Sometimes we think that in order to impact our worlds for Jesus, we have to do great and glorious things that take lots of planning and time and talent. But actually, it's the little things we do on a daily basis which truly impact our worlds. How do you spell impact?

I'd like to see the hands of every Christian who really would like to impact his or her world for Jesus. Ah--lots of hands. Okay, here's how you do it. Impact--I Must Personally ACT! Great ideas and plans won't impact anything--action will.

I've come up with five very simple things that everyone could do to impact his or her world. Now, these are just my suggestions; there are many others equally good or better. But I would encourage you to decide that you will find five things you can do regularly to impact your world. If you don't like these suggestions, come up with your own. But the important thing is, plan it and do it. Jesus told us that our blessing does not come in knowing but in doing the will of God.

So, here's my suggestion number one for impacting your world: Send notes of encouragement regularly. I don't know about you, but I've been encouraged numbers of times from notes that friends and listeners have written me. We could impact lots of people in our worlds with simple, short notes.

It's a good idea to keep a stack of notes in your desk drawer, and then ask the Lord to put a person on your mind who needs a note. It just takes two to three minutes at the beginning of the day to jot a quick note off. Takes very little time, but it's one way to impact a lot of people. Suppose you wrote one note per week. That would be 52 people in your world that you would personally impact in a year.

As I began to pray that God would put someone on my mind, it was interesting to see who God impressed me to send a note to. Some were people I'm close to and others were people I'd never have thought of on my own. Who knows why they might need a note of encouragement; but it's a good feeling to think that the Holy Spirit will remind me of someone, and I can have that little impact in that person's life by simply writing a note.

Birthday cards and congratulatory cards work real well, too. Have you learned the secret of putting those reminders of special days on your calendar each year so you won't forget to send those cards? Or if you learn that a coworker's birthday is coming up soon, buy a card and send it to them. Keep your ears open for those bits of information; you can use them to impact your world.

To steal the Nike commercial--JUST DO IT! If you're thinking right now, "Yeah, that's a good idea; I could do that," don't think about it anymore; JUST DO IT! To impact your world, adopt the slogan "I must personally act"--IMPACT!

Suggestion number two: Look for someone to serve. Yeah, that's what I said: Look for someone today that you can do something for--something you don't have to do. Find your servant job and perform it well. I have a one-sentence prayer written in my prayer journal that says, "Lord, I would appreciate it so much if you would send someone my way today that I can serve." Would you be willing to pray that prayer as each day starts?

We are called to be servants, and therefore we must seek opportunities. For example, if someone on your job is swamped with work some day and you can help them out for a few minutes, do it! It may be the dirty work stuff, the tedious work that nobody else wants to do. Do it. That's a servant's job.

Perhaps it's something as simple as taking time to answer a question, or going out of your way to help a customer. Maybe you can serve by simply listening to a person who needs a caring ear. Serving can take hundreds of different forms. But I have to believe that if you and I look for ways to serve, we'll find something everyday to do as a servant.

Are you willing to stick your neck out and do it? If so, pray as you're going to work or school--or wherever it is--that God will send someone your way that you can serve. Maybe you'll see something you can do for your boss that will help him or her. Perhaps no one will ever know it was you who cleaned the kitchen up at the office, but you do it anyway. Maybe you pick up after your messy mate or child without complaining about it.

If we would find little ways to be servants, day in and day out, would we ever impact our worlds. IMPACT--I must personally ACT! But nothing happens until we act. JUST DO IT!

When you think of impacting your world, it seems like such an overwhelming job, requiring great resources, time, money, talent, planning, etc. But that's not true. To impact others for Jesus, we simply need to consistently do little things for them that show the love of Jesus.

My third impact suggestion is to make it a practice to say at least one nice thing to someone everyday. The words we speak are so powerful; we read in Proverbs that they have the power of life and death. Unfortunately, not too often do we use words for the life-giving power that they have. What an impact we could have on our worlds if we said just one positive, nice, complimentary remark to someone each day.

Now, I'm not talking about phony flattery. But I'm quite certain that you and I can find something nice and positive to say to someone everyday. No doubt, like me, many times you think something nice but don't say it. Make it a rule that if you think something nice about someone, you will say it.

I remember one day when I was in an elevator and a woman got on with a lovely suit, which I immediately admired. That inner voice said, "Tell her you like her suit." But you know how elevators are; I didn't want to invade her space. Nonetheless, I couldn't avoid the inner urge, so finally just before she got off, I said, "That's a great suit; it looks terrific on you." She smiled as she got off the elevator, thanked me, and went on her way. Who knows the impact a simple compliment had on her.

Now, why was it so hard to say something nice? After all, I was thinking it. Well, we just have to make ourselves say words of life. So, today, find someone you can honestly compliment. "You did a great job." "You always look nice." "I like that tie." Whatever--find someone and say something nice. JUST DO IT!

If you'll do this regularly, not only will you impact your world, but you'll impact your own thinking. You'll start looking for the good instead of the bad, and it really goes a long way to straighten out your negative thought patterns.

When you think about the needs of the world, are you overwhelmed? I'm telling you, everywhere you turn you hear about some incredible need.

It's overwhelming, isn't it, and we feel helpless to do anything that will impact these huge world needs. But there are things we can do, and these individual acts will make a difference.

So, here's suggestion number four to impact your world: Pray for world needs. Because these needs are not at our backdoor, sometimes we just don't remember to pray for them, do we? Make a prayer list of some of the countries of the world where you know a little about the need there. And then pray regularly for those countries, those people.

I pray a lot for Africa because I go there each year to minister. But I also have other countries on my heart: Israel, China, the Moslem countries.

Why not take one country or one continent per week and pray for that part of the world each day. It won't take long; you don't have to know anyone personally in those countries in order to pray for them. I believe it will help to give all of us a world view which we tend to lose so easily in our comfortable surroundings here in America.

So, to impact your world, pray for the world. As Nike reminds us, JUST DO IT!

Here's the last suggestion for impacting your world: Give some money away to someone who needs it. Now, as the old country man said, you probably think I've quit preachin' and gone to meddlin'. Well, I want to read you a letter from a listener who tried it.

Here's what she wrote:

"Some months ago you challenged your listeners to look for a way to give some money away. I didn't think much about what you said until lunch time when I looked up from my desk and noticed one of the ladies I supervise had not left for lunch. I approached her and inquired as to why she hadn't gone to lunch. She said, 'I'm not hungry and besides I don't have any money.' Your challenge to look for ways to give money away popped into my mind. So I replied, 'Could I give you some money to go eat,' and she said, 'No, but I could use some money for gas.' It was such a thrill to have been challenged by you and then have the opportunity to respond. I know I must have had a grin on my face the rest of the day."

And I get a grin on my face, thinking about what she did. Now I realize that most of us don't have large amounts of money to give away. In fact, many of you are struggling financially and probably wishing someone would give you some money--am I right? But remember this, we reap what we sow. Do you need some money? Are things tight right now? If so, give some money away--sow those seeds. It's amazing how in giving we receive.

Perhaps it won't be money, but something else of value that you have that you can give to others. A piece of clothing to someone needier than you; some food, a car you can loan, a place to stay for a few days. There are so many ways we can share our resources. Give it away--you'll impact your world.

Well, once again, here are my five simple suggestions for impacting your world:

1. Send notes of encouragement regularly.

2. Find a way to serve someone today--do something you don't have to do.

3. Say something nice to at least one person everyday.

4. Choose a country of the world and pray for that country every week.

5. Give some money away to someone who is needy.

Let me tell you this from my own experience. If you don't make this a matter of commitment on your part, it won't happen. When I was in sales, my manager used to say "Plan your work and work your plan." We need both to be successful in anything we do. Without a plan our efforts are not optimized and probably won't happen. But the best plan in the world is useless if we don't follow through.

So, I want to encourage you today to plan to IMPACT your world for Jesus. Remember we spell impact I Must Personally Act, so make sure you follow-through on the action part. Jesus has promised us that we will be blessed when we do for others, as he would do. You're in for some real blessings if you take this seriously and start working at ways to impact your world.

Mary's newest book, Getting Along with People @ Work, is now available.
You can order a copy by calling 1-800-292-1218 or online at www.christianworkingwoman.org