UpLift Media

 My dad taught me at an early age that we can "minister" to people from any position in life. This struck me impactfully since my brain really only processed the job of ministering to others as belonging to pastors. They guys in robes who had dedicated their lives to educating and counseling those of us that were members of their congregation just seemed the natural order of things. But my dad didn't just say these words, he lived them. I watched as he took care of neighbors, soccer athletes, youth group kids, college and singles groups, co-workers, and even perfect strangers. If he saw someone with a need, even if it was just a smile, he was there to deliver it to them. Walking & Talking with Opal The sanitation worker in this news article must have been raised in a similar environment. Here he is caught on a Ring Camera by the elderly lady's daughter, who tearfully watches this kind man, minister to her mom Opal. During a previous visit to the house to collect t...

 We all know the Bible story of David & Goliath. David, a young teen tending to the adult men in the Israelite army, overhears the taunts from the enemy giant insulting them and their God. David, indignant with righteous rage and disappointed that the actual adults are just taking these jabs without response, volunteers to face this Philistine filth. Armed with a simple slingshot and a handful of rocks he easily dispatches the otherwise terrifying warrior, much to the praise and accolades of the army of men behind him. While this modern version of the story has no biblical implications there are several threads of correlation. Owen Burns, a thirteen year old boy overheard his 7 year old sister screaming in their backyard which borders a wooded area.  Owen with mom, dad, and trusty slingshot A 17 year old male (a giant in comparison) decided to grab the little girl with the intent to kidnap and harm the child prompting big brother Owen into action, grabbing (you guessed it)...

 One minute you are sitting at an intersection waiting your turn, on the way to the gym for a morning work out, the next minute you are two lanes over in a pile of rubble with blood everywhere and in shock from what must have been an impact. Loud noises of metal against metal, a transformer on the nearby electric pole blows up and your tongue doesn't seem to work or want to form words after your teeth nearly bit it in half. Imagine all of that happening in a split second. Even as an adult the chaos of it all would be jarring, confusing, and downright scary. Now imagine being a sixteen year old teenager who probably doesn't even know where his insurance card is or what accident protocols to follow. Yancey & Cole recounting their experience That's exactly what happened to Hudson Yancey just a few weeks ago as another motorist smashed into his vehicle. In addition to biting through a large portion of his tongue his teeth also went through part of his lower lip plus he suff...

Being a kid comes with enough challenges to ones self esteem even in normal circumstances. You have critical peers, schoolyard teasing, and all out bully's to deal with if you show any sign of weakness or abnormality. So imagine having something as obvious as a burn injury where your face looks unusual and your hair cannot grow fully like everyone else. The injury and associated event that caused it was already traumatic enough but adding insult to injury seems to be a reality for many burn victims when forced into the public eye. A happy customer... Even the most kind and sincere onlooker might have trouble with staring and making those afflicted feel  awkward. So imagine getting a boost from a total stranger that gives you just a little bit of help in feeling normal again? Wouldn't that be a breath of fresh air? Enter our Brazilian Barber who took it upon himself to order artificial hair pieces for kids with burn injuries and then took the time to custom shape them to their h...

Mike & his sweet wife Joye  Though this site exists to share good news and uses a traditional format of third person journalistic structure to take you, the reader, through a variety of coverage ranging from wholesome to heart-warming to redeeming and victorious, today will be a departure from that as I address you in the first person. Why you might ask? Because this news is personal and deeply impactful in both good and sad ways. My friend, my pastor, my mentor, my brother in Christ, Mike Messerli went to be with the Lord earlier this week. Though he recently learned of cancer the timeline from that discovery to his departure was very rapid and I dare say, faster than any of us expected. I am sad that such an amazing man is gone and in my estimation gone so young, though he would tell you he is old. In fact, the title of this post is actually the title of his longtime blog found here. He actually started the site around the same time I started my first blog (not this one) and ...

 We've all seen the Hollywood depiction of the person who wakes up from a coma only to find out ten years or more have passed. They spend the rest of the movie adapting to what seems to them like time travel. Some friends and family have moved, others maybe passed away, and technology is next level not to mention confusing. Well imagine your last memory was being pregnant and coming down with the flu and then your next waking experience being in a hospital with no pregnant belly. That is exactly what happened to Tess Frame in this wild but very true story. Tess in a coma with husband Conrad at bedside Turns out Tess, due to the size of her belly, could not properly cough up and clear her lungs during the flu episode so she soon got pneumonia and turned septic. As her lungs began to fail, her husband took her to the hospital where medical staff immediately realized the danger and put her into an induced coma along with life support. This triggered premature labor and the early birth...

 This was probably not the first time a kid snuck something into a loved ones luggage nor will it be the last. There is something about children wanting to remind you not to forget about them that drives the inclination. So many a parent or grandparent have probably opened their suitcase only to find a hand-written card, a memento, or even a favorite toy stowing a ride and offering a surprise to the traveler once at their destination. That is how it all started for grandpa, David Zielke as he opened his bags and found granddaughter Lisette had put her Peppa Pig toys in with his clothing.  Grandpa filming Peppa's family for Lisette Most would find the gesture cute, enjoy a smile, and maybe even mention how special it was the next time they spoke to the young one. But David had an even more elaborate idea. Soon he was photographing and filming the Peppa Pig family at the pool enjoying a swim, on the lounge chairs getting some sun, on the sandy beach enjoying the weather, and eve...