Happy Friday Friends!
I hope and trust this post finds you all having a great day on this glorious new day in my Sweet Home Alabama! Additionally, I sincerely hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday! Our blessings are many, if only we will choose to see them... :)
I want to start off by sharing a story with y'all. Earlier this week a sweet friend of mine was telling me a story about her precious little girls basketball team. One of the parents had made a comment that alerted the coach that perhaps some of the parents were taking this a little too seriously. The coach called all of the parents together and explained that nobody was going to be awarded a scholarship based on these youth basketball games, assuring the parents that there were no college scouts in the stands. He went on to say that the purpose of youth sports was to teach these young people to build others up, to learn how to be a part of a team/family, and to find out who they are. He then stated that this is what his mentor - he then said his mentors name - taught him. And in that moment, my friend began to cry. Heck, she began to cry telling me the story! You see, the mentor who profoundly impacted the coach who is now teaching my sweet friends precious little girl is the late husband of one of my friends very dear friends. My friend had no idea that the coach knew the man that had profoundly impacted his life - he told her several other things about this man's impact on his life - and yet, because the mentor at one time took the time to selflessly pour himself into others, this coach is now pouring himself selflessly into the lives of others, teaching the lessons learned from the mentor, and one of those precious souls he is impacting is the daughter of my friend. Truly beautiful, isn't it?
In my line of work I have had the opportunity to meet some of the smartest, most accomplished, women and men in virtually every field - lawyers, doctors, politicians, business-people, civil servants, coaches, athletes, etc. One of the things that has always interested me is when they knew...when they knew that they wanted to become what they have become, that they were willing to sacrifice so greatly to pursue the fullness of what they were created to be. And over and over again I have heard something like, "It was a teacher in 4th grade who told me they saw something in me..." or, "It was a coach who told me they believed in me." It was a word of encouragement, a statement of belief that launched them into their chosen field of endeavor, to a life of serving others by becoming the fullness of who they could become. And here is the really beautiful part that I believe is critically important to catch: just as the mentor impacted the coach who is now impacting the little girl, the teacher impacted the doctor who now impacts every single patient they serve! Or the coach who impacted the teacher who now impacts every single student they teach! Do you get the point?!?! The ripple is endless! The mentor impacted the coach who is now impacting the little girl who will one day impact the lives of others! Heck, she already is! This sweet spirit not only cheers for her teammates, she cheers when members of the other teams score because, well, they are her friends. And aren't friends more important than winning and losing games?!?! THAT is another Happy Friday... :)
Friends, you never know the depth and breadth of the influence you have in the lives of others. People are listening to and watching you and I. The convictions we live, the words we speak, and the things we do matter. You may never be a doctor however you just might be the person that God uses to speak encouragement to the young girl who will one day become the worlds leading oncologist that finds a cure to cancer! Please think about the number of lives that would be impacted across the world, for generations, with that one! I don't know your vocational calling or how God wants to use you to serve others, I simply know that lives are profoundly impacted by other lives and you never know the reach of yours. And I am keenly aware that this works both ways - positive and negative. Just as the positive word, the belief in another, can breed life, the pursuit of dreams, etc., the negative word, the tearing down of another, breeds death, destruction, etc. The battle is real and it is not a choice of whether you are going to be in the battle or not - if you are breathing, you are in the battle. You simply must choose which side you will fight for, you must decide what your influence will be!
You and I truly never know the impact of our words and actions. I simply ask, and pray, that we will be intentional with them. You never know whose life you are impacting or when the ripple will end...
A few things for us to consider as we reflect on this Happy Friday...
"Success is secondary to impact. Success is a list of what you win, gain and attain - it may pass, it may remain. Impact is the test; the hearts, minds and lives you touch, enhance and forever change..." - Rasheed Ogunlaru
"Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it." - Hebrews 13:2
"The more you manifest a servant's heart in all you do, the more of an impact you'll have on people's lives." - Jim George
Please don't hesitate to contact me if there is ever anything I can do for you or your family. I will always help you any way I can. You can reach me at kevin@whatwillyourinfluencebe.com.
Have a great day, a wonderful weekend, please cherish your precious families, and please stay well.
Kev
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