1) When police officer Tyler Beddoes first arrived at the scene of a deadly car wreck on a frigid day back in March 2015, he had no idea that what he was about to experience would profoundly change his life.
“We all heard an adult female voice, which was a calm voice saying, ‘Help me, help me,’” he recalled. “This voice guided us to the car and gave us hope that whoever was calling out was alive.” But when they got to the car, the adult woman capable of speaking was deceased; he believes the voice was an angel guiding them to save a little baby in the back seat.
2) Singer and actress Jordin Sparks has openly discussed her Christian faith over the years, but she took her public devotion to an entirely new level in a recent Instagram post, sharing a photo of her Bible and imploring fans to read Proverbs. But it is the photo of the Bible that’s really worth looking at.
3) It’s not often you see worship songs performed on a huge network show like “The Voice”, but that’s exactly what we got from a talented singer on Alicia Keys’ 2016 semifinals team, and it was amazing. Christian Cuevas covered Israel Houghton’s, “To Worship You I Live,” complete with a joyful choir — and you absolutely need to check it out.
4) In other news, layaway angels are back! Nearly 200 shoppers at a Walmart in Everett, Pennsylvania, are in total shock after a random stranger anonymously called the store and paid off all of their layaway items — a collective bill totaling $46,265.59. Yes, really.
5) Oh, and in a fit of irony, cops in a town called “Godley” (Texas, of course) have come up with an innovative and inspirational way to give back this holiday season. Rather than doling out large fines for small driving infractions, the Godley Police Department has decided to suspended traditional citations and is, instead, handing out warning “tickets” that encourage people to donate toys for underprivileged kids.
6) A 25-year-old Idaho man who lost his arm in a gruesome sawmill accident has received a one-of-a-kind bionic prosthesis. One of the rare above-the-shoulder amputees out there, and he now has a fully functioning arm. It’s pretty remarkable, so check it out.
7) And there is another good deed worth noting: A school bus driver has become a national hero after he purchased hats and gloves for local children — a kind act he initiated after noticing that a small boy who didn’t have a hat or gloves was in tears when he got on the bus. Read more about that here.
8) Despite speculation that many church doors could remain shuttered on Christmas Day, it turns out the vast majority of Protestant pastors — 89 percent, according to a new LifeWay Research survey — plan to hold services on Dec. 25. Read more about the debate over churches closing their doors on Christmas here.
9) Being told your child has down syndrome is never an easy thing to hear, and the same holds true for one mom featured in a powerful new Christmas video. She explains the fears she experienced for her child, and how they were all wiped away while she watched her daughter re-enact the Christmas story. The powerful epiphany for one mom also serves as a reminder to us all that while some babies might appear to be less than perfect in the beginning – God doesn’t make mistakes. Read more about the touching story here.
10) Last but not least, we’ll highlight a complicated one: The touching story about a man who says he dressed up like Santa to comfort a terminally ill little boy who died in his arms. As you likely know, the story has gone viral in recent days, though media outlets have started to intensely question the veracity of his claims. We dove deep into the story, talked to his friend and attempted to verify the claims. Check that all out.
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– ‘Keep Your Babies’: Famous Singer ngnd Actress Gets Candid on Abortion