Adventure In Life

"Every man can transform the world from one of monotony and drabness to one of excitement and adventure." -Irving Wallace

What are these folks getting themselves into?

I happen to be talking about friends Dave and Annie Spell. These are the folks moving to Brazil that I have been talking about this week. It is a week talking about them as they embark on a new adventure in Brazil; Curitiba, Brazil to be exact. Yes, they've sold everything, prepared as much as they can and the Visa paperwork is all in order. A plane will carry them south of the equator to a country that is large, vibrant and waiting for them.

To acquaint you with Brazil, here are some facts found laying about on the internet;

- Brazil is the largest country in South America and the world’s fifth largest.

- Brazil is formed by 26 states and a Federal District; the capital being Brasilia.

- The official language is Portuguese.

- There are 6 climatic regions in Brazil: equatorial, tropical, semi-arid, highland tropical, atlantic tropical and subtropical

- The population of Brazil is 201,009,622 with a couple of large cities; Sao Paulo 19.96 million and Rio de Janeiro 11.836 million

I look forward to visiting the Spells in Brazil and many of the friends I have made previously on visits to Brazil. You may even consider visiting Brazil during the upcoming 2014 World Cup or the 2016 Olympics. I encourage you to expand your horizon and visit some far off destination in your life time.

And while you are thinking about your next great adventure, consider supporting Annie and Dave Spell in their mission to help the people of Brazil. Use your tax deductible donation and click on the following link; Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions. Consider a few dollars a month or one larger donation. The welcome mat is ready and all you have to do is ring the door bell.

For more information about what Annie and Dave are doing, check out DavidSpell.com, follow their progress, follow their adventure. It just might inspire you to do something that others may ask, "what are you getting yourself into?"

Stay inspired my friends.

Change of Latitude

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person-kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.”
-Leo Buscaglia

From 34.1169° N, 83.9986° W to 25.4687° S, 49.2535° W, the coordinates of where and to our friends the Spells will be moving. They are moving from Buford, GA (in the United States) to Curitiba, Brazil. This is a straight line distance of roughly 4708 miles.

This move was not a whim but driven by a vision they have to help with a church and the people of Brazil. The church is C3 Curitiba and they will be working with Pastor Ronald Berg and his team in Brazil. You could almost call them "southern" missionaries going "south" on a mission.

But this is not strictly about church or even religion. This is about connecting with people and helping them raise up their lives. It is about sharing lives together and helping other people live their best life. And that is something all of us could use, whether it be in Curitiba, Brazil or Buford, Georgia or any place you want to name. All of us are trying to live the best life we can.

You can be a part of their adventure as well, at least in part by helping support them. Annie and Dave could still use a few more monthly partners. If you could make a commitment of $20, $30, or more (or less) a month, it would go a long way. Or you could make a one time donation of $250, $500 or $1000 towards connection and helping others achieve something more in life.

Step out of the ordinary in your life and click on the link below; it is tax deductible.

Annie & Dave Spell - Brazil Missions

Muito Obrigado for your donation. And to our good friends Annie and Dave Spell, happy trails to you!

Stay inspired my friends.

Impact Globally By Impacting Locally

"It's stunning to me what kind of an impact even one person can have if they have the right passion, perspective and are able to align the interest of a great team." -Steve Case

Have you ever stopped to consider the impact you have on others? Stopped and really thought how your words and actions can change lives?

It happens each and every day you get up from your bed. The way you tell your wife and children good morning can set the tone for their day. It can set the tone for your day. The way in which you interact with people that come in and out of your day impacts them and you in subtle and not so subtle ways.

Impacting people globally

The idea of how we can have a positive effect upon others came up in a recent conversation. I was being asked about two people my wife and I know. These two people, Dave and Annie, are moving to Brazil in order to greatly change the lives of people in that part of the world.

Both of these people are young retirees from the normal everyday jobs that all of us take on in life. It wasn't a lottery winning that prompted them but opportunity for change. They grabbed at this change which now places them on a path to have a huge impact in Curitiba, Brazil and many other parts of Brazil. It is a global reach beyond our own doorsteps here in Atlanta.

The Jewish Rabbi, Harold Kushner is quoted as saying, "Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness." It is my belief that doing these things simply provides us with the side benefit of happiness. Not only happiness for ourselves but also for those we touched. Reaching out beyond your own door and into the lives of others is what creates a great life.

Impacting people locally

So going back to the discussion I was having, this person questioned the impact oneself could have. The global impact Dave and Annie are going to have is something they could not fathom in themself. It reminded me of a phrase I have heard in various forms most of my life. "Where ever you are, there you are. So it is, you can have an impact anywhere you are."

You see the location of where Dave and Annie are going to be is but one small part of the world. Where they are going to be is where they will be impacting lives. The same can be true right here in Atlanta, down the street at the grocery store, at work, and even in your own home. "Where you are is where you can have impact on others."

Impacting people collectively

I was asked why do we call it a global impact then? How is it that what I do locally here have an impact around the world? The answer comes in the ripples of life that connect all of us. I have written of this before in how your life touches others in ways you may never realize.

The ripple of a stone dropped in the water creates a wave that washes a sea shell upon the shore to brighten a childs day when found. That child is filled with excitement and wonderment. The child is spurred to discover more about the ocean, becoming a famous marine biologist such as Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

Your impact here, locally, becomes a part of the collective wave around the world. Your impact ripples to points that will touch the ripples created by Dave and Annie. It is the collective nature of these waves that have a global impact. That is how we have a global impact when we impact people locally.

So keep doing good things locally, wherever it is that you are...for that is where you impact globally. Stay inspired my friends.