by Marla Knight, Missions & Community Engagement Team

There is an old tale about a girl walking on the beach and throwing starfish back into the ocean. When someone asks her what she is doing, she states that she is saving starfish, and the person points out that she can’t save them all. She replies by saying, “Yes, but I saved that one!”

I am in my second year of being co-chair for the Missions and Community Engagement Committee, now Team. I am constantly looking for ways that we as a church can be God’s hands and feet in and around our community in order to make a difference, and there are always so many things to be done: community events, collections, meals, and so on.

I was listening to Jen Hatmaker’s podcast the other day and her guests were talking about power and how we use our power. One of the guests, Megan Pillow, mentioned how it can feel so overwhelming to think about using their power to make great change, and so they use a strategy where they choose one small thing a day.

This statement really struck me! The Missions & Community Engagement Team knows that we are providing so many opportunities to you and we never mean for that to feel overwhelming. We are part of a very large church and all of our members have very different interests and passions. So don’t feel like you have to donate to the collection drive every single month, AND you have to sign up for every single community event, AND participate in every hands-on mission opportunity.

BUT, please do choose one thing. Do the one small thing that means something to you and use your power to help someone. Start by doing one thing a quarter, then try to do one thing a month, then maybe you can move to one thing a week. 

At Vacation Bible School, mine and Kathy’s group of 16 children filled 140 dignity bags with trial sized toiletry items for Trials for Hope. Each of these bags will be delivered to bring dignity and hope to a person living outside in Greater Cleveland. In a matter of 20 minutes, they used their power to help 140 unhoused people. That is amazing!

What can you do with your power? Which one small thing will you choose in order to make a difference? 

• Submitted by Marla Knight