What is your legacy?

What is your legacy?

A little girl slowly approaches an elderly woman in a rocking chair. Her arms are wrapped tightly around an old leather-bound photobook that occupied a corner space in their living room for as long as she could remember. She gently places the book on the woman’s lap and turns to a photo of a beautiful, young woman surrounded with laughter and smiles from family and friends. The radiance surrounding her surpasses the simple flash used to capture the image. Drawing the older woman’s attention to the photograph, the little girl asks, “Grandma, can you tell me about this woman?” As the older woman’s eyes focus on the picture of the young woman, tears of joy begin to well in her eyes and a smile graces her lips. She replies to her granddaughter, “This woman, my dear, was your Great-Grandmother Adrienne.” 

As an only child, raised by my grandparents, I remember filling my time by playing make-believe, skating through the house (and then getting in trouble for scratching up the floors), and flipping through photo albums that had accumulated over time. I remember the smell of the photographs and how the thick glossy paper felt in my hand. Looking at the faces, the hairstyles, the wardrobe—it was all so funny to me, but there was also a sense of wonder about who these people were. What was happening when these pictures were taken? What do we remember about them now? 

The vision of my future great-granddaughter asking this same question brings me to tears. What will they tell her about me? How will I be remembered in the retelling of the story of my life? 

As we celebrate “History Makers” this month, I am drawn to the stories of the great African American trailblazers whose lives are penned in history as changing the very fabric of our lives. Heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, President Barak Obama, John Lewis, and Vice President Kamala Harris—just to name a few.  The legacy these, and so many others, have left behind is so immense that imagining a world without them boggles my mind. As inspirational, significant, and heartening as their lives are, the thought of the impact that they each individually made can be intimidating to fathom. 

You see, each of them left a legacy—a story, an impact. They embodied the words of my undergraduate alma mater’s creed by “making the world a better place for [their] having been here.” I want to imprint this world in the same way. I want my life to have mattered to my children, my children’s children, and beyond. Proverbs 17:6 says “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” As a mother, I want to bring pride to my children and my family, but I’m not Dr. King, President Obama, or Vice President Harris. Does my life truly matter to anyone? 

Dear friend, I’m here to tell you that your life matters to God. Our lives matter to God. Isaiah 44: 2 (CEV) says “I am your Creator. You were in my care even before you were born…” God cares about you, your life, and everything in it. He wants to use you mightily for His Will in very unique ways. Maybe your calling isn’t speaking to millions of people, fighting for justice for the underrepresented, or changing the political tide of a country. Perhaps, you’ve been called to serve your family, your local church, or your surrounding community. Regardless of how big or small the call may seem, it matters to God, and it matters to the lives our children will lead.

Our beliefs and actions impact future generations, and when my great-grandchildren ask the question, “Who was this woman?,” I want the answer to be clear and consistent. 

I want it to be said that I was a woman of faith—strong, audacious, and sold out for Jesus. They will say that I used my gifts, talents, and skills to bring glory to God. I want it to be said that the radiance captured in these photos wasn’t from the camera’s flash, but it was the reflection of the God to whom my face was turned (Psalm 34:5). I want my legacy to be one that boldly proclaimed that every promise spoken by the Lord would come to pass, and the inheritance left behind (Proverbs 13:22, NIV) includes peace, joy, and the love of Christ for my future generations. 

As we celebrate “History Makers” this month, let’s be sure to count ourselves in that category too. Let’s acknowledge God’s wisdom to create each of us in a way that we would bear His image as unique and diverse as we were created. Let it be said of us that we had a heart for God and that our legacy is the inheritance of the prayers of salvation for generations to come.

Adrienne Edge is a Platoon 25 graduate. She lives in Summerville, SC with her husband, LeNolon, and their “Edgelettes”, LeNolon, Jr. (LJ) and Layla. She is the founder of ProFIT Family Wellness where she teaches children and families how to eat well, move more and FIT for their calling in Jesus Christ.  Find out more about her on her website: www.profitfamilywellness.com

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Fran’s 50+ Cardio Strength- “God Makes All Things New”

This workout will flip-flop you back and forth between cardio and resistance training. Sure to keep your body guessing. Muscle confusion? No big deal. God is never confused about us. Get comfortable being uncomfortable in this workout. (Drumsticks, Hand weights, 2 Corinthians 5:17)

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