A Good Word Wednesday #63 Legacy

A little bit of goodness in your mailbox today 🌳📖🖋️

Good Word of the Day: Legacy

Do you like reading the “begats” in the Bible? You know, these verses…

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren… Matthew 1:1-2

This account of Jesus’ heritage continues on for 17 verses. (I especially like Matthew’s list because it includes a few amazing women.) It’s easy to skip over these sections. It’s just a list of names, right? Well, yes it is. But, behind each one of those names is a person who was born, lived and died. They played a significant part in bringing life to Jesus on earth. Aren’t you glad they did?!

We all have a heritage that has shaped us into the people we are today. The popularity of Ancestry.com proves the need in us to know who we are and where we’ve come from. I was reminded of our family history in my recent trip to Arkansas. My brother sent me this weathered family tree treasure:

You probably have one of these too, or a more detailed version on a computer program.

As I stood in the cemetery last week with my sister, I was reminded again of my rich family history from my parents and the legacy to honor Christ with the years He has given me and that we are all “Called According To His Purpose.”

It’s serious business to be aware of what we are passing on to our children and grandchildren and to the people in the churches where we serve. I was reminded of that this past Sunday when I attended the final service of a church in my small town. This was the church my family attended when we first moved to Duncan in 1987. There were photos displayed and stacks of pictures of how God led so many to that church. During this time, I worked with our teenage girls’ missions group (Acteens). Yes, that’s me on the left with the flowery shirt. So before we get too serious about leaving a legacy, take a minute to enjoy the 1980’s big hair! It’s ok. I laughed out loud too.

I didn’t notice at first that my son was standing beside me. He was probably about four years old here and anxious to get to the cake and snacks. He and the girls in this photo are all grown now with families of their own. I saw many of them last Sunday and was overwhelmed by how God uses us to pour into the lives of others who go on to serve locally and globally. We leave a legacy to our children and to those God calls us to serve.

Youth mission trip to inner city Albuquerque, New Mexico. I wrote a story about this trip. See the Recommend info below.

Wednesday in the Word

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Deuteronomy 6:5-7.

Share Your Good Words

Good Questions of the Week: Who from your past has poured into your life and shown you God’s love? How are you leaving a Godly legacy for your family and for those whom God has led you to serve?

Good Unseen People

Photo: She Is Safe

The following excerpt is from a story that will be included in my upcoming book, Unseen People: Sharing Light and Life with Your Neighbors and the Nations. Click the blue link below to see the progress of the book.

“I know who I am. I am a most loved, treasured, daughter of the King. That’s all that matters. He knows where I am and how to spell my name. He knows me. And I’m good with that.”

Read the whole story: This Is Me

Good Words I Recommend

A Good Story: I wrote about the trip to Albuquerque (see the photo above.) It will be included in Unseen People. I will include the story, Tony with a “T” on my website. Read it here: Story from Unseen People, Tony with a T

A Good Book: I highly recommend Her Children Arise: Passing a Legacy of Faith to the Next Generation. The author, Casey Hilty, is a part of my online writing group, Hope*Writers. “Her children arise and call her blessed…” (Proverbs 31:28) is the legacy of a mother who has put Christ in the center of her heart and home, and who has led her children to fall in love with Him.

Some of the links above are associate links. That means, when you click and purchase, I receive a small percentage of that sale. Those funds, as well as funds from paid subscribers, support my writing this piece each week. Thank you! I commit to forwarding a minimum of 10% to the amazing nonprofits: She Is Safe and The Red Cord. They help raise awareness of sex trafficking. They help prevent, rescue and restore victims to new life.

A Final Good Word

There are many reasons why I love to write. It is definitely a calling. I love this scripture:

“And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.” Isaiah 30:8

I like to think that these stories, some of which have found their way into my book, will testify of God’s faithfulness to my children and grandchildren.

I’m reminded of the lyrics from an old hymn, “I love to tell the story.” I can hear my Daddy’s booming baritone voice proclaiming…

“I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love;
I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true,
It satisfies my longings as nothing else would do.
I love to tell the story,
’Twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story
Of Jesus and His love.

Pass your story on to someone today and share a good word.

I’d love to hear from you. This is your chance to share with me whatever is on your heart today. Please share:

Contact me privately: deannalynnsanders@gmail.com.

Thank you for taking your valuable time to read my words. And if you would, please share a good word with someone today. Invite others into our Good Word community.

Gratefully yours,