Good Samaritans

I was driving to drop my daughter off at her daycare. I was stopped behind another car at a street light when I noticed an older man fall on some ice. Before I knew it, the woman in the car that was in front of me pulled up to help the man right away. Then, another older gentleman in his truck pulled over quickly to do the same. Then a sanitation worker immediately got out of his truck even when the street light was green. Good people took their time to do a good deed. I would have helped, but my baby daughter was in the car. With all the tension and hate in this world right now, it was awesome to see this community; people will never stop looking to be there for others.

When one delivery driver accidently leaves behind $25, another comes along and moves it to a safe place. Credit: Erin Levzow

This is a video of the Queen Mermaid of the Philippines, Mermaid Anica, where she easily held her breath for so long while interacting with kids when she was in Cebu Ocean Park. She is the only MFI Instructor Trainer in the Philippines, and also AIDA 4 Master Freediver. She is the founder of Divescape Hub - One of the well-known Mermaiding and Freediving school in the Philippines. She is also the founder of Mermaids of the Philippines. She has been featured several times on National TV for making mermaiding popular in the Philippines. Credit: Mermaid Anica

I was on Coroa Vermelha beach in Bahia when I saw a boat moving without a driver. People got out of the water out of fear, until two young men on jet skis tried and managed to rescue it. Credit: Derlan Lopes

My 15-year-old daughter saw someone struggling to push her shopping cart through the ice and snow in the parking lot and started walking over to help. I started recording when I noticed her walking in that direction. Afterwards, she offered to help her load her items into her car, but she said no thank you and thanked my daughter for helping. Credit: Kerri Jolicoeur

Sophia shares key insights on **personal finance** that she wishes she knew earlier. She breaks down the importance of **budget** planning and **saving money**, offering practical tips on **how to manage money** effectively. Learn fundamental **financial education** and the basics of **how to budget** your income.

This 9-year-old’s teddy bear mission is bringing joy to hospitalized children. The young man saw a need and a mission field and took real, concrete steps in order to fulfill that need. Watch the short but tear-jerking clip to hear how one caring, tender-hearted and entrepreneurial little guy is helping to put smiles on the faces of children in hospitals.

Life is not often fair. Things will crop up out of nowhere, even through no fault or decision of our own. Situations and circumstances can arise without a moment’s warning and completely alter the trajectory of our lives. This can happen for the best, and sadly, it can also occur for the worst.

Despite how horrible and gut-wrenching life can be at times, there is no situation worse than seeing a child suffer. Those St. Jude Hospital commercials, featuring children with cancer, can and do emotionally wreck people. No child should have to go through something like that, but unfortunately, it happens every day.  

But what if there was something that could be done to put even a momentary smile on the face of a child in the hospital?

A clip posted on YouTube tells the story of Jack’s Bravery Bears. It’s an organization, started by a 9-year-old, with a straightforward mission: “collecting and delivering hundreds of stuffed teddy bears to children at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.”

So, where and how did Jack, the loving and caring young man, come up with his mission? It came to him while he was doing something else for the hospitalized children. The clip mentions that he was making blankets for the children when the inspiration for Jack’s Bravery Bears struck.

“I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if the kids at Nationwide had a teddy bear to go with their blanket?’ Jack said. “And then, I started collecting teddy bears.”

Jack understands that the youngsters in the hospital are going through “a lot” and mentioned that he “just wanted to give them a boost of confidence.”

What an incredibly sweet young man with a heart for those sick and hurting.

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

Spiritual Enlightenment

A story of love, devotion, perseverance, compassion, and the spirit of Christmas. A tale of love that transcends death to fulfill a promise made on Christmas Eve, long ago.

A powerful Christmas ad reminds us that those in need are all around. You likely find yourself wiping away tears from your eyes after seeing this advertisement. Watch this short yet moving clip, which is sure to tug at your heartstrings and prompt you to reconsider some things.

Christmas truly is a wonderful time of year – filled with family, friends and delicious, mouth-watering dishes and sweet treats. It’s also the time when people often go way overboard with loud, flashy and expensive gifts, rushing out to buy this or that for someone on their list. The truth is, most of us are incredibly blessed and have very little need for anything. The things we receive at Christmastime are usually just icing on the cake, and nothing we actually need.

However, every Christmas season, we are still inundated with ads trying to convince us that we must have this product or this item. If we only had this thing, then our Christmas would be complete, seems to be the message that most of those ads are pushing. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

But there are people all around us who are hurting and in need, and who those people are may surprise you. A powerful clip posted on YouTube makes this point clear, and as the ad mentions, those in need are much closer than you might have initially thought.

The clip begins with a teacher asking her students about the true spirit and meaning of Christmas. The students momentarily break off into small groups to discuss this and eventually come back as a whole to give their teacher their answers. Some of the answers provided are way off the mark, while others are much closer.

Later in the clip, the students are reminded about bringing in items to help those in need. The students are then seen wrapping the items donated, which are then loaded into the back of a vehicle.

However, before the clip ends, viewers get to see the donated items being handed out to those in need, which includes one of the little girls from the classroom.

What a powerful ad that reminds us that need is literally all around us. Even people we know may be struggling and hurting.

Proverbs 19:17 “He who has pity on the poor gives to the Lord, and the Lord will give him his reward.”

A single mom could not hold back the tears after a heartwarming Secret Santa surprise. The life-changing, generous and unexpected gift completely took her aback. Watch the short but powerful clip to see what the mother of four received and how she responded.

Life is not always an easy, pleasant experience. In fact, there will be many painful, gut-wrenching instances, causing you to want to give up and throw in the towel. Sure, there will be reasons and times for celebration, but those will feel few and far between when in the midst of the hurt, heartache and struggle. Life can just be tough, knocking you around and leaving you with the bruises and scars as a reminder.

Sadly, to make those challenging situations even worse, they will often arise through no fault of our own. This or that will happen, coming entirely out of the blue, introducing chaos and hurt into your life. However, it’s during those times, while enduring those trials and hardships, that a little bit of love and kindness can make a world of difference.

In a clip posted on YouTube, a mother of four teenagers, who was doing her best while struggling to keep things together, was surprised by a Secret Santa with a life-changing, much-needed monetary gift.

It’s explained that her house badly needs some expensive repairs, but unfortunately, she doesn’t have the money at this time. Despite these issues, she continually has a good, upbeat attitude. So, that’s why Secret Santa stepped in to lend a hand!

As Sara opened each of the three boxes, tears continued to flow. She was overwhelmed with the love and kindness shown to her. She continually mentioned how grateful she was to receive those generous gifts, which will go a long way in helping her repair her house.

What a beautiful moment that is sure to bring a tear or two to your eyes!

Hebrews 10:35 “So do not give up your hope, which will be greatly rewarded.”

Inner Peace

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson helped to grant a Make-A-Wish dream in the most touching way. The popular actor and wrestler went out of his way to help make one young man’s wish become a reality. Watch the short but heartwarming and tear-jerking video of The Rock making a young man’s day.

Kindness and love are in short supply today. The evidence for such a statement is seen all around us – television news broadcasts, on social media platforms and in the actions and words of our governmental leaders. For some unexplained reason, most people seem more focused on tearing one another down than building each other up. They’d rather yell and scream at each other than offer mercy and grace.

Sadly, the things that get people so worked up and at each other’s throats are trivial and meaningless issues, subjects that, in the long run, mean nothing. How much better could our world be if our first instinct wasn’t to yell and scream but to offer kindness, love and compassion? Dwayne Johnson is someone who constantly exhibits kindness and warmth for sick children and those less fortunate.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Dwayne met a young man, Nathan, while promoting his latest movie. After that, Dwayne and his team quickly worked together on another meeting between the two and putting together one heck of a surprise, a once-in-a-lifetime event for Nathan and his family.

Nathan is a huge fan of Dwayne and his many blockbuster movies. The two spent time together, arm wrestled, and even recorded a video for Kevin Hart, in which Nathan did his best impersonation of the comedian.

But that wasn’t all.

The Rock had arranged for Nathan and his family to enjoy dinner at an exclusive restaurant. Since Nathan is also a huge Lakers fan, he worked it out for Nathan and his family to visit, tour and spend time at the Los Angeles Lakers’ facility.

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 unexpected marathon moment showed true kindness in action. The move, which no one saw coming, will restore your faith in humanity, at least momentarily anyway. Watch the short but powerful clip to see what happened between a marathon runner and a spectator that will inspire and uplift you, and leave you feeling a little bit better about the world.

The world is a sad, cold, cruel and frightening place. This is far too true, and we see evidence and examples nearly everywhere we look. Turn on any evening news broadcast – local or national – and you’ll see story after story of people being incredibly horrible to one another for no reason at all. Log onto social media, and you’ll also see this kind of treatment. Cruel, cold, sarcastic and vile comments and replies fill those popular platforms.

Sin has destroyed and ruined this world. But occasionally, we see glimpses and small, tiny examples showing us that maybe not everything is lost. Perhaps not everyone is as uncaring, cruel and downright horrible as the 24-hour news channels and social media would lead us to believe. That’s precisely what happened in a clip posted on social media.

One man was participating in the Berlin Marathon in Germany when disaster struck. His right shoe came apart, and he was still determined to finish the race, but just with one less shoe. However, as he removed his shoe and was about to continue running, a spectator unexpectedly stepped forward and offered the man one of his shoes. They shook hands, exchanged phone numbers and the runner went on his way.

However, other people stopped the kind and generous act between the two men, and people literally started cheering as the man with two different shoes ran by them.

Kindness can happen anywhere, and even the tiniest act can bring a little hope to this lost and broken world.

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.”

September 27th is the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul. Born in France in 1581, Vincent devoted his life as a priest to serving the poor, the sick, and the forgotten. He founded the Congregation of the Mission (the Vincentians) and, together with Saint Louise de Marillac, established the Daughters of Charity. Canonized in 1737, Saint Vincent de Paul is honored as the patron saint of charitable societies, and his legacy continues today in countless organizations that serve the poor around the world. 🙏 Join us in remembering this great saint whose life was dedicated to faith, service, and compassion.

An “angel” bus driver’s kindness and love for a grieving student will touch you. The woman went out of her way to comfort a young man who had suffered loss. Watch the short but powerful clip to learn about this loving, kind, empathetic school bus driver.

Unfortunately, bad things do happen. Not every situation will be rainbows and roses, filled with happiness and joy. It is impossible to go through life without experiencing immense pain, hurt and sorrow. Sadly, those instances find their way to us all at one time or another, and, to make things even worse, they are often unavoidable.

Even the youngest, most vulnerable and innocent among us, children, are not spared from these moments of pain and heartache. Life is not fair, even when it comes to young children who should be able to go through childhood without a care in the world. A clip posted on YouTube explains the massive loss one young man suffered and what a school bus driver did when she knew he was hurting.

Anne Marie Torregrossa, a long-time bus driver, sees her position as more than just a job; it is a calling. She does what she can to make those who ride her bus feel special and loved, including 8-year-old Jack Monterecy. Jack has been riding Anne’s bus for several years now, and every morning on their way to school, the bus would pass by Jack’s grandfather’s house. Without fail, Jack’s grandfather would be out, standing at the end of his driveway to greet Jack and the bus as it drove by.

Sadly, Jack’s grandfather unexpectedly passed away. It was a devastating loss, for sure. To show Jack and his family love during their grieving time, Anne attended the funeral and also made Jack her special assistant on the bus. Jack understood what Anne was trying to do with the new, special designation.

“She was making me be better,” Jack said.

“I try to make a difference in a child’s life, and if I know I did that, I know I did my job,” Anne said.

Not only has she made a difference in Jack’s life, but his family’s as well.

“It’s not that she’s an amazing bus driver,” Jonathan Monterecy, Jack’s father, said. “She’s an amazing person. She’s an angel sent from heaven in a bus-shaped cloud.”

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

Experience the Yang 9 Tai Chi Form within the tradition of Kenko Kempo Karate – Vitok, created and inspired by Grandmaster Erich B. Ries from Germany. This form is a graceful way to unite body, mind, and spirit while keeping Christ at the center of our lives. Tai Chi, practiced here within Kenko Kempo, becomes not only a path to balance and health but also a prayer in motion. As Scripture says: “In Him we live and move and have our being.” – Acts 17:28 Through these nine flowing steps, we glorify God with our breath and movements, cultivating peace, patience, and faith

A 5-year-old fell into a well, and a young woman’s actions led to the youngster’s rescue. The girl heard a cry for help and sprang into action, not wasting any time. Watch the short but powerful clip about a young lady coming to the rescue of a child who had fallen into a well.

Children are supposed to be outside, playing and enjoying the great outdoors. Childhood is the time when youngsters should be able to live carefree and simply have fun. They should be outside exploring and learning. That’s what being a child and childhood are all about, right?

However, our world is a dark and dangerous place where even children can be easily injured or worse. Sadly, it seems that children have to be on alert, aware of the dangers that lurk around nearly every corner. A clip posted on YouTube shows how a little one was outside playing when disaster struck, but luckily, a hero was nearby.

The clip explains that a 5-year-old boy was playing outside, running around in the yard, when he fell into a well. The well, the video states, was massive, 30 feet deep. Soon after the child fell into the well, the boy’s mother began screaming and crying out for help, and an 11-year-old girl heard them. That’s when she wasted no time, acting quickly and retrieving a ladder.

The 5-year-old was able to grab hold of the ladder and climb out. Miraculously, the video states that the boy only suffered a few minor cuts and scratches.

That was a situation that could have easily been much worse. The 11-year-old girl is a true hero, racing to the scene to help the child and his mother.

In life, we will encounter situations and circumstances that might seem unbearable and as if there is no hope. Thankfully, our Lord and Savior can take those situations and bring about something beautiful.

Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves.”

A young man’s reaction to unexpected kindness from a stranger will melt your heart. He had no idea what was about to happen, but the look on his face clearly shows that he absolutely loved it. Watch the short but unbelievably sweet clip to see what the stranger did and how the young man responded.

Several things in this world will forever and always be in short supply. For starters, time is our most precious and invaluable commodity. It is constantly fleeting and disappearing. Once gone, not one second or minute can ever be recovered. We can never have too much time, and whenever you lose a loved one, you quickly and sadly realize this to be all too true.

On a much happier and upbeat note, kindness is another thing that we can never have enough of. While there are many kind and caring people in the world, there is and always will be room for more. A clip posted on YouTube captures one of these unexpected acts of kindness and how it made a young man’s day, possibly his week and entire month.

In the video, it’s explained that a young man, Bleu, has cerebral palsy and is in a wheelchair. The child was celebrating his birthday at an ice rink, and he told someone how much he would love to go out on the ice and skate around. Well, a stranger overheard the young man expressing his desire to go out on the ice, and that’s when something unexpected but unbelievably heartwarming and touching happened.

Instead of listening and forgetting about the child’s comments, a stranger asked to take Bleu out on the ice. The clip captures the moment when the young man is taken out onto the ice and the pure joy and happiness on the youngster’s face.

His reaction is enough to cause even the most stoic, unemotional person to shed a tear or two.

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 honest young man found a lost wedding ring in a parking lot and did the right thing. The youngster finds something nearly everywhere he goes, and one of his discoveries was something of great value and importance. Watch the short but touching video to hear what the little guy did after coming across the expensive piece of jewelry.

The wedding day is a monumental step for every couple. During that all-important ceremony, they vow to remain together forever, regardless of what life may throw at them. In addition to vows and promises, the two exchange rings, symbolizing their undying and unyielding commitment to each other.

So, naturally, a wedding ring is incredibly important because of when it was given and what it represents. Most people greatly cherish that piece of jewelry, keeping it under close watch and surveillance. If it were to become missing, that would result in great worry, consternation and stress for the individual who lost or misplaced it. Their anxiety would be off the charts until they were able to locate it.

A clip posted on YouTube tells how one young man, 10-year-old Kal Blank, discovered an expensive diamond wedding ring in the parking lot of a Costco. But instead of keeping the ring to himself, Kal and his mother worked to find the ring’s owner. She reached out to the store, reporting it missing, and as it turned out, someone had said their wedding ring had gone missing.

However, as the clip mentions, the child did a few things before returning it. He cleaned up the ring and even wrote a touching, heartwarming letter to its rightful owner.

“He is an extremely special kid, and you guys have to be so proud,” Mae Praetzel, the ring’s owner, told Kal’s parents.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”