Throughout my middle and high school years, I exchanged letters with a girl who is several years older than me. She made a huge impact on my life, guiding me through the tough times those years presented. I don’t think she’s aware of the full aspect of her influence. Sometimes, I don’t think I’m aware myself. But there was one thing I knew all those years ago: I wanted the opportunity to pay it forward. I prayed that I would one day be able to be that person for someone else.

Well, God sent me not one, but two younger girls with whom I’m in consistent communication. And as I wrote the one girl last night, I couldn’t help thinking: This is all because of Faith. Had she not taken me under her wing ten years ago, I probably wouldn’t be writing Lauren and Ariel. And who knows where Faith got the idea to write me. So in a roundabout kind of way, Faith has an influence on these two girls that she doesn’t even know.

I think life works that way more often than we realize. Sometimes the things we do for the benefit of one person carry farther than we’ll ever know. Often it’s the little things that we don’t think truly matter that have the greatest impact on a person’s life. And while you may not ever see the fruit of your labor, you’re touching more people than you know.

So keep persevering in the little things. You never know how many lives may be touched by the impact of one.