True, sourced stories for sermons and lessons. Search by keyword, theme, or Bible book.
22 illustrations found
A Ring Around Christian Eriksen
On June 12, 2021, Denmark was playing Finland in Copenhagen when midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field just before halftime. Captain Simon Kjaer was one of the first to reach him and appeared to clear his airway.
An Eleven-Year-Old Told Lincoln to Grow a Beard
In October 1860, an eleven-year-old girl named Grace Bedell in Westfield, New York saw a picture of Abraham Lincoln and wrote him a letter. She told him his face was so thin that if he let his whiskers grow, he would look a great deal better, and she would try to get her brothers to vote for him.
Can We Have Two Golds?
At the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021, high jumpers Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar and Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy were dead even after two exhausting hours.
Eugenio Monti Lends a Bolt
At the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Italian bobsledder Eugenio Monti was the most dominant driver of his era. During the two-man event, the British team of Tony Nash and Robin Dixon suffered a broken axle bolt on their sled in their first run, and without a replacement they were finished.
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.
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.
Mamoudou Gassama Climbed Four Floors
In May 2018, a 22-year-old undocumented migrant from Mali was walking down a Paris street when he saw a crowd staring up at a four-year-old boy dangling from a fourth-floor balcony.
Mister Rogers Goes to the Senate
On May 1, 1969, a soft-spoken children's television host named Fred Rogers sat before a Senate subcommittee. Funding for public television was on the line, and the chairman, Senator John Pastore, called himself a pretty tough guy.
Moody’s Candy and Pony Rides
Dwight L. Moody came to Chicago selling shoes, dreaming of making a fortune of $100,000. But after he came to faith, it slowly dawned on him that his life should be spent helping people instead of piling up wealth.
Mother Teresa Leaves the Convent
For years Mother Teresa taught at St. Mary's High School in Calcutta. But she couldn't stop thinking about the suffering and poverty she saw outside the convent walls.
Ruby Bridges Walks into First Grade
On November 14, 1960, a six-year-old named Ruby Bridges walked into William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans escorted by U.S. marshals.
Saint Cyr Helped Lis Hartel onto the Podium
In September 1944, while she was pregnant, Danish rider Lis Hartel developed polio. For a while she could not walk at all.
The Candy Bomber Wiggles His Wings
In July 1948, during the Berlin Airlift, American pilot Gail Halvorsen met about 30 hungry kids at the barbed wire fence at Tempelhof airfield.
The Homeless Man Who Kept the Ring Safe
In February 2013, Sarah Darling of Kansas City accidentally dumped her diamond engagement ring into the donation cup of Billy Ray Harris, a homeless man who often slept under a bridge.
The Lady with the Lamp
In 1854, Florence Nightingale answered a government call for nurses and headed to Scutari, near Constantinople, to care for British soldiers from the Crimean War.
The Runner Who Wouldn’t Take the Win
In December 2012, at a cross-country race in Burlada, Spain, Kenyan Olympic medalist Abel Mutai was way out front. Just short of the finish, he got confused and pulled up about ten meters early, thinking he had already crossed the line.
The Sailor Who Turned Around
On September 24, 1988, Canadian sailor Lawrence Lemieux was racing in the Finn class at the Seoul Olympics and was on course to finish second in that day's race.
The Shortest Home Run Trot in Softball History
In April 2008, Western Oregon senior Sara Tucholsky hit the first home run of her life, but she missed first base, turned back, and tore up her knee.
The Subway Superman
On January 2, 2007, construction worker Wesley Autrey was standing on a Manhattan subway platform with his two little girls. A young film student named Cameron Hollopeter had a seizure and fell onto the tracks just as a train's headlights appeared.
The Trainer Who Ran onto the Field
On January 2, 2023, in front of a national TV audience, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin made a tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals, stood up, and collapsed.