This article was inspired by my reflecting on the life of my mother. I am one who is active on Facebook. I frequently write inspirational and motivational messages. I often write things related to my mother, and about how she inspired me to be the woman I am today.

On my mother's birthday I wrote something inspirational about her on my Facebook post, and I receive a lot of positive feedback about the effect that she had on lives. Whenever I run into someone who knew my mother they are quick to tell me how she made a difference in their life. They are quick to tell me about how her love for Christ showed through her love for others.

Many years have passed since my mother passed away, but yet she is still having a profound impact on many lives, including mine. Her dash speaks loud and clear that she was a world changer. The dash that I am referring to is the dash in between her birth and her passing, the dash that we see on a headstone. There is no question about whether or not she left a legacy. Her dash is amazing!

I am much like my mother. I am faith-filled, caring, compassionate, and dedicated to making a difference. But I have started to reflect even more on what I want my dash to say, and how I want to be remembered. I want to also leave a legacy. I want to be remembered for how I changed lives. And for how I made a difference. I feel like I have done a lot to make a difference, but I want to do even more. It is very important for me to not just have a dash on my headstone that is there to simply illustrate the time between my living here on earth, and being ushered into heaven.

I want my dash to continue to change lives long after I have left. Many times we focus on how we are going to change lives while we are here on earth. But my question to you today is how are you going to continue to change lives after you leave the earth?

What are you going to be remembered for? What is your dash going to say?

Here is a take action challenge for you.

Write down your dash statement. Your dash statement is answering this. If you were to pass right now, what would your dash say?

Now if your dash is saying exactly what you would like for it to say that is great. But if your dash is missing pieces that you want to leave for your children, grandchildren or others then it is time for you to define your dash.

The way you define your dash is by deciding today that you will only make choices that will lead to what you want your dash to say. You have to start from this point on and be dedicated to leaving a legacy that will continue to change lives long after you are gone.

This article was written in the loving memory of Yvonne W. Peak.