How to Leave a Legacy That Matters

Have you ever thought about your legacy?

You know, the one you’re going to leave for your children … grandchildren … great-grandchildren, etc.? The ways in which the life you’re living this very moment will impact generations to come?

Well, today you’re going to!

Because we’re talking about legacies — what they are and how to build the one you want. And then, at the end of this post, I’m going to share an exciting new resource that will help you leave a mom legacy that points your children to Christ.

**Links in this post may be affiliate links. This means that if you click that link and purchase the product, I may receive a small compensation. I am, however, committed to honestly assessing the products mentioned. Please read my disclosure policy for more details. **

WHAT IS A LEGACY?

What is a legacy?

A legacy, technically, is anything handed down from the past, as from an ancestor or predecessor.

Less formally, it’s what you leave behind after you’re gone. And make no mistake — we will ALL leave behind something. The question is, what kind of legacy do you want to leave?

HOW TO BUILD THE MOM LEGACY YOU WANT

So, how do you leave the kind of legacy you want?

First off, you have to define and envision it.

A great legacy doesn’t happen by accident. You have to be intentional about it. And the first step is deciding what you want to pass on to your children.

After you cast a vision, you need to make a plan for building that legacy.

A vision is great, but without any kind of plan, it’s probably not going to happen. For each item in your “legacy list,” brainstorm a few action steps. What activities can you do, what kinds of conversations are you going to have, what sort of training will you and/or your kids need?

Next, you need to gather support.

Partner with your husband, share your desires with your kids’ grandparents, and tell your friends. Surround yourself with people who will support your vision and hold you accountable. You will need these people!

Finally, fill yourself regularly with messages that will guide you and inform you in your journey.

Find resources that will help you become the person you want to be. Look for teachers in those areas. And, on a very regular basis, fill your mind and heart with great books that will help you leave the legacy you want to leave.

Which brings me to a wonderful resource that I want to share with you today — a brand-new book from my friend Kristina Gorr of Messy Tired Love — Leaving Your Mom Legacy: A 30-Day Devotional on Reflecting Christ.

LEAVING YOUR MOM LEGACY

SUMMARY

From Amazon:

“Leaving Your Mom Legacy is a 30-day devotional on reflecting and knowing Christ in motherhood. Kristina Gorr speaks truth into your mom life by diving into the imperfect legacies of eleven moms in the Bible, exploring how their stories point to the gospel and how yours does too. You’ll be inspired and equipped to reflect Christ in the tough and unglamorous mom moments. And no matter what is in your past, your present, or your future, you’re eyes will be opened to how your legacy will point to Jesus Christ for generations to come.”

MY THOUGHTS

I found this devotional to be wonderfully inspiring and helpful as I work to build my own mom legacy. I love how Kristina meets us exactly where we are in motherhood while simultaneously encouraging and equipping us to reach for more. She extends a hand of honest humility and invites us to join her as we build a legacy of reflecting Christ to our children.

The first part of the book follows eleven moms in the Bible — some who were good, some who were bad, all who were flawed. Kristina shows us through these moms that no matter what legacy we’ve been handed and what legacy we’ve started, God can use us for His purposes. He can use our past, He can transform our present, and He can guide our future. If He could use some of the moms in the book, He can certainly use you!

I enjoyed the glimpses into the lives of these moms. Sometimes when we read Bible stories (especially if we’ve been hearing them since birth!), we can forget that they were real people, just like us. But Kristina’s case studies humanized them for me and made me see how we’re not that different, after all.

It was the second half of the book, though, that really made this book shine for me. Her points on how to build a Christ-centered legacy were SPOT ON, and they were just what I needed for my own legacy plan. They inspired me and motivated me, and they led me straight to God’s Word and heart for my mothering.

They also challenged me and illuminated areas where I’ve grown more lax than I should be. Yes, it’s hard and I’m tired, but building my legacy is too important to let slide. So I need these little nudges and kicks in the pants every once in a while.

Overall, I thought this was a wonderful devotional that was both edifying to my current spirit and energizing to my future visions. And I would recommend it to any momma desiring to leave a mom legacy that points her children to Christ.

** I received a digital copy of this book as part of the launch team. All opinions are my own.

Get a copy of Leaving Your Mom Legacy