“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” (Winston Churchill)
As I reflect on the above quote, it rings so true in my own life. Coming home after being in a three month coma, blind, hearing impaired, and barely able to sit up was extremely challenging. The efforts I was asked to make in learning how to walk again, master Braille, and start back to school seemed overwhelming at times. What I know is that none of it would have been possible without the help of so many incredible people who gave so much to me in the process.
From the patient teachers coming to my home to help me learn Braille and keep up with school work, to the incredible physical therapist who led me to strengthen my body and get back on my feet, to the P.E. instructor who helped me discover that I could still swim, to the two amazing parents who kept me going through it all, I have been given so very much!! These people have been a huge part of helping me become the person I am today.
My friends, who has impacted your life in a significant way over the years? Who are the people who have helped shape you into the person you are today? None of us can navigate through this world alone and, as I think about the individuals that have played a leading role in shaping my own life, it causes me to turn around and ponder the ways in which I have positively impacted, and can continue to impact, the lives of others. What do I have to give? What do I have to offer? Who is God calling me to serve?
So, my friends, I pose the same question to you today. What do you have to give to others? It all starts with our desire to, as in the quote from Winston Churchill, “…make a life by what we give”. Pray for that desire if you don’t have it, and you will be led to share with others what you have been gifted with to share. I challenge you to spend some time pondering this. The others you are called to serve may already be right there in front of you, even in your own family, or they may be folks you haven’t met yet.
Perhaps it all starts with gratitude for what you have been given, just as I have expressed for myself. Start with that and then look for ways to live it forward. For when you can do that, only the best is yet to come!!