Good Samaritans

A teacher reunited with a former student he helped rescue and escape an abusive household. It was an emotional moment between the schoolteacher and the young woman he helped more than 20 years earlier. Watch the short but powerful and moving clip to hear how the observant teacher helped save the young woman’s life.

Teachers are people who have been placed in important positions. They interact with young people daily through their crucial and necessary work in the classroom. Teachers are molding the next generation. What they do and say in those classrooms will have repercussions for years.

As one clip posted on YouTube shows, observant teachers can and do literally save the lives of their students. That happened when a kindergarten teacher, Richard Goforth, noticed something unusual about one of his students, Ashley Mabry. He spotted a wound on the side of the little girl’s face.

As it turned out, Ashely was being abused by her biological father. She says she was told to lie and keep quiet about what was happening. But after Richard questioned his young student about her injury, she never returned to that abusive household. Ashely credits Richard with saving her life all those years ago as a kindergarten student.

“I came in, and I had a severe head injury,” she said. “And so, he questioned me about that, and we never had to go back home after that. He pretty much saved my life.”

Richard knew he had to do something and wouldn’t stop until her situation changed.

“Somebody had hurt one of my babies, flat out, and I didn’t, wasn’t going to stand for it,” Richard said.

The video adds that Ashley and her three siblings did not go back to that abusive household and were all later adopted by another family.

“She’s just been a blessing to us the whole time, and we’re so proud of her,” Ashely’s adoptive mother said.

Richard hopes that other children in a similar situation as Ashley realize and understand that they can talk to their teacher about what is happening to them.

Psalm 32:8 “I will give you knowledge, teaching you the way to go; my eye will be your guide.”

An honest young man went out of his way to return a lost wallet to its rightful owner. It was an unexpected act of kindness and love that caused one person to become emotional. Watch the short clip to hear about the young man’s kind gesture, which might help restore your faith in humanity.

This world is lost, broken and full of people hurting, struggling and calling out for help. The destruction and havoc brought about by sin are evident everywhere we look and turn. It’s impossible to get away from and can make finding anything good in the world difficult.

Then, people will do things that surprise us and remind us that maybe not everything is awful. Perhaps not everyone is cold, cruel, uncaring and just out for themselves. What one man, 26-year-old Donnie Hanson, did shows that some kind, caring and honest people still live among us.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Donnie explains that he found a wallet full of cash lying in the middle of the street. But instead of keeping the wallet or pocketing the money, the busy realtor located the ID in the wallet and went to the address printed on the card. He returned the lost wallet with all its contents still intact.

Michelle Johnson, whose son owns the lost and now-returned wallet, explained that her son works at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and all the tips he earned during his most recent shift were still in the wallet. Donnie’s act of kindness caused Michelle to react emotionally.

“I almost cried,” she said. “I know that sounds silly, but it was nice.”

The video explains that Donnie has also lost his wallet before, but it was never returned to him. So, he was motivated to act differently and return the wallet.

“Those small acts of kindness really truly make a difference in the world,” Michelle said.

You never know how much a simple act of kindness may mean to someone.

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.”

A gas station worker saved a customer from losing money to a scam. The kind, caring and vigilant man helped a woman avoid falling prey to a fraudulent operation and handing over a large sum of money. Watch the short but powerful clip to see what the man working at a convenience store did to stop a woman from handing over a ton of money to a scammer.

Evil is very real and prevalent in our world. Sadly, it can be spotted nearly everywhere we turn and look, including in how we treat and interact with one another. People can and will inflict immense amounts of pain and hurt on each other, often for no other reason than just because they can.

But even when people are being horrible and downright awful to each other, glimmers of goodness and hope can often be found. That was most certainly the case when a woman was the target of a well-organized and thought-out scam. The scammers were trying to swindle the woman out of thousands of dollars when a kind and benevolent gas station worker stepped in and stopped it.

In a clip posted on YouTube, the man, Eric Stewart, knew something was off when he spotted Lista Clark on her phone while standing at the gas station’s Bitcoin machine. He said that is always a red flag for a possible scam.

The video explains that Lista had gotten text messages with what appeared to be legal documents informing her that she was being charged with bank fraud and conspiracy. Those documents went on to inform her that if she wanted to avoid jail time, she needed to deposit thousands of dollars into an account.

Thankfully, Eric knew what was happening and understood that Lista was the target of a scam, stopping her from handing over more than $6,000.

Philippians 2:4 “Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others.”

A community banded together to give a mom with cancer her perfect wedding day. A group of people lent their time, talents and money to help a woman experience a special day. Watch the short but sweet and tear-jerking video about a mother battling cancer and how several people did what they could to make her wedding memorable.

There are many terrible, horrible and awful things in this world. Cancer is near the top of that list. It causes nothing but hurt, heartache and pain. Sadly, most people have been impacted by that deadly disease in one way or another.

However, during these horrible situations, something spectacular often happens. People, even strangers, will typically come together, and do what they can to help the patient and their family. Tremendous and moving displays of love and kindness can and often do happen when people are at their lowest. That is precisely what happened when one woman with terminal cancer got married.

A clip posted on YouTube points out that a community raised $20K for Esther and Mike Furches’ wedding.

“Everyone’s donations paid to have that wedding happen, literally everything, because people just wanted to help,” Esther said. “We planned this wedding in a week.”

Later in the clip, Esther mentions that those who attended the wedding were community members. Anyone who had touched and or made even the most minor impact on her life was invited to her wedding, Esther said.

Esther is in a desperate fight for her life. Initially, doctors said Esther was cancer-free in November, but sadly, in December, the cancer had returned in full force. She has been given a year, but she is determined to beat cancer and see her children have children.

The Lord can still perform miracles and is fully able to defeat cancer. Esther and her family certainly need prayers during this time.

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.”

A kind passenger treated an entire flight to pizza during an unfortunate delay. It was a pizza party for everyone aboard a delayed flight. Watch the short but powerful video of the pizza being handed out to the passengers on the plane.

Traveling can and often is stressful. Everyone has strict, tight schedules full of things they must complete in a timely manner. Any delay in getting from Point A to Point B will only add more stress to the situation. It doesn’t matter if it’s travel for business or pleasure; being held up for any reason is never enjoyable.

Traveling by plane, especially if you must go a great distance in a short amount of time, is often the most efficient way to travel. But while it’s arguably the quickest method of getting from one place to another, delays do happen for one reason or another. They are never fun, but what can you do about a delayed flight? Absolutely nothing.

In a clip posted on YouTube, one passenger on a delayed flight tried to make the best of a bad situation. The passenger splurged on pizza, buying it for everyone on the plane—what a generous, loving and unexpected move.

The text in the video states that the plane had been delayed for more than four hours. The reason for the delays was unclear, but it likely did not matter to the passengers by that point. They were likely beyond frustrated. However, someone stepped in and tried to do what they could to improve the situation for everyone involved.

The video shows flight attendants handing out the pizza to the seated passengers. What is noticeable is everyone shown in the video has a big smile. Even though they were delayed for several hours, they still appeared to be in good spirits. Pizza is powerful and can do wonders, even putting people aboard a delayed flight in a good mood.

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.”

An elderly man was brought to tears when an entire Cracker Barrel sang him “Happy Birthday.” The show of love and kindness overwhelmed the gentleman and caused him to become emotional. Watch the unexpectedly sweet musical performance that caused the elderly man to shed some tears.

Many people do not celebrate or recognize their birthdays; some may even get upset if you acknowledge the day of their birth. Of course, that’s because a birthday is essentially the ultimate sign of aging. Honestly, who wants to be reminded that they are another year older? Most people, as it turns out. 

But then again, aging is a process that none of us have any control over or say so about. Since human beings have yet to come up with a way to stop or rewind time, we might as well enjoy getting older. Celebrate that birthday, enjoy a piece of birthday cake or go out to dinner on your big day. Do something to commemorate and remember yet another birthday!

In a clip posted on social media, a man celebrating his 89th birthday at Cracker Barrel received a special surprise. The video shows the elderly gentleman sobbing at a table as everyone in the restaurant sings to him, “Happy Birthday.” What a lovely display of love and kindness that obviously meant a great deal to the birthday boy.

While he likely touched and moved that a group of strangers cared enough about him to perform “Happy Birthday” for him, I suppose he could have become emotional for other reasons. Maybe he was horrified by the collective musical performance. Or maybe (and this would be me) he was terribly embarrassed and upset that someone in his party had told the staff at Cracker Barrel that it was his birthday.

Psalm 71:9 “Do not give me up when I am old; be my help even when my strength is gone.”

Many of us live in a continual hurry, which often results in continual stress. How do we respond when God calls us to be still and rest in Him? Join hosts Reverend Jessica VanRoekel and Reverence Kyle Norman as they discuss how learning to wait on and rest in God enables us to live with open hands, increased peace, to remain more present with our loved ones, and increases our capacity to receive what God has for us in this moment. They also discuss how our difficulty to wait on God often stems from comparison. Takeaways: - Embrace stillness to experience God’s peace. - Learn the art of resting in God's presence to improve relationships and personal well-being. - Recognize the dangers of comparison and how it affects our spiritual journey. Episode discussed: Your Daily Bible Verse: Red Lights, White Knuckles, and Trusting God

A group of Disney World employees delivered smiles despite a power outage. They did not let an unfortunate power outage keep them from entertaining and making a memorable experience for several youngsters. Watch the short video to hear and see several Disney World employees' sweet and heartwarming efforts.

Disney World is routinely described as “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” The four Disney parks in central Florida – Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, EPCOT and Animal Kingdom– are destinations for people all over the world. Where else can you ride some of the most classic rides and interact with some of the most beloved fictional characters ever?

While the rides, characters, iconic food and Cinderella's castle in Magic Kingdom help make Disney World a beloved destination for families, something else sets those four theme parks apart from every other park in the world. The difference is that Disney World employees consistently go above and beyond to help ensure families have the time of their lives while visiting those theme parks.

In a clip posted on social media, a handful of Disney World workers were captured doing just that for some young visitors. Several young women dressed in pirate garb were working the classic Pirates of the Caribbean ride when a power outage occurred at the Magic Kingdom. Of course, without power, the attractions cannot function. This did not stop these women from doing what they could to make the best of a bad situation.

The video shows the young ladies singing, dancing and acting out what guests see and hear when riding the attraction. But they did not stop there. They had even created a boat out of tape on the ground where several little ones sat and took in the young women’s show.

Although those children may not have ridden Pirates of the Caribbean, they will likely remember those young ladies and their sweet, heartwarming efforts for the rest of their lives.

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.”

A woman and her husband opened their hearts and home by adopting her little brother. She stepped up in a big way and adopted her half-brother, who was placed in foster care. Watch this short clip to see and hear about this sweet, tear-jerking story. Make sure you have the tissues nearby.

Being a parent and adding a little one to your home is one of life’s greatest blessings. Nearly every mother and father would wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. None of them would go back to a time without their children for even a second. Children change your life in every way imaginable for the better.

However, having children biologically is not the only way to grow your family. There are a ton of youngsters who need and deserve good, loving homes and a place where they feel safe and protected. That’s why foster care and adoption are so critical. But, as anyone who has ever gone through that process knows, it is not easy. It is quite literally a journey with many ups and downs along the way.

A video posted on YouTube tells of one young woman’s sweet journey to adopt her half-brother and the struggles and heartaches she endured along the way. At just 19 years old, after her half-brother was placed in the foster care system, Hannah Robinson started down the path of adopting him.

“People didn’t take me super seriously at the start, for sure,” Hannah said. “I mean, I was only 19, so I do understand why. But I knew, like, him going up for adoption like that was going to be a long road before that even would happen.”

At one time, while her brother was in foster care, she was not allowed to see him for nearly a year and a half. But she persevered, and eventually, Hannah and her husband adopted him when he was five.

What a beautiful story of love and kindness!

James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”

One mom had a tearful reaction to an unexpected show of support after her son’s autism diagnosis. The mother could not contain her emotions after what she found on her front porch. Watch the video to see what the mom found near her front door and the message of love and support that came with it.

Parenting, while being the biggest and best blessing anyone can experience on Earth, is not always an easy task. Children add so much happiness and joy to a household. However, not every day will be a reason for celebration. There will be some days and occasions that absolutely break your heart.

Every parent wants the best for their child. When things come up beyond a mother or father’s control, parents will start to question and doubt themselves. They might believe they are coming up short in the parenting department and may even consider themselves a failure. That’s when a little show of support and a kind, encouraging word can make all the difference in the world.

In a clip posted on social media, one mother’s son had just officially been diagnosed with autism. That would be an emotional day for any and every parent. Naturally, a parent would be scared and have a lot of anxiety and questions.

But as the woman shows, her best friend came through with a sweet show of support, leaving it at her front door.

Seconds into the 18-second video, the woman opens her front door to reveal that a small bouquet of flowers and a card have been placed outside her door. She opens the card and shows its beautiful, uplifting message to the camera.

“I’m so proud of the mama that you are today. You’re such a loving and caring mom. The kids are so lucky to have you. So proud of you and Kai (& Michael of course). Forever will be here for you guys. Love you. Take a deep breath. You’re doing great,” the card reads.

What a beautiful message at a time when that mother likely needed it most.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “So then, go on comforting and building up one another, as you have been doing.”

Heroic teens rushed outside to save a man who had fallen on train tracks. The three young men wasted no time getting to someone who needed help. Watch the clip to see and hear about the three teenagers’ life-saving efforts.

Teenagers often get a bad rap. Many people see and think of teenagers as being out-of-control, self-centered, video-game-obsessed individuals who are always looking for ways to bring about destruction and mayhem. Of course, that is painting with a considerably broad brush, which is always a wrong move.

Some teenagers will fit and meet that very narrow description and narrative. For the most part, teenagers aren’t that way at all. That is certainly the case when talking about three Iowa teenagers who saw an elderly gentleman in distress and a potentially life-threatening situation.

In a clip posted on YouTube, three teenage boys recalled seeing an older man fall on train tracks while in class. The clip adds that the unnamed man had trouble returning to his feet. Instead of asking for permission, all three walked out of school and quickly headed to where the man had fallen.

A teacher spotted the three young men as they approached the elderly gentleman. However, by that point, the teacher admitted that they had everything covered.

“Kinda by the time I was out there, they were kind of getting to him and helping him up off his feet,” the high school science teacher said. “And then they started walking him to the bus stop and that’s about two blocks away. And I decided to take out my phone and take a picture.”

What the teacher captured with his photo was a beautiful moment of three heroic young men assisting someone in trouble.

“It was just, you know, a selfless act,” the teacher said. “They didn’t wait and ask for permission. They just said, ‘We’re doing this.’”

Philippians 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Enjoy this selection of James Kilbane's inspirational and country gospel recordings taken from a number of his different albums. James is an Irish country and gospel singer. Gravel & Grace: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/gravel-and-grace-songs-of-faith-life-and-hope-clean Life’s Miracle: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/lifes-miracle-clean King of the Road: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/king-of-the-road-clean Divine Love: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/divine-love-clean-4 The Songs of Faith Collection: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/the-songs-of-faith-collection-clean The Family Collection: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/the-family-collection-clean The Christmas Collection: https://symphony.to/james-kilbane/the-christmas-collection-clean #countrymusic #inspirationalmusic #motivationalmusic #countrygospelmusic

A Walmart employee was recognized for helping a mom during a challenging, trying moment. He saw a mother needing help, and instead of simply watching and judging her, he showed her kindness and love. Watch the video to learn how the caring and empathetic man’s small act of kindness made a big difference.

Without question, children are some of the biggest and best blessings we can experience in life. They add so much joy and love, positively changing your life in every way imaginable. However, as every parent will wholeheartedly agree, not every moment with their children is a walk in the park or even enjoyable.

As the clip posted on YouTube mentions, a mother was in Walmart when she experienced one of these less-than-enjoyable parenting moments. She was in the popular retailer when her child, who has autism, had a meltdown. She had difficulty calming her son down, leaving her feeling embarrassed and overwhelmed. But in that moment, someone—Justin—stepped in and lent that mother a helping, loving hand.

So moved by what Justin did for her in that moment, the mother contacted a television station to alert them to his act of kindness. She wrote that he went “above and beyond” and was calm and supportive. She ended her letter about Justin by saying, “his kindness and support meant the world to me during this very challenging moment.”

Justin remembered the situation involving the mother and her son. As the father of a child with autism himself, he had an idea of what she was going through and how she must have felt at that time. He shared that after helping with her son, he gave her a hug and some sweet words of encouragement, telling her that despite how she might be feeling, she was a good mother.

The clip shows how a small act of kindness can make a world of difference to someone who is struggling or in need.

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 man traded his golden years for parenthood in a beautiful adoption story. Emilio initially thought his time parenting small children was over, but he made a surprising and heartwarming decision. Check out the short but sweet video of how Emilio became the adoptive father of a 3-year-old girl.

All children deserve loving and caring homes. They want to be somewhere where they feel safe, secure and have peace of mind. Sadly, though, many children do not have this, having been born into less-than-ideal situations and circumstances. Many children have never experienced love, safety, security and peace.

Foster care and adoption are of the utmost importance, offering children a chance, some hope and a future. Emilio, a retiree and father of three grown children who recently moved to Florida to enjoy his golden years, completely changed course and is now the adoptive father of Kiana, an adorable little girl.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Emilio admits that Kiana was only supposed to be with him for a month. However, things quickly changed.

“Yeah, I can’t imagine giving her back at this point,” Emilio said.

Kiana is over the moon about being adopted and having Emilio as her father.

“When I first got adopted, it was so amazing,” she said. “It’s like, really, I love him so much, like so much, like so much, like so very much.”

While choking up, Emilio explains that in the time Kiana has been with him, he has seen a dramatic change in her personality and demeanor.

“And I’m about to tear up because,” Emilio said before Kiana interrupted him.

“I was like so scared and shy,” Kiana says

“She was, you know, in a really bad space,” he said.

Emilio could have sat back, taken things easy, and enjoyed his retirement. But instead of doing that, he is giving a young woman a much-needed safe and happy home full of love and happiness.

Matthew 9:37 “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest indeed is plentiful, but the laborers are few.’”

A loving and selfless daycare worker gave part of her liver to one of her former students. The woman stepped up in a big way and helped to provide a 5-year-old young man with a second chance. Check out this unbelievably touching and moving story about kindness and love.

Educators are a special and influential group of people. They are in vital, crucial positions. Every single day, they touch and influence young lives. What they say and do in the classroom will impact generations to come.

Yes, teachers are there to impart knowledge on subjects such as reading, geography, history and mathematics. But in addition to the facts and figures they share with the youngsters in their class, they are also in a position to demonstrate love and kindness to those little ones.

Teachers regularly give of their time and talent to help their students. A clip posted on YouTube tells of a daycare worker who literally gave of herself to save a former student of hers.

Ezra, a sweet young man who, because of complications at birth, needed a liver transplant. To try and find a living donor for her adopted son, Ezra’s mother turned to social media. She posted a message on Facebook informing everyone about the massive need.

Carissa Fisher, Ezra’s former daycare teacher, saw the social media post and got to work trying to determine if she was a match. As the clip mentions, she was a perfect match. Soon enough, both went under the knife, with Carissa giving 5-year-old Ezra a part of her liver.

Carissa said the decision to give a part of her liver to the youngster wasn’t a hard one to make.

“I guess, for me, it wasn’t really a decision,” she said. “It was something I kind of knew I was going to do. I mean, how could you say ‘No’ to them?”

What an unbelievable act of love.

Hebrews 13:16 “But go on doing good and giving to others, because God is well-pleased with such offerings.”

A kind waitress was moved to tears by an unforgettable gift from a grateful customer. The woman was caught off guard and taken aback by the customer’s touching words and gifts. Watch the short video to see the unexpected and beautiful moment unfold.

Small and insignificant acts of kindness may not be viewed by the person on the receiving end that way. To some people, a random, small act of kindness may mean the world to them. A warm smile, a friendly hug, a listening ear or showing someone a little bit of grace and patience may be the thing they need at that exact moment.

However, most of the time, we will never see how much our kindness means to someone else, which is perfectly fine. We shouldn’t exhibit kind, loving behavior toward others with the expectation of a reward. We’re called to show others the love of Jesus Christ.

However, a video posted on social media shows how much a waitress’s kindness, grace and patience meant to a mother. The restaurant employee’s kind act even inspired others to do something for her, and, as the man in the video says, “It put a lot of light out into the world.”

The short one-minute clip begins with the customer at the table, finishing his meal. The waitress walks over to the table, and he says he wants to talk to her and proceeds to ask her to sit down. The woman is, of course, a tad concerned. She thinks something bad is coming in her direction, likely a tongue-lashing about her service. 

But that is not the case at call.

He tells her that a few days before their conversation, she had helped a mother with a few kids who weren’t on their best behavior. He adds that instead of being short and dismissive to the mother and her kids, the waitress “treated her with dignity and kindness.” The waitress touched the mother so much that she took to Facebook to post about how the waitress treated her.

From that Facebook post, the man in the video went around to several people in the community, collecting money and gift cards, which he presented to the young woman.

As is to be expected when something so beautiful and unexpected happens, both have tears in their eyes by the end of the clip.

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.”

A heroic woman braved freezing waters to save a man from an icy pond. The young woman did not think twice after seeing someone in distress, having fallen into a frigid body of water. Watch the video to see how the woman jumped into action to save someone’s life.

Despite what we often hear, heroes are not politicians, athletes or actors. What is supposed to be heroic about being a government official and voting in Congress, putting a ball through a hoop or reciting lines written by someone else? Those people are often out solely for themselves, doing things out of selfish ambition.

However, real heroes are those people deserving of praise and recognition who prioritize the cares, concerns and well-being of others over their own. That was precisely what 28-year-old Kayla Masotto did, saving a man from drowning in an icy pond.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Kayla can be seen on a paddleboard scooting herself over to reach the man jet-skiing who had fallen into the pond. Eventually, Kayla reaches the man, who is able to pull himself up and onto her paddleboard.

In an interview, Kayla described the frightening state he was in when she finally got to him.

“His hands, fingers, legs – whole body was numb,” she said.

Kayla added that the man said that he “really thought that he was going to die.”

Right before the clip ends, Kayla states, “We all need to look out for each other and help each other.”

Kayla is an actual hero, worthy of all the praise and recognition she has received for her quick and decisive actions. She saw someone who needed help and then acted to meet that person’s need, not waiting for someone else to do it. She stepped up in a big way.

To make her rescue even more spectacular, Kayla did all of that while still wearing her pajamas and house slippers.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things in him that strengthen me.”

An officer showed kindness and love to a puppy thrown from a vehicle, giving the animal a forever home. A law enforcement official helped an injured animal by getting the pup immediate medical attention and later a forever home. Watch the short video to hear how an officer of the law showed love to one of God’s furry, four-legged creatures.

Animals deserve a healthy amount of love, care, kindness and respect. After all, they were put on Earth by the same God who gave you and me life and placed the sun, moon and stars in their positions. Anyone who would intentionally hurt or mistreat a poor, defenseless animal is doing so to one of God’s creatures.

When thinking about animals unable to protect or fend for themselves, it doesn’t get much more helpless than a kitten or a puppy. That’s why it’s always maddening and infuriating whenever we hear of someone abusing a cat or a dog. A clip posted on YouTube tells of a puppy who was discarded like a piece of trash. However, the pup, who had a rough start, eventually found a loving forever home.

As the clip mentions, Texas police Brennan Johnson responded to a call about animal cruelty. He learned, after responding to the animal hospital in Dennison, Texas, that a small, defenseless puppy had been thrown from a vehicle.

Brennan, being the kind-hearted person he is, paid for the animal’s medical bills. However, he initially feared the worst, thinking the puppy would lose the use of its back legs because of its horrific ordeal. Luckily, upon closer examination, the animal only suffered a break to one of its hind legs, forcing the animal to sport a cast. 

But shelling out for the pup’s medical expenses was the only kindness Brennan showed the injured pup. He also took her in, giving her the loving and caring forever home the animal rightly deserves.

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

A heroic barista courageously stepped in to stop a robbery taking place right in front of him by physically taking down the criminal. The coffee shop employee acted without regard for his safety when he jumped in to stop the crime. Watch the video to see the brave, quick-thinking barista’s actions.

Heroes can be anyone and anywhere. They could be our neighbors, coworkers, friends, relatives or even someone we pass by on the street. We all have the potential to be heroes and to help others when they are in extreme distress.

Most people would agree that being a hero means taking decisive action in a moment of great uncertainty. Heroes are able to put their fear aside and courageously act on behalf of someone else. They provide others with much-needed assistance, even though doing so might result in them becoming injured.

A clip shows a young man doing exactly that for a person sitting in a coffee shop. The heroic barista’s actions were caught on camera as he raced in to stop the customer from being a robbery victim.

The criminal, dressed in all black and with his face covered, strolls into the shop, walks over to the customer, and brazenly attempts to steal their bag. Little does he know that the barista is about to foil his criminal plan.

Seconds into the video, the barista hits the criminal in the back with a cart. The criminal and the barista then get into a prolonged, violent physical altercation. At certain points during their struggle, the criminal sprays a substance in the face of the courageous barista. That substance turned out to be bear mace.

Eventually, the barista is able to get the criminal on the floor and, with the help of another customer, subdues him until police arrive on the scene.

The day after his brave, selfless actions, Nick Grant said he was “a little sore” and “still coughing out bear mace” but was OK.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “And you, my brothers, do not get tired of well-doing.”

A quick-thinking 8-year-old saved his classmate’s life during a frightening lunchroom incident. The young man took decisive action at the moment that, without a doubt, kept his buddy from meeting an unfortunate end. Check out the video to see the young hero in action.

We live in a dangerous world where the potential for physical and emotional harm literally surrounds us. Walking out the door in the morning to get in your vehicle to head to work could result in injury. There are hundreds of thousands of ways human beings can be injured.

Humans can even suffer injury and even die by eating – something we all need to do to remain alive can quickly become a danger and put our lives in jeopardy. Luckily, often in such situations when choking happens, the Lord will place the right person in the right place at the right time.

As a video posted on YouTube shows, that’s precisely what happened when a young man eating lunch at school started choking. The clip points out the child was enjoying his meal when he began choking on a grape almost immediately after putting it in his mouth. Understanding that he’s in extreme distress, the young man stands to his feet with both hands on his throat.

Everyone in the lunchroom appears totally oblivious to the choking child. Thankfully, the 8-year-old sitting next to the choking child quickly realizes what is going on and gets to work. He grabs ahold of his choking buddy and performs actions that look very similar to the Heimlich 

maneuver. Moments later, the grape is out, and a life has been saved.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I just decided to push on his stomach cause what I was thinking was, ‘Try to get air up and push out the grape,” the young hero said.

It turned out the young hero’s thoughts and instincts were correct.

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I send up my cry to you; for you will give me an answer.”