Just got back from 3 days in the mountains (beautiful!!!) where we kicked off Leaving a Legacy (an arm of Get the Word Out! Intensives).
The teaching team was Mary Jean Powers (my co-mother-in-law-co-Nonnas-we-share-Hunter), Joy McGinnis of Seattle, our daughter Tredessa, Dave & Tara, our daughter and son-in-law and Dave and I.
It was wonderful and difficult. I exposed myself and got honest. Dave and I both told on ourselves, about the places we have failed in raising children who have come to know and seek after God for themselves.
I told them that:
- It is never too late to become the family you might have been. Don’t give up. Get the Word into your home and family and serve God fearfully with all your might.
- I am still learning to parent in this new season. I still have to apologize for things as the Holy Spirit reminds me – from both years ago and a few days ago.
- Raising kids who’ll love the Lord? It’s gonna take at least Forty-Thousand Days of Purpose! Sorry, Rick Warren.
- And-we have all have dirt under our fingernails. We’re sowing something into our children’s lives. We may as well be sowing the incorruptible seed of the Word of God to get the spiritual harvest that God’s Word promises in Gal. 6. Is your family at a crossroads or troubling time? Stand on the promises: read ’em, speak ’em, believe ’em, bury them deep in the soil of your heart in faith. Then? Eat the fruit! The harvest WILL come!
Dave taught on journaling as a way to leave your written legacy and not only taught about the blessing (learning to verbally speak blessing over your children), but prayed a bessing over the fathers and fatherless young men who were there.
I wondered aloud, at one point, if there was anyone who could possibly have messed up parenting more than I had.? Even though Mary Jean and Joy claimed they could have (and maybe we all had that potential), I am so grateful to be living to see the faithful hand of God in our lives, as a family. We’re still living it and tripping along the way sometimes, but I am so glad for the opportunity to encourage other families that God is faithful. He promises – and He will keep those promises! I was honored to get to pass that message along!
Blessed to be a blessing…Jeanie
NOTE TO SELF: Keep living the legacy. You have to live it before you can give it away.
pictured: the view just outside our cabin door – if you look very closely, you can see some snow on the rocks from a few days before…we had 70+degrees; my husband praying for our son-in-law Dave just before he (s-i-l) reciprocated.
Sounds like an amazing weekend! I thank you beyond words for your words of wisdom and your constant transparency. You encourage me in so many ways! I am etching, “Its never too late to becoe the family you might have been” in my brain….I’ll keep at it!
It was a truly awesome weekend and I was so blessed to be a part of it. I can’t think of two people who were called more to this ministry and I’ve seen you both upclose. I pray that God continues to use you and dad to share your struggles and victories with those who feel hopeless or that they can’t change anything.
I agree with Denise’s comment. I appreciate those same things about you!
And I needed to hear/read that. Often I feel like it’s too late, like the lessons I wish I had already instilled are far beyond my grasp. While I know that we’re fighting right now for the physical things, the things that matter on this earth, it is my heart’s desire that all of our children receive eternal things first and foremost. This was a good reminder that I need to shift my focus, and do it now!
We all need to remember that if we will be obedient in raising our families (and it never does truly end) that God will be faithful even when we aren’t. My sons can testify to that. They are both living whole-heartedly for the Lord, after growing up in a mostly mediocre spiritual family. But, the foundation was there. Godly grandparents (also very impactful, for those of us moving into that stage)and a father who prays fervently help to cover a bunch of mistakes. And the mistakes we make are what we can teach from. No test, no testimony. It’s all for a purpose. But you are definately right, Jeanie, it’s never too late. Obedience and it’s benefits are ageless.
Our hindsight is always 20/20.
I am glad that I am looking at it now, when I’m 49, rather than waiting until I’m in my 80’s to try and adjust and surf my regret.
One thing I thought about again this weekend is that I am always riding the learning curve and only stopping periodically to rest at the weigh station to catch my breath, then it is on to more learning and parenting and grandparenting.
One day, I will arrive, but only when I blow out my last breath…