How do you measure the influence of one life, one conversation, or event?
I'm very contemplative today with this question. In the span of this week I have heard, "the chemo isn't working", heard the voice that I have listened to since in utero say, "If its my time then I'm ready for God to take me", read the words from a friend,"my mom has passed", heard that one, who made a huge impact in Jim and I's lives, just left this earth to go to his heavenly home today, and the remembrance of a conversation of unwavering commitment spoken over lunch with a friend. This life is truly like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. What do we do with the in-between? We invest. We speak words of love, grace, and truth. We share ourselves, time, and resources. We recognize that we all walk around like containers needing to be filled. Filled, of course with God and His word, and filled with other's investments that spur us on to want more of God and His word. Is that my investment? Will I seek to be that kind of influence to those around me and those that Father allows across my path?
My dad and stepmom's faith in the face of struggle and the unknown has invested in me a boldness to live each day to the fullest and receive all things from my Father's hand as gifts.
My mom's frankness with Father regarding her time on this earth invested in me an acceptance of Father's plans over my own.
My friend's willingness to walk out her mother's final days serving her invested in me a faithfulness that is an overflow of Jesus in her.
The home going of one who I consider a spiritual giant invested in me seeing missions in action, learning to study the bible, being introduced to what a life following Jesus really looked like, and one giving their life for the kingdom of God to be advanced. What would our lives look like apart from this investment?
A conversation with friends who risk their lives to share the gospel saying, "God has made us brave" invested in me the clear understanding what life should be about and a bravery of my own that could only be birthed by the Father.
Things we may know or even learn but it is completely different as we get to observe them being lived out and then become the recipient. There is really no way to measure these investments. Their deposits were made and I am the beneficiary of each. God's plan for return is for each to produce in me more of Him and then overflow and be invested again in others.
I'm so grateful for the investment..... truly my cup overflows!
Always learning,
Kim
I'm very contemplative today with this question. In the span of this week I have heard, "the chemo isn't working", heard the voice that I have listened to since in utero say, "If its my time then I'm ready for God to take me", read the words from a friend,"my mom has passed", heard that one, who made a huge impact in Jim and I's lives, just left this earth to go to his heavenly home today, and the remembrance of a conversation of unwavering commitment spoken over lunch with a friend. This life is truly like a vapor, here today and gone tomorrow. What do we do with the in-between? We invest. We speak words of love, grace, and truth. We share ourselves, time, and resources. We recognize that we all walk around like containers needing to be filled. Filled, of course with God and His word, and filled with other's investments that spur us on to want more of God and His word. Is that my investment? Will I seek to be that kind of influence to those around me and those that Father allows across my path?
My dad and stepmom's faith in the face of struggle and the unknown has invested in me a boldness to live each day to the fullest and receive all things from my Father's hand as gifts.
My mom's frankness with Father regarding her time on this earth invested in me an acceptance of Father's plans over my own.
My friend's willingness to walk out her mother's final days serving her invested in me a faithfulness that is an overflow of Jesus in her.
The home going of one who I consider a spiritual giant invested in me seeing missions in action, learning to study the bible, being introduced to what a life following Jesus really looked like, and one giving their life for the kingdom of God to be advanced. What would our lives look like apart from this investment?
A conversation with friends who risk their lives to share the gospel saying, "God has made us brave" invested in me the clear understanding what life should be about and a bravery of my own that could only be birthed by the Father.
Things we may know or even learn but it is completely different as we get to observe them being lived out and then become the recipient. There is really no way to measure these investments. Their deposits were made and I am the beneficiary of each. God's plan for return is for each to produce in me more of Him and then overflow and be invested again in others.
I'm so grateful for the investment..... truly my cup overflows!
Always learning,
Kim
