We will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. Psalm 78:4

Recently we celebrated 100 years of women’s ministry at Peachtree Church. What an incredible milestone for our church! For multiple generations, women have used their gifts, talents, and stories to share their faith and spread the gospel.
 
While I was planning that 100th celebration event, I had another daunting task to handle. It was the cleaning out of my family’s home of almost 150 years after the death of my mother. She was a woman of deep faith. For over fifty years, she and my father taught a Sunday School class for young couples. As I grew up, I would often find her on a Saturday night asleep at the kitchen table with her Bible and notes in front of her. She poured into the faith of the next generation. As I was cleaning and sorting through our family home, one of the things I discovered was a handwritten family tree with nine generations listed. I found my name in tiny print at the very bottom of the tree.
 
As I stared at this massive list of names and twists and turns of our family tree, I was struck by the fact that at every juncture each generation had to clean out and sort through their family’s things. More importantly, they had to think through and sort out if they would live by faith in God or not.
 
As faithful as my parents were—along with many of the generations before them—their faith didn’t cover me. I had to make my own individual choice. I didn’t fully embrace my faith until I was about thirty years old, the time when Brock, our first son, died. He was only was six months old. It was at that point God wrote in my heart, “There is a heaven.” I decided right then to bet my life on that fact, and it has been a rollercoaster ride ever since—fun, crazy, and a bit scary. But I wouldn’t live my life any other way.

For Reflection

What are you betting your life on?
What are you passing down to the next generation?

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, You have been faithful through all generations. Help me to put my trust in the only thing that is trustworthy, that withstands the test of time: You.  Help me to hold tight to Your hand and go where You lead me.
In your Son’s name, Amen.