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My life is all about legacy.
“Every day of your life, you have the potential of leaving a godly model to follow, a kingdom message to believe, an integrity that is holy and a purpose that is eternal. God has allowed you the opportunity to touch eternity with your life by giving these gifts to those children he has entrusted into your hands. Live into your legacy and you will change your world forever.” (from Well Lived)
When I became a believer, I was challenged to ponder how I might bring the light of Christ to my world in my lifetime. I was taught to invest in people by serving them, showing them the love of God by my words and actions, inspiring them with messages of Jesus. Discipleship at its core, I reached out to others to do what I had been taught — to pass on a vision and passion to fulfill the eternal purposes for which I had been created.
And then I had children...
Light dawned in my heart that my children would be the most important disciples I would have. I would answer to God for building a legacy of faith into their lives. I would be responsible for reaching their hearts with the love of God; teaching His truths and moral excellence, giving them the ability to think profoundly, encouraging them to become educated in order to use their skills and calling for God, and to pass on the purposes of God which alone would fulfill their longings and desires to live meaningful lives.
Mentoring my children into godly adults met deep needs in my heart to connect to what really mattered and shaped my own virtue and faith.
Leaving a godly legacy takes a lifetime, creates varied emotions — sometimes joy, or feelings of failure, exhaustion. Taking responsibility to mentor my children called me to my best self — to grow intellectually, in character, in virtue, to grow deeper in faith. God designed parenting so we would grow up, become more like Jesus, more mature.
Perfection is not the goal, but a willing heart to partner with Jesus, to live in His grace, to dwell in His unconditional love, to pass that intimate knowledge of Him on, that hearts may be lit to live a legacy in their own stories, through their own lives.
More on today’s new Tea Time Tuesday podcast.