Decide Your Legacy

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Fall is a time for reflection, focus and change. We, in the northern hemisphere, are entering the season where nights are longer and the days are shorter. We sense a shift in our life in preparation for what is to come....WINTER, but we are not going to think about that right now. What I want you to consider, and help you decided, is the legacy you want to leave. 

Whether you are aware of it or not, each of us, not just the well-known, the wealthy or the celebrities, creates legacies with every single action we take and word we say. At some point in our lives, we reach a moment where we wonder what our purpose is. Did we help others in a way no one else can? Have we improved someone's life from the encouragement we gave them to strive for more than they image? Have we affected our environment in a positive way for future generations? 

As parents, we hope the lessons we taught our children will resonate to future branches of our family tree. As teachers, we hope the creative way we taught classes reached the depths of a student's mind, leading them on an amazing career path. As business leaders, we hope our business values and organizational philosophies are evergreen, leading to the ongoing success of the company we led. As a human beings, we hope we left the world a better place than when we entered it. 

Have you taken any time to consider the legacy you will leave? Have you ever wondered what people will say at your funeral? If not, I encourage you to find out what moves you, what breaks your heart, what you are passionate about, or even what may make you angry, and do something about it. 

You don't have to be Oprah or Ellen to leave a legacy. Simplistic kindness, small acts of generosity, or being present with someone has more impact on future generations than celebrity status. You are in a position to determine outcomes to the powerless and voiceless, and we at Miracle Missions are in a position to help you. 

Remember, the true measure of a person's life is not the amount of money we amass, but the mass of lives we change. 

Be Someone's Light

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In September, many are preparing for fall events around the world. Albuquerque, New Mexico will be launching hundreds of hot air balloons, Germans will be are getting ready to celebrate Oktoberfest and the Hindu world will be launching paper lanterns in celebration of light's power over darkness. Yet, our news has been full of images and stories of the devastation occurring from Hurricane Florence in United States, and Typhoon Mangkhut in the Philippines and China. Millions of people have been evacuated, homes and businesses have been destroyed, thousands have been without water and electricity, and many people have been injured, and some have died due to the inability of medical and rescue personnel to reach them. 

September is also National Suicide Awareness Month. Natural disasters leave many children stranded or orphaned, resulting into the entry of the foster care system. Children are lonely, grieving the loss of their parent(s), suffer from depression, and may not see any reason to live. The National Center for Prevention of Youth Suicide reports suicide is the second leading cause of young people between the ages of 10 and 24. It goes on to report foster youths are 3-5 times more likely to commit suicide than same age peers, and two and a half times more likely to think about possibly committing suicide, and four times more likely to make suicide attempt. 

World events, natural disasters, and the report from The National Center for Prevention of Youth Suicide may leave us feeling insignificant to offer assistance to hurting people, but here is something we all can do. The smallest gesture can make a huge difference. Speak a kind word, give someone a smile, lend a helping hand or make time to listen when someone asks. The encouragement you give someone today may save their life. Let your light shine in the darkness of loneliness, hopelessness, depression, and all their other evil friends. 

National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-8255 

Calling all Want-to-be Miracle Makers

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In our first post, I want to tell you a little about us and what we do. We are an inclusive faith based non-profit organization whose mission is to make miracles happen for foster children and foster parents throughout the world. We do this by inspiring, encouraging and influencing foster children to overcome their circumstances, giving them hope to achieve the greatness they were destined for. Our Miracle Makers are ordinary people who share their skills, knowledge and expertise to foster children who dream of becoming extraordinary change makers in our world. 

Sadly, there are many children who are hurting from fear, rejections, abuse, neglect and many other heart wrenching causes. Many feel as if they are alone in the world, they are unwanted, they are a mistake, and they don't have a future. These debilitating feelings are huge barriers for them to overcome, but our Miracle Makers plant seeds of optimism, confidence, and ambition in the hearts of foster children. They turn frowns into smiles, devastation into new beginnings. 

In our weekly blog posts, you will read various accounts of how we achieve our mission. Some will feature our Miracle Makers, some will be informational and educational, and some will focus on our foster kids and foster parents. A word of caution, some stories may make you sad, bringing tears to your eyes, but these are real situations that kids in our world deal with everyday. But not to worry, each sad story will have a happy ending and your tears of sadness will turn into tears of joy when you see the smiles on the faces of children who have been inspired and encouraged by your participation in our mission. We invite you on an amazing journey!