How to Make an Impact NOW by Following Your Calling

Yesterday, this experience below kept coming back to me. This story is what’s inspiring me to try big things at Give Your Story. Before, I’ve said here that I’m writing to inspire others to live a better story, which is true. However, now I’ve finally realized the specifics behind it.

Using your passion or calling to make an impact in someone’s life is a fantastic cause to take up. Sounds too simple, right? How exactly can you do something like that? Or do you feel like your calling is too big to follow? That’s not always the case. Read below and I’ll tell you what I mean afterwards:

 

When I was 15, I felt 2 incredibly strong callings to know what it is I want to do in life. One was to be a youth pastor, the other was to be an author for the ‘Greater Good’. Meaning I wanted to be someone who wrote to influence lives of readers but also to help shine a light through love. I desired to have any funds earned from the book(s) I wrote to be donated or given to someone in need of them more than myself.

I’ve lived the 1st calling as a youth pastor for the past 2 years and it has been better than I’d ever could have hoped. The 2nd one never really seemed to come along as easy or smooth though for a collection of reasons. I’ve written multiple books but never really did anything with them (except get rejected numerous times).

Finally, after LOTS prayer, I decided to release a book of mine independently on Blurb (in print) and Kindle (in ebook) titled ‘Big Insights:150 Bold Truths and Poems’ which is a devotional book of sorts. I was excited to find that I’ve had an overwhelming response and developed a small but extremely supportive readership. I’ve sold more books than I thought I would and have received incredibly kind words on how I’ve influenced some reader’s lives from the words I’ve written. It’s been awesome.

But an obvious something was missing.

The 2nd part to my 2nd calling.

I prayed about what to do, still unsure. I ended up just trusting that I would know  the circumstance when it came…and boy did it.

I received my first check from my earnings in the mail, (nothing astounding or eye-popping by any means) and then proceeded to go to work right after.

When I arrived at work, someone I know who I haven’t seen in a very long time was there. They were in an absolutely awful situation and needed some genuine help. I believe it was NO COINCIDENCE that just minutes after I received the funds from my book, this situation was RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. I cashed the check, felt a flurry of heartbeats pumping in my chest and knew…this was it.

This was the calling I had been waiting for.

Besides the funds, I ended up doing what I could for this person for the rest of the week. They are in  a good place with good helping hands now and are doing well. I will tell you, though, it was tough seeing them go through that. It tore me up inside. As it broke them, it also chiseled at me. It sucked.

But through all of it, I never felt more alive (other than when my daughter was born and I married my wife). I knew I was living my calling. I was doing exactly what had been set on my heart 9 years ago. Like a comic book hero finally knowing what they are supposed to do with what they’ve been given, I have found my purpose.

I plan on releasing at least 3 books each year for the rest of my life. Regardless if I make $2 off each book or make more after being on the New York Times Bestsellers List (I suppose I can dream can’t I?), I will continue to use these funds in one way or another for the sake of the Greater Good. I know it’s what I’m called to do with this passion.

I don’t share this to brag or to get applause (in fact, I very honestly prefer I didn’t).

I share this with you to let you know that you can wait a long time to feel or see a purpose fulfilled. But don’t ever think that the time you wait for that is permanent. Someone once told me that God works in perfect timing. As a husband, father and an adult man who’s been waiting since his sophomore year of High School, I now know this is true.

I also share this with you to let you know that no matter who you are or what your passion is, it can be used for the ultimate Greater Good. Even if it’s affecting 1 life, it is for the greatest purpose. It can be used to show compassion. It can be used to show love. It can be used to shine a light.

And that’s something this world needs more of each and every day.

I will keep doing my passion for the Greater Good in the same way that God has continued to work His Greater Good in me.

Keep doing your passion for the Greater Good in the same way that God has worked His Greater Good in you.

— Marshall Coleman (@Marsh_Coleman) September 15, 2015

The above story is what following your calling should be about. Not audiences or money or applause. It should be about inspiring others to use their passions and callings, (no matter how extravagant or simple) to make legitimate influences in another person’s life. It can be through your earnings, or your time, or your energy or even all three. But it’s Giving Your Story through what you’re passionate about. It’s having a large impact.

Even if we never get to that ‘big dream’ or get to pursue that ‘one calling’ in the way we thought, (like being in Rock n Roll band, or getting to the NBA or writing bestselling novels) we can do it on a smaller scale. It’s with a more direct influence and possibly even larger impact.

Coming from a writer like myself (who doesn’t exactly have an audience), it is possible.

Think about what it is that you’re passionate about. Think about those lost callings that you never thought you could follow. Go after them.

You can.

All you have to do is rethink what that large impact you want to give is. Look for those who are in need of influence. Pray that God shows them to you, (and trust me, He will!) Then, shine your light to them through your passion in whatever way you feel led.

In return, you’ll find that large impact you were hoping for only takes an audience of one person who needs it.