Happy New Year! I know I’m late, but I hope 2019 is off to a great start for you.

This year kicked off with a bang and some very disturbing headlines too. The biggest one was the #GovernmentShutdown, which left 800,000 federal workers without any pay. In a country where nearly 80% of people live paycheck-to-paycheck – that’s a BIG deal!

Not to mention those who have limited savings or who are already living a paycheck away from poverty. The timing of the #shutdown couldn’t have been any worse either. It started on December 22nd with winter blowing in and the holiday season underway.  I don’t think anyone knew it would go down in the history books as America’s longest government shutdowns.

On the flip side of the shutdown, we saw the goodness of the American people. There were many stories of people giving a helping hand, donating/raising money and giving away gift cards to support federal workers. Churches, food pantries and other organizations around the country stepped up to fill the gap for those in need also. And that’s a beautiful thing!

This brings me to the real purpose of this post. You know how every year we tend to make “New Year’s Resolutions.” Well this year I decided to come up with something we could all do to make a difference.

Of course we don’t need a new year to mark something new in our life. We can start today and take action to make a better tomorrow any day. Can’t we?

I must admit this has a lot to do with the words I saw beaming at me when I visited the King Center many years ago .

This year I encourage you to #BeaBlessing to someone at least once every month. You can bless people in many ways. The choice is yours! A few ideas to help get you started:

  • Donate food at your local food pantry,
  • Volunteer your time for a good cause,
  • Donate money or household items to a reputable charity organization,
  • Volunteer to help at your child’s school,
  • Share your gifts/talents for free,
  • Give a sincere compliment to someone – you never know how much this can brighten someone’s day.

I encourage you to #BeaBlessing. Share this post with others because sharing is caring. And if we create a movement for good, this world is bound to be a better place for everyone. 🙂

Lending a Helping Hand Headlines: