True, sourced stories for sermons and lessons. Search by keyword, theme, or Bible book.
195 illustrations found
Gander Opens Its Doors
When American airspace closed on September 11, 2001, 38 airliners were sent to the little town of Gander, Newfoundland. Almost overnight a town of about 10,000 people, with only around 500 hotel rooms, was hosting roughly 6,700 stranded travelers.
George Müller’s Ten Thousand Orphans
George Müller lived a wicked life as a young man in Germany before he was converted at about age 20. Later, as a preacher in England, he made a decision: he would never take a salary or ask anyone directly for money.
George Washington Carver Pressed On
George Washington Carver was born into slavery near the end of the Civil War. As a baby he was stolen along with his mother, and only he was brought back, sick with whooping cough.
Gertrude Ederle Swam the Channel Anyway
In 1925 Gertrude Ederle tried to swim the English Channel. After eight hours and 46 minutes her coach made her stop because he feared she was swallowing too much saltwater.
Gladys Aylward and the Hundred Orphans
Gladys Aylward had worked as a London housemaid since she was 14. The China Inland Mission turned her down after she failed their exams.
Glasses for the Hubble
The Hubble Space Telescope launched in April 1990 with huge expectations, and two months later NASA had to admit the images were blurry. The main mirror had been ground to the wrong shape, too flat near its outer edge, with an error ten times larger than allowed.
Great Is Thy Faithfulness from an Insurance Man
Thomas Chisholm was born in a log cabin in Kentucky and never had much formal education. He was ordained a Methodist minister in 1903, but ill health cut his ministry short after one brief appointment.
Handel Gave Messiah to the Orphans
When Handel's Messiah first played in London, it was not a hit. Some people thought a sacred work did not belong in a theater.
Harriet Tubman Never Lost a Passenger
In 1849 Harriet Tubman learned that she was about to be sold, so she escaped slavery in Maryland and made it to freedom. Most people would have stayed safe up north.
Horatio Spafford: It Is Well
In November 1873, Anna Spafford and the couple's four daughters sailed for Europe on the S.S. Ville du Havre while her husband Horatio stayed behind in Chicago on business.
Houston, We’ve Had a Problem
In April 1970, Apollo 13 was headed for the moon when an oxygen tank blew. Jack Swigert saw the warning light and said, "Houston, we've had a problem here."
Hudson Taylor on Brighton Beach
Hudson Taylor carried a burden for the millions in China's interior who had never heard the gospel. But he was terrified of sending men and women unprotected into the unknown.
Humpback Whales Got a Second Chance
Humpback whales live in every ocean and make one of the longest migrations of any mammal. Some swim 5,000 miles between warm breeding waters and cold feeding grounds.
I Never Heard of Him
Going into the 10,000 meters at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, nobody was talking about Billy Mills. The favorite was Australia's Ron Clarke, the world record holder.
If She Says They’re Good
As a girl in West Virginia, Katherine Johnson counted everything: the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the dishes she washed. Her father was so determined she would reach her potential that he moved the family 120 miles so she could keep going to school.
In the Beginning, from the Moon
On Christmas Eve 1968, at the end of one of the most painful years in American history, Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and Bill Anders became the first humans to orbit another world.
Ingenuity Was Built for Five Flights
When NASA sent the little Ingenuity helicopter to Mars, the plan was modest. It was a test, designed to make up to five experimental flights over 30 days.
Irena Sendler’s Children
When World War II broke out, Irena Sendler was a 29-year-old social worker in Warsaw. After the Nazis sealed some 400,000 Jews inside the ghetto, she got a permit to go in and inspect sanitary conditions, and she used it to help.
Jackie Robinson Didn’t Fight Back
Branch Rickey of the Brooklyn Dodgers didn't just want Jackie Robinson for his talent. He wanted him for his character.
James Harrison Never Missed an Appointment
When James Harrison was 14, he had lung surgery in Australia and needed many blood transfusions. He woke up in intensive care determined to give back.