Eyes Opened Wide (part 1)

I recently had the honor of speaking at a national college event in Michigan. I loved having the opportunity to share my heart on the importance of serving with my peers. While this time in life is busy and filled with too many deadlines, the world cannot afford for us to lose a perspective that focuses on more than just ourselves…

Eyes Opened Wide

I want to offer you the opportunity to open your eyes to a new way of seeing the world. A way in which you can change your perspective, turn your focus away from your own daily struggle in life, and find a place to use your gifts and passions to make a difference by serving others. I think we’ve all heard the phrases “blessed to bless” or “created to serve”. But…WHY? How does serving others affect me? Can serving actually do more harm than good? How do I make time for and find a place to serve? We’ll answer these questions as we dive into the topic of serving!

As back-story on why serving is so important to me, I’ll share a little of my own story. I grew up in a strong Christian family with both parents and 9 siblings. I loved creating things, raising animals, and playing sports with friends. Life was good! Well, at least until my teenage years when I realized the world wasn’t all as innocent and bright as I hoped. I was saved when I was 5, but my personal faith in Him had never been tested before. I never stopped believing, but I went through a time of lost hope. I became so focused on me, myself, and I that I couldn’t see the other people in the world around me. I wondered if life was even worth living anymore…

In many ways, serving others saved my life. God used volunteer opportunities to change my perspective on life and restore the joy and hope in my life. As a young teen, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with life. So I served in church, at a therapeutic riding ranch, and other various ministries. These volunteer opportunities have played a huge part in developing my skills and passions. One of them even turned into the job I have today as a Marketing Director and certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor for a non-profit, The Right Path. When God broadened my vision through serving others, I realized a few things…I’m not alone in the struggles I go through, I have a purpose, and I can share that hope with others.

For my high school graduation, I chose Micah 6:8 as my life verse. It says, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” There are three key phrases here that describe a changed perspective on how we are to live. No surprise, serving others is a key part!

Let’s stop for a second and define “serving”. What does that word actually mean? According to Merriam Webster’s Dictionary,

“Serving :

     a. To furnish or supply with something needed or desire

     b. To answer the needs of; to be enough for c. To contribute or conduce to

I would describe it as giving of your time, treasures, and talents to invest in the life of another. I want to clarify something though: kindness is not free. At any level, it requires self-sacrifice to some extent. It may not reduce the number in your bank account, but it does cost you your time, comfort, and effort. However, when you think of it as an investment in another person’s life, it is 100% worth it! You never know what kind of a positive domino effect you could start with one little action of kindness.

There are thousands of ways you can make a difference. All I can say from my own experience is that you have to start somewhere. That verse in Micah gives us a good place to start. We will take a look at that in my next post. 

Stay tuned for part 2!