Turn Around Preview

Reach Out, Give Back, and Get Moving

Leigh Anne uohy with Miriam Drennan

Published by Life Bible Study, LLC

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Foreword Let me share a few of the comments that I often hear when traveling the country: “How can I make a difference?

“I can’t make a difference.”

“I want to make a difference!”

Guess what? You can be the difference-maker in someone’s life!

For me and my family, it was one simple random act of kindness . . . we turned our car around. That’s it—and almost everyone has the ability to do that.

God continues to use that one simple act to move the needle and affect people from all walks of life. There is never going to be the perfect time or conditions for you to get involved. If you are waiting for someone to follow—don’t. This is about you looking in a mirror and realizing this is about you helping one person.

So after much thought and prayer—and the Lord knows I’m bossy—I decided that if I provided a roadmap or instructions for people to follow (as opposed to screaming, yelling, and harassing, which is my normal approach), maybe I could share with you my convictions and confrontations.

Turn Around is a weekly devotional book that I hope will encourage you to realize that all people have value and that you can be that person to make someone realize that they do matter! You do not have to be famous to make an impact; you are very significant and special in God’s plan, and you have the ability everyday to make someone smile and more. This is not a book that you will do everything it says to do everyday (if you do, please track me down and let me kiss you on the lips!). This is a compilation of ideas and suggestions—simple suggestions and long-term plans—something for everyone.

I hope during your quiet time that you will read something on a page that gives you pause to say, “I can do that!” If one person completes one “Difference-maker” found at the end of each entry—one act of kindness, one person, one day at a time—then in my eyes this

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will be considered a success . . . because that will be what causes your friend, your relative, or the person whom you don’t even know to look up and ask, “What’s going on?”

Here’s a universal truth: Everything ends, including life. When your final days are closing in on you and your time here is coming to an end, it will not be your fancy car, nice watch, or big diamond ring that will comfort you; it will be those whom you encountered along the way. The ones that you lifted up, encouraged, loved, provided for, and fretted over . . . the ones for whom you turned around.

Everything in your life is a reflection of a choice you made. My prayer is that this book will provide you with wonderful choices that will not only define you as a person, but will provide you with results that provide others with hope, love, and opportunity. I am challenging you to be a one-person team. I am asking you to realize that every single thing you do makes a difference—it’s up to you as what kind of a difference it is!

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week one

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Embracing the Power of Giving So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

–2 Corinthians 9:7

I

was raised in a family where giving back was not an option; it was expected. A cheerful heart was also required because without that, you might as well be doing nothing at all. Throughout the years, Sean and I have been asked to donate to this, be involved here, help this person or that organization, and we have always gone back to the same question, “Will this have a direct impact on someone’s life?” If the answer was yes and we could swing it, we would volunteer not only our money, but also our time.

You see, time is a valuable commodity and it can change someone’s life. Those early small steps of volunteerism and social awareness led us down the path of adopting Michael, who later became a four-year starter for Ole Miss and a first-round NFL draft pick in 2009. One random act of kindness changed our lives forever.

Sometimes, we may think we don’t have much to offer; we’re too young, too old, financially strapped, have too many commitments already . . . the list goes on. Over the next fifty-two weeks, we’re going to discover how to plug in and truly make a difference in

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someone’s life. Whatever your season in life, you have walked a path that has made you wiser than you were yesterday. Or a month ago.

Or certainly, a year ago. Right now, you are primed to give something—so ask yourself, “What have I done for someone else today?” If you’re drawing a blank, then ask yourself “What can I do for someone else today?”

Time is something we all have, and we have it to share. We’re not just gonna read it, think about it . . . no, we’re gonna do it. Handson and with cheerful hearts. If you really want to change the world, then change a person’s life. Are you ready? Then hang on! ...........................................................................................................

DAILY DIFFERENCE-MAKER Call someone you know who is either hurting or lonely; make a point to say, “I care about you.” Do not text, email, or use social media—go old-school and actually pick up the phone! ...............................................

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Notes ............................................

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Making It Happen I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. . . . Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

–Job 42:2–3

A

fter Sean and I had been married a few years, we hocked everything, borrowed from everyone we knew, and even raked leaves and trimmed bushes to scrape together enough money for our dream: to have a business of our own. We filled out stacks of papers, signed things that we didn’t even know what they meant, and waited for what seemed like an eternity.

Then one afternoon, Sean walked into the house, and I knew from the look on his face that it was bad news. He just looked at me and said, “We didn’t get approved.” We did everything right, we played by the rules, and this was not fair! We could not have imagined anything being any worse. Guess what? We were so very wrong.

There is no instruction manual or outline on how to fix the lifealtering misfortunes that many of us encounter. They often leave us feeling inadequate, fearful, angry, and many times desperate. Why?

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becomes our mantra: Why is this happening to me? Why isn’t life going according to our plan?

There’s one big ‘Tuohy Rule’ for those times when things don’t go our way, and that rule is persevere. These can be growth opportunities if we give the struggles and suffering permission to build character and awareness instead of anger and bitterness . . . if we continue to serve, regardless of our own troubles. Remember, we see great things from the valleys and only small things from the peaks.

Today, I’m really thankful our plan was altered. For some reason, the worst of times can make us more grateful, hopeful, and stronger.

The Holy Spirit has a way of turning things that way. When we allow God to build our character, and continue to serve in the midst of our sufferings, we can trust Him to put things in perspective. Our world is groaning in pain; as believers, we trust that our sufferings are temporary and in the meantime, there are ample opportunities to put your God-given talents to His use. It’s truly amazing how helping others can eliminate so much suffering, even our own! What are you waiting for? ...........................................................................................................

DAILY DIFFERENCE-MAKER Buy someone a meal. Doesn’t matter if it’s from the ninety-nine-cent menu, or whether you even know the person. Feed someone today! ...............................................

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Hope for the Suffering For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

–Romans 8:18

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t’s hard to look suffering in the face. There is nothing pretty, nice, or pleasant about it. In a world that tells us image is everything, we try and make life appear as picturesque as possible, yet the realities are unavoidable. Poverty, sex trafficking, crisis pregnancy, physical abuse, homelessness, unemployment, malnutrition, mental illness, physical illness . . . with each passing day things seem to spiral more out of control. On one channel, we’re threatened with Ebola and it’s ISIS on another; how do you look into the face of all this suffering and say, “there is hope”?

Well, for some reason, the worst of times seem to make Christians more grateful, hopeful, and stronger. Christians know that the unknown, the uncharted territory, the suffering and rejections will one day be a memory, and the sufferer will once again unearth the treasures life has to offer, to find true happiness and fulfillment. But as we study Jesus’s earthly ministry, and His interaction with unbelievers, we find that very often he met physical needs before he addressed

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the spiritual; and not everyone who received His healing also received His message of eternal hope. So if we address the physical needs of those who are suffering, we must also be prepared for rejection if we address their spiritual needs further down the road. Do not lose hope if that happens—you planted a seed, and it will be up to God and that individual as to whether it grows. And you continue to love on that person, because your Savior loves them, too. We know any suffering in this world is temporary—but this does not mean we ignore it. We endure it, we endure others’, and we make every effort to provide the same peace and comfort that our Savior did two thousand years ago. ...........................................................................................................

DAILY DIFFERENCE-MAKER Do the legwork and coordinate with your local hospital or an organization that houses orphans to provide a birthday cake and presents for any child who will be celebrating a birthday during his/ her admission. Be willing to meet whatever safety measures are in place—obtaining the proper permission, passing a background check, whatever it takes—respect the policies so that you can bring joy to a child who would otherwise have a fairly dismal birthday! ...............................................

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A New Season Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

–2 Corinthians 5:17

H

ope is a powerful thing. It gives way to a new beginning, a tomorrow, another chance, a do-over. Hope can chase away the darkest of days, despair, and evil. Hope will illuminate a path that had previously seemed impossible to pass.

I think that’s why I like springtime so much—it paints a picture of rebirth, new life, new beginnings that remind us that hope is a gift that God gives us time and time again, unconditionally. Think about it: The dismal landscape becomes brilliant with trees budding and flowers rising out of the cold, hard ground; caterpillars forming their cocoons while beautiful butterflies emerging from theirs; large bears awakening from their long winter slumber; etc. If spring is a celebration for all of God’s creatures—shouldn’t we celebrate, too?

We can celebrate that springtime can occur anytime in our hearts . . . celebrate that we worship a God so powerful, He can transform us into entirely new creatures. A God so into the details, He counts

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every strand of hair on our heads. A God so loving, He never leaves us even when we are fickle. A God so compassionate, He sacrificed His own Son so that we could restore what was lost in The Fall.

So much of God’s glory is visible in nature, and hopefully, it draws you closer to His hand—it’s the same hand that created you. Even if you’re reading this while there’s snow on the ground or scorching summer temperatures, usher in a season of spring in your heart today and celebrate new beginnings, renewed hope, and a promising tomorrow. ...........................................................................................................

DAILY DIFFERENCE-MAKER Whether you pick them from your yard, buy them at a grocery store, or order them from a florist, deliver some colorful flowers to a nursing home today. ...............................................

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