Leaving a family legacy...

When Chuck & I were young parents we attended a wonderful Bible study that encouraged us to set a focus & purpose for our marriage & our family. As “homework” it suggested we to choose a Bible verse or motto that encompassed the legacy we hoped to pass down to our children. 

We approached the task with an excited fervor… & like everything we do as a couple, we came at it from opposite ends of the spectrum. It was Chuck’s desire to impart truth, critical thinking skills & a solid spiritual foundation. I on the other hand, longed to instill the importance of meaningful relationships with Jesus & with each other & a deep sense of compassion for people. After much spirited discussion we chose a verse that conveyed both of those hopes perfectly: 

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 
-1 John 3:18

If you were to visit our home today, you would find this verse in a myriad of places… scrawled in the front of our kids’ photo albums, typed out on a slip of paper & tacked to our bulletin board, downloaded onto our computer screen saver & sewn into a cross-stitch that hangs on our bedroom wall. As I reflect on these words nearly twenty years later, I’m amazed how much of an impact this verse has had on our day to day family life. 

We don’t always get it right… but our children are learning to be genuine & compassionate. They work very hard to listen to one another, to respect each other’s feelings, honor each other with their words & speak truth to each other even when things are tough. 

As I look to the future, I am encouraged by the people they are becoming & will continue to pray that they will choose God’s purpose & plan for their lives & that they will find the passion & courage to carry this legacy of faith on into their own families.  

“I think the most significant work we'll do in our whole life, in our whole world is done within the four walls of our home.”

-Steven Covey