Inspirational Videos

A UPS delivery driver went several steps beyond his job description when he helped a woman conceal a birthday present.

Birthdays are special occasions and cause for celebration. While the person getting older may not enjoy the annual date on the calendar, others use it as a chance to show how much they care about the person. Cakes are made, and presents are purchased.

One woman, Hannah Pierce, who had purchased a birthday gift for her fiancée, found herself in an odd predicament. She was at work when the gift arrived via UPS, but her boyfriend was at home sick.

Thankfully, Rick, a beloved community member, and a UPS driver, gave Hannah a hand. Hannah was at work at the time of the delivery. She communicated with Rick through a Ring camera and asked him to hide it if possible because it was a gift for Jason, Hannah’s fiancée. 

As the video shows, Jason answered the door and Rick, quick on his feet, gave a convincing but less-than-truthful answer. 

“Yeah, I don’t have a delivery,” Rick said. “I’ve got the wrong house.”

Hannah explained that Rick delivered the package but left it where only Hannah would find it.

“I have a fenced-in backyard,” Hannah said. “He slid it through my fence and behind a trash can. And as soon as I got home, about 45 minutes later, it was safe and sound.”

Hannah admits that she was touched by Rick’s willingness to help her out by hiding the birthday gift.

“It was mind-blowing,” Hannah said. “I was in my office, as I am right now, and kind of, just trying to be quiet. I didn’t expect him to go above and beyond. And as soon as he did, I was, my heart sinks. I was like, ‘a lot of people wouldn’t do this.’”

That package was delivered with a ton of attention and care!

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 priest officiating a wedding ceremony in Ireland, with a few quick comments, had everyone in attendance roaring with laughter.

Weddings are special, memorable and life-changing occasions. They are beautiful ceremonies in which two people, in front of friends, family and God, vow to remain together forever, through thick and thin. Despite the often-serious nature of wedding ceremonies, that doesn’t mean there can’t be some laughs along the way.

In fact, as a video posted on social media shows, one priest in Ireland brought the bride, groom and everyone in the church to laughter. His light-hearted and self-deprecating comments were absolutely hysterical!

The short, 37-second video on Facebook begins with the bride and groom near the front of the stage. The priest, apparently having already gone through the vows and the ceremony, makes his way down the platform. However, there is some confusion present.

Soon after the video begins, as the priest walks down the platform, the bride asks the Catholic priest a question.

“Do we do our kiss? First kiss? First kiss?” she asks.

The priest apparently had forgotten to tell the newly wedded couple to kiss as husband and wife. It sounded like he was in the process of announcing the couple as husband and wife to the congregation when the bride got his attention.

Laughter is heard throughout the church as the priest recognizes his mistake. But then he steps to the microphone, giving the church even more reason to laugh.

“You don’t expect a note back about a note to remember something like that,” the priest confesses to the congregation. 

Everyone, including the bride and groom, is sent into a fit of laughter. 

But he still hasn’t answered the bride’s question. They both stand near the priest looking on, waiting for his OK to lock lips. 

“Go on, do what ya have to do,” the priest tells the bride and groom.

The entire room, once again, breaks out into laughter as the groom raises his wife’s veil and plants one on her.

Proverbs 17:22 “A glad heart makes a healthy body, but a crushed spirit makes the bones dry."

The community responded in a big way after no one showed up to a birthday party for a 5-year-old girl.

Birthdays are monumental occasions for children. They are times often recognized with a party, friends, cake and lots of gifts. Children will anxiously count down the days until that special, annual day on the calendar. Birthdays and birthday parties mean the world to children. 

Knowing the amount of significance children place on birthday parties is why Lex Fitzgerald was crushed. 

Lex had organized a birthday party for her 5-year-old daughter. Invitations were sent, a table was decorated and the 5-year-old birthday girl was in her finest clothes. Everything was ready. However, no one showed up for the child’s party. The no-shows came even after several of the child’s classmates had RSVP’d yes.

“She was just sitting there,” Lex said. “My heart broke. She was sitting there waiting for her friends to arrive. And I just, I didn’t know what to do.”

Lex was devastated by the lack of turnout for her daughter’s party. But then Lex came up with an idea. She went to social media and posted, reaching out to the community. 

The mother of the devastated child wrote how no one showed up for the child’s party, explaining that if they weren’t busy, they were welcome to attend.

Then, just minutes later, people began arriving at the party.

“And when I tell you that within 15 minutes of making that post, people started to arrive,” Lex said. “Families started to arrive for her birthday party. It was the most incredible show of neighborly love and community.”

But those guests did not come to the party empty-handed either. They made sure to bring presents for the birthday girl. 

What a beautiful example of kindness and love!

Colossians 3:12 “As saints of God, then, holy and dearly loved, let your behavior be marked by pity and mercy, kind feeling, a low opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, and a power of undergoing all things.”

Two skaters in their late 60s put on an absolutely stunning display on the ice, performing to the iconic “Mission Impossible” theme song. 

Football, basketball, baseball and really any other sport is often considered a young person’s activity. Athletes who no longer possess the same speed, quickness and strength as they did in their 20s and 30s, commonly retire, usually announced in tear-filled press conferences.

However, age does not appear to have slowed down two professional ice skaters in their late 60s – Anita Hartshorn,66, and Frank Sweiding,68. A clip posted to YouTube shows the two athletes attempting and successfully completing jaw-dropping maneuvers with ease.

Seconds into the clip, Frank lifts Anita up, placing her onto his shoulders. He then flips her upside down, putting her feet on either side of his head, and swings her around as he spins around on the ice. 

Then after putting her back onto the ice, it’s time for another trick where Frank holds Anita upside down while twirling her around in a circle, with her head mere inches from the ice. 

After a few seconds of synchronized skating, it’s time for yet another maneuver that will leave most stunned. At the 1-minute mark of the clip, Frank picks up Anita and basically flips her over his shoulder. This move sends her head over heels toward the ice. She lands on her feet without missing a beat. 

But they save their most dangerous and remarkable stunt for the end of their routine. Frank, as he does throughout the clip, picks up Anita, but this time just by one leg. He then swings Anita up and down with a much greater speed and intensity than ever before. Her head gets inches from hitting the ice on multiple occasions. 

The amount of strength, timing and athleticism these two skaters display is astounding. Frank and Anita’s routine would be more than impressive if it were performed by athletes half their age. 

2 Timothy 2:5 “And if a man takes part in a competition, he does not get the crown if he has not kept the rules.”

One woman in rural Virginia, a quadriplegic, did not let her disability keep her from giving birth to and raising beautiful twin girls.

Life, unfortunately, is full of problems, issues and struggles. Everyone will face trying circumstances. They may be physical, mental, emotional, financial or spiritual. Whatever the case, those situations have a knack for finding everyone. However, some, it might seem, will be forced to endure more than their fair share. 

One woman, Dani Izzie, who suffered a devastating injury in 2009, leaving her paralyzed in all four limbs, has not let life’s struggles and hardships keep her from living life. 

When she was just 23 years old, Dani slipped on a bathroom floor, snapping her neck. 

“My hands are paralyzed,” Dani said. “So, my fingers, I can’t move them individually. And my triceps, specifically, are paralyzed in my arms. And then my core, my abdominals and my back muscles are paralyzed.”

Dani, as horrible and life-changing as her injury was, forced herself to continue and accepted life as a quadriplegic.

“I think the answer was really adapting to my life with a disability, and accepting that having a disability is not the end of the world,” Dani said.

Following her injury, Dani put herself back out there, meeting, falling in love with and marrying the love of her life, her husband Rudy. Soon after the two said “I do,” they learned they were going to be parents to twins!

Then in April 2020, Dani gave birth to two healthy baby girls! 

“To have my body do something right, it’s just very empowering,” she said. “It’s like, ‘Wow, I’m in a quote-unquote broken body but it’s not broken.”

It’s with that same wonderful attitude, grit, toughness, and tenacity, along with her husband Rudy, that Dani is raising her twins.

But despite what she’s endured, becoming a mother and raising two girls while running her own business, Dani does not want to be seen as an inspiration.”

“I think it’s wonderful that people feel inspired, and I’m inspired by other of my friends with disabilities, as well,” she said. “But I don’t want to go to the grocery store and have somebody come up to me and say, randomly, ‘You’re so inspiring.’ Why? Because I’m at the grocery store? I want to be seen as normal.”

James 1:12 “There is a blessing on the man who undergoes testing; because, if he has God’s approval, he will be given the crown of life, which the Lord has said he will give to those who have love for him.” 

Meditation

People in a London office building were treated to an unexpected and choreographed dance routine involving a pair of security guards.

Most people enjoy a good surprise every now and then. Whether it be someone bringing in donuts for the entire office, hitting all green lights on the way to work or something else, how the morning begins can have a major impact on the rest of the day. It helps to set the tone for the workday. On the other hand, a not-so-good surprise can have a detrimental effect on the rest of the day. 

Fortunately, a handful of Londoners received the good kind of surprise in the form of an energetic, up-tempo and high-octane choreographed dance number. 

In a clip posted on YouTube, people, in what appears to be a brand-new structure, attend the opening ceremony of Trade Desk’s new London office, according to the video. 

Two men, dressed like security guards, unfurl a white, elongated piece of ribbon to a smattering of laughter. The laughs go on for a few more seconds when one of the two men says, “We can make this a little more exciting for ya.” 

He immediately breaks into dance as the Beatles’ “Come Together” plays. Seconds later, the other gentleman wearing a security guard uniform joins in on the fun, strutting his stuff for the appreciative crowd.

The song quickly changes to a hit from the Bee Gees and even more people join in, showing their fancy and well-timed moves. 

Music changes several times and a few more people hop in and dance with the group throughout the nearly 6-minute clip. But before the clip ends, a woman with an oversized pair of scissors eventually cuts the ribbon, officially opening the office building.

It's safe to say that the people who attended the office's opening ceremony had a better day than anticipated. Who doesn’t enjoy a little flash mob dance routine to start the day? 

Psalm 150:4 “Give him praise with instruments of brass and in the dance: give him praise with horns and corded instruments.”

One father, who was experiencing kidney failure, witnessed his son courageously step up to donate him a much-needed kidney. 

Parents are their children’s providers and protectors. Most would go to great lengths if it meant keeping their children from experiencing any amount of hurt or pain. It’s a parental instinct that does not go away no matter the age of their children. Parents hurt when their children hurt. 

However, one young man, Jonathan Calixto, came to the rescue of his father, Jose Calixto. Jose started experiencing kidney failure in 2021. He began dialysis in May of that year. 

Dialysis, which helps to “filter the blood and remove excess fluid after kidney failure,” took its toll on Jose. Jonathan, in a video posted on YouTube, mentioned how draining and taxing dialysis was on his father. 

“To see him like that, and his dialysis being three times a week for, like, three or four hours each time, and to see him when he came out very drained and tired,” Jonathan said. “He would usually sleep all day.”

Jonathan mentioned that his father, before kidney failure and undergoing dialysis, was active, participating in several sports. He said seeing this massive change in his father made him “incredibly sad.”

Seeing this devastating physical change in his father led Jonathan to think through solutions, including whether donating one of his kidneys was possible. 

Jonathan underwent several tests to determine if he was a match. Then in March 2023, it was confirmed. Jonathan was approved as a kidney donor for his father. Now, Jose no longer requires dialysis because of Jonathan's lifesaving gift. 

Jose states that his life has been changed thanks to his son. He also adds that his relationship with Jonathan is different, but better following the surgery.

“It has strengthened our relationship because [my son] gave me a part of himself,” he said.

1 Corinthians 16:14 “Let all that you do be done in love.” 

One furry, four-legged friend did not leave a man’s side who was in the hospital experiencing a catastrophic, potentially deadly medical episode.

Animals are remarkable beings created by the same God who hung the sun, moon and stars in place. Dogs, cats and other animals commonly kept as pets add so much to life. They are tenderhearted, loving and loyal companions. 

Dogs are said to be man’s best friend, and now one father of two knows this to be 100 percent true after his recent stay in the hospital. 

In a video posted on YouTube, one man recalls his frightening stay in the hospital. He mentions that he was admitted to the medical facility after medical professionals discovered he was experiencing heart failure.

A hospital bed is one place where no one ever hopes to find themselves, especially with something as serious as heart failure. It was a stressful period for this father of two, but Magnus, the man’s “tasked-trained service dog,” refused to leave his side.

The dog, who was cuddled with the man in his hospital bed, did wonders for the dad. The video shows the man and Magnus even playing cards together. Magnus likely let him win. 

“Having him there just kept me so calm and kept me as relaxed as possible,” he said.

The father of two said he will forever be thankful for what Magnus did for him while in the hospital.

“He made an unbearable situation bearable and more tolerable,” he said. “For that, I am forever grateful. I really am.” 

Magnus is a unique animal who was a godsend for that father of two during what was a scary and frightening stay in the hospital. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for he has not another to help him up.”

With kindness and friendship, a school bus driver helped a child struggling to do a “complete 180.”

Friendship or simply showing someone kindness can have a massive impact on their life. No one can be sure what battle someone else may be secretly fighting. But an act seemingly as insignificant as a smile or a short conversation may be just what that person needed at that moment. 

Charles Frierson is a school bus driver. But for 6-year-old Kameron and his mother, Kelly Isenberg, Charles is much more than just a school employee. He is a trusted friend who has done more than expected to show Kameron kindness.

Charles understands how big of a difference a kind word or act can mean in someone’s life, especially to a child.

“You don’t know what kids may be going through,” he said. “And it’s that ‘good morning,’ ‘have a good day,’ that ‘how you doing?’ And that small relationship and small communication with them makes a difference. And so, that’s what I enjoy.” 

Kelly, so moved by Charles’ consistent acts of kindness to Kameron, reached out to the school district with a letter, letting them know how much he has done for her son.

“Mr. Charles goes above and beyond every day for my son,” she read in a video posted on YouTube. 

She added that Charles often eats lunch with Kameron and puts an extra treat in his backpack as he walks off the bus. Charles has even, on weekends, come to Kameron’s baseball games.

Kameron’s special education teacher mentioned that the 6-year-old had been “struggling,” but because of Charles’ kindness, the young man has “done a complete 180.” 

Kameron’s teacher referred to Charles as a heavenly being for what he has done and continues to do.

“Mr. Charles truly is an angel walking here on earth,” she said.

Being kind to someone is simple and easy, but it can make all the difference. Charles, with kind words and actions, made a big difference in Kameron’s life. 

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 fearless pig refused to give in while up against a bear that had broken into its pen, eventually charging at and chasing off the massive creature.

Bears are huge members of the wildlife community. They usually get what they want when they want it. Because of their immense size, strength, speed and climbing ability and big appetites, avoiding bears is usually best.  

But all that did not stop one courageous pig from defending itself and its fellow farm animals from a bear. 

A video posted on YouTube shows the tense standoff between the bear and the brave pig. Seconds into the video shows the two unlikely foes standing mere inches from one another on a Canadian farm. 

The pig, hilariously named Barbie-Q, then charges at the bear. The bear, frightened by the pig’s display of bravery, immediately and hurriedly retreats. The clip pointed out that the pig’s owners believed Barbie-Q was protecting the other farm animals from the mammoth intruder.

Amy Walls, Barbie-Q’s owner, was very much taken aback by the pig’s fearless maneuver. She mentioned that Barbie-Q is normally frightened by much less ferocious and menacing creatures, such as goats. 

“It very much surprised me,” Amy said. “She’s, we have a goat named Gus, and she’s terrified of the goat, which is probably a tenth of the size of the bear. So, it definitely shocked me that she took the bear on.”

Following Barbie-Q’s shocking and heroic effort, the bear did remain in the animal's pen for approximately 30 more minutes. However, as the video points out, none of the animals were injured.

Animals are full of surprises. Like people, you can never know exactly what they will do until they are placed in a situation where their safety and life are in danger. 

Well done, little pig. Well done. 

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control.”

Beautiful words

Several people shed tears during an emotional moment as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin gave an award to the men and women who helped save his life. 

Football is a violent sport filled with quick, massive world-class athletes slamming into and tackling one another on every play. Injuries are a common occurrence during a regular game of football. But what happened during a January Monday night game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals was anything but ordinary. It was frightening. 

Following the end of a play, Damar was seen collapsing to the ground. Emergency crews rushed onto the field, attending to the player. It was later revealed that he had suffered cardiac arrest. He spent several days in the hospital while his life hung in the balance. He has since been released and has been OK’d to resume playing football.

During ESPN’s most recent ESPYS award ceremony, Damar presented the medical professionals who rushed to his side – the Buffalo Bills training staff – with the Pat Tillman Award for Service.

As the clip posted on YouTube shows, Damar was already emotional as he approached the microphone, wiping tears from his eyes. The entire room responded by giving the young man a standing ovation. 

While speaking on behalf of the entire training staff, Nate Breske, thanked the good Lord for His assistance in keeping Damar alive.

“By the grace of God and divine intervention, we had the best outcome we could have prayed for or imagined,” he said. 

Near the end of his speech, Nate stated that while Damar’s situation was frightening, one good thing did come from it.

“Damar’s injury was able to bring our nation together for a moment and show the world the power of prayer,” he said.

Mark 11:24 “For this reason I say to you, ‘Whatever you make a request for in prayer, have faith that it has been given to you, and you will have it.”

Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal, a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, greeted a family in Home Depot and surprised them by agreeing to pay for their washer and dryer.

A seemingly insignificant and unexpected act of kindness can go a long way in changing someone’s day, week, life and entire outlook. What one person may see as small, such as holding the door, can have massive ramifications, bringing about change for good. 

A short, 50-second video posted on Twitter shows former Los Angeles Laker Shaquille O’Neal performing a random act of kindness for a family shopping in Home Depot. 

The video shows the 7-footer walking through the store as he approaches two women, who calmly greet Shaq.

“Nice to meet you,” one of the women says as she shakes the NBA legend’s hand.

Shaq responds by asking them what items they are purchasing in the store. 

“We are buying the washer and dryer,” one of the two women tells Shaq.

Shaq states in a calm and matter-of-fact manner, “I’m gonna pay for it.”

The women cannot believe what they have just heard, that Shaq will be picking up the tab for their new household appliances. 

“Really! Oh, my God!” one of the women reacts.

They can’t contain their excitement at Shaq’s kind act and begin screaming and yelling in joy. There are smiles all around as Shaq gives both women hugs.

One woman exclaims, “Bless you, bless you, bless you” as she takes a selfie with Shaquille.

The video ends with the women with a Home Depot employee, selecting their preferred washer and dryer.

What a kind and generous act from a man who is known for doing such things for people. He recently bought a family with nine children a brand new 15-passenger van, according to GodUpdates.

Shaq may have scored thousands of points and won NBA titles during his playing career, but with his continued acts of kindness off the court, he’s changing lives and still gaining fans.

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.”

Legendary figure skater Kurt Browning put his kills on the ice on full display with a dazzling performance to the classic song “Singing in the Rain.”

Figure skating is a sport that requires tremendous skill, athleticism and dedication. Participants in the sport must also possess a fair amount of creativity, flair and charisma. Not only do audiences and judges want to watch an athlete move about on the ice, but they also want to be entertained. Skaters, to keep all eyes on them during their routine, must be creative and inventive, keeping things fresh and new.

In a video posted to YouTube, Canadian figure skater Kurt Browning showed off his ample athleticism and skill and his ability to turn in a fun and interesting routine. Kurt, decked out in a gray suit as he sports a fedora and carries an umbrella, reenacts Gene Kelly’s iconic dance from the 1952 film “Singin’ in The Rain.”

He gives a spectacular performance, showcasing his skills on the ice while delivering a truly inventive and creative routine. Many times, throughout the nearly 5-and-a-half-minute clip, Kurt so effortlessly and gracefully moves on the ice that he appears to be dancing. The audience loves Kurt’s efforts. They give him a round of applause on several occasions. 

His routine is filled with dazzling and awe-inspiring maneuvers. He twists, turns, jumps and skates backward at high speeds without ever missing a step. 

Also, in another show of his creativity, Kurt makes good use of his prop. Throughout the routine, Kurt incorporates the umbrella, much like Gene Kelly did in the beloved film. 

But, like any great showman, Kurt leaves the best for last. At approximately the 4:15-minute mark of the clip, water falls on the ice, giving the impression that it is raining. Kurt dances around in the newly-fallen water as the crowd cheers and claps.

What a spectacular display from a world-class athlete! 

Psalm 30:11 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing: you have put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.”

Many members of the cute, furry and four-legged community came together to help make one man’s milestone birthday a day he and his family will never forget.

As people get older, birthdays are occasions most like less and less. In fact, those are days on the calendar a good majority of people would like to skip over altogether. However, everything is always better with dogs, even days that remind us that we’re getting older.

A clip posted on YouTube mentions that one family in California took an unusual route when celebrating their father’s 100th birthday. They threw the man a dog parade! And the four-legged community and their two-legged owners responded in a big, big way.

Nearly 200 dogs joined in the surprise dog parade for Dr. Robert Moore. The video points out that Robert was overjoyed by the surprise lineup of dogs, petting every dog that came by to wish him a happy birthday.

Not only did Robert greet every member of the four-legged community by petting them, but he also knew every breed of dog he encountered!

One of Robert’s daughters, Vickie Mallon, was overjoyed by the turnout.

“This is probably the biggest thing that’s happened in our family that’s given us the most joy,” she said.

But the surprises did not stop with the seemingly endless line of dogs ready to meet and greet Robert on his big day. The clip points out that attendees brought “gifts, flowers, balloons and posters.” 

So, who were these people that came out and helped bring a smile to Robert’s face? They were total and complete strangers.

“They were mostly strangers. They were,” Alison Moore, Robert’s daughter said. “And it just, it makes you feel wonderful about your community that people would come out and do that for your dad that you love so much.”

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.”

Meditation

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Today we are praying for the community of Merrillan, Wisconsin

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