6 steps to making a lasting impact in the world!?!

Impact. That word has kept coming up in my life lately. Specifically, I've seen what it looks like to for someone to make an impact on something or someone and what that does to people. One of my small group guys, at high school graduation, made a speech. What was and is cool about him is that he's that type guy that always seems to leave a lasting impression on people. And fortunately, it's more often than not a good impression. He's that likeable Christian guy that makes people stand up and take notice. And there are others. There are people that always seem to make an impression on people no matter where they go or what they're doing. Recently, I've discovered that I might be one of those people.
I was talking to a parent of one of my small group guys at a graduation party and she was telling me about how much of an impact I had on her son and how that even impacted her family. Quite frankly, I was touched, embarrassed, humbled, and in awe. I mean, what do you say to that? When a parent comes up to you and tells you that if it weren't for you being present their child might have gone off the deep end or gotten into some bad stuff. My first thought after my initial reaction was, " I had something to do with that." I didn't even do much of anything I guess. All I did was show up week after week and grind it out no matter whether I wanted to be there or not. No matter whether I felt like giving up or not. And believe there were those times. I smiled and said thanks for telling me but it was rather awkward because I couldn't think of anything reassuring or calming or "spiritual" to say. Nothing that would be appropriate or at least take some of the awkwardness out of the moment for me.
Another way in which of seen that I've made an impact on people is at my job. This past Wednesday was my last day at work before summer. I wasn't going to make a big deal and tell every one it was my last day but somehow word got out and you'd of thought I was either dying of cancer or going of to war. My co-workers were very nice to me and they kind of had the I'll miss you tone. Some people even came out and said it too. I was thinking to myself, "People please. I'll be back at the end of the summer. Get a grip. I've only been working here for like a month and a half."
Another example, I got an email from the staff coordinator at a camp that I've worked at over the past few years saying they'd really love to have me back and that there were people, both summer staff and campers, asking whether or not I'd be back for the summer. Crazy stuff!! And as I've thought about it, that's been quite a common theme in my life.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't want to sound like I'm complaining or ungrateful for all of this blessed attention and notice about the want of my presence. I just feel like it's all unwarranted. To the best of my knowledge, I haven't done anything to warrant such attention. I tried to think back to a lot of my interactions over the years with people and can't really find anything that sticks out as something I did to make an impact on people's lives. All I am is a guy, who loves people (probably a little too much), and wants to encourage people, make them feel at ease, loved, happy, and accepted. If you know me or have been around me at all you'd know that I make people laugh. I seriously want people to feel relaxed and at ease around for no other purpose really than to see who they really are I guess. And maybe, if I can, lead them to the ultimate source of happiness should I discover they haven't found it. There is no formula or 6 steps that I follow. Especially when it comes to people.
And besides all that, I'm not even that great of a person on the inside. I still struggle with sin. I still struggle to keep my promises and be a person of integrity. I still struggle to read my Bible every day and pray. I still struggle to relate to God and seek Him the way I should. I know God uses me but I want to make it clear that I'm not a super hero of the faith. I'm no Paul or Joseph, Moses or Joshua, Abraham or Isaac, and certainly not the ultimate hero, Jesus Christ. I'm just little ole' Will Branch. I'm not even sure why God uses me. It's rather ironic to me that when I try to be good and offer something up to God so that He will uses me not much happens. But when I'm just me, vulnerable, fragile, broken, hurting Will, crazy stuff happens. It's seems that God brings people to me and uses me to make an impact.
All that to say this: " I, Will Branch, am not: perfect, put together, always integritous ( if that's even a word), sinless, complete." I'm just fortunate. Fortunate that God in His great mercies, would use little ole' lazy, procrastinating, delinquent on some of his bills me. You want to know what I did to get God's attention? I just asked Him. Long ago when I was tired of just being here, when I was tired of just existing in this world. When I wanted to be one of those guys that makes an impact. I just said, more like cried out rather, " Here I am. Send Me."

ConGraduations!!

I would like to say congratulations to all of those who have graduated or will be graduating in the next few weeks from some educational institution. I went to a high school graduation for my small group guys and as I was watching them walk across the stage and receive there diploma's I began to reminisce about: when I first met them, all that has happened in the past 4 years, what I remember from my graduation, feelings of relief and a sense of accomplishment.
Congratulations for sticking with education for the past 13 years. I'm sure at times things were difficult and you may have even felt like giving up. Thanks for sticking with it. You have achieved a huge milestone in life. Please remember that as you go on to the next stage of your life that each stage that we go through prepares us for the next stage. God Bless.

Broken

I'm Will Branch, a 23 year old sort of college student that does a good job of preteneding like things are all together. The truth!! I'm a broken person. A person with many struggles, many faults, many short comings. I think I've done a pretty good job of looking spiritual. People say all the time how I'm a person of character, integrity, and that I have a passion for the Lord that is evident to all. While I suppose all of that is true: I do try to be who I say I am, do I what I say I'm going to do, and I love being a follower of Christ; I still struggle with it all. And, by no means am I where I want to be; I suppose not even where I should be.
I still have holes; fairly big ones I might add. There are still things that are missing in my life. There are still things that just aren't right. I guess I'm writing this blog out of frustration about those things. It seems like every time I try to work on one things, something else either pops up or gets out of control. I'm sort of an all or nothing kind of guy. I try to work on everything at once. I'm able to do a whole bunch of things ok but not do one thing really well because I'm spread so thin. So I end of getting frustrated and just give up, if only for a little while. Kinda crazy huh!?!
Something else I've been thinking about is how we as the human race are so broken and fragile. It's very easy for us to "miss the mark" or stray off course in life through both choices we make and uncontrolled (by ourselves) circumstances but it takes the longest time to get back on course. For example, it can take just one drink for a person to be hooked and turned into an alcoholic. But, it literally takes years to be rid of it. And really, you never rid of it, you're just sober. Or a child that has experienced any type of abuse. It takes one time, one incident, for someone to be a victim but it takes years to be healed and free from it's affects.
At the place where I work I see so much dysfunction in the people that I work with. So much brokeness and despair.
I honestly am boggled to the very core of my mind why God would choose to use someone like me. I've been used by God more times than I can count. There are so many people that have told me how God has used me in there lives. There are so many times where I've personally seen God use me. And every time, I'm humbled and saddened that I can't offer up something better. I guess that's the grace of God. The words of this song have really resonated with me these past few weeks. " Once again I look upon the cross where you died. I'm humbled by your mercy and I'm broken inside. Once again I thank you. Once again I pour out my life. Lord, thank You for using people like me to do Your work. I'm not sure why, but I do know that Your thoughts are higher than mine, Your words are deeper than mine, Your live is stronger than mine.