Inspirational Videos

One 90-year-old great grandma inspires many by going after her goal of graduating college.

Joyce DeFauw recently achieved one of her life goals – to graduate college. At 90 years old, Joyce proudly walked across the stage at Northern Illinois University’s commencement ceremony while she wore a cap and gown and received her bachelor’s degree in general studies.

It was more than 70 years ago when Joyce left college to start a family. Since then, her family has grown to include 17 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren! And a few years ago, when she mentioned to her family that she regretted not getting her college degree, her big family encouraged her to go back to school and follow her dream. And many of those family members were there to cheer her on when she walked across that stage and achieved her goal.

Just a few years ago, Joyce got her first computer in order to take online classes. And after a few years of studying and putting in the work, Joyce proudly graduated college with the degree that she always wanted. What an incredible accomplishment! And Joyce’s actions just go to show us all that it is never too late to go after your goals. If God puts a dream on your heart, go after it!

How heartwarming it must have been for Joyce’s family members to see her cross that stage at the graduation ceremony with so much pride and excitement. We hope that this inspirational story of Joyce going after her dream at 90 years old was able to bring some joy to your day.

Colossians 3:23-24
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

After getting a weird feeling, one mom prayed for the safety of her and her son as she was entering a mall. And that prayer was answered when her son was completely healed after a stranger threw him off a balcony.

It was back in April 2019 when Kari Hoffmann was taking her 5-year-old son, Landon, to the Mall of America. It was a day that would change their lives forever.

As Kari entered the mall, she started to have this weird feeling, so she prayed a simple prayer. She prayed that God would protect her and her son. Shortly after, the scariest thing happened. A stranger grabbed Landon and threw him from a balcony at the mall.

“A stranger came up and was whispering to these two little boys. It happened in the blink of an eye. He snatched him and ran. And I was just frozen,” shared Kari. “It happened so fast. Then I screamed ‘No!’ after he was already thrown.”

Kari immediately ran down to Landon, and once emergency responders reached the scene, the little boy was rushed to the pediatric ICU. He had 2 broken arms, a broken leg, facial fractures, and a brain injury.

That’s when Kari prayed to God for “complete healing and restoration.”

“We’re walking out of here. We’re not going to leave here in a wheelchair,” Kari said. “He caught himself. That’s why his arms were broken and his nose was smooshed. And I believe that angels caught him, because I prayed for angels coming in there.”

After 4 months in the hospital, Landon was able to go home. Three years later, he is now completely healed and enjoying his life as an active 8-year-old.

“I’m so thankful for breath, for life, for heartbeats. It’s just…you take those things for granted until they almost get taken away from you,” said Kari.

Praise the Lord for the miracle of Landon’s life and the way that He answered Kari’s prayers.

It has been 10 years since the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook. And one hero teacher reunites with a couple of her former students as they reflect on what they experienced together.

Ten years ago, Kaitlyn Roig-Debellis was teaching 1st grade at Sandy Hook. She recently reunited with her former students, Lauren Milgrim and Julia Marotto, who are now both juniors in high school.

“What I remember about Julia is that she always had a smile on her face, and she was just very vivacious and full of life,” shared Kaitlyn. “Lauren was very precocious and took school very seriously.”

When the unthinkable happened 10 years ago during the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, Kaitlyn saved her students' lives by cramming them all into a tiny bathroom in the back of her classroom. 

“I did what any teacher would do,” Kaitlyn said. “And I can only thank whoever there is up there that helped us get into that bathroom on that day, cause if you had seen it, you would never think that 16 people could fit inside of it.”

“I remember a lot from that day,” said 17-year-old Lauren. “I remember, like right when the noises started, and I just remember holding everyone, and holding all my classmates.”

“Pretty much the only thing that I really think about is she saved my life,” Julia said. “One thing that she said was that she loved us.”

Kaitlyn did everything in her power that day to make sure that her students survived. 

Through tears, Lauren shared, “Without Ms. Roig’s quick thinking, I wouldn’t be here today. And neither would Julia or any of my other classmates. I’m just so thankful.”

With 10 years passing since that tragic day, Kaitlyn explains what it is like to carry that trauma with you.

“You live with it,” she said. “You move forward in your life, clearly these two girls have moved forward, but you don’t ever move on. It is wholly a part of you.”

And Kaitlyn shared her story in a book she wrote called ‘Choosing Hope,” and she dedicated it to her former students.

During a recent interview with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb, Dolly Parton shared her thoughts about Christmas and discussed the hymn that gets her through the loss of loved ones. The interview took place before the airing of Dolly’s Christmas special, Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas. 

After verifying that Dolly’s Christmas tree is already up—it’s been up since before Thanksgiving, Hoda asks Dolly how she came to embrace the spirit of the holiday. 

Dolly attributes her generosity to the way in which she was raised. She shares that her grandfather was a preacher, and her parents were giving people. In her faith-based family, they understood that “it’s better to give than to receive.”   

Dolly describes her new movie musical, which is about the making of a network television special. The cast includes Jimmy Fallon, Willie Nelson, Billy Ray Cyrus, Zach Williams, Ana Gasteyer, among others. Clips promise a colorful, fun 2-hour event. And, even though Dolly is filled with holiday cheer, she reflects for a moment with Hoda on sad times within the last year.

Hoda references Naomi Judd and Loretta Lynn, who passed away in April and October of 2022, respectively. Dolly comments that Loretta was “like a sister,” and she and Naomi were the same age and enjoyed the same things. 

She goes on to mention Kenny Rogers, who died in March 2020. The two recorded one of the most successful duets ever, Islands in the Stream. Take a listen to “You Can’t Make Old Friends” the affection between the two artists is beautiful! 

There’s a particular hymn that Dolly finds comfort in. The song is “Precious Memories,” and here are a few lines from the song, which has been recorded by many artists over the years:

Precious mem'ries, unseen angels,
Sent from somewhere to my soul;
How they linger, ever near me,
And the sacred past unfold.

Dolly will be celebrating again before the end of the year, because she will host a New Year’s Eve Special with her god daughter, Miley Cyrus. But, when asked about resolutions for 2023, Dolly says that she wants to try a little harder to lift others up, bring joy, and show kindness in whatever way that she can. She encourages everyone to set aside petty differences and do likewise. We think she probably does a very good job of that already!

Hoda and Jenna recap the interview with an announcement that Dolly will be putting out a rock album next year. It will feature a variety of other artists, and Dolly believes it is the best work that she’s done to date! That’s saying something!

It’s not too late to catch Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas; it’s streaming on NBC.com and Peacock!

“Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.” Proverbs 28:27

Find Hope and Joy during Christmas after tragedy or loss

When Matt Dusk does a duet with 12-year-old Cassandra Star, singing the song “Fly Me to the Moon,” it’s obvious that this young lady lives up to her last name!

While most girls her age have never heard of Frank Sinatra, Cassandra masterfully sings one of Mr. Sinatra’s songs alongside an acclaimed Canadian Jazz vocalist. And while that has to be a little intimidating, Cassandra demonstrates grace and poise well beyond her years! 

Matt welcomes Cassandra to the stage and asks her to introduce herself. Her dress and styling is reflective of the era of the song, and she looks like she could easily be swept back to 1964—the year in which Frank Sinatra recorded the song, written in 1954, and made it a classic. She shares that she’s been performing “locally” nearly her entire life, but this is indeed a thrill!

A Canadian herself, Cassandra is from Fort Francis, Ontario, and she is a big fan of Matt. Mr. Dusk has earned 2 platinum and 4 gold albums, so it was beyond exciting to have the opportunity to sing on stage with the famous artist! And, even though a head cold threatened to ruin the night, Cassandra persevered and did wonderfully!

Cassandra dedicates her song to her papa, who is in the audience with Nana. She blows him a kiss and expresses her love, catches a beat and nails that first note! She’s twelve, for goodness sake! She’s got the facial expressions and the stage presence, and Matt snaps his fingers along with her before taking a turn at 1:22. 

At 1:55, Cassandra picks it up again, and the two begin a volley. Cassandra is having a great time, adding a few sassy head shakes and smiling throughout! Check out the cute finish at 3:00!

Matt is a gracious partner. When the song ends, he sends her off with a giant hug and the prediction that she’ll one day be opening for Adele! What a night for Miss Cassandra and what a delight for her proud grandparents! 

Cassandra sings solo with her older sister, Callahan, on their YouTube Channel. You might find it hard to choose a favorite among their work, because they are all so good! 

“Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” Deuteronomy 5:16

They were each other’s first love, but they were torn apart. Yet, decades later, they found each other again. In this miraculous, epic love story, a 69-year-old woman marries her homeless college sweetheart after 43 years apart. 

Jeanne Gustavson and Steve Watts met in college. It was the beginning of an eight-year secret romance. They were absolutely perfect for each other, but Jeanne’s family disapproved because Steve is black. 

“I was very hurt and very baffled by what my family did and said,” Jeanne said. “We had to keep our relationship a secret.”

Even after graduating with a degree in nursing and becoming independent, Jeanne kept in contact daily with Steve, who had earned a master’s degree in education. Eventually, their relationship fell apart because of the continued disapproval and differing work schedules. 

Jeanne ultimately chose to break off the relationship. It was something she regretted in the moment and every day since. “I regretted what I did,” she said. “It was almost immediate.” The regret lingered for 42 years. 

Life moved on for the pair, but they never forgot about each other. Eventually, Jeanne tracked Steve down, and after a series of miracles, she found him living in a nursing home. He had been homeless and lost a leg due to an infection, on top of losing his ability to speak after two strokes. 

Despite the years that had passed, greying hair, and health issues, it was still love at first sight. The pair couldn’t be happier, and Steve’s health has even improved. In fact, one of Steve’s goals is to be able to stand up. 

Jeanne tells him that nothing is impossible, especially after everything they’ve been through, to get back to where they are today–together. 

And now their romance is gaining attention all over the world. Their story was covered in People magazine on top of other media outlets. But that doesn’t matter to Jeanne and Steve. What matters is the secret they’ve been keeping that they are now excited to share. Steve said with a grin on his face in between moments of laughter, “We’re getting married.” 

Who God brings together, no one can tear apart. Not age, not race, not opinions. May God continue to heal Steve from his stroke, and may he grant these two as much time together in this age and in heaven. What a beautiful, miraculous, modern-day story of Romeo and Juliet. 

“I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him: and I will not let him go,” Song Of Solomon 3:4.

How easy is it to accept defeat when life runs you down? But the Bible reminds us we can do “all things through Christ.” These dancing grannies overcome tragedy after three members lost their lives due to a horrific incident during a parade. 

Last Christmas, terror, and tragedy struck the town of Waukesha, Wisconsin when a red SUV tore through the parade route, killing six and injuring others, including Betty Streng. Thankfully, she survived despite suffering a traumatic brain injury. Sadly, she lost three of her friends who were a part of the Dancing Grannies. 

"I don't remember anything from that day,” she said. “When I got home from the hospital, I know I emailed the grannies to say I was home, and they were so supportive.” 

With the tragic anniversary looming, Betty isn’t staying home, she is going out to dance in the resilience of the Lord’s goodness. Betty, as well as the city of Waukesha, lost so much that day but in return, she has gained a lot of trust, faith, and friendship too. The Bible reminds us that death, heartache, and tragedy may strike but the Lord is good. He provides solace, comfort, and strength. Betty found these things too, as well as a bond with her friends. 

Instead of staying home on the day of the parade, the Dancing Grannies have something to dance for–resilience–thanks to the Lord. One of her friends, Sharon Millard said,  "I plan to dance with the grannies forever.” While her other friend added that they’re a group of “feisty women.” 

May Betty’s strength remind us that no matter what we face, through God’s goodness, we can and will overcome.

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world,” 1 John 5:4.

13 strangers become travel pals after their flight was canceled. 

13 people had 13 different reasons to all board one flight from Orlando that was meant to arrive in Tennessee. But at the last minute, their flight was canceled. 

One passenger we learn is named Amy wasn’t going to take no for an answer, especially after learning another flight to their destination wasn’t for another 48 hours! She took charge of the group and suggested renting a van. Suddenly, all 13 strangers became 13 travel companions in the middle of the night! 

Another woman that said she was a keynote speaker at an event. Another young lady by the name of Michala was due for a student interview at the University of Tennessee while another young gal by the name of Alana took it upon herself to document the trip on her TikTok, and the group’s antics quickly went viral. 

With 650 miles to go, ‘each person was assigned a number instead of names so no one got left behind at rest stops.’ After ten hours in the van, these 13 strangers found success by joining together for their common goal. 

The best part is every person in their tribe made it to their destination with time to spare. 

Now that the trip is over, it doesn’t mean their friendship isn’t. Some of them plan to have another reunion soon. But even so, how often do we forget we are all sojourners on this earth–banded under the banner of Christ? 

May this incredible story about strangers be a reminder we all once were foreigners to Christ until we were adopted into his kingdom and we have a friend that sticks closer to us than a brother in Jesus.

“Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it,” Hebrews 13:1.

Mary and Justin Bourg may never be as frightened or grateful as when their golden retriever dog protected their two girls, who were missing in the woods for five hours!

Even a minute’s worry is too long for a mother who has lost her children. Still, Mary Bourg endured five agonizing hours of worrying, wondering, and waiting when her precious daughters disappeared while playing in their yard.

After showing the emotional family reunion, we get glimpses of Abigail and Cecilia with their best buddy Artemis—playing tug-of-war in their living room and chasing the pretty pooch in their backyard. 

But Mary describes, to Inside Edition’s interviewer, the terror she felt when she could not locate 7-year-old Abigail and 4-year-old Cecilia. 

The two had gotten lost after following Artemis into the woods near their home in Folsom, Louisiana, which is about an hour north and across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.  

She shares how terrified she was, knowing that the sun was setting and it would soon be dark. The girls were discovered missing around 5:00 p.m. on November 29, 2022.  Mary posted a plea for help on Facebook and hoped the two, along with Artemis, had not been taken.

Justin tells the reporter that the girls stayed snuggled up next to Artemis in the woods, keeping warm and close during that time. Meanwhile, volunteer search crews, ATVs, drones, helicopters, and more were searching for the frightened girls. 

Finally, Mary and Justin got word that Abigail and Cecilia had been found! Justin says that he “collapsed” at the news! They soon learned that it was Artemis who helped searchers locate them. When he heard the sounds of people in the woods, Artemis barked and led the rescue team right to them. 

The little ladies and brave, protective Artemis were found about a mile away from their home; he had not left the girls for a moment. No doubt, Artemis will forever have a very special place in the Bourg family! 

Surely there is nothing Artemis will ever do to get in trouble with the family because he did the absolute best thing in the world when he watched after his girls! 

“For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;” Psalms 91:11

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Apostle J.D.D. Hawk Bolden II

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Apostle J.D.D. Hawk Bolden II

In early 2000, while helping as an Assistant Chaplin at Pelican Bay Prison in Crescent City, California, there were some prisoners that would raise their hands during the song service, there were some prisoners that said it was improper to raise your hands during the Chapel Service. One young man voiced his opinion that when you raise your hands while singing, the Fire will Come. When I heard this the thought entered my head, what a great idea for a song. I prayed about it and the Lord gave me the words to this song. The prisoners loved the song. I hope you enjoy it also.

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A homeless widower carries an elderly woman’s groceries and gets a surprising blessing in return. 

We were meant to carry each other’s burdens–not just the weighty ones like cancer, death, or divorce. We were meant to carry all burdens. In this case, it was a heavy bag of groceries for an elderly woman who learned the homeless man named Alfred helping her didn’t want anything in return. 

She assumed he was asking because he wanted money. But Alfred has so overcome with compassion at the way this woman shuffled and struggled with her groceries that he knew she needed just a little help. But the woman felt awful because she couldn’t offer anything in return. When she said so, Alfred’s response surprised her. 

“You look like my mother, and I wouldn’t charge my mother for my help,” he said. 

Alfred followed the woman home and refused to come in for a cup of tea. As the old woman reflected on the man’s selfless act of kindness, she began to put away her groceries when she found something additional in her bag. 

A necklace with a wedding ring and locket was nestled in the bag alongside her groceries. She knew it was likely Alfred’s, and that it had probably fallen into the bag when he was helping her. What she could not have known, was that she now held the only keepsake Alfred possessed of his beloved belated wife. 

The woman went to the grocery store the next day in order to track down Alfred and give back such a valuable and sacred belonging. 

Through the help of the store owner, they were able to track down Alfred with security guards. What happened next was incredible. 

The old woman wrapped Alfred in a kind embrace and returned the jewelry to him. Because of his kindness and selfless act, the store owner then offered Alfred a job. They had been looking to employ the right person to help the elderly patrons of the store carry groceries for them. Isn’t that just incredible? 

We will never know what burdens another fellow human being carries. Yet, if we help each other carry burdens, a beautiful ripple effect of goodness overflows in so many unimaginable possibilities. 

This story has God’s fingerprints all over it. Only he could orchestrate something as simple as carrying a bag of groceries to help change a homeless man’s life. 

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ,” Galatians 6:2.

Devoted dad Ariel Eliyahu narrowly saves his daughter from a coyote attack. 

Normally Coyotes are fearful of people and try to avoid humans at all costs. But in this heart-stopping video, a brazen and opportunistic coyote attacks a two-year-old little girl in broad daylight. What the coyote mistook for an easy meal turned out to be more than he bargained for. 

In the video, you see Ariel getting his daughter out of their car when a coyote jogs up the street. While Ariel is busy getting a toy out of the car that his daughter wanted, the coyote makes a split-second decision to grab the little girl by her fluffy pink coat before attempting to drag her away! 

The wild animal drags her across the sidewalk and street as her screams quickly catch her dad’s attention. He scoops up his precious baby girl and deposits her in the house before running back outside with a piece of wood. 

Had Ariel not reacted as quickly as he did, this terrifying encounter could have ended tragically. Usually, wild animals don’t approach humans. But if they do, they are likely sick with rabies. 

A little girl in a different attack, shown at the end of the video, experienced it firsthand when she was attacked on her front porch by a raccoon. Her ordeal was captured on a home video camera. As she screams for help, the girl’s mother jumps in to rescue her and wrestles with a rabid raccoon. 

The mom even had the strength to push her daughter inside while chucking the raccoon across the yard so she, too, could get inside the house to safety. 

Thank God this father didn’t waste any time rescuing his precious baby girl from a terrifying situation. We can count on our heavenly father to protect us and put people like our parents in the right place at the right time to rescue us when we need it most. 

“He rescued me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me,” 2 Samuel 22:18.

You don’t want to miss Michael J Fox’s classic first appearance on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. 

1985 was a big year for Michael. It was the year when he starred in the role of Marty McFly in the now-classic movie hit, ‘Back To The Future.’ It was also the year when first appeared on the Tonight Show. 

The commentary between Johnny and Michael is humorous as Johnny pokes fun at Michael’s short height and how his short stature always seemed to work out for him. Because he was not overly tall, Michael said he could star in roles for a 10-year-old even though he was 15 at the time.

Michael then shared how he couldn’t find any work for a year, so he sold sections of his couch. We all remember the days when we first start off on our own and try to make ends meet while living on a meager budget. 

Apparently, it was no different for Michael too! When he finally started making a decent amount of money, he shared how excited he was to buy his first house. He joked, “When I got it and moved in, I put a lawn chair in the middle of the empty living room and just said, “‘Mine. Mine. Mine.’”  

The rest of the conversation is fun banter as Michael shares his experiences in making the hit film, Back To The Future, as well as personal experiences like having a ‘lady friend” he claims he had been dating for a while!

Michael shares how it was a weird situation in the film when he went back in time and sat down to have dinner with the girl who would become his mother, unbeknownst to her. Laughing about how awkward it is having your ‘mom’ make moves on you, Michael joked about how he managed to get himself into some comical real-life situations too. 

We hope you enjoyed this look back on Michael J Fox’s first appearance on the Johnny Carson show when he first became a big hit in the movie industry! Thank God for great actors like Michael, who have the ability to help us laugh.

A grandma’s touching serenade to her bedridden husband will make you teary-eyed. 

It is so precious and sweet. It makes me hopeful that my husband and I will be just as in love as these two when we get older. In a loving display of affection, filled with patience and appreciation, this grandma tenderly touches her husband’s face as she sings him to sleep. 

It’s evident that this woman serenades her husband often. How she moves and sings seems like a habit that has developed over time. While he lies unmoving in bed, she cleans off his chest. Then it seems as if she is blessing him with the movement of the cross on his cheeks and forehead before resting her hand on his chest. 

Often when we think of love, we think of young couples, weddings, and starting a family. But the goal is to love and serve each other all the days of our lives. 

A good example of that comes from the Bible. In the story of Ruth, Boaz and Ruth’s relationship didn’t start because of a crush. Instead, it started slowly through acts of service. Eventually, their relationship turned into a deep love and marriage. 

I’m so happy this precious moment was captured on camera and shared with the world. It makes me wonder how we can serve our loved ones in ways that make them feel loved. 

It’s not often we think of love as we age or what love will look like as we get older. Thank God for enduring, steadfast relationships that endure through the course of our lives. We praise him for the ability to touch, hold, and love family members in the here and now, much like this beautiful video. 

"And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."  Colossians 3:14