Inspirational Videos

Kendal Vandenhoek, a Colorado teenager, is sitting in front of us today sharing her terrifying story. But if it wasn’t for her quick thinking and wits, this young woman’s story could’ve had a very different ending. Kendal was outside her home, walking around, when she felt a prick on the inside of her ankle. When she stepped away, she saw a rattlesnake at her feet. “I always knew there were snakes here,” Kendall said. Thankfully, Kendall has first-aid training, so she knew exactly what to do in a situation like this. "I wasn’t sure if I’d been bit or not. So what I did then is I held my ankle, because you want to keep your heart rate down at first and just keep that venom from going through your system.” Her younger brother was nearby and he ran to get a rattlesnake bite kit and her family dialed 911. She was rushed to the hospital where she was treated for the bite. "They gave me full 10 vials of antivenom," Kendall said. "The general dosage is around four." After a few days in the hospital, Kendall was able to return home. She’s still on crutches, but this brave young woman is expected to make a full recovery. The first responders who arrived to the scene said that Kendall being able to remain calm in the moment is probably what saved her life. I’m so glad this smart teen knew exactly what to do in that moment. Now, she’s sharing her story with others in case they ever find themselves in a similar situation.

39-year-old Glennis Grace is doing whatever it takes to follow her dreams. This single mother flew all the way from the Netherlands just for a chance to audition on America’s Got Talent. Her 11-year-old son, Anthony, even encouraged his mom to take this incredible leap. Glennis is a talented singer, but a few of the judges questioned her age and what would motivate her to audition at this point in her life. This confident mom responded by saying, “I just felt like ever since I was a little kid, I knew I was made to sing for lots and lots of more people.” That’s when she decided to show the judges exactly why she was here. Just listen to Glennis’ incredible rendition of ‘Run To You’ by Whitney Houston. Whitney Houston has a very distinct voice and her songs are never easy to sing, but Glennis truly did a fantastic job. And when she perfectly hit those high notes, the entire crowd went wild with cheers and applause. There was even a smile from Simon as Glennis belted out the powerful lyrics. It is easy to see why she earned a ‘yes’ from all 4 judges. Simon even said, "I'm just sitting here thinking you look amazing, you sound amazing. I feel like I’m looking at a star already." There’s no doubt that Glennis Grace has the talent to go far in this competition. Now, I can’t wait to hear what song she is going to perform next. What about you?

23-year-old Hunter Harris was just doing his job when he ended up saving a life. Hunter is a Team Leader at the Chick-Fil-A at a South Austin location. He was behind the counter when a terrifying ordeal took place just around the corner. An elderly man was eating his meal when he started to choke. The surveillance video shows the man stand up from his seat and start to grab at his neck. That’s when a nearby customer took notice and tried to give him the Heimlich maneuver, but it wasn’t working. Another Chick-Fil-A employee, Anita Duran, was wiping down tables when she heard the customer choking. “I heard the gentlemen choking, and I kind of stopped wiping the table and I was looking at him. I ran to get Hunter because Hunter has saved one of our co-workers,” Anita said. A few months prior, Hunter had helped out a choking co-worker in the kitchen, so he knew exactly what needed to be done in the situation. This level-headed leader rushed to the man’s side and within 20 seconds, he had dislodged the food from the man’s throat using the Heimlich maneuver. The man was ultimately okay. They even brought him a new meal before he went about his day. But now, all of Hunter’s fellow employees are calling him a hero. “I think he’s a hero.” Anita said. And I’ve got to agree with Anita on this one. God definitely put Hunter in the right place at the right time and he saved a life because of it.

Poncho, a K-9 responder, is receiving worldwide attention for his recent heroic actions. This furry friend works for the Municipal Police of Madrid and was recently working on some training drills. This incredible video shows a police officer falling to the ground, as part of the training session. As he lies on his back, an announcer calls out for immediate medical attention. That’s when Poncho runs onto the scene and pounces on the fallen officer. Poncho starts to jump up and down on the officer’s chest, mimicking chest compressions. It appears that they have trained this smart dog in some of the aspects of CPR. The dog even pauses and puts his ear to the man’s head, as if he is checking for breathing. I have no idea how they trained Poncho to do all of this, but it’s absolutely amazing to watch it all unfold. The video was posted by the Municipal Police of Madrid on their Facebook page and now, it’s gone viral all over the Internet. Even though in an emergency situation, this technique probably would not work, it definitely goes to show the extent of this police dog’s training. Poncho can obviously learn all kinds of tricks and procedures, which means he is definitely a great K-9 responder. It takes a lot of time and practice to perfect all of these maneuverers, but Poncho has the chops to pull it all off. No wonder everyone is talking about this video. Have you ever seen anything like this before? I know I sure haven’t!

Kristen Milhone, a mother in Michigan, set her 7-month-old son down for his usual nap one Wednesday morning. But when Jack awoke, she pulled him out of the bassinet a noticed a mark on the side of his face. "There was these blisters that were yellow and just starting to form ... It just reminded me of a chemical burn so I kind of freaked out a little bit." That’s when Kristen decided to take Jack to the emergency room and get checked out. At first, the doctors were stumped as to what caused this bump on Jack’s face. But then, Kristen shared that she lets Jack sleep with his pacifier. The diameter of the mark was very similar in size to the Jack’s pacifiers. The doctors came to the conclusion that the pacifier must’ve suctioned to Jack’s face while he slept and caused the blistery mark. This particular pacifier is a common brand that is sent home from the hospital with new moms. “You put your kids [to bed] thinking they are safe and these things you really might trust turn out to be dangerous,” said Kristen. Now, Kristen is sharing her story in hopes that other mothers will think twice before letting their child sleep with a pacifier. “If you are going to use it, take it away from them as soon as they fall asleep. Especially when they start rolling around, don’t let them sleep with it in the crib." This is a warning that all parents need to hear.

This man was struggling in his hospital bed as he bravely fought pancreatic cancer. The cancer had originally started just in his pancreas, but as it had now spread everywhere and doctors did not give him much longer to live. Even though his time may be near, this man was still able to enjoy some of God’s special wonders right from his hospital room. Just a few floors below him, this man’s granddaughter was giving birth to her own daughter, Chloe May Kubat. Because of their close proximity, this woman was able to bring her newborn daughter upstairs to meet her great-grandfather. It was truly a special moment when he saw baby Chloe for the very first time and his face immediately lights up. As they wheel the baby and her mom into the room, this sweet great-grandfather can’t help but tear up. I’m sure this is a moment he never thought would happen but thanks to the great people at the hospital, these two were able to meet. Even though Chloe won’t remember this special encounter, now there is a video of it to last a lifetime. I just know that years down the road she will cherish this sweet moment and know that her great-granddad really loved her. This video definitely tugs at all the heartstrings. I know it must be a tough time for the family as they say goodbye to a loved one, but they are also introducing a whole new baby into the world and that’s such a beautiful blessing from God.

For Brian King Joseph, just walking out onto the America’s Got Talent stage is "a dream come true." This talented electric violinist has been hoping for this day to come for a long time. And for years, Brian thought he would never get the opportunity to perform at all, let alone on this stage. He started to play violin when he was just a boy, but he was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy, a rare nerve disease that leads to the deterioration of nerves in the fingers, feet and spine. This condition left Brian in a lot of pain and he was bedridden for much of high school and college. By the time he was 22, Brian reached a point where he was tired of the pain and letting his condition rule his life. He decided to turn to his childhood love and picked up the violin again. The music truly made Brian feel alive again and he gradually started to improve. His unique style not only helped his pain, but it also caught the attention of other’s around him. He wanted to help spread some happiness in the world, in whatever small way he could. Just watch as he brilliantly performs a cover of "Lean On" by Major Lazer and DJ Snake. The whole crowd was invested in the audition and even the judges couldn’t hold back their praise. "You are not only a lesson in great talent and great spirit, you're a lesson in how each person watching in this moment should be living their life right now. It is you," said judge Howie Mandel. I can’t wait to see what this talented performer does next.

25-year-old Rebecca Thompson was stunned when she captured this frightening footage of her makeup mirror. Rebecca lives in the UK and during the summer, the temperatures can get super high. This data and planning consultant had just woken up one Sunday morning when she went to the bathroom to take a quick shower. After she returned to the bedroom, Rebecca noticed a funny smell that had overtaken the room. That’s when she drew back the curtains and found her makeup mirror right next to the window. Just in that short amount of time, the makeup mirror had started to burn the plastic of her window frame. Rebecca had left her window open and the direct sunlight had caused the mirror to heat up to a dangerous temperature. Just watch the footage that shows the makeup mirror begin to burn the window and smoke within just a few seconds. This could’ve ended up so differently for Rebecca, so now she’s warning others of the dangers of a potential house fire as the temperatures get warmer. I’m stunned at how quickly the burning starts to take place and just how scary of a situation this can become. We all love the fresh air, but it’s so important to be aware of our surroundings and make sure that our homes are safe from potential fires. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this in your own home? Even though this is a good reminder, I sure hope we don’t see any more videos like this anytime soon.

22-year-old Markeyla Williams had her life turned upside down after a harmless incident while hanging with friends. Markeyla’s mother had just put oil on her daughter’s hair when tragedy struck. “I ran out to my car to grab a brush after my mom had put oil in my hair and was talking with my cousin outside of my home when I flipped a lighter and caught my hair on fire.” The fire quickly spread and Markeyla tried to put it out by rolling on the ground while her cousin used his bare hands to try and stop the flames. She was flown by helicopter to the University of Alabama Hospital where Markeyla was treated for third degree burns on her head, shoulders and arms. The physical therapy that this young woman must endure causes her a lot of pain, so one of the tools she uses as a distraction is music. Now, she’s realizing the healing power in music and just how big of an impact it can have on her life. Just watch as Markeyla sings along as one of the kind nurses plays the guitar in her hospital room. This brave woman has put on a positive attitude all along the way and it’s definitely rubbing off on those around her. How incredible that Markeyla can still find the joy even in the midst of a very difficult situation. Even though she has a long road to recovery ahead of her, this young woman is determined to smile through the pain and sing her heart out.

If you are a parent, you definitely know that children can keep you on your toes. Just when you think you have something figured out, they go and surprise you with a new challenge. They are constantly growing and learning new things and, as a parent, you have got to stay on top of the new changes. I think we can all agree that parenting is a full-time job on it’s own. And this particular dad knows all too well that you can never let your guard down around the kids. Talk show host Steve Harvey shared a clip of a father outside with a leaf blower. He is walking around the yard, working on the leaves, when he moves on to the big, heaping pile of leaves. Just as he moves the leaf blower onto the pile, one of his children pops right up. Then, a few seconds later, the second young boy pops up from underneath the leaves too. This dad is so taken aback at this unexpected surprise that he falls right to the ground in disbelief. I just know that mom must be the one filming this entire ordeal and it’s absolutely hilarious when you see the look on Dad’s face. I bet they got a lot of good laughs from this and now the whole world is getting to see this unforgettable reaction. These boys sure are keeping Dad on his toes, don’t you agree? Have your kids ever pulled a prank like this on you?

20-year-old Joseph O'Brien is just a small town boy young man from Columbia, Tennessee. But this shy guy has some big dreams and he’s stepping up to the big stage to see those dreams through. Joseph is auditioning for America’s Got Talent and he’s hoping his musical skills will impress the judges. But before he starts to perform, the judges have to ask him a few introductory questions. That’s when we learn that the nervous young man has struggled a bit in the love department. “No, I don’t have a girlfriend. I’ve actually been single my entire life. I’ve never got a legit date, or anything like that.” Judge Heidi Klum was even more stunned when she realized that he’d never even been kissed. But I have a feeling that after this audition, Joseph won’t have any problems in the love department. Just watch as he sits down at the piano and starts to play the famous 80’s song ‘Hello’ from Lionel Richie. There was so much passion and talent in this performance that I don’t even know where to start. Joseph easily shook away the nerves and belted out an incredible rendition of this classic. The entire crowd was cheering and I even saw a smile from judge Simon. Joseph definitely has a long career ahead of him in the music business and I can’t wait to see what he performs next on America’s Got Talent. Do you think he has what it takes to win the whole show?

9-year-old Gracen Newbauer sat outside in the hot sun for nearly 2 weeks as he worked to raise money through a lemonade stand. Gracen was set up near his home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota and raised $20 over the course of those 2 weeks. This young entrepreneur sets his stand up nearly every summer and he knows it’s a great way to raise some money on a hot day. But all his hard work was almost ruined when a group of older kids on bicycles came by Gracen’s lemonade stand. “One of them just took the glass and then they just started riding their bikes away.” Gracen called his dad, Mark Newbauer, who suggested that the boy call the police to report the incident. Mark thought that the officers would probably be too busy for his son, but everyone was surprised with what happened next. Officer Alyssa Archer of the Brooklyn Park Police department responded to the call. She asked Gracen some questions about the incident and then she handed him $20 from her own pocket to replace that money that had been stolen. But the kindness didn’t stop there. All throughout the day, officers who had overheard the call stopped by Gracen’s lemonade stand to help support the young boy. Altogether, they bought more than $50 in lemonade. This is truly a remarkable act that Gracen is going to remember for a lifetime. And he’s only made it a point to be more careful about the money he earns for his lemonade stand.

#USAConference2018 By following the prophets our lives square measure happier and fewer sophisticated,our difficulties and issues square measure easier in grips.

SEARCH | SHORT FILM. After losing her husband and son in a house fire, Norma's life was turned upside down. Then she found Jesus!

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SEARCH | SHORT FILM. After depression almost claimed Wendy's life, she had an encounter with Jesus that changed her world.

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‘O say can you see by the dawn's early light. What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming? Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight. O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?’ Christian artist Beckah Shae is known for her incredible voice and unique arrangements. Normally, Beckah will take a secular song and give it a Christian makeover, but today she’s singing a classic and she’s not changing a thing. Just listen as she belts out a beautiful rendition of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ and it’s one you’ve got to hear to believe. Beckah completely nailed this performance and we all know that ‘The National Anthem’ is not an easy song to perform. But, as soon as she started to sing, I knew this was going to be a rendition to remember. There are a few tricky notes and your voice has got to be nearly perfect to pull of this patriotic tune. Well, Beckah definitely did this song justice and I know everyone who hears it will feel the same way too. There’s no doubt that this talented woman was blessed with a God-given talent for singing and I’m just so glad that she’s using that gift to give glory to His name every chance she can get. I can truly hear the passion that Beckah has as she puts her all into this song and it’s such an amazing thing to watch. Who else is in such awe of her incredible vocals during this patriotic number?

In 2008, gymnast Shawn Johnson wowed the world with her incredible Olympic performance that won her a gold medal. She thought she would feel on top of the world and that she had finally found her purpose, but as she stood on that podium, Shawn felt completely purposeless. That’s when she turned to God and truly grew in her faith. She even shared her powerful testimony of that pivotal moment in time through an I Am Second video. After the Olympics and retiring from gymnastics, Shawn went on to marry her husband, Andrew East. Andrew was a critically acclaimed college football player, but when he entered the NFL, he struggled to find his footing. “It’s taken me two years to fully realize that my worth is not in football.” Thankfully, he was able to lean on Shawn to help him through the tough times of being cut and bouncing from team to team. Together, Andrew and Shawn share parts of their daily lives online through vlogs. One day, while apart from her husband for work, Shawn had the feeling that she was pregnant. She took a test and confirmed that God had given this couple a miracle she feared might never be possible. ‘I told him in person and we both started bawling.’ Sadly, the very next day Shawn had a miscarriage and with that tragic incident came a lot of emotions and feelings of guilt. They decided to be open and honest and record a video for their subscribers. It immediately went viral and many people praised her willingness to speak up about this taboo topic. This Christian couple leaned on God throughout and Shawn said it best when he said, “There’s no more encouraging words, there’s nothing that can really help you through a hard time than knowing the Scripture.” I’m so glad that this couple is sharing their journey and encouraging others to find strength in God.

We were on BBC Songs of Praise recently. Watch this video to find out more!

A brief slide show of the Lilies Have Thorns Book Signing held in St. Louis, MO on Saturday, May 26, 2018.

Lisa, Amy, and Shelley Vol make up the girl group O'G3NE. These three sisters rose to fame in 2007 when they won the Dutch version of the Junior Songfestival 2007 with their self-written song "Adem in, adem uit." After their win, the girls released a few albums and even performed all over the Netherlands. Now, the sisters are all over the age of 18 and they’re ready to step into a more adult sound. They’re hoping to leave their ‘pop girl group’ persona behind and begin a journey into serious music. Today, they’re stepping on The Voice Of Holland stage in hopes of impressing the judges and getting at least one chair to turn. Just listen as they beautifully perform the Bee Gees's classic song "Emotion." These women absolutely nail the harmonies and it’s got the attention of all the judges. One by one, all 4 of them turn their chairs around to see the faces behind those unforgettable voices. And once the song is over, it’s time for the judges to battle back and forth to get the group on their team. O'G3NE eventually decided on judge Marco and they continued to outshine the competition all season long. In fact, the women won the entire season and became the very first group to do so. Now, they’re moving forward with new music and perfecting their new sound. I’m so glad that these child performers were able to move into a more mature sound. I hope that they find years of success after this!