We all want to leave a Thriving (and Lasting) Family Legacy…but how do we make that Legacy tangible for our Children and Grandchildren? This month I have asked my Executive Assistant, Denise Pass to share some things she is doing to create a tangible legacy for her family. In addition to her role as my Executive Assistant, Denise is an Author, Bible Teacher, Conference Speaker & Worship Leader (in addition to being a wife and Mom to 5 young adult children). She has some great suggestions and is “living out” her legacy every day. Here are some words of wisdom from Denise.
A Tangible Legacy
How we live matters and impacts those living during our time. But when we are no longer around, what are signs and evidence that our children and their children can piece together about the life we lived and the legacy we wanted to leave behind? This new year is an opportunity to intentionally live a tangible legacy that others can grab a hold of—now and in the future.
Tangible Proof
The proof of our faith and integrity will be found in what is left behind. To those in our spheres of influence, it will be messages left on their phone, emails, and notes we wrote to loved ones, gestures that speak to their heart and last longer than a moment. How can we convey our faith and care for those around us in a way that lasts?
Tangible Guidance
My oldest daughter recently got married and while there were many preparations for the day of the wedding, (especially with COVID), I wanted her and her husband to have a gift that would be an encouragement to them throughout their marriage—proof of my care and a memento that spoke into their marriage and life. So I created a large 17×20 print with 12 key principles for a godly marriage with Scriptures and a resource for each principle. Then I bought them each of those resources—books, guides, and a journal I created for them to write one another love notes as they journeyed through life. The message of our gift lasts when we live that message out first by God’s grace.
Tangible Communication
“Mom, if something ever happens to you I will read everything you have ever written and keep you near to my heart that way. I will remember you and your faith mom”. I treasure these words spoken by one of my daughters and realize that every day I live I want to write and speak words that breathe life long past the time that my life is over. This past year I cheated death twice—cancer and COVID. Life is short, friends. We leave a tangible faith by journaling and sharing that faith with others. What can you write to communicate to your loved one’s future?
Tangible Faith
One of the most tangible ways we express our faith is by regularly reading and living out the message of the Bible. This is also one of the greatest opportunities of a legacy that we can pass down. Each year for the past four years, I have purchased a new Bible and used that Bible to write notes to each of my children of insights God has shown me for a whole year. This will be a keepsake for them to pass down, but my prayer is also that God will use those thoughts that the Holy Spirit shared to inspire their faith and the faith of their children. D
esiring to further spur them on to be in God’s word, I also created a Bible reading plan and made it into a book on Amazon so it would make the Bible reading plan more tangible in their daily lives as well as being a resource for others. Sometimes they choose other bible reading plans, but when I am no longer around, LORD willing the groundwork will have been laid for them to see their need of being consistent in God’s word. Encouraging the reading of the word of God is the greatest legacy we can leave.
Tangible Vision and Mission
Another thing that parents can do is instill a sense of mission and vision in their family that helps the family to have an identity together in Christ and to live intentionally on mission. Here are some downloads and a post about how you can work on your own vision and mission for your family this year and into the future.
As we seek to leave a tangible legacy for our children, we don’t have to make it hard for our children to follow in our footsteps. We can show them the way with clear evidence that we have left for them to guide them well.
Denise Pass is the Executive Assistant to Jeff Rogers, the author of Shame Off You, and a women’s event speaker with Compassion International. She is a Bible teacher, worship leader, podcaster, and CCM Artist/Songwriter with her ministry, Seeing Deep Ministries, where readers see deep in a shallow world. A writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 app, Denise has a passion to cultivate a devotional life in others. Denise is passionate about stopping biblical illiteracy and has a daily Bible reading plan broadcast to help viewers apply Scripture to their lives. With four of her children finished with college, Denise pursued an MA in Biblical Exposition from Liberty University (5/2021) and loves finding new ways to share God’s timeless truths. A homeschool mom for 23 years, Denise and her husband enjoy family time and traveling. Connect with Denise at www.denisepass.com and YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/denisepass_seeingdeep
