Hope & Faith

A child who had spent years in foster care now has a loving forever home to call her own.

Children are a blessing from the good Lord above. They do come with increased levels of stress, worry and anxiety. But children also add plenty of joy and love to parents' lives. While some who seek to become parents may have issues conceiving, there are other avenues to becoming a mom or dad.

There are plenty of children in need of good, safe and loving homes in the world. Many children are simply waiting to be adopted, to have a mom and a dad. 

Cindy and Jeffrey Moore are two people who badly wanted to become parents but encountered infertility issues. But that didn’t stop them from adding Cece to their family, even though it may have taken years to make it permanent.

In the video posted on YouTube, Cindy mentions that Cece came into their lives when she was just two months old through the foster care system. 

“Once we saw her cute little face, we jokingly told them, ‘If you need a place long-term, let us know,’ Cindy said. “And the next day, they said, ‘Yeah, you know, actually, if you’re serious about it, we could really use a long-term placement for her.’”

Years later, after 1,954 days, the Moores finally became Cece’s mother and father.

“You know, here we are, over five years later and that long-term placement has now become a forever home for her.”

Cece isn’t the only child the Moores have adopted, according to the video. They have adopted two other children and Cindy stated that she and Jeffrey are now in the process of adopting Cece’s biological brother.

What a beautiful and loving family! God bless Cindy and Jeffrey for showing love and kindness to children in need of homes.  

Best of luck to the Moore family!

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

And Inspirational Video about the Prodigal Son

The clip of three University of Oklahoma softball players mentioning their faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ when asked how they play the game has gotten a ton of attention.

Sports, particularly college athletics, are often high-pressured and filled with moments or plays that can make or break an entire season. The competition at the NCAA level is fierce, with everyone seeking to gain an advantage, within the boundaries of the rules, of course.

However, three members of the University of Oklahoma softball team explained how and why they don’t let the pressure of big moments get to them. In a clip posted on YouTube, the young women stated that they understand that softball is not the end all, be all. 

The 4-and-a-half-minute clip begins with an ESPN reporter asking one of the players, Grace Lyons, how she keeps the joy throughout an entire softball season. The young woman, in her answer, cited the one, true and only source of joy: Jesus Christ.

“Well, the only way that you can have a joy that doesn’t fade away is from the Lord,” Grace said. “And any other type of joy is actually happiness that comes from circumstances and outcomes.”

Another player, Jayda Coleman, chimed in and agreed with her teammate’s response.

“One thousand percent agree with Grace Lyons,” Jayda said. 

Jayda added that their team is able to stay and play relaxed on the field because winning or losing a game does not define them.

“Yes, obviously, we worked our butts off to be here and we want to win,” Jayda said. “But it’s not the end of the world because our life is in Christ and that’s all that matters.”

Alyssa Brito added that she understands trophies are nice, but Earth is not her home. She said she knows Heaven, with her Father, is her home.

“No matter the outcome, whether we get a trophy in the end or not, this isn’t our home,” she said. “And I think that’s what amazing about it is, we have so much more. We have an eternity of joy with our Father, and I’m so excited about that.”

Two days after these young ladies spoke so moving and openly about their faith and personal relationship with Jesus Christ, they would go on to win the Women’s College World Series. 

Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope make you full of joy and peace through faith, so that all hope may be yours in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

One of the biggest acts in Christian music today thinks about their first time headlining at the Grand Ole Opry and their journey - professionally and personally – to that point. 

For most musicians, playing at the historic Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, is a monumental step in their career. Some of the biggest names in music ever had headlined shows at the venue in the Volunteer State. Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn have all thrilled audiences at the Opry.

The historic venue continues to attract some of the biggest names in music, including For King & Country. In a video posted on YouTube, the pair of Grammy-winning brothers – Joel and Luke Smallbone – talk about what it meant to headline at the Grand Ole Opry and also their lives growing up. 

The short clip begins with the two musicians pulling into the Grand Ole Opry’s parking lot and peering at the sign on the building, which read, “RESERVED: FOR KING & COUNTRY, GRAND OLE OPRY DEBUT, AUGUST 12, 2022.”

Joel admitted that headlining at the venue is a big moment for the brother in terms of their career and their lives.

“It’s a complex moment for us now, Opry debut,” Joel said. “Because we have already some really monumental memories here, which is just magical by the way.” 

The clip cuts to a portion of their show, where Joel addresses the audience, mentioning their first time headlining the auditorium. He likens it to taking a big step in a relationship.

“We have played this stage for award shows and Christmas shows,” Joel said. “At this point, it’s like, it’s like we’ve been dating and tonight, we got married.”

Next, the guys and their parents discuss their tough, lowly beginnings both in their native Australia and moving to The United States, settling in Nashville, Tennessee.

David Smallbone, the guys’ father and manager, articulates how far they have all come since those early days.

“Here we are 30 years later, we’re still here,” David said. “And we came over here basically penniless. Probably the most difficult financial time of our life. And that was the start of the children learning to work together. Cleaning houses, mowing lawns, raking leaves.”

It's amazing to see how far this immensely talented brother duo and their family have come since their humble beginnings. What a terrific story of perseverance, grit and determination! 

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

With God we will never be lost!

Keanu reeves have a lot of quotes you need to know, from motivational ones to downright funny ones

After a near-death experience, a young child revealed to his parents that Jesus held him during the frightening moments. 

Courtney McKee, Max’s mother, said her child told her that while in a swimming pool, and after nearly drowning, he was not afraid. Christ was with him at that moment. 

“He looked at us one day, and he said, ‘When I was in that pool, I wasn’t scared.’ And we were like, ‘That’s great, buddy.’ And he said, ‘When I was in the bottom of that pool, Jesus held me.’”

It’s only natural that, after becoming a parent, fears, worries and anxieties would increase considerably. Parents want nothing but the best for their children. But the world is a sad, dangerous and terrifying place.

However, in July 2019, for Brandon and Courtney McKee, their worst possible fears became a frightening reality. Brandon and Courtney had dropped off their two boys – Brody and 2-year-old Max – at Courtney’s mother’s house for a few days. But the next day, Courtney received a call no parent ever wants to receive. 

Max was at the bottom of his grandmother’s swimming pool. The 2-year-old was not responsive after being removed. After emergency medical responders were called and while CRP was performed on the child, Brody reached out to someone else for help.

“The only thing I could do was pray,” Brody said. “So, I dropped on my knees and I said, ‘God, can you help my little brother? Can you just save him? Can you put your guardian angels around him, Lord?’”

As the video posted on YouTube mentions, Max was revived and quickly transported to a nearby hospital. The next 24 hours were going to be crucial for Max. 

“He was having a hard time breathing and every minutes matter when our brain lacks oxygen,” said Dr. Marvin Mata. “It can have some profound effects. It can cause memory issues. It can cause learning disabilities. And the most worrisome would be brain death.”

Brandon and Courtney did the only thing they could do at that point: pray. But they weren’t the only people who reached out to the Lord on behalf of Max.

“Our pastor came, tons of friends who are prayer warriors came and they just surrounded his bed and we grabbed hands and we prayed,” Courtney said. “We just brought down the power of the Lord that day.”

Courtney and Brandon did not have to wait long for their answer to all those prayers.

“The next morning, Max showed signs that he was Max again,” Courtney said. “And I knew immediately there was no neurological deficits and Max was going to be OK.”

In the days following the traumatic, near-death situation, Max told his parents that Christ was with him and held him while he was in the swimming pool. Max even described his hands and feet.

“He had bobos and scratches on his hands and feet,” Max said. 

The young man is 100 percent clear on what happened to him in the pool that day.

“I’m Max and I’m a miracle,” he said. 

Luke 18:27 “The he said, ‘The things which are impossible with men, are possible with God.”’

Morning Prayer with Intercessor Annette

One young woman used her high school graduation ceremony to speak about her faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ and her speech has since gotten a lot of attention.

People have an intense fear of public speaking. Addressing a crowd of one’s peers can be daunting. Figuring out what to say and how to adequately express those thoughts are worries of someone preparing a speech. However, how the speech will be received causes the most anxiety. 

Now, include speaking about Jesus to a group of high school students to the mix and those worries and anxiety will increase considerably. But that didn’t stop Lydia Owens from talking about her personal Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in her valedictorian speech, according to Fox Carolina News. 

Lydia Owens, as a high school student, lost her mother. Lydia, in her moving speech, explained how her mother’s death completely changed her outlook. 

“I had that reality check almost two years ago when my mom passed away,” Lydia said. “When tragedy struck my life, it was not my grades nor my accomplishments that helped me navigate through that loss. When everything else in my life felt uncertain, the only person that I could depend on to stay the same was Jesus.”

Lydia, in her speech to her classmates, also touched upon success. She mentioned worrying about career advancement and fulfilling other aspirations is unnecessary when one knows Jesus Christ.

“You don’t have to worry about whether or not you’ll be successful because God promises that His Grace is sufficient for us and that His power is made perfect in our weaknesses,” she said. 

And how was her speech about her faith, Jesus Christ and redefining success received by her classmates? She received a thunderous round of applause from the room.

“I was like, ‘Ok, like, this, this is the moment that God wanted,” Lydia said. 

Lydia also added that her late mother influenced her life and faith. She mentioned that her mom showed her what it meant to be a woman of God.

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no evil talk come out of your mouth, but only what is good for giving necessary teaching, and for grace to who give ear.”

Upon hearing that his grandchild had gotten into medical school, a grandfather was overcome with emotion.

Grandparents are one of God’s many blessings in life. They are a spring of knowledge, wisdom and love, adding to the lives of those around them. Most grandparents also have the urge to constantly spoil their grandchildren, showering them with toys, candy and money. You’re not likely to hear any grandchildren complaining about this kind of treatment.

However, this time it was the grandchild who returned the favor, treating her grandfather to a bit of good news. A video posted to YouTube shows a grandfather’s sincere, moving and touching reaction after learning that his granddaughter had gotten into medical school. 

The video shows the elderly gentleman sitting in bed as his granddaughter kneels beside him in order to surprise him with her big news.

“I have really big news for you,” she tells him. “I got into medical school.”

The woman’s grandfather is instantly overcome with emotion after her big announcement. He also praises the Lord for giving his grandchild the opportunity to further her education and career in the medical field.

“Thank you, God,” He responds. “I’m happy to hear that. You are our legacy.”

Later in the video, the young lady explains how she and her family wanted to surprise him with the news. They waited a few days after she learned she had been admitted so they could tell him in person. 

Her grandfather remains overjoyed by the news, the young woman reports.

“But he was over the moon,” she said. “He still calls me about it, like, every single day.”

Most grandparents are extraordinary and loving people who want nothing more than to see their grandchildren succeed and experience happiness in life.

Best of luck to this young woman as she begins her medical career journey! 

Proverbs 17:6 “Children’s children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their fathers.”

Abundant | Morning Devotion | June 7 | Destiny Yarbrough | Find Christian TV At www.abundanttv.com #wednesdaymotivation #faith #abundant #abundanttv #Christianity #christian #morningdevotion #wednesdayvibes

Check out this video of Christian music artist Lauren Daigle sharing how she wants to bring hope through her music.

“Singer-songwriter Lauren Daigle said she struggled to talk about hope during a concert that turned into a prayer vigil after a fatal school shooting in Nashville, Tennessee, where she lives,” reads the caption of the YouTube video. “But the Grammy-winning artist wants people to find hope and a conviction to make the world a better place through her music.”

Lauren Daigle has such fond memories of New Orleans from her childhood, and she shares a little about them at the start of this video.

“I love New Orleans to the core. Being raised in that environment, I was always hearing brass instruments, I was always hearing jazz intonations with vocalists. And people on the streets can sing like Grammy award-winning singers, it’s wild. I feel like paying homage to that and paying homage to what really fueled me as a child. I remember going to New Orleans and thinkin, ‘This is the place of dreams.’”

Then Lauren Daigle touches on a prayer vigil that happened at one of her recent concerts and her feelings around that time.

“That night at the prayer vigil, it was actually really hard for me to talk about hope. I feel like this shook me pretty deep,” she says, talking about the recent school shooting in Nashville. “People always say, ‘What is the legacy? What is the purpose of doing what you do?’ And I say, hands down, ‘To give hope to the world.’

The video ends with Lauren sharing about how we need to make the world a better place through our actions. “We’ve got to live out these words that we’re preaching. We’ve got to stand with this conviction and know at the end of the day, how are we going to unify? 

How are we going to stand together on things? How are we going to stop the chaos that’s all around? What are the things that we’re going to do that are actually going to improve the world?”

I pray that this message encourages someone. Whatever you are going through, just remember that the spirit of the Lord is with you at all times.

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. Jeremiah 33:6 .....

4 ESSENTIALS! Prayer, Bible Study, Worship, Fellowship...all make for one healthy relationship!

Abundant | Morning Devotion | June 2 | Charlene Snyder Baktamarian | Find Christian TV At www.abundanttv.com #fridaymotivations motivations #faith #abundant #abundanttv #Christianity #christian #morningdevotion #fridayvibes

And the LORD, it is He that goes before you; He will be with you, He will not fail you, neither forsake you: fear not, neither be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 .....

I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are Your works; and of this my soul is completely conscious. Psalms 139:14 .....

Abundant | Morning Devotion | June 1 | Rhoda Faye Diehl | Find Christian TV At www.abundanttv.com #thursdaymotivations #faith #abundant #abundanttv #Christianity #christian #morningdevotion #thursdayvibes

I am providing you with a mini testimony just to let you know that all things are possible. Keep the faith and hold on.

#testimony #neardeathexperience #healing #faith #selfhelp