On Sparkles and Ripples

Your life makes ripples, all day, every day, everywhere you go, whether you know it or not. - The Firegirl. 

I got a text from a friend in Texas this morning. She's a lot younger than me, startlingly talented and like most of us, finding her way through the darkness and toward God's marvelous light. I've loved her since I met her. 

She said she wanted to reach out to me on International Women's Day because she feels loved and encouraged by me, even though I'm far away now. Naturally, this encouraged me so much. 

In my life, I've also received emails telling me that I suck; that I've left a swath of flaming wreckage in my selfish wake. Frankly, at the time it was true, but that old story no longer shames me, it's just history now - an old story Jesus redeemed.

See there's no way to pass through this world neutral. Your thoughts, your actions, your kindness or your bitterness are stones dropped into a great big sea, creating ripples which are only broken when they hit someone's shore. This is true even on the days when you think you're minding your own business. This is kind of a theme for me. One I've written about before.....A lot. 

So what ripples have you sent out today? What ripples do you want to send out?

I tell the women of the Firegirl Academy all the time that our power is rarely found in our grand gestures. Thank God because most of us can't figure out how to execute grand gestures anyway. Jill Briscoe, one of my heroes, lifted an immense stone from my neck when I heard her say,

"Your mission field is always just between your feet."

So are you stuck because you're want to make your life matter but what and how and is that even possible keep it all out of reach? Are you then paralyzed by then indecision, and just reacting to whatever comes, not creating it. There are ripples either way. 

Firegirl Melissa said last night, she's discovered that she loves being a sanctuary for people -  a safe, quiet place where people she knows can just rest and let their hair down. I told her in my mind that looks something like this.

Do you know how much people need that?

Is it a grand gesture? No. Will it get her a million Insta followers? No. Is it other-focused and satisfying to her. Yes! Therefore, it's a win. A ripple she sent out into the universe that has consequences we will someday see. 

This is how I want to build the Kingdom of God in my own life. To see people for who they could be and draw that out of them, so they get their sparkle back and send their sparkly ripples out into sea of people looking for light.