September 2, 2018 today we explore the 34th state of the USA - Kansas join us... https://www.HazelwoodUSA.weebly.com find a church https://www.upci.org
I don’t think there’s any doubt in my mind that when God placed animals on this Earth, He truly knew what He was doing. And the special animals that become our pets definitely hold a very unique place in our hearts. They become a part of our family and it’s always a heartwarming relationship to witness. As the years go by, the relationship only gets stronger. This is especially true for dogs. They are known for their companionship and love. These furry friends will love us unconditionally and that’s one of the reasons dogs are known as man’s best friend.
This Golden Retriever is the perfect example of why dogs are so beloved by their owners. When his owner fainted in the middle of the street in the city of Daqing in Heilongjiang, China, he knew she needed his support. As she lay on the ground, this sweet dog refused to leave her side. The nurse noted that when paramedics arrived, the dog was circling his owner. EMTs were nervous that the dog was going to attack them, but they soon realized that he was just waiting for her to wake up.
Once she was placed on the stretcher, she was able to call out to her faithful friend. He continued to remain by her side as they wheeled her to the ambulance and this loyal Golden Retriever even rode with his owner to the hospital. This just shows that dogs truly have so much emotion and genuinely care for their humans. Thank you, Lord, for placing these special creatures on this Earth and showing us what compassion and kindness is truly all about.
There’s no better feeling than bringing your newborn baby home for the very first time. But for many families with premature babies, this special moment has to be put on hold. Babies born before their due dates can spend anywhere from days to months in the NICU before they are well enough to go home on their own.
Parents Robert and Molli Potter know all about lengthy hospital stays. While Molli was pregnant, they were devastated when doctors gave their unborn child a 2 percent chance of surviving. To make matters worse, many hospitals said that if their son was born before the 24 week mark, they wouldn’t try to save him.
Robert Potter said, "I called 16 different hospitals in three different states to find one that would. We found University Of South Alabama in Mobile and they treated her the minute we got there. They were treating for ‘We’re gonna save this baby.’”
Little Cullen Potter was born at just 22 weeks and weighed only 13.9 ounces. But after 160 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, Cullen was finally ready to go home. The nurses and staff at the hospital always like to do something special when a baby leaves the NICU, but Cullen’s exit was definitely one of a kind.
After finding a cap and gown at Build-A-Bear Workshop, Molli outfitted her son to go home. That’s when the nurses decided to put on their own ‘graduation’ ceremony for this little fighter and paraded him down the hall in his adorable outfit. Now, Cullen is at home and doing great. What an amazing story!
When we first met 20-year-old Joseph O’Brien, he was just a shy small town boy young man from Columbia, Tennessee. But this young man had big dreams and a talented voice to back it all up. Despite his nerves, Joseph was able to step on the America’s Got Talent stage and completely blew everyone away with his first audition.
But when he returned for his second performance, Joseph struggled with nerves and his song choice. Before he was even halfway through his first song, Simon put his hand up and stopped the music. He told Joseph that it wasn’t working and asked him to perform something different. Thankfully, Joseph had an original song on deck and was able to redeem himself.
Now, this young man is back for the semi-finals and he’s not taking any chances this time. Just listen as he beautifully performs another original song titled "We Could Build A House." Joseph sits down at the piano and doesn’t let his nerves get the best of him. He looks completely comfortable as he belts out this incredible love song. Joseph seemed so much more at ease and his passion for performing truly came through with this tune.
I’m just so glad that Simon was able to see the talent behind Joseph’s voice and give him another opportunity. Joseph definitely has a long career ahead of him in the music business and I can’t wait to see what he performs next. Do you think he has what it takes to win the whole show?
If you’ve been watching America’s Got Talent, than you’re probably pretty familiar with 40-year-old Michael Ketterer. Michael is a pediatric mental health nurse and father of 6. His first audition on the talent show earned him the coveted golden buzzer from judge Simon Cowell. And his second performance, in the semi-finals, brought multiple judges to tears.
His journey to this point has been nothing short of incredible and today, Michael is sharing the real reason he is where he is right now. Michael is a devout follower of Christ. Throughout his life, God has guided him and his wife and they’ve listened each step of the way. Michael and Ivey had not been married long when they found out they were pregnant with a baby girl. This dad-to-be felt unprepared for this new role, especially since he lacked a father figure in his own life. But he put his trust in God to lead the way.
After some complications during their first pregnancy, doctors told the couple that this would happen with any other pregnancies. So, they made the decision to not have any more children. But when their daughter was 8 years old, she began to have dreams about 3 boys that were her brothers. She had this recurring dream for 2 years before Michael and Ivey decided to start the fostering process.
Soon, their daughter’s dream came through and 3 boys were added to the family. Eventually, the family adopted 2 more boys bringing them to 5 adopted boys and 1 biological daughter. In this I Am Second testimony, Michael shares how God sent him signs all throughout the way and how he found the healing power of a Father’s love.
When Michael and Carissa Alvarado first stepped on stage to audition for America’s Got Talent, I knew it was going to be a memorable performance. This husband and wife team makes up the talented singing couple Us The Duo. Over the years, these two have made a splash all over the Internet with their creative songs and beautiful voices.
Their original performance of 'No Matter Where You Are' was actually the song they wrote for their wedding as vows to each other and it easily won over the judges. During their first performance, Michael and Carissa mentioned that they wanted to be parents and that winning this competition would help on that journey.
Well, fast-forward a few months and this couple is back on stage and expecting a baby girl. And they’re singing another heartwarming original song that is sure to resonate with thousands. Just listen as they belt out the sweet words of "Like I Did With You.” When you listen to the lyrics, you’ll realize that it’s dedicated to their unborn daughter and speaks about their wishes for this baby girl.
I just love the energy and passion that Michael and Carissa bring to every single performance and it’s hard not to smile when you hear them sing. It’s obvious these two share a beautiful relationship and I know they are going to be amazing parents to their daughter. I sure hope that we get to see this sweet couple duet again. Who else is cheering for Us The Duo?
40-year-old Michael Ketterer is a pediatric mental health nurse and father of 6. Michael and his wife have 1 biological daughter and 5 adopted sons. This amazing dad wanted to show his children that it’s never to late to follow their dreams, so he decided to audition for America’s Got Talent.
His very first performance of the Bee Gees' "To Love Somebody" blew everyone away. Michael truly put his heart and soul into this performance and it didn’t go unnoticed. In fact, this caring father earned the coveted golden buzzer from judge Simon Cowell.
Now, this talented performer is back for another song and this audition is one you won’t forget. Just listen as he belts out ‘Us’ from James Bay. There’s no doubt that Michael has an incredible voice and if he was nervous, you can’t tell one bit. But it’s what happened after this song that truly struck a chord in everyone’s hearts.
He easily earned a standing ovation from the audience and all of the judges. That’s when host Tyra Banks walked on stage to get the comments from the judges. She turned to Simon first, but he was overcome with emotion. “You’re a really really special guy. And I don’t know, there’s something about you.”
Simon was so moved that he even shed a rare tear over this fellow dad’s performance. And Simon wasn’t the only judge stunned by this song. It’s obvious that Michael has touched special place in everyone’s heart and his story is absolutely incredible. Who else is cheering for Michael to win the whole thing?
‘As I walk now through the valley
Let Your love rise above every fear
Like the sun shaping the shadow
In my weakness Your glory appears
I'm not enough unless You come
Will You meet me here again
'Cause all I want is all You are
Will You meet me here again’
When we start to let fear take over our lives, it can truly turn everything upside down. Fear will make us believe things that aren’t true and try to force us apart from the Lord. But it’s in those times that it is so important to remember that God is always with us and He will never abandon us. His strength lives through us and He walks with us each step of the way. Be reminded of this as you listen to the powerful lyrics of ‘Here Again’ from Elevation Worship.
This incredible group truly knows how to worship the Lord and the words of this song will touch your heart. Every now and then, times will get dark but these lyrics will remind you that God the light that will always guide us home. There is so much passion and power behind this performance that you can truly feel God’s strength wash over you.
We serve a mighty and powerful God. Fear may try to break us down, but with the Lord beside us, fear doesn't stand a chance. God is always with us and that is reason enough to sing of His praises. Who else is saying amen with me right now?
25-year-old Daniel Emmet made quite a splash during his first audition on America’s Got Talent. This aspiring singer from Rochester, NY has been performing in Las Vegas and he hoped his performance would impress the judges.
Originally, Daniel came out on stage with an original song of his own, but just a few verses into his song, Simon stopped the entire performance. Simon asked the young man to learn and perform a completely new song, Il Divo’s “Passera,” and it required Daniel to sing in Italian. Simon was right and this opera singer blew everyone away. He moved on to the next stage of competition.
Now, Daniel is back with another incredible performance and this one is even better than the first. Just listen as this talented man belts out a unique rendition of ‘I Don’t Want To Miss A Thing’ from Aerosmith. But the thing that makes this number really special is that Daniel is performing it in Italian.
There’s no doubt that he nailed this performance and every single note seems to get better than the last. You can tell that Daniel is putting his heart and soul into this song and everyone in the audience can feel his passion. Daniel was brought back for this round as a wildcard pick, but he just may have impressed the judges enough to stick around for the semi-finals.
I really hope that we get to hear more from this amazing opera singer. He truly has an incredible voice and it’s a sound that we don’t hear often. Who else agrees?
It is never easy when a relationship ends, especially when you have been together a long time. You can go through a range of emotions as you heal from the heartache, but one man decided to make the best out of a bad situation by paying it forward.
Steven Crocker had purchased a $1,700 diamond engagement ring to propose to his girlfriend of over 2 years when she broke up with him. Left with a ring he couldn’t use, Steven decided to give it away to someone who would actually use it. That’s when this Virginia man made a Facebook post asking people to tell him why they deserved the engagement ring. He received over 1,500 responses and one of them came from Sean Sullivan of Illinois.
Sean had been saving up to propose to his girlfriend, Natalie, but when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he was unable to work and the medical bills started to pile up. Sean had to use his savings to cover these unexpected costs. So, when he heard about Steven’s post, he knew that he needed to write in.
Finally, Sean discovered that he was chosen out of all the other responses. He waited about a month before getting down on one knee and proposing to Natalie, who gave him an enthusiastic ‘yes.’ Now, Sean is thanking the selfless man from Virginia for giving him the chance to start the rest of his life with Natalie. This one small act of kindness has truly changed their life.
When most people think about their first kiss with their significant other, it’s a sweet moment. But sometimes, that moment doesn’t go exactly as planned. Max Montgomery and Andi Traynor know about this from first hand experience. Max is a paddleboard instructor and Andi had recently started taking lessons from him. It was only on their fourth paddleboard outing that Max went into cardiac arrest. Thankfully, Andi is a doctor and knew how to administer CPR.
"I ran 10.4 miles the night before. I had no idea I was gonna have a heart attack." In fact, Max didn’t have a heartbeat for 17 minutes and CPR was what kept his brain function intact. EMTs soon arrived and defibrillated his heart, but he owes his life to Andi.
The whole terrifying incident was caught on a camera by a photographer who was at the water recording bird migratory behavior. Even though many people might not think that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation would make a great first kiss, both Max and Andi agree that it was a magical moment.
Now, these two are a couple and it’s a story that they are continuing to share. They hope that others will see the importance of CPR and life-saving techniques and take the initiative to learn them themselves. This definitely isn’t your typical love story, but it’s one that you won’t soon forget.
I think it’s so amazing how Max and Andi were able to take this scary moment in their lives and turn it into something impactful.
Sometimes, hospitals can seem like a cold and gloomy place. There is sickness and sadness throughout the halls, but there are also moments of hope and faith that shine right through. 21-year-old Dustin Chapman is one of those shining lights.
Dustin suffers from a rare disease called Achalasia, where the esophagus muscles do not function properly. Because of this condition, Dustin has not been able to eat or drink properly for months. He is currently a patient at the Duke Cancer Institute where they are looking at trying a new technique to help this young man on his path to recovery.
While he waits for his treatment, Dustin saw an incredible opportunity when he spotted a piano. This positive young man is also a talented singer and songwriter. He loves to play for others and offer them hope through his music. So today, Dustin decided to sit down at one of the hospital pianos and play a beautiful tune he wrote called ‘Lead The Way.’
This incredible original song talks about handing it over to God in your time of need. I know that these words encouraged a lot of the patients that heard Dustin play and this song definitely means a lot to this young man. It’s so amazing to see him share his gift with others in hopes of bringing a smile to their face. Music can truly be one of the best doses of medicine, especially when it is used to praise His name. What an incredible young man!
Whales are one of the most majestic creatures that God placed in the sea. He truly put so much time and detail in these beautiful animals that they are amazing just to watch. That is one reason the activity of whale watching has become so popular recently. People will board boats or take cruises just to watch these incredible creatures in their natural habitat.
30-year-old Mia Constanse Gylseth had her own close encounter and every amazing second was captured on camera. Mia was out on a late night kayak through the waters of the Lofoten islands in Norway when she experienced the incredible. An entire pod of orcas surrounded her kayak and Mia said, "The sight of these enormous mammals is the most incredible experience - and such a joy to capture! They're giant and gentle at the same time, and perfectly fits the dramatic scenery in the Lofoten islands.”
I am so glad that Mia was able to have this amazing experience and capture it all on footage. Seeing something like is a reminder that God’s creatures never cease to amaze me. He truly knew what he was doing when He decided to place whales in the ocean and it is incredible to witness.
I bet this kayaker had no clue she were going to have a whale-watching experience like this. Now, she’s got an awesome story to share with everyone and the film to back it up. Who else wishes that they could have been there in person?
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