For the past few weeks, staying positive has been a struggle. Why? For starters, the fourth quarter of this interminable winter finally melted away, creating a flood zone. So after two successful speaking engagements (at this point “successful” means they weren’t postponed because of weather, not that I was mobbed by crowds of adoring fans), I’m wondering if we should rent an ark for the three scheduled next week.
I have to do something since earning a speaking fee is hard when you can’t speak, and selling books isn’t easy without a crowd. These days, I’m constantly reminding myself that what I do isn’t about making money. It’s about taking the parenting experiences God’s given our family and using them to minister to parents who need the hope while raising their kids with different dreams. Apparently God knew I was sorely in need of a little hope myself and sent some along in American Profile, a weekly magazine that comes with our Saturday paper.
One of the articles in the February 21-27, 2010 issue was about Marian Wright Edelman, a woman who has devoted her life to crusading for disadvantaged kids. Near the end of the story, Giving Children a Voice, she says, “My faith doesn’t tell me that you have to win. You’ve got to get up every day and decide to be the best that you can. You don’t give up; you persevere. We don’t have the right to give up on any child.”
Marian’s words were a godsend, shifting my attention from dollars earned to lives changed, my mindset from giving up to going on, and my attitude from self-centered to child-centered. You can benefit from her perspective by reading the entire article at www.americanprofile.com.
Ever since reading the story, one sentence pushes me out of bed every morning.
“We don’t have the right to give up on any child.”
“We don’t have the right to give up on any child.”
“We don’t have the right to give up on any child.”
What’s it doing to you?
