Today’s Good News

“..you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.” Philippians 4:8 (The Message)

Every day we share stories of hope – joy – Love!  Enjoy some GOOD NEWS each day with LifeSongs.

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

If New Jersey’s Ocean County Library System still fined for late returns, Mary Cooper would’ve had to fork over $18,000 for the very late library book she found in her home.

But Mary wasn’t even alive when it was first checked out. During a move, Cooper found a box of unfamiliar family artifacts. Among them was the dusty book “Home-Made Toys for Girls and Boys,” along with her grandfather’s name. He’d checked it out to make presents for his children in March 1926 — 99 years ago!

Mary didn’t know her grandfather, who died the year after the book was checked out, but reading through the 1911 book made her feel closer to him. One of the illustrations of a boat in the book matched a toy she’d found in her mother’s belongings earlier and had donated to a local historical society.

For the library’s centennial anniversary, the book will be on display behind glass at Mary’s local branch of the library — a tribute to her grandfather and the solace so many have found in the library’s books over the last 100 years.

She said, “I figured it belongs to the library.”

Monday, April 14, 2025

Darla Harlo lived through what is an all too common tragedy in Southeast Louisiana. Hurricane after hurricane left her home a pile of rubble. But as sad as that was – she had reason for joy: truly wonderful neighbors. The 79 year old watched as crews hauled away debris – and then got to watch as local contractors set to work building her a brand new home.

Andrew Cahanin of DSLD Homes and other St. Tammany parish residents and contractor crews are giving the 79 year old Darla, a Slidell hairdresser for decades, a brand new 1100 square foot, 3 bedroom house – and even a new, used car to replace her losses.

The widow is overwhelmed by the love of her community – and has taken extra care to save her Azalea bushes that she planted to honor her late husband, Artie.

 

YOU ARE THE GOOD NEWS!

Everyday that you hear an uplifting song, a message of hope or a word from God through LifeSongs Radio is because of the generous support of you – the listening family of LifeSongs! You can still make a difference and GIVE HERE!

---

---

Friday, April 11, 2025

If you do now – or have ever – worked in food services, you get to know your regulars. Some people have a specific coffee order – others know exactly how they want their Whopper. Jerry Parkin started most of his days with breakfast and coffee at his local Burger King.

The opening team got to know and love Jerry. When he passed away at age 91, they were incredibly sad – and will miss his happy face each day. Jerry’s friends at Burger King took his favorite chair and engraved it to memorialize their friend – and then showed up at the funeral to present the chair to his family.

His daughter was incredibly moved. After the funeral, the family brought the chair back to Burger King where anyone can sit in it and honor the kindness of Mr. Jerry as they have their breakfast or burger.

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Hilda wanted thumping bass – dancing – strobe lights – a DJ and rapper… you know, everything a 105 year old could dream of for her nursing home. And what the birthday girl wants – the birthday girl gets!

Imagine a gaggle of centenarians covered in blacklight paint, glow sticks wrapped around their walkers, and strobe lights timed to the music blasted by a professional DJ. It was Hilda’s party and it was unlike any her Derbyshire care home had ever seen before.

Hilda attributes her good health and attitude to her love of music and dancing – in fact at 105 she still goes ballroom dancing twice a week. What a party!

Wednesday, April 9, 2025

As your kids grow, they spend more and more time with friends – and less and less time with family. It’s natural – normal – and to mixed results. Loving parents want to give their kids the chance to grow – but also want to continue guiding them and their friends in maturity. One mom has gone viral with her 4 tips to making your house the “hangout house.”

Amy White’s college-aged son still has his friends over for game nights – their house is where everyone wants to be for the holidays. And Amy’s master plan has been in place since high school. Here are her four tips to becoming the “hangout house.”

1. Start young. Get to know the parents of your kids’ friends – make sure everyone knows they are welcome.

2. Stock the house with snacks and drinks – and let them know they are welcome to anything.

3. Establish rules – no underage drinking – no drugs – no … other things. The kids will respect your boundaries and appreciate your rules.

4. Try to say “Yes” as often as possible. And let your kids learn leadership skills as they host their friends.

Is it expensive and messy? You bet – but the investment in their lives – being a safe place for young adults to see the Love of God lived out each day? Priceless.

Tuesday, April 8, 2025

The heroes of jazz – the legends who are still teaching, performing and inspiring – are about to get some financial aid. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and The Jazz Foundation of America have launched a $15 million program – the Jazz Legacies Fellowship.

The Jazz Legacies Foundation is awarding grants worth over $100,000 to 50 jazz artists that are all over the age of 62. With this financial help, these artists can continue to lead the way for one of America’s greatest musical traditions.

Obviously New Orleans will benefit greatly from this Foundation – and more so, with a big donation to the Ellis Marsalis Center. Hopefully now some of our nation’s greatest jazz musicians can spend their retirement years continuing to entertain, inspire and deepen the legacy of the quintessential American music form.

Monday, April 7, 2025

While Elena didn’t give her heart to her prom date Shawn, decades later she would give him a kidney! Ironically, Elena was Shawn’s backup date to his Senior prom 35 years ago. Now his backup kidney is courtesy of her generosity.

While not a love connection, the pair have mutual friends and when Elena learned that Shawn was stuck on dialysis, in need of a kidney transplant, she wanted to do something. She signed up to be a donor – and while not a match for Shawn, the program bumped him up to a match because she agreed to donate her kidney to someone else she did match up to.

Elena also tells everyone how the recovery process from donating a kidney didn’t sideline her for long – she was driving herself after just a few days, and exercising in a few weeks. A little discomfort to save a life sounds like more than fair trade.

Friday, April 4, 2025

In the sleepy, snow covered town of White Mountain, Alaska – Roseann Titus’ house caught fire. Roseann saw the flames coming from the bathroom and tried to put it out herself – but it was spreading quickly – and she couldn’t get to her grandkids, who were still in their bedroom.

Roseann’s 8 year old grandson Colton leapt into action – jumping from his room window, down 10 feet into a snow drift and running for help. He found volunteer firefighter Shane nearby, who rescued Colton’s sister from the flames and got the fire brigade in action.

The house was a loss – but the people were saved – as were nearby houses that could have caught fire had little Colton not been such a hero. Colton’s mom has worked for the school district in White Mountain, who have organized relief and aid for the family. Proving just how deep into Alaska this town is – one of the things they lost in the fire was a deep freezer full of Moose meat.

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Tina Crawford’s only child, Ira, was killed in an armed robbery on his 35th birthday. Living her worst nightmare, she dreamed of finding her son’s murderer and enacting her revenge.

Then Tina met one of the young men who participated in the robbery that killed Ira. Jy’Aire Smith Pennick was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the robbery. The troubled young man had lost his mother at a young age and became a heroine junky.

Empowered by forgiveness she didn’t know she was capable of, Tina started calling Jy’Aire during his imprisonment. With her encouragement, he committed to changing his life. He earned his high school diploma and an associate’s degree in liberal arts. He took various courses, including one that prepared him to be a counselor for his fellow inmates. He refereed soccer games, wrote pieces that were published by prestigious outlets and even became a certified motivational speaker.

After 7 years in prison, Jy’Aire’s first commutation hearing arrived late last year. Tina made an impassioned speech about Jy’Aire’s transformation. “I lost a son,” Tina told the pardoning board that day. “But in the process, I gained one.” Jy’Aire will walk free in a few months, and he dreams of attending the University of Pennsylvania. With Tina, he plans to start a foundation named after the son she lost.

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Michael Jordan or Lebron James or Magic Johnson or Kareem or Byrd … folks can debate all they want while MJ looks at all of his National Championship rings from atop his financial empire. But Michael Jordan didn’t just conquer basketball, business and briefly baseball (remember that?)… he is busy giving back.

Before his run with the Bulls, Michael Jordan led the UNC Tarheels to a National Championship as a Freshman. His love for North Carolina continues as he finances multiple health clinics designed for the uninsured. In fact, his foundation just opened up the fourth such health clinic in Wilmington, NC.

Millions of dollars invested in the health of his fans (and probably some haters too) – that is GOAT status.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

This year Disney celebrated the 75th anniversary of their animated masterpiece Cinderella. That movie and character has inspired millions of little girls to chase their princess dreams – including 10 year old designer-in-training Rita Huls.

Rita loves sewing and design – and has been putting together her own personal homage to Cinderella for a special trip to Disney World with her family. Rita is also battling cancer – and the trip with her family was made possible by Make-A-Wish.

Christening her dress as “Rita’s Rose Diamond Dress” she was able to greet Cinderella and her Prince in front of their castle in the Magic Kingdom. Then Rita was taken to a top secret costume design shop at Disney – she even got some stitching help from Disney costume designers for her one-of-a-kind gown!

Monday, March 31, 2025

You would expect dazzling food served on pressed linen table clothes at the high-end Home Kitchen – a restaurant in London’s Primrose Hill. It’s fine dining, run by Michelin-star chef Adam Simmonds. What you might not be expecting is Adam’s restaurant only hires staff who have experienced homelessness. Home Kitchen is run as a non-profit. And the buzzy restaurant is changing lives!

Alex Brown who ran Soup Kitchen London partnered with Chef Simmonds to create a training program and non-profit. The restaurant Home Kitchen is just the public face of life changing help for over a dozen servers and multiple newly trained chefs – all who are no longer homeless thanks to the program.

Is this a great idea? Yes, chef!

Friday, March 28, 2025

96-year old Bill Talon loves to ride his bike around his neighborhood in Mesa, AZ. Every day for the last 23 years Bill loads up the basket on his bike with pet treats and visits every single pet in his neighborhood. He knows them all by name – and they know him by the smell of his treats!

Each day the active pet-lover gets showered with puppy kisses and cat cuddles as he drops off their daily treats. Not only does it give him a chance to know his neighbors better, but all that exercise has Bill in great shape for someone decades younger than his mid-90s.

Thursday, March 27, 2025

San Diego native Barbara Ribeiro was at a child’s birthday party with her children. Kids were running everywhere – cake was cut – it was a pretty perfect afternoon. Another pair of parents were starting to panic when they couldn’t find their 21 month old toddler amongst the crowd of kids. Everyone started searching.

Barbara was looking in the back of a neighbor’s yard and saw the boy on the bottom of their pool. Without hesitation she dove in, pulled little Ben to safety and worked with a neighbor to perform CPR. Miraculously the little boy came back to life!

This beautiful story even made the papers, back in 1961. Recently Barbara and Ben were reunited to tell their story sixty-plus years later. Barbara is now 94 and Ben is in his mid 60s. He even got to introduce his family to the woman who saved his life.

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Founded back in 2018, The Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage is on a mission to clean up the waterways of their beloved Cape Cod.

Retired psychologist Susan Baur founded the group as a way to create community while conducting environmental care for her home. Plus fresh air and exercise is good for anyone at any age. During the pandemic, the Old Ladies Against Underwater Garbage bloomed because it was one of the few ways the friends could spend time together.

Almost 3 dozen women tend a pond together now – with a waiting list of others excited to start new chapters of the do-gooders, helping the local environment and making friends for life. The organization has even been awarded visionary status from the Explorers Club.

Tuesday, March 25, 2025

4-year-old twins Jordan and Harper went wide-eyed when they spotted a wallet on the ground outside of Walmart. They were there shopping with their mom for Christmas presents. Harper picked it up and the twins pushed their mom to the manager’s desk to turn it in. They even wrote a note hoping whoever lost the wallet would write them a letter after they got it back. The twins got way more than a letter.

Retired police officer/security guard Lesa Stricklan was the owner of the lost wallet. She retraced her steps to the store and was so relieved to find her wallet (and all the money inside). She put together goodie bags for the sweet twins to say thank you. She even got to meet the family and decided she is Jordan and Harper’s newest grandmother – adopting the family into her circle of loved ones.

Monday, March 24, 2025

Bruno Lobo is an orthopedic doctor and Olympic kite Surfer from Brazil. One day he was out kitesurfing and testing a new camera for his social media followers when he heard cries for help.

Bruno spotted a woman struggling to keep her head above water – she had been swept out too far from land and was starting to drown. The good doctor was able to surf over to her and drape her across his shoulders and board. Then he used his kite to fight the strong current and get them both safely to land.

Once safely to shore the woman was able to cry in relief and thank her hero. Bruno simply says, “God used me as an instrument to save this young woman – all honor and glory to Him.”

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Today YOU are the good news! Or at least, you could be… When you give or make a faith pledge for our Spring Shareathon! GIVE/PLEDGE NOW!

Thank you to the hundreds of individuals and families that are currently supporting LifeSongs. Together we are planting seeds of Hope – and Sharing God’s Love with Southeast Louisiana and the world!

Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Today is Praise & Prayer Day on LifeSongs – a special day before Spring Shareathon. All day on the air, on social media and in private, the LifeSongs family will pray for one another – lift each other up – worship together as we praise our King. It’s a revival day on the radio!

We give thanks to God for the opportunity to serve Him through the ministry of LifeSongs. Thank you for making that possible with your financial support – and especially through prayer. This ministry belongs to Jesus. We long for Him to use it for generations to come, but ultimately all we have is TODAY – and today we will be about our Father’s business.

Share your PRAYER NEEDS and also your CELEBRATIONS/PRAISES by calling/texting 855-816-8581 or share via the LifeSongs Prayer Works page!

Monday, March 10, 2025

Trevor Phillips walked by a dumpster along a street in Nashville and noticed it was overflowing with discarded flowers. He mentioned it to a neighbor because he thought it odd. The neighbor suggested gathering the flowers and taking them to a nursing home. And that sparked Flower the People.

Trevor began taking discarded flowers to local nursing homes and the joy on their faces was instant and infectious. Now Trevor manages a whole team of volunteers who deliver bouquets to multiple nursing homes!

Flower the People serves over 40 senior living facilities across three cities. Florists, volunteers, and local businesses have joined the effort, donating time, flowers, and resources to brighten the days of seniors who may not often receive visitors.

Friday, March 7, 2025

Nate is an 18 year old server who works at O’Charley’s. He sees all kinds of people. People on dates – families trying to find something coated in ketchup for their toddler to eat – individuals having comfort food after a long day. While bussing a table vacated by a family, Nate discovered an envelope filled with cash.

Lola had been having a rough day. Work was stressful. But she enjoyed dinner with her daughter and husband … until she got home and realized she was missing a large amount of cash she had been carrying in her purse. In a panic she called the restaurant and was told that everything was ok – Nate had found the money and immediately gave it to his supervisor to try and find the customer who left it behind.

Lola even got to meet Nate and thank him for his integrity. Nate smiled replying, “..thanks to my mom and my dad for teaching me right.”

Thursday, March 6, 2025

Dr. J Mack Slaughter was still in his hospital scrubs while out to breakfast with his wife and three kids. He was laughing and enjoying playing dots with his kids on the kids menu. Nothing dramatic happened – it was just breakfast.

Until the bill came. The family’s $85 check had been paid by a secret admirer. A note was scrawled on the receipt saying “Thank you for being a great Dad. We need more men like you.” It was signed “from a retired Army Medic.”

J couldn’t hold back the sweet tears that sprung up immediately. His job as an ER doctor often leaves him emotionally fragile, witnessing a great deal of loss and pain. But a random act of kindness was the cherry on top of a great breakfast with his family.

Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Danny Chauvin is a very self-aware 76 year old veteran and widow. After losing his wife, the retired Vietnam veteran from Waveland, MS could have let PTSD and depression conquer him – but instead he chose to serve his community.

Danny posted on Facebook, in his neighborhood Group “If there’s any honey-do jobs that you can’t handle, I’m willing to help.” Turns out nearly everyone in Waveland needed help!

Danny says the post spread like wildfire and he got countless messages. He started on the list right away, hanging porch swings, installing showers and repairing closet doors. Sometimes he has 4 jobs a day – and he does it all for free! He’s lovingly known community wide as the Honey Do Dude – because he refused to be sidelined by sadness and chose to invest in others. In fact, he even found love again – marrying a woman who got a lot more than a fixed door frame!

Tuesday, March 4, 2025 – Happy Mardi Gras!

The future of biodegradable Mardi Gras beads is in bloom! Biology grad-student Alexis Strain is busy at work in her lab at LSU’s Department of Biological Science. The 3D printers are all whirling at work printing colorful beads out of bacteria laced biodegradable plastic – and in the center of each bead is a seed!

The premise is this – beads fall to the ground – the seeds germinate into plants and flowers – the rest of the bead acts as fertilizer. The end game is this: instead of plastic clogging the drainage basin, the city is covered in sweet pea plants and wildflowers!

Monday, March 3, 2025 – Lundi Gras!

At Cadillac Matt’s Barber Shop in Garden City, Idaho – gossip is welcome – but political talk is cancelled! Owner Matt Queen wants his shop to be a place everyone can enjoy a sense of peace and community. He also wants it to be a welcoming place for all US Veterans.

That’s why if you have served this country in the armed forces, your haircut and hot towel shave was free at Cadillac Matt’s for a special day of honor. It’s a way to give back and honor Matt’s grandfather and father who were both veterans.

Matt’s veteran grandfather was a barber for 55 years and inspired Matt because he used to go over to the VA and give free haircuts to all the vets. Now Matt is continuing the tradition.

Friday, February 28, 2025

Ms. Lynn Shockey is an elderly woman from Chicago. She lives in a senior center in Jefferson Park and frequents the local Mariano’s Grocery store. One day as she was checking out, inflation really hit her hard – the bill was $200 and her benefits card couldn’t cover it all. She frantically searched her purse, pulling out what little cash she had left over from Christmas.

It still wasn’t enough. But God had her covered. The gentleman in line behind her stepped up and covered the difference. Lynn was overwhelmed by the kindness and thanked him profusely. Then she took to her NextDoor App to share the story and encourage others to live a life of kindness.

Thursday, February 27, 2025

Believe it or not – Girl Scouts is NOT primarily about selling cookies – Girl Scouts is about community and teaching valuable skills. 11 year old Vada Carawan of Virginia Beach was excited to learn CPR, but it was only two weeks later that her new skills saved her father’s life!

11 days after earning her CPR patch, Vada’s dad had a heart attack and collapsed on the kitchen floor. Vada jumped into action starting chest compressions until EMS arrived. Vada literally kept her father’s heart pumping – saving his life.

She was already a daddy’s girl – now that bond is cemented in a new, deep appreciation for life. Vada’s dad Clinton says “I tear up thinking about it every time. It’s amazing.”

Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Ted was diagnosed with dyslexia when he was young. He was sent to a special school and hated it so much that by age 15 he had dropped out and went to work in a textile mill. He leaned on friends and family to navigate situations involving reading.

Ted also LOVES motorsports, and even became the mascot at the Bradford Speedway and got to live out his dreams, traveling and working as a speedway mechanic. His friendship with an Australian motorcycle racer led to an invitation to manage the racer and Ted knew he was going to have to finally get down to business with reading. He locked in for special tutoring and experienced his breakthrough at age 58!

The first thing he read was an old copy of Speedway Star magazine that he’d been carrying around for 40 years.

Tuesday, February 25, 2025

The kids who started and run The LiTEArary Society Inc. LOVE to read – and want to help all children get access to the joys of reading.

The LiTEArary Society got its start with a passionate West Virginia middle schooler named Rania Zuri. Her favorite thing in the world is to sip tea and talk books. Rania was shocked to find out some kids – mostly young girls – who live in book deserts have never even owned a book.

Since that time, Rania, still a teenager, has gathered other like minded kids to help fundraise and ship books to families in 12 countries across 4 continents. They’ve doated over $1 million worth of books, nearly 100,000 books in the United States alone! Even more impressive, The LiTEArary Society is entirely youth-led; good work being done by kids – for kids!

Monday, February 24, 2025

In the middle of inner city Chicago, hope is blooming.

Vacant lots across the community are being turned into lush flower gardens by Southside Blooms, a non-profit that employs at-risk youth and young adults to grow and arrange flowers. Started by Quilen Blackwell and his wife, Hannah, the non-profit teaches its employees how to farm, manage money and turn the plants they’ve tended into works of art.

One of their finest florists is only 18. Rashod Little’s bouquets have appeared in five-star hotels and the city’s iconic Field Museum, and he’s used his earnings to buy himself a car and an apartment. He also made sure that his two Valentines, his mother and grandmother, received top-notch arrangements for the holiday.

Friday, February 21, 2025

David Fisher might look like your regular, middle-aged suburban dad, but he’s ACTUALLY a rope jumping world record holding superhero…

David is a professional jump roper and author – he has a series of children’s books about a rope jumping superhero called The Rope Warrior. But fiction become reality when David and his son heard calls for help from a frozen over pond behind their house this December. A teenaged neighbor and his dog had fallen through the ice and were in danger of drowning.

David reached for his utility belt, I mean rope jumping bag, grabbed a heavy duty Double Dutch rope and raced to the pond to rescue the neighbor. Everyone (even the dog) were saved. But that’s all in a day’s work for the Rope Warrior.

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Jeff Levy is an antique toy dealer by trade – and a treasure hunter by reputation. Armed with metal detectors and powerful magnets, Jeff is hunting and restoring lost treasure with residents in Los Angeles who thought they lost everything in the fires this Winter.

Jeff has been helping people recover lost goods for 30 years – now he’s moving through the rubble of residential LA and bringing happy tears to folks who feared the worse. He’s found and returned gold bars – a retired teacher’s retirement – a diamond engagement ring and countless family heirlooms.

One of the families Jeff helped – the Lins – called the man with the metal detector their very own Angel of Debris.

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Teachers are heroes who go above and beyond for their students. For example, Victor Taylor Perry teaches English to Middle Schoolers in New York. Mr. Perry wheeled in a large projection screen, had the kids plop down on the ground with their lunches as he streamed a WWE wrestling match. Cheers and shouts could be heard echoing down the hallways of KIPP AMP Middle School.

It’s become a lunchtime tradition for The Wrestling Club, which is growing more and more popular. After each match the kids break down the story of the match – learning about protagonists, antagonists, plot structure and more; an English lesson hidden in each pro-wrestling film they watch!

It’s like a su-plex of learning dropped onto these young minds. When the wrestling club was formed it had 4 kids in it. Now there are 75 kids excited to do English homework at lunchtime.

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

You would never order take-out during a hurricane, right? That’s just dangerous and rude! But during a blizzard in Brownsburg, Indiana somebody had the nerve to order pizza delivery, putting Conner Stephanoff in a dangerous situation. He braved the white out conditions – he even had to walk the last half-mile due to road closures in order to deliver the pizza to a mansion in a ritzy neighborhood – and only got a $2 tip for his trouble!

A local cop, Officer Richard Craig saw Conner trudging through the blizzard to make his delivery and recorded a quick interview with him on his phone. Officer Craig was so impressed with the young man he emptied the cash in his wallet to make up for the bad tip he had just received. Then they posted the whole story on TikTok. When the internet heard about the lousy tip after going above and beyond, folks decided to give Conner a life changing gift.

Around 2,000 folks chipped in to reward the hard worker with a $40,000 tip! The owner of Rock Star Pizza says Conner is well-deserving of the attention and blessing. He would never have made a fuss for doing his job – and now he’s rolling in something better than pizza dough!

Monday, February 17, 2025

Cheryl Gaw has a thing for pugs. She loves the smushed-nosed pooches so much that she’s currently caring for 200 of them! Gaw runs the Pug Rescue Center in South Africa, where she’s nursed more than 2,500 pugs back to health.

Pug-lovers go gah-gah over their bug-eyed expressions, stumpy little legs and steady companionship. But some of their endearing physical features make them prone to health problems. Faced with a hefty vet bill, some pug owners can’t handle their care. So in steps Cheryl, who is charged with feeding, medicating and loving hundreds of pugs at a time.

Opening the rescue came at a cost: She and her husband sold their home —where she was originally corralling abandoned pugs — and lived in a trailer as they built the rescue center. Gaw was even planning on retiring just before she fell into the business of saving dogs – but is loving the twists and turns that life has presented her.

Friday, February 14, 2025 – Happy Valentine’s Day

In 1986, Alena was 17 years old. She wrote a series of letters from her Singapore home to several people overseas—including Chad in Devon, England. She was surprised when Chad wrote her back and they became pen pals.

For seven years mail carriers brought Chad and Alena’s letters back and forth between Singapore and England. The two even started exchanging cassette tapes of each other chatting, with more than 100 tapes being sent between them.

After 7 years of friendship by mail, 23 years old Alena traveled to England to meet Chad, face to face. One look and they realized that their connection was deeper than a mere friendship. The pair ran up their long distance phone bills every month – hundreds of dollars just to hear each other’s voice.

Then in 1994, it was Chad’s turn to visit Alena and to propose! Alena moved to the UK the next year and they tied the knot. Now, almost 40 years later, they’ve raised a family of three kids and are still each other’s best friend!

Happy Valentine’s Day!
Thursday, February 13, 2025

Ed Berger was walking his dog Tommy along Lake Waban, when Tommy started chasing a bird out onto the frozen lake. The playful pup fell through the ice and couldn’t get back up. Ed found a nearby boat to try and rescue Tommy but ended up in the frozen lake with him.

Thankfully the Wellesley Fire Dept was able to rescue the pair and get them medical help for hypothermia. Ironically, Ed is an EMT who should have known better.

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

When James was growing up in Tanzania, he often had to make a choice: Burn expensive oil to continue reading and complete his homework after the sun had set, or go to bed. It was an upsetting trade-off for young James, who loved to read. Not wanting future bookworms to have to make the same choice, James founded Soma Bags, which builds backpacks for children equipped with solar panels that charge a reading light.

The backpacks are made from recycled cement bags and cost less than half a month’s worth of kerosene. Fewer than half of all Tanzanian households have electricity, a number that dips even further in rural communities like Arusha, where James grew up. Last year alone, Soma Bags sold 36,000 backpacks to students and families across Africa, providing an invaluable energy source for when the sun goes down. Now a new generation of kids can know the sleepy joy of staying up late with a good book.
Tuesday, February 11, 2025

A cheerful UPS driver was caught on a Ring Doorbell camera doing a hilarious happy dance! Many folks have begun leaving snacks and cold drinks on the front porch for delivery workers – because mail carriers are doing a lot more since the inception of online shopping.

Mail carriers can walk upwards of 20 miles a day delivering packages, so some sugar is bound to help. This particular UPS driver squealed in delight over a honey bun and soda – dancing all the way back to her truck!

Monday, February 10, 2025

Jed Mottley was thrilled to make the Varsity football team at Chaparral High in Scottsdale. Like his teammates, it was a big deal when the letterman jackets arrived – now all the cute girls would know he was on the team. But when Jed and his showed up at the custom jacket shop, they didn’t have enough money to pay – and Jed didn’t get to take his letterman jacket home.

This all happened nearly 30 years ago. Jed has moved on in life, despite that little disappointment back in high school. He moved to LA and is a professional musician now. One day recently he got a text from his brother Josh who still lives back home in Scottsdale. Josh had popped into a thrift store and found his brother’s letterman jacket on the rack!

The custom jacket looked good as new – so Josh bought the letterman jacket and had a good cry with his brother when he gave him the gift he had missed out on decades earlier.

Friday, February 7, 2025

Hannah White was racing from Texas to North Dakota to see her mother, who was in critical condition. Hannah didn’t know how long she’d have to spend with her mom before she passed, but she knew every second counted. She was about to take off from Dallas when the pilot’s voice intoned overhead that their flight was delayed. This delay meant she had no hope of making her connecting flight. She began to despair.

All seemed lost until Delta flight attendant Eva Ortiz worked with the pilot, Captain Keith Napolitano to convince Hannah’s connecting flight to wait for them. They agreed immediately to hold the plane. Even her fellow passengers pitched in to help her get there, offering up seats at the front so she could deplane faster and looking up the fastest route to her next gate.

Thanks to the compassion of strangers Hannah was able to reach home and spend one more day with her mother.

Thursday, February 6, 2025

A family in Utah battled with their insurance company who denied their 9-year-old daughter coverage for a prosthetic arm, claiming it wasn’t “medically necessary.”

The community around the Bateman family rallied and raised the $30,000 needed to fit little Remington with her new arm. There was a lot of love shared. But this story gets even better. A new health insurance company called CrowdHealth heard about Remington’s need and stepped in to cover the entire cost.

The $30,000 raised didn’t go to waste though – the family diverted it to another family denied coverage for their little boy named Taj.

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The Super Bowl does a lot of good for the city of New Orleans. Of course there are economic impacts in the billions of dollars – but there are also humanitarian impacts! The NFL program “Kickoff to Rebuild” is sending teams working on many projects around the city, in partnership with Lowes and countless volunteers.

A group of workers from Toronto, Canada are swinging hammers to repair a house on St. Roch. Other groups are working on other homes in disrepair, planting a community garden and fixing up playgrounds! NFL players like Leonard Fournette have joined in the work and played with the kids at the NORD playground too.

Not only are there parades and light shows and music to celebrate the big game – there are families in newly repaired homes thanks to the NFL coming to the Big Easy.

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Postpartum Depression is generally believed to be something only new moms wrestle with. When Kalvin Bridgewater’s wife went through it, she was fortunate to find great resources through her doctor and her community to help work through the condition. But her husband was also struggling with similar feelings and didn’t know who to talk to about it.

Kalvin called up some of his buddies, many of whom also have young kids and scheduled a walk in the park to talk about what he was dealing with. His friends backed him up – admitting they also dealt with postpartum struggles. The men decided to keep getting together and thus was born the Daddy Stroller Social Club.

Once a month the fathers and friends meet up at the park with the kids. The dads get support – the kids get fresh air – the moms get some alone time! It’s a triple win! The idea caught fire via social media and now other chapters of the Daddy Stroller Social Club are forming across the country.

Monday, February 3, 2025

Victoria and Jerry are a super kind couple. They’ve made it a practice for years to keep a basket of snacks and bottled water on the front porch for postal workers and package deliveries. But the hot, HOT Summers in Tucson, AZ let them know they could do even more for an often forgotten team of local servants.

Now, when Victoria and Jerry hear the rumble of the garbage truck making its way through their neighborhood, the duo step out on the driveway with water and snacks in tow to personally deliver to the men who pick up the garbage and recycling. They’ve gotten to know Beto, who picks up recycling twice a month and Shawn who grabs the garbage every Thursday.

The couple don’t want any of their community heroes to not hear a big “THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO” so sometimes they even tape signs with words of encouragement onto the garbage bins.

 

NEED MORE GOOD NEWS? Click Here for previous Today’s Good News stories featured on LifeSongs!