Have you ever thought about who you impact?

Have you ever thought about who you impact? I have never really thought about this question, ever. I mean i know i impact my baby girls, but i never thought about the way my presence may impacted other people. I'm not involved with myself enough to even entertain that thought. A few months ago i was really taken back by something a women in my bible study said to me. 

I use to HATE to be alone or do things on my own. I always wanted a friend with me or i wouldn't try new things. I decided after i gave birth to Olivia i was going to start going to this bible study at my church. I did it all by myself. I wanted to be the best mother, wife and friend i could be and i needed to do it on my own. I wanted to be more positive, i wanted to fill the void i was feeling in my life. I had everything, but still felt like something was missing. So i went to the  bible study, it ended up being Beth Moore's Breaking Free study. I watched her intently and did everything she said to do in that first video session, i completely opened my heart to God and became very vulnerable. I prayed my heart out and learn as much as i possibly could about the Lord. By the end of that study, my life had changed. It was like i was a new person, i was confident, my anxiety was gone (it was like it was totally lifted) i felt like i had all the right equipment to be a wonderful mommy, wife and friend. I felt calm and full of spirt. So to say i LOVE the way Beth Moore speaks is beyond. 

Since i loved her so much i decided i would go to see her LIVE. I was elated when i found out she was coming to a theatre near our house (it was like Christmas, thats how excited i was). I grabbed my beautiful mom and friend (see i can never do anything alone, just kidding. This was something i couldn't let either of them miss) and we headed to the theatre with a bunch of other ladies from our church. We got there and the place was PACKED with beautiful women, some with newborn babies from all over the Illinois and surrounding areas. (Beth will be in Minnesota next year and even if i have to go by myself, i'm going. Seriously though anyone want to go?) I was beautiful and you could feel all the energy. Oh and it was live through a teleprompter, so people from all over the world were watching it. 

Before Beth came on they had a rocking band Travis Cottrell, everyone had there hands in the air. I will be honest when i say that i use to think that was SO weird and would never imagine myself doing something like that. It's strange, i figured out the reason people do that is because you can actually FEEL the Lord as your singing these amazing songs and the arms just go up:) It's crazy and it feels so good! Anyways i loved the whole day. 

When we go back to our next bible study one of the women in out group came up to me and told me that she had taken her daughter, who wasn't as excited as i was to be there. She told me that her daughter (who is 5 years younger then me) saw me and thought, well maybe this is something i should pay attention to and enjoy. If Katie likes it maybe its a good thing. She told me that i have a lot of impact on the people around me and then thanked me. I was shocked and speechless. I was doing something i loved to do and she thanked me. The Lord was using me in ways i couldn't even imagine. I didn't even have to do anything. AMAZING

It was then that i thought about everything i was doing and how it could impact the people around me i knew and ones i didn't. It made me aware that everything i was doing was going to be watched, whether it was by my girls (who copy everything i do, from folding my hand while praying to eating  or people i have never met. Clearly i'm no where near perfect, but impacting people i have no idea i am impacting is kind of cool, it's more of a reason to be a better person. It shocking how God uses your presence, isn't it?

Have you ever thought about who you may impact?