Today’s Good News

“..you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

Every day we share stories of hope – joy – Love!  Enjoy some GOOD NEWS each day with LifeSongs.

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Your giving during our Fall Shareathon was a tremendous help. However, we came up a little short of the actual need. Over the next few days, we will be working to raise what’s left, which is about $20,000, make that $13,970.

Knowing there are so many in need right now, we are partnering with Bethel Colony South – a local nonprofit that provides shelter, food and spiritual guidance through recovery. A portion of what is raised for LifeSongs will go to feed our community’s most vulnerable. So your gift is doing double duty!

Please pray that we raise the remaining amount needed to continue sharing hope with our world. Your generosity means so much to us.

Thank you so much for giving, and for your prayers for God to meet the rest of our needs.

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

In Charlotte, NC, birthdays are getting a little sweeter, thanks to a baker who believes everyone deserves to be celebrated. For more than a decade, Manolo Betancur, owner of Manolo’s Bakery, has been quietly delivering free birthday cakes to people experiencing homelessness.

He doesn’t see it as charity. He calls it being a good neighbor.

Manolo grew up in Colombia and came to the US 25 years ago with little more than ambition and a whisk. After years of hard work, he built a thriving bakery—and then started wondering what happened when someone at a local shelter had a birthday. When he learned the answer (“nothing”), Manolo decided that wouldn’t stand. His bakery regularly contributes to more than 26 local nonprofits and while he frequently wins “Best Bakery” awards in Charlotte, his true passion is humanitarian missions and caring for the immigrant community.

Monday, November 3, 2025

Lea Kittelmann has been quilting for over 3 decades. She finds it soothing – and who doesn’t love a blanket as a gift? The Columbia, South Carolina grandmother was just awarded $500 for being a local hero.

The 86-year-old is legally blind, but makes quick work of each quilt that go from her skilled hands to children around the world! She’s sent dozens of quilts to India – recently 100 quilts to Guatemala – and she isn’t slowing down one bit!

Lea has also provided the comfort of a quilt for her local Ronald McDonald House as families face difficult medical situations – local children’s homes have her blankets waiting for kids in crisis. While she may not be able to wrap her arms around every person in a painful situation – her quilts are doing a pretty good job of it.

YOU ARE THE GOOD NEWS!

Everyday that you hear an uplifting song, a message of hope or a word from God through LifeSongs Radio is because of the generous support of you – the listening family of LifeSongs! You can still make a difference and GIVE HERE!

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Friday, October 31, 2025

If you are going to go all out with your yard decorations for the holidays – might as well use the fun for some good! That was Jeff Robertson‘s thinking as he transforms his Holly Springs, NC yard into a Halloween wonderland.

It started out in 2020 during the pandemic with a few goofy plastic skeletons in funny poses – but has become a display that people travel across state lines to see. One family stopped by to gawk with their daughter, who was battling cancer. They were on their way to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for treatment and wanted to put a smile on her face.

That story sparked the idea for Jeff to turn his annual display into a fundraiser for St. Jude’s – and in just a few years his family has raised over $650,000 to help families in the fight for their life – all with some silly plastic skeletons holding up a QR code for folks to donate!

Thursday, October 30, 2025

Most courthouse weddings are short, official affairs. But Judge Adam Swartz at the North Dallas Government Center has one secret weapon for turning routine drab to fab: a $20 bubble gun.

When Judge Swartz was first elected in 2022, he wanted to make the unions he officiated feel less like a paperwork pit stop, and more like a real celebration. He tapped into his theater background, added music and his bubbles. Now, when he pronounces a couple married, the gavel lands just as the room fills with shimmer.

It’s not just for show: Swartz has presided over ~3,000 unions since joining the bench, sometimes doing five to eight in a single day—right alongside eviction cases and traffic disputes. He says the nuptials are the most meaningful part of his job.

He puts care into every ceremony, scrolling through couples’ photo albums on the courtroom’s big screen, welcoming guests, and even tearing up himself. His goal? To make courthouse ‘I dos’ feel less like paperwork, more like a movie moment.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

It started like a Rocky training montage. Kent Broussard retired from his career as an accountant and began training. He ran several times a week to build up his stamina. Kent enrolled at LSU for continued education. But Kent’s eye was on the prize – he wanted to become a member of his favorite marching band.

Kent Broussard started taking sousaphone lessons with LSU Music Department member Matt Thompson. That’s a tuba. A giant heavy piece of hardware. But this retiree was determined, knowing second best would never make the cut.

After putting in the hours, running, strength training, practicing his instrument – Kent Broussard became the oldest member of the LSU Tiger’s Band – making school history and national headlines! Kent tells reporters, “Your only failure is NOT TRYING!”

So when LSU takes on Alabama in a couple weeks, all eyes will be looking for the tuba player in the Tiger Band.

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

In Cape Girardeau, Missouri – every child was able to begin the school year with all of the supplies they needed. The community came together to raise funds, purchase all the supplies and then the cheer squad at Cape Central Junior High spent a day stuffing 500 brand new backpacks with everything every kid would need.

This public school was seeing an increase in need – 500 families had requested help with the rising cost of sending their kids back to school. So everyone came together to make sure no child was left wanting.

And the cheer squad was honored for the chance to help, leading more than a cheer – but with servants’ hearts.

Monday, October 27, 2025

Daniel and Martin Hernandez are a dynamic duo. The brothers both work full time jobs – Daniel is a landscaper and Martin works in the chemical industry. They grew up working for their father doing lawn work and learned a lot about taking care of their community.

Now the brothers set aside one of their days off each weekend to serve. Sometimes that means mowing overgrown lawns for people who can’t afford a service and cannot physically do it themselves. Other times they pressure wash driveways or pick up debris.

The art of pressure washing and weed whacking has become a viral sensation as they share their techniques on YouTube – with nearly half a million subscribers following M & D Lawn Care!

Friday, October 24, 2025

Angelle Pilkerton is kind. She is compassionate. And she has every reason to be the opposite of that. The kindergarten teacher and single mom of three is facing Stage 4 cancer. Insurance has stopped covering her $1000 a week treatment. She was researching hospice options.

One day while shopping at Walmart, with just a few dollars left in her wallet, Angelle was approached by a guy named Jimmy Darts who asked for a dollar. She kindly offered what little she had.

But Jimmy was undercover – he’s actually a social media influencer who partnered with his followers to provide the struggling mom and teacher a life changing gift – having raised over $116,000 for Angelle and her family.

Thursday, October 23, 2025

Sometimes a cookie can change your life. Kelly Castro loves her son Carson, who was diagnosed with autism when he was very young. Kelly was overwhelmed by the challenges, but as a family, they did the work – built a community of support and learned all they could.

When Carson was just six, Kelly attended a retreat for parents who had children on the spectrum and learned a hard truth – that kids like Carson often have a hard time getting work as an adult. Kelly and her husband decided to be proactive, so they started a company based on their son’s love of baking cookies. Carson’s Cookie Dough was launched during the pandemic, with a focus on hiring adults with disabilities.

Their community loved the idea and helped raise funds to expand and grow the business. Now this family business is employing many young people all across the spectrum and amazed as God continues to bless them and grow Carson’s Cookie Dough.

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

Every year for her birthday, Krystyna Locke celebrates her birthday with renewed hope, facing her lifelong battle against non-Hodkin lymphoma. Right now she is cancer free! But the memory of the battle will always be with her.

Each new year is a gift – hard earned. And Krystyna uses her zest for life to help others also fighting cancer. She raises money to help pay the parking fees for patients and families who tend to wrack up quite a bill during their cancer battles.

She says it is a small way she can give back – and show her kids and grandkids how important it is to care for others – not just think about your own journey. The London hospital Krystyna is serving notes this about their favorite patient: “Facing a cancer diagnosis is an emotional journey and helping cover parking costs removes one worry for patients and their families. Krystyna’s kindness is a shining example of the difference one person can make in our community.”

Tuesday, October 21, 2025

Curtis Dixon was facing some really hard times. His power and lights were shut off in his Detroit home. So he headed to the pawn shop to pawn his wedding ring, hoping the gold would get him enough to restore power. On his way he saw a blind man struggling to stand. He made his way over to help. The man asked Curtis for some money and he told him when he came out of the pawn shop he would give him a few dollars.

But this blind beggar was anything but. It was actually the social media influencer MDMotivator. He explained to Mr. Dixon that he was not blind or in need – but he was there to help. The TikToker paid to have Curtis’ lights turned back on. He also gave him $5000 to turn things around. Plus a new car. And then his followers raised $100,000 more for the struggling Detroit family!

Monday, October 20, 2025

Every morning in Boonah, Queensland – a converted VW minibus pulls up to local houses to collect eager dogs for their daily trip to the local Ironbark Dog Park. It’s a puppy paradise, but even better – Ironbark has made a point to create jobs for people with disabilities.

Staff members who are hearing impaired, or differently abled help run the dog park. Plus, who doesn’t want to work with puppies all day! Something this wonderful didn’t stay quiet for long – IronBark’s TikTok page is followed by millions of people worldwide.

Friday, October 17, 2025

This past January Jim and Mirjana started getting random phone calls asking for help with Napoleon Grills. Since Jim has and frequently uses a Napoleon Grill he cheerfully chatted with the callers and did his best to help them. The couple continued to get calls … all about Napoleon grills. Sometimes they would help folks find good deals at different retailers and troubleshoot their problem. They just kept answering their phone, because… well, they are polite.

Turns out their number was accidentally printed as a customer service line. Meanwhile this couple started making friends with the folks who kept calling for help with their grills. When Napoleon Grill was notified, they fixed the listing, but also gifted Jim and Mirjana a new $3000 grill and named them Honorary Customer Service Ambassadors.

Thursday, October 16, 2025

Most restaurant owners go into business because they want to feed people. That is a simple, beautiful calling – something Jesus frequently did in the Gospels! Chris Kolstad loves making pizza – and seeing the joy a good slice gives his customers. Over the Summer he noticed a growing number of unhoused individuals in his Columbia Heights, MN community. He even caught some desperate folks fishing for discarded food in his dumpsters.

This broke his heart. He put up a sign next to the dumpster: “Please do not eat out of our dumpster… if you are desperate for food, please come ask.” He even posted a phone number and wrote ““If you are too embarrassed to ask, find a way to call us and ask if there is a way to leave a small cheese pizza outside the back door or something. You don’t even have to see us.”

Word spread and the community came together – raising money to cover the cost. Other restaurants started doing the same thing. And they are all working with a Community Assistance program to help feed everyone in their community dealing with food insecurity.

Wednesday, October 15, 2025

When Colton Strapelberg was born, the world was practically silent. Little Colton had severe hearing loss. But recently his parents were able to travel to the Ear Institute in Queenswood, South Africa where the 18 month-old was fitted with custom hearing aids.

When the hearing aids were turned on, Colton was startled by all the noise, until he realized he was hearing his mom’s voice clearly for the first time – then it was pure joy!

Mom Yolandie burst into happy tears and laughter. Now the toddler loves to show off his new hearing, identifying each new sound and pointing it out to his parents. Everything from the tea kettle to his grandma’s cell phone ringing.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Wondering why Billy Miles can’t stop smiling? A few seconds of Ring Camera footage singlehandedly restored his faith in the future. 11-year-old Zaireaa Robertson came up to Billy Miles’s front door and paused before saluting. She was canvasing her neighborhood for her father’s lawn care business, but noticed signs of a Veteran. Miles is an Army Ranger veteran of the 1st and 75th Ranger Battalions.

The Army Ranger veteran from Midland, Texas said the simple gesture of respect from his 11 year old neighbor reduced him to a puddle of sobs. Miles reached out to Zaireaa’s father to thank them both in person. It was a teary, hopeful meeting.

“There’s great in everybody,” Miles said. “And there’s a whole lot of great in that young lady right there.”

Monday, October 13, 2025

Today is Praise & Prayer Day on LifeSongs! It’s a celebration of God’s providence and taking our many needs to our Heavenly Father, who loves us all more than we can ever truly comprehend. Every day we cover our LifeSongs family in prayer – and you can always share your prayer needs and praise reports RIGHT HERE!

Fall Shareathon 2025

There is no greater news than the news that Jesus loves you. Like John 3:16 says – God loves you so much, He sent his Son to die for you, so that you could have eternal life.

Sharing the hope we have in Jesus is why LifeSongs is here. For nearly 50 years we have worked together to be a light in the dark – to shine bright for the whole world to see Jesus is alive and can transform anyone!

We get to share that amazing GOOD NEWS because of your financial support. And now we must raise needed funds to continue this ministry for the next six months. It’s time for you to join the family by GIVING. You can do that HERE on lifesongs.com or call and talk to us at 855-816-8581.

God bless you and THANK YOU! Together, let’s share the LOVE OF GOD with Southeast Louisiana, Southern Mississippi and the entire world!

Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Bam Bam is not your average run of the mill Dachshund mix. To his blind owner Angel Santiago, he’s more than a best friend, he’s been a faithful service animal for 13 years. And this past Summer, he had the whole city of Chicago searching for him.

A couple of months earlier Bam Bam was stolen out of his yard in Logan Square. Word spread – and Chicagoans responded. Eventually the pressure got to whoever snatched the dog and he was anonymously dropped off at the 16th Police District.

Detectives are still investigating, but for the Santiago family – and the city of Chicago – it’s a time of celebration that a family has been put back together. During the search, total strangers took time off work to search parks for Bam Bam – tens of thousands of dollars were raised to aid the search and offer a reward. They even had Cubs fans and White Sox fans working together!

Monday, September 29, 2025

This story could and should become a Hallmark movie for Valentine’s Day. It’s a meet-cute unlike any I’ve ever seen. Taylor and Jason met as teenagers working at Baywinde Senior Living Center. As they served their elders, they were also falling in love. So when it came time to tie the knot – they couldn’t say “I do” without their 200 grandparents there to celebrate!

The couple actually staged a second wedding ceremony at the senior living center so they could share their love with the folks that watched them fall in love. Taylor joked that many of the residents barely recognized her all dolled up for her wedding, because usually she’s in a hair net and apron.

Friday, September 26, 2025

Bill Brown has spent his retirement feeding members of his north-central Florida community. It all started in his humble home garden more than 30 years ago: When Brown — or Mr. Bill, as everyone calls him — grew too much produce to eat on his own, he shared it with his neighbors.

Since then, his simple act of kindness has grown into a traveling food bank (The Children’s Table) serving more than 10 counties. For a suggested donation of $10, Floridians struggling to afford groceries receive around $150 worth of food. Halfway through the year, Mr. Bill and his team have already served 1.5 million meals.

And would you believe it if I told you that Mr. Bill is doing this all at 96 years old? “Helping is contagious,” he says. “I’m too busy to lay down and die!”

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Tiffany Murray knows money. She started her career at Total Choice Federal Credit Union. She was a loan officer, then a brand manager and ultimately became Vice President of Operations. And when she reached the top – she discovered a new passion: helping young people manage money.

The credit union had a partnership with Destrehan High School, where Tiffany found great joy training future generations how to open checking accounts and get a grasp on compounding interest. So Tiffany left her cushy bank job and became a full time finance teacher – how with LW Higgins High School in Jefferson Parish.

Tiffany has worked closely with banks and the government to develop a full curriculum to teach financial literacy in Louisiana high schools – everything from savings accounts to buying a house! And her service comes just in time, as the state has a new requirement for high schoolers to complete a financial literacy course in order to graduate.

Wednesday, September 24, 2025

So let’s clear this up first – it is against the law to clog up 9-1-1 for non emergencies. But Micah gets a pass because he was only 4 years old. Micah had heard about 9-1-1 at preschool and the curious kid decided to call and see what it was all about.

Micah connected with a 9-1-1 operator who dispatched Officer El-Hage to check on the kids. Officer El-Hage had a friendly chat with Micah and his brother Mitch, who shared about how much they love swimming and playing soccer. Micah’s brother Mitch also chimed in that his birthday was coming up on Sunday.

Officer El-Hage also has a little boy at home – and loved getting to talk with Micah and Mitch. So El-Hage and some other officers from the precinct got the boys some soccer equipment and popped in at Mitch’s birthday party to give them the gifts! Of course they stayed for cake and played some soccer with the kids too.

Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Ever board a flight with musicians? Their instrument cases take up most of the overhead compartments, but can you blame them for not wanting to check their livelihood as luggage? Seems it was a good thing Dave Koz and the Summer Horns kept their instruments on a recent Alaska Airlines flight.

Everyone was boarded before the flight was delayed – leaving a bunch of irritable passengers stuck on the plane waiting to take-off. The red-eye flight had already been diverted because of bad weather. What could possibly make this flight less miserable?

The band threw an impromptu concert from the aisles and their seats. Soon the whole plane was rocking to an epic jazz concert – turning lemons into lemonade.

Monday, September 22, 2025 – First Day of FALL!

Next week the Major League Baseball playoffs start – and the Cubs should be in the mix, though the Brewers clinched their division. Must be something in the water up there in Lake Michigan. Cubs fans are kind of like Saints fans – we are used to disappointment but are loyal to a fault.

Cesario Moya has been a fan since he was 18 years old. Cesario actually learned English by watching Cubs games on WGN in the 1970s when his family immigrated to America from a small village in Mexico. It’s been a good life. Cesario is now 72 and in the final stages of terminal cancer.

A couple of his granddaughters (he has 28 grandchildren) all also Cubs fans – posted on social media about his fandom and a couple of the Cubs players saw and responded – inviting the family to Wrigley Field to share their story and celebrate Cesario. This is what baseball is all about – families that are fans – and fans that become family.

Friday, September 19, 2025

Gabby Lofin has been designing and sewing clothes since she was just a kindergartener. She was the youngest designer to ever be featured at any Fashion Week when her designs took to the runway at DC Fashion Week when she was just 5 years old. But Gabby doesn’t just want to make beautiful clothes – she wants to help people.

The now 12-year-old designer partners with her church to make and donate custom prom dresses and suits for high school students that are in need. Gabby’s friend Empress recently got her custom dress for prom and could not stop jumping around and twirling in excitement. Empress said “I felt like a princess!”

Gabby loves sharing the joy of beautiful, custom designed clothes – and the parents love seeing their kids look their best as they step out into adulthood.

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Many girls dream of that magical moment where the boy of their dreams gets down on one knee, pops open a little black box to reveal a sparkling diamond ring and romantically offers to love and care for her for the rest of his life… That was not how Micherre Fox wanted her engagement to begin.

Micherre was cool with the whole proposal thing, she just wanted to find her forever diamond herself. Not at a jeweler or online – she wanted to get down in the dirt and dig it up herself. So she travelled to Arkansas, where you can go diamond hunting and keep whatever you find. She spent three long weeks on her hands and knees combing through volcanic soil before she spotted “THE ONE.”

The white diamond weighed in at 2.3 carats – the third largest diamond found in the state park this year. Just like Micherre found the ONE – her fiancé has to be pinching himself that his bride to be is so adventurous and practical!

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

When Naomi S. DeBerry was just six years old she learned that her father, Jarvis, needed a kidney transplant. As a kindergartener, Naomi didn’t really understand what the big deal was – she just knew it was big and scary. Very patient nurses and medical professionals helped her grasp what was going on – to understand how serious but also hopeful the process her dad was undergoing could be. And they encouraged the bright young woman to write down her experience to share with others.

Flash forward 6 years later – Jarvis has a new kidney thanks to a cousin who was a match. And Naomi S. DeBerry is an acclaimed author with her semi-autobiography children’s book entitled “My Daddy Needs A Gift.” Now Naomi speaks to huge crowds about organ donation, attends conferences and book signings and even went on TV for The Tamron Hall Show.

This incredible young woman from New Orleans was recently named one of Time Magazine’s Girls of the Year 2025!

Tuesday, September 16, 2025

When you were ten years old, you probably took piano lessons, road your bike with friends – maybe played on a soccer team? Bodhana Sivanandan does a lot of that too, but she’s also a 9-time British Chess Champion.

This year she became the youngest woman to beat a chess Grandmaster. The 10 year old prodigy put a whooping on 53 year old Grand Master Michael Adams at the 111th British Chess Championship this Summer.

The commentators  were going crazy … well as crazy as Chess commentators can get, saying “How on earth did she win this? She must be some kind of magician!”

Monday, September 15, 2025

Travel is a surefire way to grow love for people, see the best of their culture, architecture and food. But traveling can also be a hassle. Now factor in globetrotting with a wheelchair. Renee Bruns has visited over 110 countries in her wheelchair – and with a smile on her face.

Renee’s zest for life inspired a retired teacher and children’s book author Virginia De Francisco. When Renee broke her bucket list Guinness World Record for the most countries visited in one year by a person in a wheelchair, author Virginia De Francisco set out to share the story in a new children’s book!

The book is called Unlimited: Renee Bruns set a Guinness World Record. The duo worked together, compiling stories from past blogs – enlisted an artist to do 38 pages of illustrations and the book hit shelves this past Summer! Not only will this book inspire generations of kids to not let impairments stop them from an adventure filled life, but proceeds from the story are being donated to Free Wheelchair Mission which has distributed over 1.5 million wheelchairs in 95 different countries.

And Renee – well she’s still traveling and sharing stories, having visited 152 nations out of the 195 on the planet. She’s even given a Ted Talk about her experiences, saying “I hope that through my travels, I can help remind the people in this world how beautiful and kind we can all be to each other.”

Friday, September 12, 2025

It always feels good when you are invited to a party! 87 year old Doug Turner decided to have a house party to get to know his neighbors a bit better.

Doug called the party a “Celebration of Winter” and handwrote out personal invitations with a sketched snowflake. He showed up on his neighbor’s front porch. Michelle Hernandez was happy to see her neighbor at the door and giggled when he invited her to his celebration “from 4 PM until the cops arrive.”

Michelle posted the video of the exchange from her Ring doorbell and it went mega viral. Now millions want an invite to hang with Doug at his next Celebration of Winter.

Thursday, September 11, 2025

Never underestimate the power of a mini-horse. Especially one who can play the keyboard. Victoria Nodiff-Netanel grew up as the quintessential horse-girl – and she turned her love of all things equestrian into a quest to bring hope and laughter to sick children and veterans. The former dressage rider founded and runs Mini Therapy Horses.

Victoria brings her trained mini horse named Pearl to the hospital to greet children and veterans in California. One of Pearl’s tricks is that she loves to make music on her electric keyboard.  Is it beautiful music?  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And to people fighting for their lives, a tiny horse with a big heart and a love for music and laughter is maybe the most beautiful music.

Wednesday, September 10, 2025

Ted Midgely could have given up – but instead he humbled himself and learned to read at age 58 – and a whole new world has opened up to him!

Ted was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was young. He was sent to a special school and hated it so much that by age 15 he had dropped out and went to work in a textile mill. He leaned on friends a family to navigate situations involving reading.

Ted also LOVES motorsports, and even became the mascot at the Bradford Speedway and got to live out his dreams, traveling and working as a speedway mechanic. His friendship with an Australian motorcycle racer led to an invitation to manage the racer and Ted knew he was going to have to finally get down to business with reading. He locked in for special tutoring and experienced his breakthrough at age 58!

The first thing he read was an old copy of Speedway Star magazine that he’d been carrying around for 40 years.

Tuesday, September 9, 2025

Three years ago, pianist Josiah Jackson had a flight connection through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport when he spotted a baby grand piano in desperate need of repair. The teen pianist noted “It was absolutely the worst piano I have ever played. It was embarrassingly bad—the keys were sticky and every note sounded terrible.” Thankfully, Josiah had recently opened a piano tuning business. He had to run to catch his plane that day, but vowed to himself that he would get back to Chicago eventually to tune the instrument for free. Last year, he finally got his chance.

As Josiah’s church group began planning their summer trip to Guatemala last summer, he noticed they were going to have a layover in Chicago. His time to shine was finally here. He called the airport in advance to ensure the piano was still there, and spent his eight-hour layover saving the baby grand piano. By the time his connecting flight was boarding Josiah had the piano freshly tuned and good as new and grateful the instrument would get a second life.

Monday, September 8, 2025

A library in Ann Arbor, MI wanted to do more than just encourage families to read this past Summer – they wanted them out and about enjoying the beautiful Michigan Summer – so they created The Summer Game.

More than 16,000 participants participated in the massive scavenger hunt all Summer long. The Summer Game combines reading challenges, events, hidden clues and more. It’s fun for library patrons of all ages – in fact one couple actually got married while playing the Summer Game!

Local and national sponsors have joined in – creating a rewards program that snags players all kinds of prizes. They create a new mascot stuffed animal each year that people compete for as well. This once again proves that libraries are essential and magical!

Friday, September 5, 2025

Military veterans suffering from PTSD have a broader variety of ways to find help now more than ever; including snuggling up to a monkey. The Gulf Coast Primate Sanctuary in Perkinston, MS not only provides a safe habitat for many kinds of monkeys, but it has become a place for therapy and healing for veterans.

April Stewart, herself a veteran suffering from trauma, opened up her 15 acre primate sanctuary to provide healing just like she herself found with her monkey friends. April, along with many volunteers, care for the animals – and the animals care for the vets. It’s the only primate sanctuary in Mississippi that is licensed by the US Department of Agriculture.

Thursday, September 4, 2025

A pair of 9-year-old twins were visiting their grandmother in Detroit when they became heroes. This Summer the girls were at their grandmother’s apartment complex when they saw a tiny swimmer at the bottom of the apartment complex’s pool.

Ava dove into the pool to pull the unresponsive 4 year old to the surface and her sister Addison helped pull them both out of the water. A maintenance worker named Cody Boyette saw what was going on and helped the twins get the little four year old girl out of the pool and began doing CPR.

The swimmer began to breathe again and was rushed to the hospital to recover. Meanwhile Ava, Addison and their new friend Cody were honored with a Civilian Citation Award by the Police and City Council.

Wednesday, September 3, 2025

Barrett is an active, sports-loving adolescent who loves life no matter the struggle. Folks call him “Bear” – he’s the youngest of three brothers and grew up playing every sport with his big brothers. Bear has a rare genetic condition. Doctors constantly monitor tumor growth in his brain and other organs. He has two non-malignant tumors in his brain that can cause painful seizures.

But Bear shrugs it off – takes his meds and plays ball – flag football, lacrosse, track and baseball. Make A Wish and the Savannah Bananas gave this brave kid a dream come true, having him suit up and take the field as a Savannah Banana. The only requirement for Bear was he had to have the “most fun of [his] life.”

Bear got his own uniform, locker, fresh shades and even got to sign his own professional baseball player contract with the team! The team spent the day teaching Bear the secrets to Banana Ball trick plays and shooting viral videos for Social Media.

Tuesday, September 2, 2025

Kris Sadens couldn’t fix his son. Silas was born with a condition called Sturge-Weber Syndrome, which is a form of epilepsy. But fathers know there is this deep need in us to help our children somehow. So Kris and his wife began fundraising for medical research to help and even cure epilepsy.

Kris swims, bikes and runs triathlons and has managed to raise over $80,000 through sponsorships. He’s also inspired others to join him in the cause. Over 45 other athletes joined him in his fundraising efforts for this past year’s Chicago Triathlon!

Monday, September 1, 2025 – Labor Day

One of the great attractions to Hollywood South in New Orleans is we have such great food! Film and TV sets are bustling with hundreds of people — actors, directors, production artists, crew — and naturally, they get hungry. But when lunch is over and the cameras start rolling again, much of that uneaten food goes to waste.

Hillary Cohen, a Los Angeles-based assistant director, started picking up pounds of uneaten food from her sets, perfectly good meals that would otherwise be thrown out, and sharing them with people living at homeless encampments. Her operation has grown to include food banks and nonprofits (with the help of production assistants and background artists who are paid to shuttle the food to its next stop).

Every Day Action is basically a free version of GrubHub — except they’re saving an estimated 80,000 meals a year from landfills and helping feed countless hungry men, women and children.

Hillary says, “Giving someone that’s hungry food is the best thing one can do.”

Friday, August 29, 2025

After Hurricane Katrina left devastation in her wake, the world was covered in gray and brown muck. It was too quiet and too dark. Next door, her parents had both died in the storm. But peaking out of the darkness at Peggy Martin‘s flooded home in Lower Plaquemines Parish was a single rose.

That one pop of color was enough to spark hope for Peggy as she surveyed the damage and processed her loss. The rose bush had been a clipping gift from her hairdresser who claimed it was from a yard in the Garden District of New Orleans. How had it survived 30 feet of salt water?

The LSU AgCenter renamed the species of Rose after Peggy Martin and proceeds from its clippings were used to fund the restoration of historic gardens throughout the region.

Thursday, August 28, 2025

When Jim Hench was sent to report on Hurricane Katrina for a New York newspaper, he was rightfully frightened. As he and his photographer entered the flooded out are just three days after the levees burst he saw all manner of horror – and was warned by police to avoid certain areas where he would likely be killed on the spot. But the people he got to know were not just angry, confused and scared – they were faithful.

Jim worked with others who had come to help – hopping on boats to chronicle dramatic rescues and to deliver water and food. The world was being assaulted with images of disaster, but on the ground Jim was finding the seeds of hope. He wrote:

“I found courage and tears where I expected to find violence. I found ragged attempts to preserve dignity where I expected to find the breakdown of civilization. I found faith where bitterness could have taken hold. And I found that in a fallen world where people so often think only of themselves, the horror of disaster can prompt a selflessness we would otherwise never achieve.”

Wednesday, August 27, 2025

The entire world responded to the great need in Southeast Louisiana and Coastal Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina landed. Help poured in – and managing that help was a feat in and of itself! World Vision built a 43,000 square foot warehouse in Picayune to serve as a temporary point of distribution.

World Vision partnered with nearly 100 churches and community partners to distribute $9 million in goods to 318,000 survivors. On top of that World Vision poured over $1 million in grant money to churches and families.

Millions watched on their TVs as World Vision vans pulled into destroyed communities with water, food and clothing. And they didn’t stay a week and move on to the next disaster – World Vision would spend years helping – and creating new ways of helping in emergencies through training seminars hosted by partnering churches.

Tuesday, August 26, 2025

After the destructive flooding of New Orleans caused by failed levees during Hurricane Katrina, plans to fortify the city came from everywhere. Billions of dollars were spent to rebuild levees and fortify wetlands and improve drainage systems within the bowl of Southeast Louisiana.

Creating retention ponds and run-off zones was especially challenging because they all require space – and most of our land is used for housing and schools and businesses. That’s where the kind hearted Sisters of St. Joseph come in.

The Sisters of St. Joseph lost their property to the storm – fire and flood leveled the buildings. They now had 24 acres of city land that they could have made millions on. Instead they opted to lease the entire space for $1 a year to create a water retention park that would provide greenspace and a place for the water to go if ever there was another flooding event.

Monday, August 25, 2025

20 years ago, when Hurricane Katrina upended life as we know it in the Gulf South – we received help and hope from all over. Convoy of Hope was a small but growing organization built to help communities in times of need – and did they ever rise to the occasion during the post-Katrina era.

Volunteers answered phones 24/7 for weeks after Katrina – taking information about needs and points of contact – coordinating resources and boots on the ground to help with clean-up, provide food, clothing and a million other resources. Before Katrina, Convoy of Hope would send a single semi-truck of resources to give out. The response to Southeast Louisiana and Coastal Mississippi required them to grow – in a hurry.

Over the next two years Convoy of Hope would send nearly 1,000 truckloads of relief supplies to multiple points of distribution. They would continue to help communities in the area for four years after Katrina. And in the last 20 years Convoy of Hope has responded to over 800 disasters – impacting countless lives.

Friday, August 22, 2025

Looking for a simple way to be more like Jesus? Jesus fed people. So that’s what Korea House Restaurant in Austin, TX is doing too. Korea House was Austin’s first authentic Korean restaurant – and once a month they started an open door tradition where they feed the community for free.

On the first Wednesday of the month it is not unusual to see a long line out the door of Korea House – even in the Summer heat. Recently the Christian restaurateurs served their 15,000th free meal with no plans to stop. They have dug into their savings to continue the operation and watched as God provides in new and special ways. Tips and donations come in and most of those go to local homeless charities to further help many of the folks they just fed.

For the Korean community of Austin, it’s a little taste of home – the smells and sounds and the heart to help others in need.

Thursday, August 21, 2025

At this point in his career, Shaquille O’Neal might be known for his acts of kindness more than his illustrious basketball career. This example actually combines both. 30 years ago when Shaq was playing for the Orlando Magic, he dropped some cash to rebuild a basketball court in the inner-city area.

That rebuilt court was where then-teenager Marquis Daniels honed his skills. He would go on to play four years of SEC basketball at Auburn University and then worked his way up the NBA latter from the Summer League to playing for the Boston Celtics… where believe it or not, one of his teammates was Shaq!

Shaq laid the foundation – literally – for Marquis Daniels’ court, only to get to play together years later. Kindness went full court press. A slam dunk of goodness, if you will…

Wednesday, August 20, 2025

When Chelsie and Hayden Davis found out their 3 year old daughter Delta had leukemia, they immediately made plans to get her the best treatment possible. This meant that Chelsie would go with Delta to a specialist in a Memphis Children’s Hospital and St. Jude – and Hayden would stay at home, working to provide for the family.

The distance was painful – the family hated every minute of it – but it was the reality of the situation. A company called Budsies created lookalike plush dolls of the Father and Daughter – so they could still hold one another, even from a distance. Inside the doll is voice recorder where Hayden recorded an “I love you” message for his daughter to listen to over and over.

The tide has turned in Delta’s leukemia, now in remission and the family has been able to move back home – fully reunited – though they still travel together every week for treatment. The family has clung to their faith and been taken care of by their church family through it all. And they hope their story of perseverance will inspire others who go through the same situation.

Tuesday, August 19, 2025

It’s no wonder Colorado is often considered the healthiest state in the US – with those beautiful mountains to hike, stunning lakes and natural rock formations – just pictures will make you want to grab a granola bar and hit the trailhead.

If you end up wandering the trails of Mt. Sanitas in Boulder, CO you might discover someone just as beautiful as the great outdoors. Curtis Jones might just hand you a free hat. He designed it himself – a breathable cap with a picture of Mt. Sanitas and the elevation stitched on the side. 6,863 feet.

Mr. Jones’ Mt. Sanitas Mad Hatter Project began after the painful disconnect from people during the pandemic. Now it is a chance to connect with individuals out enjoying nature each day. You never know what someone is going through and how the gift of a simple cap can warm their heart. Some have told Curtis he made them feel like it was Christmas – others broke down in tears at the simple gesture of human kindness.

Monday, August 18, 2025

Clark Kent is Superman. Bruce Wayne is Batman. Peter Parker is Spider-Man. Many – if not most superheroes have secret identities. So does Yuri Williams.

Yuri is a deputy juvenile corrections officer. He’s a kind presence for kids going through the system – a role model as they do their time in juvie. But that’s just Yuri’s day job. Other times he is the man behind the mask.

Yuri cosplays as Spider-Man, the Mandalorian and other characters for his non-profit Future Superhero & Friends. He visits hospitals, senior centers, animal shelters and schools – often bringing toys and goodies to share – always leaving people with a big grin on their face.

While it is super exciting for fans to meet their favorite superhero characters, it’s the hugs and happy tears that keeps Yuri suiting up day after day. He’s visited all 50 states with his non-profit delivering those sweet moments. Yuri also wrote a children’s book based on the work he does – it’s called My Dad Is A Real Superhero.

Friday, August 15, 2025

From the flooded shelters in Central Texas to the Windy City – about 30 shelter puppies were relocated to Chicago after the devastating flooding in Kerr county Texas. From the Southwest to the Midwest, these animals are finding new homes with families that will love on them forever.

For many of the adopting families, it’s a tangible way to show love and solidarity with the Texas communities that are now having to rebuild and restart their lives while grieving loss of life, homes and businesses. These Texas pups have all been vaccinated and prepared for a new, cooler lifestyle along the banks of Lake Michigan. They’ll just have to learn to pull for the Cubs and Bears instead of the Rangers and Cowboys.

These pets were already in shelters before the flooding – and by moving these shelter dogs to Chicago it actually frees up the Texas shelters to work on reuniting recovered pets to families who are returning to begin life anew.

Thursday, August 14, 2025

NICU nurses are made of stronger stuff. Baby ICU is not for the faint of heart – caring for tiny humans and helping their terrified parents is an amazing gift – one that Nurse Gabby Chandler has in spades.

In 2022 she cared for a preemie named Rhett Smith. Rhett was 5 weeks premature and spent almost three weeks in the hospital with Nurse Gabby – who grew close to the child and his adoptive parents. In fact, Gabby had the thrill of introducing the new parents to their son for the first time. She would go on to be a helpful friend to the family – never missing one of Rhett’s birthday parties, even though the family moved across the country.

Flash forward three years and Nurse Gabby asked the thriving preschooler to be her ring bearer at her wedding – which of course he was excited to do! The families remain closer than ever.

Wednesday, August 13, 2025

If you have ever hit rock-bottom, you know the struggle to restart your life. Often you need a helping hand – and that can be very humbling. Deacon John Roberts is a chaplain in San Diego who serves at Father Joe’s Villages – the largest homeless services provider in SoCal. They help provide housing, medical care, recovery programs – and now, a fresh set of wheels.

Deacon Roberts is an avid cyclist and has helped equip hundreds with a free bike to provide much needed mobility which leads to jobs and a fresh start. Bike clubs have sprung up to help – and every week Deacon Roberts leads a group on a 20 mile ride to deepen the relationships between riders. Complete five rides – go 100 miles with the crew – and you get a free bike, helmet, lights and a bike lock!

It’s a wholesome focus on mind, body and spirit – it’s community working together to help the most vulnerable – and most importantly, it’s the love of Jesus lived out loud.

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Frequent Delta Air Lines flyer Bruce Gamble has gotten to know Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport quite well over his 30-plus years of traveling. It’s the people, rather than the amenities that makes it special. For example, part-time Delta agent Jill Hickey doesn’t just pass out free water bottles and help passengers get from point A to B — she gave Bruce Gamble a kidney.

The pair got to know each other at her customer service counter over the years when, in late 2022, Gamble shared that he needed a kidney transplant. At an average wait of three to five years for an organ donation, he’d likely age out of eligibility for a transplant procedure.

Jill immediately got tested alongside a few coworkers to see if they’d make suitable donors for Gamble. And to her surprise, she was a match. She didn’t hesitate to go forward with the procedure, an act of kindness that earned her an award from the airline.

Jill’s kidney was transplanted into Bruce around Christmas last year, but the pair haven’t let each other go yet. With their spouses, they went on a joint vacation to the West Coast, with plans to keep traveling together as far as Delta — and their healthy kidneys — will take them.

Monday, August 11, 2025

We’ve seen multiple natural disasters hit the United States already this year – fires, a tsunami, volcanos and floods. When families run, they sometimes have to leave behind all their stuffed animals. But that’s where Ashley Reckdenwald’s Land of Lovies steps in. The non-profit collects dirty and lost stuffed animals – repairs them and then searches to reunite them to their person.

Land of Lovies also does a lot of research to find replacements for lost stuffed animals – tracking manufactures and getting the perfect twin when they can’t restore the original.  The next time you give your favorite stuffed animal a squeeze – pray for the families and kids missing theirs – and thank God for Land of Lovies! Currently Land of Lovies is hard at work in central TX.

Friday, August 8, 2025

Darla Haro has experienced more than her fair share of loss. Her Slidell home had weathered many hurricanes – but after the loss of her husband, the 79-year-old couldn’t keep up with the house, and hurricane after hurricane wore down her roof and the walls began to crumble.

A neighbor, Norman Chappetta saw Darla struggling and decided to step up. Norman spoke with his Slidell City Councilman, Trey Brownfield and rallied support. The community demo-ed and replaced the home for Darla – even saving some of the garden plants her husband had planted decades before!

Nearly three dozen companies and many more tradesmen put in the work for free to gift Darla her brand new house. Hundreds more donated to the cause. And the community was able to hand Miss Darla the keys to her new home on the anniversary of her beloved husband’s passing.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

When and if you retire – what do you want to do? Volunteer more? Play golf? Learn a new instrument – garden – yell at youths? John Lipani headed to the library to become a competitive adult spelling bee champion.

The Jefferson Parish East Bank Library has been hosting adult spelling bees for over a decade – and John Lipani has won over half of them. If you spot John out and about, he usually has a paperback or a kindle in his hand. He reads 3-5 books a week, but also stays physically active in retirement.

John also spends time with his kids and grandkids – living a full, well-rounded life is his key to living large after a 45-year career in Construction management. He sounds like a w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l guy!

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

If you grew up in a Church Youth Group you might have served in a worship band, helped staff a VBS, raised funds for mission trips and volunteered to serve the elderly members of the church. And what “thank you” did you get? A couple of slices of pizza. But New Hope Missionary Baptist Church is deeply invested in their young people.

This New Orleans church awarded 22 scholarships worth $15,000 to their graduating seniors to help provide for their future education! 22 kids were awarded special scholarships as they graduated high school or an undergrad degree to help them continue to pursue their education.

Pastor Jamal Weathersby says New Hope’s core mission is to uplift young people and invest in the community. And they really put their money where their core values are!

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

A Chihuahua (long-haired) helped his owner escape a seriously scary situation in Switzerland — and looked good doing it.

The adventurous pup was accompanying its owner on a hike on a Swiss glacier when said human fell into a crevasse. One of them had to keep their cool, so the patient pet waited right outside the hole into which its owner fell — an extremely helpful move, since the dog led an air rescue team to the owner’s exact location.

“Imagine if the dog wasn’t there,” said a spokesman for Air Zermatt, which rescued the man. “I have no idea what would happen to this guy.”

This might be the first and only time we hear about a hero Chihuahua on a glacier in Switzerland…

Monday, August 4, 2025

Mattel’s newest Barbie rocks a chic blue polka dot number, but it’s her accessories that have doll lovers really excited. She’s the first Barbie with type 1 diabetes, and she comes with a pink insulin pump, a heart-shaped glucose monitor and a rubbery purse full of snacks so she can control her blood sugar. Her outfit’s blue hue is intentional, too: Blue circles are the symbols for diabetes awareness. 

Mattel created the doll with Breakthrough T1D, a nonprofit that supports the more than 300,000 young people in the US diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Her debut also comes at a pivotal time for type 1 diabetes research. Funding for Congress’ Special Diabetes Program ends after September, and advocates have been meeting with lawmakers to secure the program’s future.

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