Inspirational Videos

Do you feel stuck in your pain or like you keep falling into the same relational or emotional pits? When your circumstances triggers certain intense emotions, do you find yourself behaving more like a child rather than the Spirit-led adult you know you are? Or do you simply long for increased joy, peace and freedom in your life and interactions? If so, you'll gain encouragement from Jennifer Slattery's conversation with guest Dr. Marcus Warner from Deeper Walk International.  Discussion/Reflective Questions; 1 What resonated with you most in this episode? 2 How would you define emotional maturity? 3 What are some ways you currently differentiate what thoughts come from you, which come from your spiritual enemy the devil, and which are from God? 4 Consider Dr. Warner's discussion of A-trauma (trauma caused from things we didn't receive). How might A-traumas have negatively impacted your ability to endure stressful situations? 5 Pause to reflect on Dr. Marcus Warner's discussion of joy versus fear bonds. Which type of bond tends to influence most of your decisions? 6 How do you most tend to relate to God, through a joy bond or fear bond? 7 What are some ways, based on what Dr. Marcus Warner shared, that you can increase your joy bond with God? 8 What is one action step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this episode? Resource mentioned: "Breakthrough!: 5 Essential Strategies for Freedom, Healing, and Wholeness" 

Brandon Lake has shared an uplifting and encouraging message for anyone hurting and struggling. His powerful words are meant for those who are going through a difficult time and feel like the entire world is against them. Watch the short clip to hear Brandon’s moving words.

Life is a truly wonderful gift from the good Lord above. However, that does not mean our time on Earth will be nothing but rainbows and roses. In fact, it can often be the very opposite. Of course, anyone who has been alive for any period of time knows this all too well.

Christ never promised us an easy experience or that we’d never encounter hardship or difficulties. Jesus Christ was perfect, and He was tortured and crucified. How could we ever believe or think for one second that life would be easy when Christ did nothing wrong and He was put to death?

In a short clip posted on social media, the popular Christian musician, while speaking directly to the camera, mentioned how he knows some people are going through less-than-ideal, miserable circumstances.

“So many of you guys are going through hell,” he said. “You’re going through the hardest season of your lives. I’m speaking to you.”

After acknowledging that some people are undoubtedly dealing with troubling, heartbreaking, and painful situations, Brandon offers some heartfelt advice and encouragement.

“If you’re going through a really hard time, just remind you, honestly, as much as you don’t feel it, like, God is with you,” Brandon said. “He’s for you. He has the best plans for your lives.”

Later in the video, Brandon offers even more hope and encouragement to the hurting and brokenhearted. He summarizes one of the most popular verses in all of the Bible: Jeremiah 29:11.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

An officer showed kindness and love to a puppy thrown from a vehicle, giving the animal a forever home. A law enforcement official helped an injured animal by getting the pup immediate medical attention and later a forever home. Watch the short video to hear how an officer of the law showed love to one of God’s furry, four-legged creatures.

Animals deserve a healthy amount of love, care, kindness and respect. After all, they were put on Earth by the same God who gave you and me life and placed the sun, moon and stars in their positions. Anyone who would intentionally hurt or mistreat a poor, defenseless animal is doing so to one of God’s creatures.

When thinking about animals unable to protect or fend for themselves, it doesn’t get much more helpless than a kitten or a puppy. That’s why it’s always maddening and infuriating whenever we hear of someone abusing a cat or a dog. A clip posted on YouTube tells of a puppy who was discarded like a piece of trash. However, the pup, who had a rough start, eventually found a loving forever home.

As the clip mentions, Texas police Brennan Johnson responded to a call about animal cruelty. He learned, after responding to the animal hospital in Dennison, Texas, that a small, defenseless puppy had been thrown from a vehicle.

Brennan, being the kind-hearted person he is, paid for the animal’s medical bills. However, he initially feared the worst, thinking the puppy would lose the use of its back legs because of its horrific ordeal. Luckily, upon closer examination, the animal only suffered a break to one of its hind legs, forcing the animal to sport a cast. 

But shelling out for the pup’s medical expenses was the only kindness Brennan showed the injured pup. He also took her in, giving her the loving and caring forever home the animal rightly deserves.

Proverbs 12:10 “An upright man has thought for the life of his beast, but the hearts of evildoers are cruel.”

Patricia Heaton shared how God used her career struggles to change and adjust her priorities in life. The Everybody Loves Raymond actress discussed her early acting career and how the Lord used her struggles and failings to redirect her concerns and goals. Watch the video to hear how Patricia’s early struggles as an actress led to a massive change in her life.

Hollywood is not a place typically friendly to people of faith. However, Patricia Heaton has never shied away from talking about God and sharing her faith. In multiple interviews and posts on social media, The Middle actress talks about God and how her faith influences her life and career choices.

During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Patricia talked about her early struggles as an actress. In the clip on social media, she mentions that she was in New York City for nearly a decade, and nothing worked out for her. It even got to the point, she reveals, that she became mad at God.

“And I was so angry at God,” she said. “And I was like, ‘You put this in me, and you’ve shut every door. What is going on?’”

Later in the clip, she mentions that something came up that led her to Los Angeles. In California, she made a significant discovery about herself that would ultimately change her life.

“I got an opportunity to go to LA,” she said. “I had this huge sense of peace that I had never had before. And I realized that I had been making the acting career the center of my life. And you know there’s only one thing that can be the center of your life, and that’s your faith.”

At that point, Patricia understood the reason and purpose for her early career struggles.

“I wasn’t doing that, and I think God was withholding everything until He was the center of my life and not the career.”

As Patricia wisely adds in the clip, careers come and go; they do not last. She also mentions that “you have to know that the purpose of your life is glorifying God with your life, not glorifying yourself.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

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Clip taken from the Faith Over Fear podcast episode titled "When You Feel Stuck and Need a Breakthrough" with Dr. Marcus Warner from Deeper Walk International.

According to the National Council on Aging, the holiday season heightens the loneliness epidemic in seniors. So glad that OdessaConnect is on mission with Portland Christian School this season to help bring the gift of connection to seniors and their families. https://lnkd.in/ejfA-g77

A heroic barista courageously stepped in to stop a robbery taking place right in front of him by physically taking down the criminal. The coffee shop employee acted without regard for his safety when he jumped in to stop the crime. Watch the video to see the brave, quick-thinking barista’s actions.

Heroes can be anyone and anywhere. They could be our neighbors, coworkers, friends, relatives or even someone we pass by on the street. We all have the potential to be heroes and to help others when they are in extreme distress.

Most people would agree that being a hero means taking decisive action in a moment of great uncertainty. Heroes are able to put their fear aside and courageously act on behalf of someone else. They provide others with much-needed assistance, even though doing so might result in them becoming injured.

A clip shows a young man doing exactly that for a person sitting in a coffee shop. The heroic barista’s actions were caught on camera as he raced in to stop the customer from being a robbery victim.

The criminal, dressed in all black and with his face covered, strolls into the shop, walks over to the customer, and brazenly attempts to steal their bag. Little does he know that the barista is about to foil his criminal plan.

Seconds into the video, the barista hits the criminal in the back with a cart. The criminal and the barista then get into a prolonged, violent physical altercation. At certain points during their struggle, the criminal sprays a substance in the face of the courageous barista. That substance turned out to be bear mace.

Eventually, the barista is able to get the criminal on the floor and, with the help of another customer, subdues him until police arrive on the scene.

The day after his brave, selfless actions, Nick Grant said he was “a little sore” and “still coughing out bear mace” but was OK.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 “And you, my brothers, do not get tired of well-doing.”

A student in a wheelchair pursues his medical school dream and inspires others. One young man is not letting his physical disability hold him back from going after his educational and career goals. Watch the short video to hear more about the young man and how he refuses to let his disability hold him back in life.

No one’s life is perfect. We all face trials, hardships and difficulties. However, while everyone encounters hurdles and obstacles in their way, some clearly have it more difficult than others. We’ve all seen and know people who, for whatever reason, seem to come up against more than their fair share of problems and issues.

We also know individuals who, no matter what they face, will persist and persevere. Those people do not waste time making excuses or feeling sorry for themselves. They bravely and admirably accept the hand they’ve been dealt in life and go on with their lives. Not only that, but they help others in the process. RJ is one of those people.

A clip posted on YouTube explains that RJ had always dreamed of going into the medical field. Later in the clip, he states how a roller-skating accident left him in a wheelchair after he lost coordination and muscle power in his legs.

But instead of putting his dream of going to medical school on hold or to the side, he persisted. He became the first person in a wheelchair to be accepted into the Dalhousie Medical School at Dalhousie University in Canada.

Instead of being confined to a standard, average wheelchair, RJ uses a standing wheelchair to assist him in school. As the video points out, the innovative piece of equipment allowed him to participate in “his first surgical procedure.”

“It was very exciting for me to then be so close to the surgery and maybe help with small things they let medical students help with at times, like holding a wire,” he said.

But even before attending medical school, RJ became a voice on social media, advocating for others who may have accessibility issues due to their disabilities.

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.”

Jase Robertson boils it down for folks when he summarizes the entire Bible in under one minute, and that’s no small feat. However, the plain-spoken second son of Phil and Kay Robertson does a fabulous job of getting to the nitty gritty—pointing out the most critical points that Christians and those searching need to know!

God’s Word, gloriously rich and complex, tells the creation story; describes the way we are to live; reveals the lives and lessons of our Old and New Testament heroes and villains; details the birth, miracles, relationships, and death of Jesus; and so much more. With over 40 authors included and comprising 66 books, the Bible is a lot to take in! However, if you only had one minute to plant a seed or pique the interest of a sister or brother seeking Christ, Jase’s three key points might be just the ones to convey.

The Louisiana native states that the entire Old Testament, the books of Genesis through Malachi, gives us the first life-changing truth. Jesus Christ is coming to earth! Jase acknowledges that there is a lot of information about the law in those books, and those law books are there to prove to us that we are “flawed.” He assures the audience and all of us that we “cannot do it.” Every one of us needs Jesus, and He is coming!

Next, Jase references Matthew through John. The gospels, he says, tell us that Jesus has come. He exclaims, “God in Human form is on the earth. He’s here!” Those precious four books demonstrate the loving nature of our Heavenly Father when he sent His son to save each of us. 

Finally, bearded, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and holding a well-loved Bible in the air, Jase says the final most important point is right there in the pages of Romans through Revelation. Jesus is coming back! Just as He’s promised, He will return, and believers will live together in Paradise for eternity.

Christians recognize there is much more to know, and study of God’s Word is imperative for developing a mature understanding and relationship with Heavenly Father, but Jase gave us the gotta knows in his 60-second summary!   

The one-time Duck Dynasty star now co-hosts the Unashamed podcast with his father Phil. He still lives in Louisiana, is still married to Missy, and surely still duck hunts from time-to-time.   

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1

After a newborn's birth, what one doctor said, his unbelievably sweet words will warm your heart. The medical professional shared some surprising but powerful thoughts, making for a heartwarming and tear-jerking moment. Watch this short clip of a doctor addressing a newborn, but make sure you have the tissues nearby.

Children are, without a doubt, the greatest blessing one can experience in life. They will forever change your life for the better in every way imaginable. As a parent, what used to be a major, significant issue will lose much of its importance when that new bundle of joy is placed in your arms for the first time.

In a clip posted on social media, a doctor recognizes the importance and significance of a new life that has just entered the world. He sweetly addresses the youngster, telling him that today is his birthday and what his mother has just gone through.

“So, today is your birthday – December 8th, the year of our Lord, 2024, and you were born at 4:24 a.m., weighing eight pounds even,” he says. “I want you to look at these beautiful people here. That’s your mother and that’s your father. They’re the foundation to your whole life. But you need to know that your mother sacrificed so much to have you. I want you to know that she felt every bit of her pain, and she endured through her fears and overcame them, and she worked like a champion to push you out. It is what I call “a beautiful birth.”

The doctor then led everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” to the child.

Finally, the doctor made sure to let the child know about his purpose and potential.

“So, the last thing I’m going to leave you with is your purpose in the world,” he said. “No. 1, I know you’re going to get great love by your siblings, by your mother and your father. But at the same time, I need you to know that you’re that link in an unbroken chain that goes all the way back to your forefathers and foremothers and all the way into the future as far as our imaginations continues. So, you’re very special, and now that you’re here, the world will never ever be the same.”

Ephesians 6:4 “And, you fathers, do not make your children angry: but give them training in the teaching and fear of the Lord.”

A quick-thinking 8-year-old saved his classmate’s life during a frightening lunchroom incident. The young man took decisive action at the moment that, without a doubt, kept his buddy from meeting an unfortunate end. Check out the video to see the young hero in action.

We live in a dangerous world where the potential for physical and emotional harm literally surrounds us. Walking out the door in the morning to get in your vehicle to head to work could result in injury. There are hundreds of thousands of ways human beings can be injured.

Humans can even suffer injury and even die by eating – something we all need to do to remain alive can quickly become a danger and put our lives in jeopardy. Luckily, often in such situations when choking happens, the Lord will place the right person in the right place at the right time.

As a video posted on YouTube shows, that’s precisely what happened when a young man eating lunch at school started choking. The clip points out the child was enjoying his meal when he began choking on a grape almost immediately after putting it in his mouth. Understanding that he’s in extreme distress, the young man stands to his feet with both hands on his throat.

Everyone in the lunchroom appears totally oblivious to the choking child. Thankfully, the 8-year-old sitting next to the choking child quickly realizes what is going on and gets to work. He grabs ahold of his choking buddy and performs actions that look very similar to the Heimlich 

maneuver. Moments later, the grape is out, and a life has been saved.

“I didn’t really know what I was doing, but I just decided to push on his stomach cause what I was thinking was, ‘Try to get air up and push out the grape,” the young hero said.

It turned out the young hero’s thoughts and instincts were correct.

Psalm 86:7 “In the day of my trouble I send up my cry to you; for you will give me an answer.”

A couple changed their wedding plans so the bride’s sick father could walk her down the aisle. The bride and groom had to quickly adjust their wedding ceremony so that her father, who was in the hospital, could attend. Watch the video to see the tear-jerking moment and hear how quickly they had to change all their plans.

Weddings are wonderful and special occasions when two people stand before God, their family and friends and vow to remain together until death does them part. It’s a lifelong commitment, as those in attendance watch the literal formation of a family. As can be expected when witnessing something so momentous and special, tears are often shed throughout the ceremony and the following reception.

As wonderful as weddings are, they typically require an incredible amount of planning. Putting together a wedding can take months up to an entire year and even longer in some cases. There is much to consider when planning and organizing such an important, life-changing event.

However, a clip posted on YouTube details how one couple, who was planning to get hitched in June 2025, changed everything, moving their nuptials up several months. That dramatic change was so the bride, Marciela Mercardo, could be walked down the aisle by her father, Salvador Rivera.

Salvador had been in a hospital for several weeks after experiencing a stroke. So, Marciela and her groom, Ralph Polk, tied the knot in the hospital, in the medical facility's chapel.

It’s hard to believe there was a dry eye whenever Marciela was escorted down the aisle by Salvador.

“I knew it was very important that he be here, that my family was here,” she said.

Later in the clip, Marciela mentioned that she and her family have faith that her father will continue recuperating and improving to the point that he will leave the hospital and return to his day-to-day life.

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother: that your days may be long on the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

In an interview on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Henry Winkler reminisced about his iconic role in the beloved television series Happy Days. In the interview, Henry talked about his long and storied career, including his role as Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli on the popular 1970s sitcom. Watch the video to hear what Henry had to say about playing the Fonz.

Hollywood is a very fickle place. Tastes and preferences are constantly changing. That means what is popular now may not and probably will not be five minutes from now. Because tastes change so rapidly, actors and actresses can often have trouble securing steady work. That’s why pursuing a career in the entertainment industry is such a crapshoot.

Despite the entertainment industry's unpredictability, Henry has enjoyed a long and successful career, appearing in films and on television for decades. But his most famous role, which he’s most closely associated with, is the Fonz. His character was the definition of cool, but as Henry hilariously explains, that didn’t always translate to him.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Henry says that he wasn’t great with Fonzie’s motorcycle, only riding it once, which ended in disaster.

“There was a moment when they had me on Soundstage 5 at Paramount,” he said. “I was on the bike, and all I had to do was rev it and move it five feet. I revved it and was so dyslexic I had no idea where the brake was, where the gear was, and I shot forward.”

He adds he “put the bike down and we slid under the truck on the soundstage,” causing people to come running to see what had transpired. He hilariously adds that people were more concerned about the bike because it was a rental and then proceeded to check on him.

“I never rode it again,” he said.

Another interesting fact Henry mentions about Fonzie’s bike is that it was the same one used by Steve McQueen in “The Great Escape.”

Later in the interview, it was stated that Henry and his wife had been married for 45 years. He shared what he believes is the secret to a long, happy marriage.

Job 8:21 “The time will come when your mouth will be full of laughing, and cries of joy will come from your lips.”

A community has come together to show love and support for a business owner after a shocking attack. Residents of a city in California did what they could to help a local business owner after he was the victim of a brutal assault. Watch the video to hear how people generously donated their time and talents to help one man and his business.

There is a lot of hate, evil and darkness in the world. Watch five minutes of any national, 24-hour news broadcast or quickly scan any social media platform, and you’ll come to the same conclusion. Unfortunately, people have the capacity to inflict massive amounts of hurt and pain upon one another.

However, while sin has and does corrupt and destroy everything it touches, some good can still be found in the world. A clip posted on YouTube tells the story of how some people came together to show love and support to one man and his small business after he was brutally attacked.

Mr. Lee, the owner of a Sacramento, California, donut shop, was attacked while working early one morning. The video states the business owner sustained a wound to his head, landing him in the hospital. Eventually, Mr. Lee developed a blood clot and had to have emergency surgery.

Mr. Lee is on the mend following the surgery, recuperating and progressing nicely from his injuries and surgery. However, as Mr. Lee is away from his business, several volunteers have gotten to work, and helped to give the donut shop a little tender, loving and caring.

“Freshly-painted store, new faces here, new equipment in the back,” Isaac Gonzalez, the organizer of the volunteer effort, said. “We hope it’s just a really good example of how much we love Mr. Lee.”

But fixing up his business is not all they volunteers are doing.

Volunteers have raised $18,000, some of which has helped to spruce up the business. The clip states that some of that money will also be given to Mr. Lee.

Ephesians 4:32 “And be kind to one another, full of pity, having forgiveness for one another, even as God in Christ had forgiveness for you.”

A group of siblings came together to celebrate their dad’s last day of work in the sweetest way. On his last work day, the retiring father received a precious surprise from his children. Check out the video to watch the heartwarming surprise.

Many people plan for and eagerly await their retirement. Reaching the point when you no longer need to work is a big, momentous occasion in everyone’s life. But when that day finally arrives, how do you properly recognize and celebrate someone’s last day of work?

A clip posted on social media showed that three siblings knew precisely how to recognize their father’s impending retirement. What the siblings did was unexpected and unique; their retiring father will likely remember it for a very long time. They used the occasion to create a sweet, precious memory.

In the video, one of the three siblings mentions that their father, who has worked at the high school for over 40 years, drove them to school every day for eight years. So, they showed up and surprised him on his last day of work. But instead of him taking them to school, they were hitching a ride with Dad to their jobs.

The siblings even made a playlist of songs they’d commonly listen to during those carpool rides with their father. Also, they made sure to make one essential stop along the way: a bagel shop. The sibling narrating the video explains that this was a stop they made every day on their route to school.

“Ten out of 10, would recommend just randomly showing up to your parents' house to carpool to work, especially if they took you to school like every single day for eight years,” the video’s narrator said.

What a sweet but simple surprise that likely meant the world to their father.

Proverbs 22:6 “If a child is trained up in the right way, even when he is old he will not be turned away from it.”

A pastor shared some truly insightful and powerful comments on God’s timing and our ambition and drive as a society. Pastor Phillip Anthony Mitchell mentioned how and why God’s timeline is always best and why sometimes having extreme ambition and drive is not always good. Watch the short video to hear what the pastor had to say.

It's been said that time is money. Our society follows that old axiom with much passion and zeal. Everyone knows what they want, and they want it now, immediately, and without even the slightest delay. If there is a momentary pause or delay, someone else is getting ahead of me, or I might not have the newest, biggest or best of something.

Most people today, without a doubt, think that way. However, as most Christians have likely already discovered, God does not operate and adhere to our timeline. He has his schedule, and it may not always align with our desires.

In a clip posted on YouTube, Pastor Phillip Anthony Mitchell mentions God's timing during a conversation with Christian recording artist Lecrae. He also explains why people who want things now are often entirely wrong. His insight and wisdom come from his personal experience and struggles.

“Some of God’s goodness is to tell you, ‘Wait,’” he said. “Cause that’s like one of our young kids asking us for a car, and you 10. I got the means to give you that car, but if I give you that car at 10, you’re going to kill yourself. Now, you come back and ask me for that car at 17, you’re a little bit more mature. You can handle that.”

Later in the clip, the pastor mentioned what change he believes would serve our current generation well.

“And I think this generation would do itself good if we get delivered from being hyper-ambitious and we focus more on the walk with the Lord,” he said. “And we stop seeing all these things as the reward. I remind my churches as often as I can, Christ is the reward.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a fixed time, and a time for every business under the sun.”

The God of the impossible was at work in Luke 9 when Jesus fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread and two fish; leaving 12 baskets of food as leftovers! In Luke 5 we learn that Jesus would often go into the wilderness to pray. If we want to see the God of the impossible do our impossible, we must pray for God's wisdom, strength, and guidance!

The God of the impossible did the impossible with King Hezekiah in II Kings 20! King Hezekiah also demonstrated how the God of the impossible wants us to plan. King Hezekiah went to the House of the Lord and laid before God letters that he had received. (II Kings 19). May we likewise go to the House of God and put our plans in God's hands!