My Life as a COMMA!

I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love? Did I point to You enough
To make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who
blessed your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

This song has been racing through my mind a lot lately.  At church we have been discussing metoring….and being mentored.  We have talked about having a Paul in our own lives.  Someone who will pour into us….someone who believes in us.  AND having a Timothy in our lives as well….having someone we are pouring into….and believing in.

This is such an important concept to me right now.  One that I believe I have taken for granted.  I look back on my life….and can see the people I had encouraging me…believing in me!  So many that I just didn’t realize it.  Some of them never verbally said, “I belive in you, Cheli!”…but by their actions…they invested in me!  So many of those people are no longer around…  so it is a little late to say my thanks to them.  But to those that are still around…let me say THANK YOU!  Thank you for believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.  Thank you for investing in me when I didn’t feel worth investing in.  Thank you for the times you took out of your own life to pour into mine.  These can be such tiny things at the time…but over time…they all add up..and shape us into the person we are today.

Now…for all you I have tried to pour into….  I still believe in you.  Maybe I never said it out loud…but I do.  If you are reading this….even if we have never met….I believe in you.   How can I say that??  ….you might be asking.  Well, because I believe God has brought us both to a point…. a point of intersection where my life and yours have met.  He has brought us here and is using our stories to lift each other up.  I believe in you.  Do you believe in yourself?  God does.  He has perfect plans for you.  Not plans to harm you….but plans to prosper you.  I believe He is using every moment in our life to sharpen our faith…..to have so much faith in HIM…..that we KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that “I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.”

My heart has been very heavy lately for a sweet family in our area that is going through a huge crisis.  Right now as I am typing there is a prayer walk going on to lift this family up!  This family…..through their tragedy….and their story….they are leaving a legacy.  No matter how God chooses to continue their story…..they have left a legacy with soooo many people.  They have brought people they have never met together in prayer.  They have shown grace and transparency.  They have allowed God to be in their story…and be glorified.  No matter what the outcome!

I want to be like that.  I don’t want to leave things on this earth!  I want to leave stories!  I want to leave people with the feeling that somehow….maybe in a tiny way….my story….my faith….encouraged them to believe in themselves!  I want them to know that God loves them…because if He can love and lift up a messed up girl like me…..surely He can love them!  I want people to be left with stories of how they saw God in me.  I want them to remember His light shining in me and through me.  I want them to know that if a simple minded girl from Shawnee Oklahoma can have her life turn out ok….after tragedy and difficulty….then maybe…..no DEFINITELY…..God WILL do it for them too!!! 

I am not that big…..not that important….or super faithful….  BUT  my God is!!!.  And I want to leave a legacy……………………….. make my life a comma.  Make my life make someone pause………and believe.