Have you ever wondered if you are making an impact on this world? Do you, perhaps, think you are too young to have an impact? You are not too young, and you can make a large impact on this world. I suggest you make it a positive impact, one like a young lady I am going to tell you about.
First, I will admit I did not know her personally. However, I have seen the positive impact she made on others with my own eyes. Over the past eight days I’ve been an eyewitness. I’ve seen the tears of her schoolmates, teachers, and family. I’ve seen the shocked looked on their faces during those first couple days, unable to comprehend what had happened.
You see, there was an ATV accident that took the life of a vibrant, loving, caring, and infectious 15-year-old girl. Her friends and schoolmates could not fathom that she would not step foot in a classroom with them again. They could not imagine not seeing her smiling face again.
Often our immediate reaction to a tragic accident is shock and denial, followed by bouts of sorrow and depression. Slowly, we overcome these emotions, but it can take months to do so. Though it can be a bit easier when we know where that person went.
As I supported the students and staff immediately following the accident, then attended her memorial service yesterday, and heard stories about her, there is no doubt in my mind she is in heaven. It’s obvious her family, friends, and the pastors from her church believe so, as well.
What makes them believe this? The way she lived her life, her beliefs, and the positive impact she had on many, many people. A movement has started based on her life and it is spreading across our country and now beginning to go around the world. It has already taken hold in multiple states and at least one other country.
It is teens who are showing us the way. They have picked up her message of “be your best self” and made it fly across this country. In a time when we all need some hope, a bit of good news, something positive to grab hold of, let’s look to this movement and take it up ourselves.
The #belikegrace movement encourages each person to take a moment “to smile at everyone you meet, say good morning, and open a door for a stranger. After all, it costs you nothing.” What a wonderful movement to be a part of!
I pray we all take up the #belikegrace challenge. I pray we determine to make a positive impact on others. I pray each one of us will exchange our bickering for smiles, our hatred for opening doors, our selfishness for saying, “Good morning.” #belikegrace.
1 Timothy 4:12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Marty Pressey 