By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Last week we began a discussion on the why and how to leave a spiritual legacy for our children and grandchildren. This week, we will continue the discussion. I hope many of you started working on yours!
Spirituality takes time, effort, and discipline in God’s Word: giving, sharing, being Jesus to all we meet. Leaving a spiritual legacy means keeping our spiritual muscles in shape and never looking back.
Some parents and grandparents choose to leave a scrapbook filled with photographs with captions of what made those special. That may be a solution for you.
Or you may be a storyteller. Storytellers have existed since the beginning of time. Our ancestors used stories to pass along their family heritage. Consider recording yourself sharing your story so others can benefit.
We can also accomplish leaving a spiritual legacy through essays, letters, biographies, poetry, creative writing, memoirs, or planning a journaling Bible.
Even Jesus journaled. If in doubt take a look at His Word.
Some of our life happenings are humorous. Others are not. Include them all. The best written legacies are those that use sensory perception and show us as real people.
Many of you have already left a written legacy because of who you are. Perhaps you’ve embarked upon a memoir. You may have developed your family’s genealogy and taken stories of your own life and recorded them, showing life struggles and victories, failures and wisdom. Some of you have taken another step and written stories about your grandparents, aunts, and uncles who were special to you.
For my children and grandchildren, I chose journaling Bibles in my favorite version for each person. I read through one Bible each year and personalized it with notes unique to that individual — thoughts about Scripture, passages I recalled or a loved one had memorized, truths I wanted them to remember, lots of love, comments I felt came from God, plus I challenged them to live for Jesus every moment of their lives. Yes, it took a while, but I was blessed in the process.
Isaiah 55:11 – so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ESV
Life is a journey that strengthens us, and when we share our values, experiences, and lessons learned, others are strengthened.
God may be calling you to get serious about leaving a spiritual legacy. Don’t worry about whether the gift is well received. Leave the outcome to God. After all, He already knows what He will do with your gift.
Are you ready to create your spiritual legacy?
