Creating a Spark

It's a good idea to ask yourself if the things you are doing make a difference. I regularly check my actions to see if what I spend my time on is catalytic in nature. In other words, is it creating momentum in a positive direction or just checking off a task list? While that sounds like a lofty goal, I think it can be expressed much more simply than that by asking if what I did that day/week made a difference. 

I think we make a difference in more ways than we are aware. It can be deliberate acts of kindness like paying for a stranger's coffee, baking cinnamon rolls to appreciate teachers, or letting someone in front of you in the checkout line. It can be through our deliberate, faithful prayers for other people's relationships and for physical healing. Differences are made with the intentional time we set aside to spend with our families-from a family dinner to coffee dates and random conversations. Our impact is felt when we volunteer at church and in the community. Speaking words of encouragement simply for lifting other people up will make a bigger difference than we realize.

Determining what we do that has a catalytic effect may not sound simple, but hopefully we can see the things we do that are making a difference each day. It's the day-to-day little things that build our character and help bring positive change.