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People Spots
Online Influenceby James W Moss, Sr Ever drop a pebble into a pool of water and watch the ripples expand in concentric circles? That is a fun exercise that I often did as a boy. Bigger pebbles created bigger circles. But even the smallest pebble created ripples. I had the good fortune to be a boy at a time when it didn’t take too many complicated toys to entertain. This is also the example of a human life. Drop a human life in the pool of humanity and ripples emanate from that person. Who has touched your life?I am a part of the Churches of God General Conference. The denomination began in 1825 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We were founded by a man named John Winebrenner (1797-1860). Winebrenner was born in a small farming community near Walkersville, Maryland (near Frederick). Winebrenner began a movement which 148 years after his death includes 330 churches, the University of Findlay, Winebrenner Seminary, several nursing homes, and camp grounds. Many thousands of lives have been touched by the ripples from his life. In fact, my own life has been one of those touched by his. I occasionally take people to his grave in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. I pause and thank God for his life. Our lives have been impacted by the ripples of many different people. I think of family, some special people in my home church where my spiritual nurture was encouraged. It was because of their influence that I felt a call to ministry and went on to be trained in college and seminary. I think of teachers in public school, college and seminary. Many touched me in a variety of ways. I think of various people who were an encouragement to me when I was serving as pastor to several local churches. I think of a whole variety of people whose ripples touched my life in a positive manner in my position as a staff person in the last 31 years. My life has been touched and shaped by the ripples of literally thousands of people from both the past and the present. Whose life have you touched?This brings me to the important question. Whose lives have been touched positively by the ripples of your life? I was talking to a very bright young man in Haiti. He was obviously gifted. At 14 he was already a leader. He didn’t go anywhere alone. Wherever he went, there were at least a dozen boys with him. I remember the conversation as if it were yesterday. I called him by name and said, “You are a leader. The only question is whether you will lead for good or evil.” Every person has been dropped into the pool of humanity. Each of us is sending out the concentric circle of ripples. Are they good or bad? Are they positive or negative? Are your ripples encouraging and uplifting? Do your ripples tear others down, discourage, or depress those around you. _____________________ Read about Jim's seminars and books. _____________________ August 28, 2008. Volume
11, Issue 6.
People Spots Online
is prepared by James W. Moss, Sr., and Church Consultants. It is provided as a service by New Life
Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org.
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