How can we experience more of God’s power? 

What have you learned through your wanderings in the wilderness?

…no matter where you live or how much you have, God owns it all. Whether we have little or much, we are all stewards of what God entrusts to us. 

Every marriage goes through seasons where certain things start breaking down. For us over the past 35 years, it has been our communication, our finances, our relationships with our children, our careers, and our physical/emotional intimacy. (Thankfully not all at once!)

The question for each of us today is simple but far-reaching; have we accepted Christ’s invitation to follow him as our Lord and Savior? If so, we have been entrusted with God’s treasure (relationships, influence, a story to tell, spiritual gifts, abilities, 24 hours each day, resources, and more). Are we guarding those treasures well?

God moves the hearts of men and women to accomplish incredible things that bless many and make “his will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. Is God stirring your heart? How would you know?

Do you make a habit of praying first, assessing the reality of a situation second, and only then offering advice on a course of action? 

What dreams did God give in your youth that you may not have been ready for? What steps are you taking to grow into your God-dreams?

All families experience this generational cursing – this re-enactment of the sins of our parents and grandparents and the suffering and disintegration that always follows. Can you identify those patterns in your family? Are there sinful patterns, habits, attitudes, addictions or idols that you’ve inherited? What steps are you taking to stop the cycle of generational cursing in the lives of your children and grandchildren?

What experiences have you had with God that deserve a pile of stones to keep the story alive for generations to come?

What blessing do you want to speak while you still have the opportunity?

What stories do we tell our children (biological or spiritual) and grandchildren about our encounters with God, the way God appeared to us, the promises of God that sustained us, and the vision God gave us that spills over to encompass future generations? 

When God first gave that dream to Joseph, he was too immature and self-centered to understand and interpret it properly. He became excited by the success God would give him and boasted of his dream disrespectfully to his brothers. Of course, he had no idea the odyssey that lay before him and the years of suffering that would position him to be at the right place at the right time and that would shape his character and prepare him for God’s unfolding plan.

Like the rest of you I have been harmed and caused harm, and yes – I still have the emotional scars to prove it. Our suffering is real, and it matters. But reading the story of Joseph forces me to stop and wonder how he could endure so much and keep his faith alive in God.

Where has God met with you in the past when you hit a low point and provided what you most needed?

One thing is for certain, we want our legacy to be something more than what gets left behind after we die, we want to put our legacy in motion today - while we still have the energy and strength and opportunity to engage, to love, to share, and to invest well.

Many of us are waiting on God to fulfill his promises also. Could it be that God is busy at work preparing us? 

It’s a brand-new year! As you think about all that lies before you and your family in 2025, what feels most important to you? 

Legacy is what you put in motion today that will bless and redemptively impact future generations. So, as you finish the second week of 2025, what are you putting into motion?

Names are important, but when God renames someone in the Biblical story, we should pay very close attention.