And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.                                                                                               -Mark 16:15

Do you ever doubt yourself? Doubt anyone will listen to you? Doubt you are making a difference? Doubt that you matter? Doubt that your work is making a difference? I know I do all the time, but then I will have someone share with me that I have made a difference in their life and it encourages me to keep going.

I got the following message on Facebook from someone I have not talked to in 10-12 years. I get messages like this often and they always encourage me to keep going:

“Bubba, I’ve been meaning to get in touch with you. I have been following your postings and reading your blogs. Honestly, everything you write is extremely uplifting. I could have the worst day and I will read a quote you posted and it will immediately make me feel better! I want you to know, you have very much made an impact on me, and I’m sure so many others…”

I don’t share that to make myself look good, I share it because I want want to encourage you. What you have to say matters. When I get messages like this, I am reminded that what I have to say matters. A lot of you think that if you write a blog post, tweet a tweet, preach a sermon, share the Word with someone, or just simply call or text someone to encourage them, that it won’t really matter. That is a lie. The truth is: It does matter. It matters a lot. What you say matters.

When you believe you have something to say, and you say it: you never know who you could impact through your words. When you encourage a friend, you never know what you’re helping them get through. When you share the gospel with someone, it could change their life forever.

Bottom Line: You could change the world through what You have to say!

The best part: If you’re a Christian, God already gave us our message. We just have to share it with the world. In everything you say, just point people to Him, if you do, you’ll make an incredible impact in your lifetime.

So keep blogging, keep tweeting, keep preaching, keep getting the word out. Whether you know it or not, people are paying attention to you. You have a voice. You matter. Believe it!

Recently I had the privilege of speaking at 19 North. I spoke on the subject: “Don’t Quit”. My prayer is that this message will encourage you through the toughest seasons of your life. You can listen to the message below!

Don’t Quit – Listen to or Download the message here.

The main point I wanted to get across was: God has an awesome plan for your life, but life will give you opportunities to quit, it’s what you do with those opportunities that will determine whether or not you see the promises of God come to pass in your life.

I hope this message encourages you!

Thoughts?

⁷But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it . . .¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

~Ephesians 4:7,12-13

Do you want to speak or sing in front of large audiences? Write a best selling book? Pastor a large church? I know they’re all dreams in my heart, well not singing, but you get the point. I think it’s the dream of every young leader who wants to go into ministry.

I love speaking to audiences, I love writing, I love spending time encouraging and connecting with people.  They are some of my favorite things to do in the entire world! They’re also a part of what God’s called me to do.

The question isn’t so much do you want to or do I want to do these things, but why do we want to do these things?

Over the past few years, I’ve really challenged my motives when it comes to writing, blogging, communicating, and ultimately, everything I do. Do I always have pure motives? No. There are times I want attention, fame, glory, etc. , but most of the time, I believe my heart is in the right place.

Where I am and what I believe God’s heart is on the issue is, is to do all these things for one purpose: To help people.

I’m getting to the place in my heart where I don’t care how many people I speak to, how many people read my blog, etc, as long as people’s lives are being lifted.

Because in reality, whether it’s speaking, singing, or writing, all of these things are just gifts God put in us and opportunities God puts before us to make an impact in one person’s life. And really, it’s God who makes the difference in some-one’s life, not us, He just allows us to have a part in it.

So challenge your motives. Challenge them often, we all struggle with the motives in these areas. Just be humble, let God bring opportunities before you, and do everything you can, anytime you can to help people, and before you know it, you’ll have helped more people than you could imagine.

Thoughts?