Changing the World Starts at Home

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
— Theodore Roosevelt

A few days ago, two of my friends returned from a trip to SE Asia. They were gone for several days, sight-seeing and eating delicious food. And visiting brothels at night while they’re wives waited at home – knowing that that’s what they were doing.

Wait, what?

Let me explain. John and Justin are fellow bloggers for The Exodus Road. After nearly a month of fundraising, the top fundraisers were chosen to go on a trip to SE Asia to see undercover investigators in action as they visited brothels and spoke with young girls about their situation. They were able to see for themselves what sex trafficking really looks like and make an impact in the lives of enslaved girls.

They Took Action

Earlier this week, I talked about why having a why is so important. Wellness is great, but there must be a greater mission motivating you to stay healthy. Otherwise, it’s easy to give up and say, “maybe next year I’ll get healthy.” Probably not.

Once you define your why, though, you have a difficult decision to make: do you take action or continue as you were?

If your why is to help orphans, do you do something about it, like my friend Teri? Or do you push it to the back of your mind and think, “Someday I can do something, maybe when the kids are grown up, but not now.”

I did that when I figured out my why. It’s easy. But you know what? It helps nobody.

In fact, it wears on your heart because you know that a part of you has been awakened that’s desperate to live up to its potential, but instead it’s forced down and buried under the motony of daily chores and first world problems.

Stop Burying Your Passion

You can act. You can make a difference. You can do something that gets you closer to that why.

And if debt and stuff and cleaning and activities get in the way, maybe it’s time to reassess your priorities so that you can start living out your values.

Because if you believe one thing, like in modeling love and service to your kids, but do another, like spend most of your day on the computer, you are living in delusion. (Yes, I’m talking to myself here).

So what can you do? What’s possible for, say, a mom of four little kids? A lot, actually.

Do What You Can Where You Are

If your why is to equip pregnant teens to be loving moms, you can volunteer as a counselor at a pregnancy resource center or include your kids in making gift bags that will help serve them.

If your why is to show the world that motherhood is a beautiful thing, you can live like you believe it and share with other moms when they ask how you enjoy mothering so much. (Because you know they’re gonna ask.)

If your why is to end slavery, you can help by becoming a blogger for The Exodus road or Be a Church Ambassador to raise awareness and money to fund more brothel raids.

Whatever you do, it’s time to stop making your kids your excuse. They are your reason. It is possible to fulfill your purpose while still being a great mother.

Show them that they can help orphans know unconditional love or put an end to child slavery. Show them what it’s like to live fully alive. Show them how to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

Because if you don’t show them, who will?

Take action toward your why. It doesn’t have to be a giant leap – start with small steps. Make changes in your home and see how far-reaching the effects can be. Those actions will gain momentum and spread to others.

How are you taking steps toward your why?

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