Reading headline after headline in today's newspaper, my heart begins to ache. Do we ever report good news? There's so much going on in the world today. Chaos, destruction, fear, prejudice, and division is splattered all over the media - from reading about the slain officers in Dallas, to the tragic destruction in France and Orlando, my heart easily becomes overwhelmed. If the world is like this now - what is it going to be like when my kids grow up? (We still have some time, but you see what I mean?!)

So what can we do? It's a big world and sometimes it doesn't feel as if I can really make a difference. This is large scale stuff. And I'm only one person. Only one person without a tv show, big platform or powerful campaign. One person with a blog at best - maybe -reaches a hundred people on a really good week.

With that small sphere of influence, what can I do, what can you do to make a difference in a big world?
Be the change that we want to see.

We can be kind. We can be generous. We can treat others with respect. We can choose kindness over harsh, critical words. We can chose to see the best in someone. We can have compassion. We can forgive. We can serve. We can volunteer. We can love. We can pray. We can choose hope and faith over despair and discouragement.

"Let us not become weary in doing what is good, for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good to all people. Galatians 6:9

We get to choose and help write the headlines of our lives. Maybe we can't create world peace overnight, but we can choose to serve and love our neighbors. We can make a choice to do the next right thing. And little by little, we create change.

Officer Hopps from Walt Disney's new movie Zootopia said it best in her final graduation speech, "When I was a kid I thought Zooptopia was this perfect place. Where everyone got along and anyone could be anything. Turns out real life is a little bit more complicated than a slogan on a bumper sticker. Real life is messy. We all have limitations. We all make mistakes. Which means, hey, glass half full, we all have a lot in common. And the more we try to understand one another, the more exceptional each of us will be. But we have to try. So no matter what type of animal you are. From the biggest elephant to our first fox - I implore you, try. Try to make the world a better place. Look inside of yourself and recognize that change starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us."

Yes, it starts with us. In Ghandi's famous pinned words, "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." There's no accident that you and I are here in this time in history. Let's do our part.

xoxo
Jes

P.S. So your neighbor is a jerk? Be kind today. Yes, it may hurt, but try. Cookies, flowers, something to begin a change of kindness. Look around your world. What can you do today to make a difference?

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22: 36-39

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. All over all these virtues, put on love, which binds them together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts." Colossians 3:12-15a