journey from South Korea to Greece. He says he “knew that I wanted to travel and create art. So I needed to find a tool that I could fit in my pack without taking up too much weight.”

He then goes on to say one day he felt the sun beating down on his head and realized he could use the sun in his art. 

What creative thinking! Michael picked up a magnifying glass and started to create artwork with it. He tells Kelly that it can take between 1 to 40 hours for each piece and that he can create the art whether it is cold or hot out, as long as there is sun. 

After noticing that so many people would watch him and ask him how he did what he did, he started to teach this type of art to other people, including children. Giving them advice and direction on how to use the sun to make art themselves. 

Michael is a great example of using what you have access to and finding beauty in all things. God created the sun, the world, and everything in it and we as his people can find beauty in his creation. Just as Michael has done. 

“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” - John 1:3 

A loving and caring woman is working hard to supply blind and visually impaired children all over the world with braille books.

Reading is, as has been said, fundamental. Without being able to read, one wouldn’t be able to function well in society. Beyond being a necessity, reading has other benefits, including an expanded vocabulary and knowledge. Books and the joy of reading are things all children should be introduced to at an early age. 

However, for those youngsters who are blind or visually impaired, learning braille offers them a chance to enjoy reading and books. But, as one woman, Debra, mentioned during an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, books with braille are often expensive. That’s why she created a nonprofit to help put braille books into children’s hands for free. 

“Like way back in 1980, I met a mom whose daughter was blind, and she said they had a hard time getting books for her if they could find them,” Debra said. “They were so expensive, like, $100 to $200 each, Kelly. And that just hurt my heart because my own kids had, you know, you can get books for $2, $3 each. And that’s what kids need, lots and lots of books.”

Because of this conversation and learning about the expensive nature of books with Braille, Debra started Seedlings Braille Books for Children in her basement. The aim of Debra’s organization is simple but very important.

“So I thought I could do something about it, maybe,” Debra said. “I started a small nonprofit in my basement in Detroit called Seedlings Braille Books for Children, making more books available, keeping the prices really low and getting more books in kids’ hands.”

What a terrific mission!  

Debra saw a need, and because of her love and concern, got busy and worked to meet that need, to provide children who have visual impairments with books. 

Proverbs 21:13 “He whose ears are stopped at the cry of the poor, will himself get no answer to his cry for help.”

During her send-off at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI, Adyson Bryce’s boyfriend, Evan Kennard, proposed. And it was very sweet.

Adyson was asked the question about if she was surprised about the proposal. “I was, 'cause I thought he knew that I’m not like I don’t really like big public things,” she says with a smile. 

The interviewer then asks, “Did you like it in the end?” and she responds, “I did. Yes. I did love it. Seeing everyone that took care of me while walking down the hallway made me really emotional.” 

I bet it was quite emotional to be supported by all the workers who had helped her during the nine weeks she spent in rehabilitation after the young couple fell from a double ladder in a tree while hunting. 

Evan, the boyfriend was okay but Adyson became paralyzed, She couldn’t move anything and knew something was wrong. She ended up suffering a spinal cord injury. 

Regarding her recovery, Adyson shares, “The first finger I moved was my ring finger. I just like wiggled it a little bit and slowly a little more kept coming back every day.” 

Evan goes on to say, “When the accident happened I further realized that you know she was somebody that I never want to live without.” 

The couple would love to have a fall wedding but Adyson wants to make sure that she can walk down the aisle and is still determining if she will be ready this next fall.

The couple have been through a lot together and I am sure there is still so much healing to go but it is inspiring to see the love they have for one another shine through. Prayers for them as they start their lives together. 

“Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” - Song-Of-Solomon 8:7

A woman “struggling” and going through medical issues was overwhelmed and left in tears following comments from a stranger as she left the gym.

Everyone has issues, problems and subjects that can result in discomfort, hurt and humiliation. Human beings are far from perfect. All have their flaws, imperfections and struggles. Some may be more apparent than others, but everyone has something they are fighting and struggling against.

For one woman who posted a video on TikTok, her weight and overall health are issues for her. This is complicated by, as she hints at in the clip, underlying medical issues. However, despite her struggle, she is taking action and making an effort to do something about it. She states she has been in the gym, working out for “a little over two years now.”

But as she was leaving the gym, a stranger’s kind, uplifting and encouraging comment left her in tears. She was overwhelmed by the man’s statement. 

“He goes, ‘I’ve seen you in here every week, almost, almost every day, like seeing you in here every week, and I’m proud of you,”” she said.

She mentioned that the man who spoke those kind words to her was very much into the gym, super fit and in shape. 

Through tears, the young woman stated how much those words meant to her and how big a difference a kind word can make to someone struggling.

“You have no idea how much people that are going through something appreciate the kindness,” she said. “Because he didn’t have to say it. He doesn’t even know what I’m going through. I’ve never talked to anybody in the gym about it, except for the management.”

Kind and uplifting words said to someone may not seem like much, but for someone who is fighting or struggling with an issue or a situation, it can make all the difference.

At the end of the video, the woman said the man’s kind words “made her day.”

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, full of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ had forgiveness for you.”

One woman, a school bus driver, quickly stepped up and acted when she saw a young man, a third grader, choking, saving his life. 

Heroes come from all walks of life. Unfortunately, those so often referred to as heroes aren’t the least bit heroic. Instead, Hollywood actors, greedy Washington politicians and athletes are more concerned about themselves than the well-being of others. But there are still actual heroes today, such as Mayrelyn Lopez.

Mayrelyn is a bus driver in Florida. She transports the children to and from school. She makes sure they get to their destination safely. But on one trip home after school, Mayrelyn found herself in a scary situation.

The clip posted on YouTube states that during the first stop on the way home from school, Mayrelyn got up from her driver’s to address a situation on the bus. It was resolved quickly, but on the way back to her seat Mayrelyn spotted something unusual and frightening.

One of the children, 8-year-old Levi Holder, had turned purple. He was choking on a piece of candy, unable to breathe. That’s when Mayrelyn, without thinking, sprang into action, according to Fox 35. 

The school bus driver states that she grabbed the young man and began performing the Heimlich Maneuver. Moments later, Mayrelyn recalls that she successfully dislodged the candy, and young Levi was able to start breathing once again. 

“It’s nothing to think in at the moment,” Mayrelyn said. “Just do it, what, what I have to do.”

Mayrelyn is the definition of a hero. She paid attention to her surroundings, stepped in, acted quickly and saved a life.  

Praise God for Mayrelyn and people like her who do not get the attention they deserve. They aren’t seeking attention or trying to bring glory to themselves. Instead, they do what is right. 

Psalm 34:17 “The cry of the upright comes before the Lord, and he takes them out of all their troubles.”

Keygan is a 19-year-old living in Idaho and has an amazing heart for his community. However, his life is filled with many challenges.

In this video, Nate from East Idaho News starts to tell us a little bit about Keygan. He is one of 12 children, all of whom were adopted, and has what is called Nager Syndrome. This is where he has deformed arms, hands, feet, and facial deformities. He has also had to endure over 75 surgeries. 

Even though he has been through so much he gives back by crocheting blankets and hats for his community. He has been crocheting for nine years now and taught himself to do so online. Very impressive!

In addition to crocheting, he also volunteers at several places around his community such as the family history center, the food pantry, and the hospital.

Nate goes on to say, “He has been through a lot but he gives and gives and gives. And today we want to give back to him.” He then goes to Keygan’s house however he isn’t home and has to come back a few hours later. Keygan was out in the community helping others.

Once he does get home, Nate meets him in the parking lot and asks him a little bit about the crocheting. He then gives Keygan the gift cards, which are from Amazon, and his favorite restaurants Olive Garden or Longhorn.

After Keygan gets the gift cards he says “Thank you so much” several times. He is very excited and thankful that he received the gifts.  

The news received an email for the segment, “Feel Good Friday” in which they talked about Keygan and how he would be the right person to receive the gift because of how much he gives to his community. 

“But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” - Hebrews 13:16 

A man became overwhelmed with emotion, shedding tears on his wedding day as he was giving a speech and making promises to his stepson. 

A wedding is a beautiful ceremony in which two people make a life-long commitment to one another in front of family and friends. While a wedding is about the two people standing at the altar exchanging vows, it’s about more than that. More people are involved in and impacted by a wedding. A wedding is essentially the combining of two families. 

A man about to get married was not only gaining a wife but also a stepson. A clip posted on YouTube shows the man, Eldridge Buchannan, addressing 7-year-old Kayden. He speaks directly to the young man, making a series of vows and promises to him. 

“So, I vow to you from this day forward that I’m going to love you, I’m going to teach you, I’m going to guide you and I’m going to pour into you because you are a king, " Eldridge says with tears in his eyes. “And you my king.”

Eldridge also promised Kayden that he would show him what it means to be someone of integrity, to be a leader and what “it looks like for a man to love a woman.” 

That tear-jerking moment was the result of a last-minute decision, according to Eldridge. He says that he decided to address Kayden only minutes before he was scheduled to make his way to the altar.

Additionally, Eldridge says that on the way to school, he has a series of talks and discussions with young Kayden.

“You know, we have a lot of talks on the way to school every morning about leadership and about integrity and respect and things of that nature,” Eldridge said. 

Eldridge obviously cares a tremendous amount for Kayden and is willing to put in the time, effort and care that it takes to teach a little boy what it means to be a man. 

Ephesians 6:4 “And, you fathers, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord.”

One cute young woman has noticed the disappearance of hamburger meat lately, and she has now hatched a plan intended to foil the thief’s evil acts, but she’s unable to do it by herself.

Sin has corrupted and destroyed our world in many ways. Sadly, one of those ways is through crime and violence. Crime is a concern for most. It’s that fear of becoming a crime victim that we lock up our cars, doors and even bikes. Crime has even caused a surge in the purchase of doorbells with cameras. 

In a hilarious clip posted on TikTok, one young woman is concerned about a different kind of crime. Likely, it’s one that you never even knew was a problem. However, it appears to be quite a concern in one house: disappearing hamburger meat.

But like most crimes, the mysteriously bitten hamburger case won’t be solved with just one person. No, this case is much too big and backup is needed.  

The short, 1-minute video starts with a young woman pleading with her mother. She desperately wants her mom to hand over her cell phone. Understandably, the mother is intrigued and confused by the little lady’s request, so she asks why the child needs the phone.

She wants to use the phone’s camera to keep an eye on her hamburger. 

“Do you see?” the child asks. “Everybody is eating my hamburger.”

The mother understands her child’s concern but says that going through all that sounds like a lot of work and effort. But the young woman assures her mom that she is up to the task.

“Well, don’t worry,” the child tells her mom. “I got it. I got a plan.”

Her plan, as she tells her mom, is to trap the thief. How she plans to go about trapping the suspect remains a mystery. It’s something that her mother will “have to find out.”

Psalm 127:3 “See, children are a heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.”

The kind, caring and beloved Judge Frank Caprio of “Caught In Providence” fame says the world could be improved if everyone displayed more empathy. 

The world is a fallen place filled with hurting and broken people. Those wounded individuals are everywhere, all around us. Not only that, but everyone is struggling and dealing with something. Problems and issues are part of living on Earth. Showing someone more grace and kindness would make a dramatic difference in their situation and life.

Judge Caprio, known for his kind and compassionate rulings, understands how important it is to show empathy and put yourself in another’s shoes.

“In this era of great social and political divide, I believe there is one critical quality of character that we all need to practice in order to make the world a better place,” Judge Caprio says. “That quality is empathy.”

In the video posted on YouTube, the judge explains why he believes empathy is a big key to improving the world.

“Empathy is the foundation for true understanding and compassion,” he said. “Empathy helped guide my every decision on the bench. It’s a superpower that can diffuse conflicts, heal wounds and build bridges. Empathy means putting ourselves in someone else’s shoes, genuinely trying to feel what they feel and trying to understand their perspective, even when it’s vastly different from our own.”

That makes perfect sense. Who wouldn’t and couldn’t benefit from more kindness, grace and mercy from their fellow man? Of course, the answer is everyone. 

The Lord continually shows grace and mercy to sinners, forgiving us when we stumble and fall short of the glory of God. Christians are to be the hands and feet of Christ, showing others more mercy and grace is part of that mission. 

Luke 6:36-37 “Be you therefore merciful, as your Father is also merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged: condemn not, and you shall not be condemned: forgive, and you shall be forgiven:”

Christian music artist Brandon Lake told a crowd of people about the awesome and life-changing power of God and how they can do great things because of Him and issued a challenge to them to put this statement to the test.

Life is not always rainbows and roses. In fact, it can often be the exact opposite. Situations and circumstances can beat us down to the point where we feel powerless and unable to do anything to improve matters. It may even feel as if every choice we make is the wrong one. 

But there is one who can inject hope into a hopeless situation. He can make a way when there appears to be none. Not only will He do that for us, but we are limiting God with our requests. 

As Brandon tells the crowd in a video posted on YouTube, God can and will do more than the human mind can comprehend.

“God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than you could ever ask, think or imagine, according to the power that He’s placed inside of you,” Brandon said.

Brandon says that for those who want to see God’s immense and immeasurable power at work, he has a way for them to see it. 

“You have power inside of you,” Brandon said. “If you want to see God use you in the most insane ways, I dare you to trust Him. I dare you to give Him your life.

We serve a loving, faithful and merciful God. Not only that, but God is all-powerful and able to move mountains and control the seas simply with the sound of His voice. 

What a mighty God we serve!

Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,”

This 10-year-old may be in the hospital, but she has some dance moves. 

Vitoria Bueno is 10 years old and loves to make videos about her life. She loved to dance, do her makeup, and share about what she is going through. 

When Vitoria was born, she was diagnosed with Osteogenesis imperfecta. This makes your bones very small and break easily.

Vitoria has to be extremely careful about her movements. She wears a Halo Traction ring which she tells the camera is for her scoliosis to help straighten her back and prepare her for surgery. She also has a walker with her Halo. 

She had to spend over a month in the hospital and she tells us that she was very nervous about her surgery. She says, “And, and I was really nervous because I’m like I’m going to miss dance, I am going to miss my house, my dog. All that just went away.”

You can tell that Vitoria has such a sweet spirit. She shows off her dancing skills early in the video while wearing the Halo Traction ring. This allows her to move about safely. She also talks to us about all the great nurses she met during her hospital stay and the new friends she has made. 

Towards the end of the video, she is back home after her hospital stay and happy to be there. She was allowed to keep the Halo and says, “But yeah, I got to keep it and I really like it, actually” as she holds it up for us to see. 

We can see the joy in her videos even though she is going through some challenges with her health. She is celebrating what she loves, sharing her life, and embracing the good. 

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” - Romans 15:13

A woman, more than a century old, praised and thanked God for all the blessings in her life during an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. 

Life is the most precious thing on Earth. It is a gift from God. Given its importance, it must be honored, protected and cherished in every way possible. Sadly, life is also limited. No one can predict how much time they have on Earth. Life can change in the blink of an eye. A loved one could be here one minute and gone the next. 

Althea Vignaud understands life is a gift. She has enjoyed more than 100 years on Earth. The 104-year-old woman is blessed, which is a fact that Althea recognizes and readily admits. She also understands the source of all of her blessings, and praises and thanks Him for every day He gives her. 

“My high note is all my thanks is to the Man upstairs,” Althea said. “That’s my blessing. When I wake up in the morning, I look out, open my blinds, and I look out, up to the sky. And I say, ‘Thank You for all my blessings. Thank You for waking me up this morning. Thank You for having me feel the way I do.’”

Despite her advanced age, Althea says she has been blessed with good health and still feels well.

“And my blessing is, I get up in the morning feeling great - like I’m ready to hit the street,” she said. 

Before the clip ends, Jennifer hands Althea a bouquet of roses and serenades her with a rendition of “Happy Birthday.”

Everyone could stand to learn a lot from Althea. Most people constantly want more and more, never content with what the Lord has already blessed them with and placed in their lives. But Althea is grateful for everything in her life and every day the Lord gives her. She understands that every 24-hour period is another gift from God. 

Job 12:12 “Old men have wisdom, and a long life gives knowledge.”

One of the most popular and talented people in all of Christian music, Phil Wickham, has advice for those looking to share the message of Jesus Christ.

Witnessing and telling others about Jesus Christ is often a daunting task. This act is made even more terrifying when you aren’t sure what to say or how it may be received. Despite how uneasy this may make some, the Bible states that Christians are to spread the gospel of Christ. 

For those who are unsure of what to say, Phil, in an interview, states that during those times Jesus Christ will supply the words and the message. He will, as He always is, remain by our side, guiding and directing our words.

“The Lord will give you the words at the right time,” Phil said. “What I would say is just, like, come with love and come with joy and come with hope to tell your story about how Jesus has changed your life.”

Later in the clip, Phil adds that Christians cannot be complacent or fearful. The message of Christ is much too important not to share with others.

“You have great news,” Phil said. “And the news is that God loves people, and so you need to share it.”

Christ’s message of love, hope, forgiveness and salvation is one that many people today are looking for. Everyone is searching for hope, something they can believe in and lean on during life’s storms. 

Jesus Christ brought hope into a lost and broken world. He willingly went to the cross, suffering an agonizing death and rose from the grave days later. Christ went through all that for you and me to give us hope and a future.

This message of love and redemption is way too important to conceal. 

Romans 1:16 “For I have no feeling of shame about the good news, because it is the power of God giving salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first, and then to the Greek.”

One woman interrupted her run during a marathon to stop and help a cute but frightened member of the furry and four-legged community.

Anyone who has ever run a long-distance race understands the kind of dedication and focus it requires to complete such a run. Runners, especially those training for and running in marathons, refuse to let anything distract them from their goal of finishing the race. They have a single-mindedness, fully focused on crossing the finish line. 

Well, one woman, Sarah, a runner in Chicago, was participating in a marathon and was nearing the end of the long-distance run when something out of the ordinary caught her eye. During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, she explains how and why she stopped to help a cat in need.

“I was at mile 20, I’m focused on my race, and I remember running into this tunnel,” Sarah said. “I’m like, ‘OK, I have six miles to go. I can get there.’ And I turn to the left, I see this little fluffy cat in a pile of leaves looking terrified. I remember at that moment; it was a split-second decision, and I scooped this little baby up.”

But Sarah went even one step further to help the cat. She walked along the race course, asking spectators who wanted the cat. She found Andrea, one of the spectators along the race path, and took the cat from Sarah.

Andrea said that taking the cat was a split-second decision for her as well. The cat, now known as Casper, has found a loving home with Andrea and her family.

What a loving example of kindness and concern from two women for a member of God’s creation. Sarah could have easily passed the cat and kept running. Also, Andrea could have refused to speak up and take in the animal. But neither did, and a cat now has a home because of their acts of kindness.

Proverbs 12:10 “An upright man has thought for the life of his beast, but the hearts of evildoers are cruel.”

One law enforcement official wasn't going to let an arrest keep one person from enjoying the food they had ordered through DoorDash.

Let’s make things as simple and headache-free as possible. Everyone loves convenience and having things easy. That makes sense, right? No one would want to make things any harder than what was absolutely necessary. 

Because of this desire for convenience, we have streaming movies and television shows. Hulu, Netflix and Disney+ let us watch programs on our time and when most suitable for our schedule. 

This has even impacted how our food is delivered. With a couple of taps on our smartphone, we can get an entire meal delivered to our house in a timely fashion. GrubHub, Uber Eats and DoorDash have become the leaders in the food delivery space. 

However, one person who ordered from DoorDash got quite a surprise when they opened the door. They encountered a sheriff’s deputy carrying their order, according to a video posted on YouTube.

Once the woman opens the door and sees the Illinois sheriff’s deputy, she asks about the status of her DoorDash driver.

“Hi, oh gosh, did my driver get in an accident,” the woman asks.

That’s when the deputy responds and lets her know that the driver is OK but just a little tied at the time.

“No, he got arrested,” the deputy says. “But we wanted to make sure you got your food. So, you guys have a good night.”

The woman is beyond appreciative of the deputy’s kind and thoughtful gesture.

“You guys are amazing,” she says. “Thank you!”

That sheriff's deputy did not have to deliver that order. But he showed kindness and concern for someone else. What a wonderful and heartwarming gesture! 

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, fully of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ had forgiveness for you.”

One woman, a former teacher, has held onto a purple crayon she received as a gift from a student for 10 years.

People want to know they matter and make a difference in someone’s life. Everyone enjoys feeling loved and appreciated. Telling someone how much they mean to you is an activity everyone could become more familiar with and participate in more frequently. Another great way to show love and appreciation is with gifts. 

As Heather Benoit explained in a clip posted on YouTube, often it’s not the actual gift that means so much but the thought and meaning behind the present that is heartwarming. 

Ten years ago, Heather, as a teacher, received a Christmas present from one of her students. She opened the box to find a single purple crayon. Heather was so moved by the child’s gift, she had to tell herself repeatedly not to cry. 

Heather, now a program director, has held onto that crayon.

“I keep it on my little ledge with all, like, my family pictures and just different things that I use every day here in my program,” she said. “I think about it often, especially when I’m just sitting with the kids in my program coloring.”

Sarah added what the gift means to her not only as an educator but as a human being.

“He took that time to pay attention to those minor details to make a huge movement,” she said. “It’s something that will always live in my head and embedded in my heart because that’s just something that means the most, is taking the time to show somebody appreciation.”

Heather says she will often use that purple crayon to show the children she works with who come from broken homes and rough situations as a teaching tool. She tells them that showing others love and appreciation doesn’t have to involve lots of money. Sometimes, a purple crayon is more than enough.

Showing love and kindness can have immeasurably positive effects. Who would have ever thought that giving someone a crayon could mean so much? 

2 Corinthians 9:11 “Being enriched in everything to all bountifulness, which causes through us thanksgiving to God.”