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Legacy: What is yours going to be? And who has sown into your destiny?

What is yours going to be?

About five years ago Brad went on his usual Saturday morning hunt for arrow heads. He was gone the usual amount of time. But he returned to me a bit unusual. He had found all sorts of treasure in a mound. He showed me the pottery, the arrow heads, the fossils and then he shared.“This was someone’s treasure. This was special to someone and now it is off in a pile where no one even cares for it or about it. See this someone took a long time to make it and now it is smashed and in pieces. ” Then his tone changed. “Deana every day I work so I can provide for my family. I am buying us things that will someday be in a pile somewhere and simply left behind. My treasure will just be trash.”

I would have to say this was a defining moment for our family. It led to a study as a family of the things that mattered, our legacy. How would we, the Herds, make a difference and what would our legacy be? We read through the book Twelve Pillars by Chris Widener and Jim Rohn. We talked about the values we wanted to pass down through our daughter. And we planned how we wanted to use our influence.

One of our main values is sowing. We decided to be strategic in sowing our time, talent, and treasure. For us sewing is joining God in accomplishing what he has planned and understanding that the reward is the change the process of obedience brings in us. When one sows one may or may not see any fruit in their lifetime. We trust fruit is being grown although we fully realize it may always be unknown to us.

And who has sown into your destiny?

This year we have been enjoying the fruit of seeds planted by others. We live in a home that has scripture written throughout on the drywall. Seed planted by Debbie Root. We had amazing curriculum and resources last year at FWC. Seeds planted when the school was founded 50 years ago. We have been blessed by the discipleship of Gateway Church. Seeds planted by Bob Hamp,Robert Morris,and Alan Smith.

And I cannot forget the legacy of my parents and grandparents. As a third generation Christian I am reaping amazing faith whose seeds were planted and covered in prayer for decades. In fact I believe the connection I have with children can be traced in my spiritual DNA to my father’s mother. I never even met her but her faith seeds have blossomed in my life and that of my daughter.

If you are like me then thinking of how you have been blessed generates a feeling of wanting to give back. I truly hope reading this prompts you to think about your legacy and the hope your choices bring to the future destiny of others. I'd like to leave you with Nichole Nordeman's song LEGACY. I love this song!
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