Don’t Let Your Grandchildren Lose Their History

“In a day when children are growing up stunted because of our diet of empty-headed celebrities and contemptible villains, true heroism and manliness need special nourishment.” These words, penned by Os Guinness, describe a reality, not only for manliness, but for godliness in general. We need to remember the stories of truly great men and women so that we do not forget what true greatness really looks like. Hopefully, our story will also serve as a worthy example.

Intentional grandparenting involves, in part, sharing our stories with the next generations—both orally and in written form. We are called to be Story Tellers. There are some excellent resources available to help grandparents write their stories. One of my favorite practical tools is a simple, yet profound, approach to creating a written legacy. Written by my good friend, Lana Rockwell, Passing On a Written Legacy, is a valuable asset for such a task. I urge you to get it… and put it into practice.

While there is great value in having a written and oral record of our personal stories for our grandchildren, I believe we must also remember and emphasize the stories of other great Christian heroes. I agree with Dr. David Jeremiah when he says: “Today’s Christians are in danger of losing their history. How few children now are taught the stories of our great pioneer missionaries—like Adoniram Judson, who became the first Protestant missionary sent out from North America.”

These stories of great men and women of God who have gone before us are important because they provide a framework for understanding who we are, who God is, and what He has done throughout human history to redeem His fallen creation and build His Kingdom. Through the stories of both biblical and extra-biblical stories, we remember that the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, is also the God of Judson, Taylor, Carey, Wesley, Livingston, Carmichael, Wilberforce, Corrie ten Boom, and thousands of others whose lives serve as a testimony of God’s grace and greatness.

Here is my list of excellent resources intentional grandparents ought to consider reading and sharing with their grandchildren as a way to “tell the next generations the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power and the wonders He has done.”

1. Excellent books by Eric Metaxas
   -7 Men and the Secret of Their Greatness
   -Bonhoeffer
   -Amazing Grace  (Wilberforce)
2. Christian Biographies for Young Readers series by Simonetta Carr
3. Heroes for Younger Readers series by Renee Meloche

These can make great Christmas or birthday gifts for you grandchilden. Here’s another idea. Make your own Table Talk Box. Create a stack of conversation starter cards dealing with topics that include Great Christians in History. Put the cards in your Table Talk Box and let a grandchild draw a card during or right after your mealtime. Whoever draws the card reads the conversation starter questions. Who, what, when and how questions help everyone contribute and build an understanding of the topic or person, and why it is important to remember who they were and how God used them.

However you choose to do it, just make sure your grandchildren do not lose their history.

GRANDPAUSE: God uses men who are weak and feeble enough to lean on him.
-J. Hudson Taylor