My wonderful friend, Dawn, sent me this passage from Luke (12:48, to be exact) when I was going through an exceptionally trying time a few months ago.

"But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required."

At times, my life can seem a bit overwhelming to me. I think it even seems overwhelming to some of those lurking in my peripheral. Single mom, career, friends, family obligations, writing, yadda yadda. You know what though? 14 years ago I was living at home, barely 18 years old, giving birth to a child that I had no idea how to raise. I was working at Burger King and making $5.45/hr. I had no friends other than those I worked with, I wasn't close to my family and my future was really pretty bleak. In short, I was a hot mess. What I did have was a strong work ethic; that's probably the first thing that really helped me just keep going. Workers, they just do. I tried many different things along the way. Marriage to a man that promised to take care of me, yeah, didn't work out so well, I ended up supporting him. Moving back home? Yeah, didn't work out so well, I ended up just working at Burger King again.

One day when Alivia was about 2 1/2 one of my dearest friends was killed in a motorcycle accident. This friend, God rest his soul, had been haranguing me for many long months to live up to my potential, to dream greater than my current living situation. Losing him, I lost my greatest fan at the time. I nearly lost my mind for a couple of months. I had the attitude that every time I was given a ray of sunshine it was snatched from me. You know what though? I continued to wake up every day, I continued to have this beautiful, bright child next to me every step of the way. Finally, when I'd had enough of Craig's words bouncing around in my head, I applied for a new job at the bank. Which then led to so many more avenues opening up for me!

College followed a few years later, a degree, a couple of advancements at the bank, a job change, a move to the big city. All along the way, so many gifts have been given to me. So many wonderful times where I wanted to lay down and admit defeat, so many times that I was influenced to just keep doing, growing, moving. Now, I'm finding that my circle of influence is growing ever more large. My daughter is a teenager, growing into a woman, she's the greatest example of my influence I could ever attest to. But I also have friends and family, people that I am so close to that loving them almost hurts sometimes. I wake up every day knowing that each time my eyes open it's a new adventure, a new story to tell. New obligations, new responsibilities, yes. But also new experiences, new treasures, new gifts. To whom much is given, much is expected. Indeed. I'm game, how about you?