In just one morning at a Mother’s of Preschoolers Group, I heard two real-life stories that begged me to ask myself, “How do I encourage people when their need hangs heavily on a scale – too much for me to resolve?” One mom was expecting to move to a new home in a week and a half when suddenly their arrangements fell through and they have no place for their young family of four to live. The other mom is raising two small kids while her husband is serving away in the military. She planned to visit him after 5 months of being apart and now they can’t afford it since she lost her job.

Real hardship and suffering are all around us. Often our own resources are not enough to help. Yet, doing nothing because we can’t do everything is no solution. We certainly don’t want to just pat people on the back and say, “It’s all good; you’ll get through it.”

On March 22^nd, a massive landslide in Oso, a rural northwest Washington town, devastated a whole community. It created a 640 acre debris field of deep, muddy sludge – a mixture of mangled property, fragmented forests, and broken lives. The need is exceedingly enormous. Not one person can ‘make it all better.’ Fortunately, it’s doesn’t work that way.

Some volunteer to ‘search and rescue’ in the mud and rain, others bring pets to comfort the grieving in the Community Center, and many bring food and supplies to workers and families. The surrounding towns, and nation, are giving in every way they know how. This community of Oso knows they are not alone.

That’s how you make a difference.

 

So, instead of feeling paralyzed because I can’t fix someone’s problem, I’m going to do what I can to make their day brighter. My small act of kindness is a piece of the puzzle that God uses to meet great needs.

Our piece matters.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”    –Dr. Seuss

Together, we will do great work!
Stephanie

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Stephanie Allen is Co-founder and President of Dream Dinners and a New York Times best-selling co-author of The Hour that Matters Most. Naturally a visionary and optimist, Stephanie hopes to inspire America through her nurturing voice of encouragement, assuring families…    

“You’re doing a great job!”