A ladies event I participated in years ago called “Celebration of Influence” has impacted me every year since. The luncheon was a special day where the ladies in our church invited someone who had influenced our lives in some way. We treated them to lunch and did everything we could to make them feel special and appreciated.
We chose a gorgeous log cabin in the mountains that hosted weddings and other events as our venue. It was beautiful.
Each lady in our group had taken time to write a letter telling the person we invited how they had influenced our lives personally. Letters were placed at each place setting with their names inscribed on a place holder.
After we shared lunch together we gathered in a circle and heard brief snippets of how our friends and guests had influenced our lives. It was so neat hearing from each other and how their guest had influenced them over time. We had a special speaker as well and she spoke on friendship and sharpening each other.
Ever since this time together I have taken on the practice of listing the people of influence in my life each year. Not an exhaustive list but I pray and ask God to help me see the people he put in my path the past year who had influence on me in some way. And then I pull out the old fashion paper and pen and I write a letter to that person. Stick an address and stamp and I just threw a Celebration of Influence party. It’s that easy.
So maybe you’d be encouraged through this to think of just a few people in 2016 who have influenced you. They might know already but chances are they don’t know the extent. Why don’t you tell them? And as you’re thinking about who has influenced you offer a prayer to the Lord asking Him to help you be an influence in somebody’s life in 2017.
Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.
That’s a GREAT idea. I am definitely planning to do it. Don’t you think we often have a misperception about what it takes to be a woman of influence? There is always someone in pour circle of coming and going that is in a position where our experiences or just who we are can influence them. Influence is mostly listening with empathy and being willing to speak truth in respect and love. Actually we all are a woman of influence to someone and the real question is what kind of influence.
Yes – great point – we are all women of influence and the real question is what kind.
I like that idea! I will do it this year!
Oh yay! Thrills my heart to know letter of communicating appreciation of influence are going out.