Seeds of Difference-Making

I forgot about the time I was an activist in Junior High School until I ran across a newspaper clipping while going through some old boxes. There was an article about me in the Shorewood Herald. I had passed a petition among the students to protest the removal of the Christmas manger scene on the Shorewood High School grounds. The creche had been there as long as anyone could remember, nestled among tall pines. 

It was the mid 60s and tensions in our country were rising with war, racism, and talk of enforcing separation of church and state.

My dad put me up to the petition, I’m sure. But I like that he gave me a lesson in how we can make a difference in life by having a voice. Because of the petition, the manger remained that year. 

I don’t know if it still stands. But I do know the climate of our world and nation today feel very similar to the sixties.

Just like that little Christmas petition, a simple petition in a small town could work to change a school board decision, a town hall vote, or even influence a federal legislator. Small seeds. Tiny steps. What can I do today? I pray - and that’s big. I meet with a group called Women of Courage - who are wanting to make a difference together. I also write - mostly to bring healing and hope and love. Maybe that’s enough - or maybe that is only a start.

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How Can We Make a Difference in This World?

My daughter, Bess Tracy, painted this for her niece
(my granddaughter), Samantha Tracy to encourage her
destiny and dreams. "Let her sleep, for when she
wakes, she will move mountains." What a
declaration to wake up to every day!
(Author of quote is unknown.)

I think most of us want our lives to count for something. We truly want to make a difference… to make life better for someone… to be remembered… to do good with our talents and possessions.

One night I could not sleep. Thunder and a full moon had me wide awake at 2:30 a.m.. I ended up “talking”on Facebook with Tom, a friend from the United Kingdom we met at Bethel Church where my husband and I attended ministry school. It was mid-morning in London, and Tom, a young dad, was writing an essay and studying for his degree in Theology. He told me he was struggling due to dyslexia. I simply told Tom in my text that he had a kind heart and the world needed him. We made declarations of healing over his problem. We wrote a bit more and then signed off. He told me he knew why I wasn’t sleeping…that I was awakened to minister to him. He needed encouragement. My part was so simple. The Holy Spirit, (who hangs around Facebook, don’t ya know?), did the rest.

Few of us are called to be missionaries or traveling evangelists or pastors of a local church. Most of us work in the marketplace, we're raising children at home, and we gather with friends who are believers as well as pre-believers.

So…what can we do to make a difference in this world? How can we bring the beautiful light of heaven into people's lives?

The answer? Just be available. Listen to and watch what God is doing. Encourage a child. Help a neighbor. Show Jesus’ love and compassion to a hurting person. Use your culinary or athletic gift to gather friends. Build relationships. Give a $20 bill to a corner homeless person. Support a missionary. Give an unexpected gift. Make a new friend. If you're young, bless an older person. If you're old, encourage a young person. Pray silently for someone next to you on the highway.

You may never know how far your acts of love and compassion may go. You could be making a big difference to a person who will make a difference to his daughter who will make a decision for her own life that will change the world.

Inventor, dreamer, artist, writer, carpenter, friend, sibling, parent, grandparent…you already make a difference. Now do it some more! Do it intentionally. You have been blessed to be a blessing!

“Find out who you are and do it on purpose!” - Dolly Parton

I hope you will find out who you are and what you are called to when you read my book Tapestry - The Divine Design for Your Life. Be encouraged. God will meet you when you seek Him. 

Available now in digital download and print. Click here to order

True Stories of God and Technology

Are you feeling stuck in a place where you feel you can’t make a difference? Well cheer up! All you need is a phone,  a computer, letter writing ability, and a FaceBook/Twitter/Linkedin account!

How To Get Unstuck

"What are you talking about," I hear you ask??? I, too, felt stuck and ineffective when I recently moved to an area of Colorado where I knew no one. My husband was working all the time this past year, and I was at home working on my first book. Fresh out of ministry school and as passionate as a teenage girl with a crush on a cute boy, I was wondering what, if anything, I could do to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.

Smack Dab In The Middle of An Amazing World

Well, I’m a writer and photographer. The internet is perfect for the things I love to do. So I regrouped and changed the focus of my blog. Then, frustrated that I didn’t have a group of friends to teach my classes to, I prayed about it and realized I have access to the whole world, right from my little home office. I set up a phone number on FreeConferenceCall.com; then asked a bunch of friends that live far away if they would be interested in doing some classes with me. They all said “yes!” I had people from all corners of Colorado; Chicago; Massachusetts; Pittsburgh; Cleveland, and California. I had others checking in from other places, too.

Check Out My Classes!

So all year, I had people meeting weekly all on the same call for such classes as "Cultivating Kingdom Creativity" using Theresa Dedmon's book; "Dream Culture," using Andy and Janine Mason's book; and "Prosperous Soul," using Stephen DeSilva's awesome teaching on Kingdom finances. A Facebook private page or email was all we needed to stay connected through the week. I would send encouraging words and testimonies as well as YouTube worship links. Members posted stories of their breakthroughs during the classes - and they still do!

It's All Duplicatable

And guess what? Some of these friends who took my classes have started up the same classes in their home towns. Wow. I am so happy about that!

Now Go Make It Happen!

God is good. He’ll give you ideas like He gave me. You have purpose; You have something to share with others. You, too, can make it happen with a little simple technology!