It’s hump day — and considering the fact that the ever-contentious election battle is kicking into overdrive, we can all use a little pick-me-up. So, we’ve assembled some of the most uplifting and inspirational stories of the past week. Here we go:
In recent days, we’ve seen plenty of stories about the power of compassion. Take, for instance, our story about an Iowa man who randomly decided to donate hundreds of dollars to an elementary school in an effort to help families and kids pay off overdue lunch expenses. Now, he’s hoping his kind act will launch a chain reaction of goodness.
Then, there was the story of Alabama A&M University student Justin Franks who, after hearing that some of his fellow students were going to bed hungry, launched an on-campus food pantry — an effort that’s already helped nearly 100 of his peers.
“Some nights, students will be like ‘Man, I really appreciate this because I didn’t have anything to eat,’” he said of the effort.
And in addition to stories showing peoples’ compassionate efforts, we also saw some pretty moving articles about the power of the human spirit. We published a video of severely disabled individuals who can’t move or talk playing music using only their brain waves, a story about a super cool and inspirational friendship between a loving toddler and an elderly man — and an incredible story about a brave 13-year-old girl who used her Make-A-Wish request to help the homeless.
“It felt very good to help them,” Emma Allred said after hosting a food drive for those in need. “In reality, the more you give, the more people smile. It helps their day. If I can help someone, I’ll help.”
And who could forget the story of little Noah? Doctors repeatedly told his parents to abort him, as tests in the womb showed he would likely have only 2 percent of his brain, as well as a slew of other health problems. Despite those predictions, though, his parents decided to bring him into the world anyway — and you’d be stunned and encouraged to see him now.
The positivity doesn’t end there, either. We also covered the story about North Carolina mom Suzy Goodwin who might just be the first person ever to complete a half marathon while pushing triplets in a giant stroller — an act she partook in to honor the neonatal nurses and doctors who helped her babies after their birth.
“This is the biggest way I know to say thank you and honor the work God did through the NICU nurses and doctors,” Goodwin said of her run.
Suzy Goodwin, mother of triplets is out to set a Guinness World Record for the fastest woman to run a marathon with a triple stroller. pic.twitter.com/RdOCEeJNIN
— Morgan Norwood (@Morganorwood) October 30, 2016
There was also some international news worth noting. Some Christians in towns and villages outside of the Iraqi city of Mosul have finally been able to return home following successes in beating back the Islamic State. As a result, we’ve seen videos of soldiers triumphantly raising Christian crosses above ransacked churches, with touching worship services unfolding inside ravaged houses of worship — events that were unimaginable just months ago. See one of the worship clips here.
On a lighter note, there was also a viral letter a husband wrote to his wife after she had a hard day at home with the couple’s two boys. The touching note made the man’s appreciation for his wife more than clear, while also heaping praise on stay-at-home moms more generally.
“After a hard day at work there is nothing better than clocking off. Some days I get home and see my beautiful wife worn out , tired, frustrated and overwhelmed by the challenges of being a mum,” the note read. “Unlike me she has no set hour to clock off or rewarded with overtime or bonuses for all the extra work and effort she has put in during the day.”
Okay, so now that we’re at the end of our hump-day pick-me-up I’ll conclude with a simple viral video that we just loved. Watch this two-month-old say what sounds like a clear “hello” — a moment that led his mom to gasp.
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Other Must-Read Stories:
– Actor Reveals How a God-Given Dream Led Him on an Unlikely Path Toward Hollywood: ‘It Made No Sense’
– Watch an Incredible Clip of Severely Disabled Musicians Performing Music Using Only Their Brains
– The Creepy History Behind the Ouija Board — and Why Many Christians Warn to Avoid It At All Costs