Leaving a Legacy of True Treasure

Cathy Horning, a true Bible lover, loves to help people understand the truths and treasures of scripture. In this Legacy UPGRADE, she shares how to leave a legacy to children and grandchildren that can make a difference in their lives.

"This month I turn 60!" Cathy says. "Six decades of life seemed the perfect time to write an upgrade post about milestones. Until, I received an unexpected gift that shifted my focus from years past to the ones which lie ahead."

I (Dawn) am in the proces of considering what legacy I will leave to my own family someday, so I truly appreciate Cathy's wisdom in this post.

Cathy continues . . .

The gift was an old Bible, a precious treasure which challenged me to be more purposeful about what I will leave behind one day.

You see, during the past year a deep regret had grown in my heart, because I had nothing which belonged to my grandmother. So, on a recent visit to my parents, my mom had no idea the special gift she was passing on to me when she gave me my grandma’s Bible.

And, if that wasn’t enough, joy flooded my heart when she opened the pages to reveal a treasure trove of notes, poems, and handwritten letters addressed “To God” and “To The Lord.” 

The inheritance of my grandmother’s Bible and it’s contents inspired me to be more intentional about leaving behind a legacy of true treasure.

1. Leave True Treasure

Growing up, we lived thousands of miles away from extended family and I loved when we would go for visits. But especially precious to me were the letters my grandmother and I wrote to each other. I’m sorry I didn’t keep her letters, which had been tangible reminders of her love, faith, support and encouragement.

So finding the letters she had written to the Lord in her Bible was like discovering true treasure.

2. Leave A Treasure Chest   

I wish I would have known to cherish the letters my grandma and I exchanged, and to keep them in a safe place. But I didn’t.

So as an adult, I am conscientious to keep journals I have written, notes and cards others have given to me, as well as pieces I have written for others.

I hope that one day the writings I have saved will be a treasure chest for my loved ones to explore.

3. Leave Imperishable Treasure 

The letters my grandmother and I wrote to each other are gone forever, but her plain, black, hardback Bible, filled with the handwritten letters of her prayers, lasted.

Still, after I read each note and letter, I found I was sad that there was nothing underlined or highlighted in her Bible to give me a  glimpse of what had spoken to her the most from God’s Word. Until, I showed my adult children my wonderful gift.

Then, as we looked through the notes and scraps of paper together, my daughters noticed that there were small black pencil marks next to passages throughout it’s pages. To me these marks have become an imperishable treasure.

This month as I turn 60, about the same age my grandmother was when she wrote her letters, the gift of her Bible stirred up questions in my own heart.

• What will I pass on?
• What will I leave to bless and encourage my loved ones?

Not just personal letters, like the ones between my grandma and me, but a spiritual heritage like Timothy’s grandmother and mother passed down to him.

“I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice. And I know that same faith continues strong in you. This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you… 

"Remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:5-7, 3:14-15)

More than anything, I want to pass on a treasure chest to my children and grandchildren. I want it to be filled with:

• Imperishable treasure from my own faith journey, 
• A true treasure of my own prayers and prayers God has answered, and of
• Testimonies of God’s faithfulness as I held on to the truths and promises in His Word.

My prayer is that this true treasure will fan into flame their own walks of faith, long after my life here is over and I am in my heavenly home. 

What legacy of true treasure will you leave behind? How would you want to "fan into flame" your family's walks of faith?

Cathy Horning is an author, blogger, speaker, Bible teacher, encourager, mentor, wife, mom, grammy to thirteen (and counting), and Jesus lover! She loves the Word of God! Absolutely, nothing brings her greater joy than sharing with others how very precious, practical and powerful are the promises and truths in God's Word, and how He desires to transform our lives into the men and women we were created to be! Learn more about Cathy here and here.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Bru-nO at Pixabay.

How to Be a Decisive Woman

Sally Ferguson is a "Woman of the Word," and she draws simple-but-powerful lessons from Bible stories. In this Biblical Thinking UPGRADE, she encourages decisiveness by examining the life of a familiar Old Testament woman.

"I hope you brought your sandals," Sally says, "because we’re going to walk the dusty roads from Moab to Bethlehem."

As I (Dawn) read Sally's post, I thought, "becoming a decisive woman is difficult for some women who are naturally more timid, but sometimes God uses circumstances to teach us how to become more resolute."

Sally continues . . .

Look. Just up ahead. Two women are supporting each other as they carry their loads. Let’s catch up to them.

It’s Naomi and Ruth, and they’re both wearing the black garb of mourners.

Oh, it’s so sad. They’ve had three funerals in the span of 10 years.

When I was younger, 10 years seemed a lifetime away. But, now? Don’t blink, because it will slip by.

But, oh so sad. They’re both widows. And the young one must be in her 20s. What a shame.

Ruth has chosen to uproot from her home and go with her mother-in-law to a place she’s never been. Is she scared about what she will find there? Maybe she feels lost without her husband? But, she seems to be peacefully resolute.

Maybe, for the first time in her life, she feels as if she has been found.

Ruth’s heard the stories Naomi recounted of the wonders God had done in Israel. Would this God take notice of her, a barren, destitute widow with no man-child to support her in her later years? Is there a future with this God, for a woman?

Her own country’s gods couldn’t keep her from her current state of affairs. Would this God be any different?

What made Ruth decisive? I believe there are four things we can glean from her life.

1. She jumped in with everything she had.

Have you ever seen someone go to the beach with a brand new swimsuit, but never get in the water? When they returned, would you say they went swimming? No, probably not.

We might say they were sun-bathing, but wouldn’t equate that with the experience of feeling the silky smooth water and tasting the salty spray.

Walking with God is like that. You can’t fully experience a relationship with Him if you’re going to settle for sticking to the beach.

Like Ruth, leave the past behind you and fully embrace what He has to offer.

Like Ruth, give it all you’ve got. Read Ruth 1:16-17 to see the depth of her commitment.

2. She took refuge in the Lord.

When Ruth met Boaz, he had already heard about her. Look at Ruth 2:11-12.

When someone takes refuge, it implies taking shelter from a storm. When hurricane season hits the Caribbean, you seek refuge. But, even a fortress can take a battering.

The only place we can find true peace in a storm is when our heart is anchored in Christ.

Read Psalm 91, to hear David’s proclamation of confidence in God.

3. She trusted God to provide a way.

When Naomi sent Ruth out into the darkness to meet Boaz, Ruth must have wondered if Naomi had lost her mind. But Boaz’s response became the prototype of when Jesus became our Kinsman Redeemer.

When Ruth trusted God, He provided a way through His kinsman-redeemer named Boaz. He was the one to handle legal matters for the family. Ruth 3 gives the details.

4. She let God rewrite her story.

When we began our story, Ruth was a barren widow. Look how far she’s come!

In Ruth chapter 4, she’s married to her kinsman-redeemer and they have a son.

Ruth is grafted into the story of the Israelites through a baby boy named Obed and is the great-grandmother to a shepherd boy to come, named David.

Why is this important to us? Because we are also grafted into the family through salvation found in Jesus.

And we can therefore claim the promises God made to the Israelites through the ages!

• I will never leave you nor forsake you. Joshua 1:5
• I will be your God and you will be my people. Jeremiah 24:7
• I take great delight in you. Zephaniah 3:17
• I will fight for you. Exodus 14:14
• You will find me. Deuteronomy 4:29

Aren’t you glad we have these wonderful promises in Christ? You can claim them, too, when you believe in Jesus as your Savior and confess that He is Lord of your life. Acts 4:12 says we only have access to God through His Son.

Won’t you let Him rewrite your story, too?

Sally Ferguson loves sharing God’s Word in all different forms! Her coloring book, What Will I Be When I Grow Up? (Warner Press) and ebook, How to Plan a Women’s Retreat are both available on Amazon. Visit her latest retreat release here.  

Graphic—painting by Thomas Matthews Rooke, 1876-7.

You Can Be as Close to God as You Want to Be

Life coach Debbie W. Wilson helps people live in God's grace. In this Relationship with God UPGRADE, she offers three tips to help us grow closer to our Heavenly Father.

Debbie shares a friend's words: “I believe, but I don’t feel close to God like some of you. Not sure why. I’d like to.”

I (Dawn) believe every Christian, at some point in their spiritual journey, is nudged by the Holy Spirit to draw closer to God. But perhaps we don't know how.

Debbie continues . . .

My friend’s words caused me to remember my own faith journey.

In Sunday School, my young heart warmed toward God when I heard the stories of David and Goliath and Zacchaeus, the wee little man. My grandmother made sure I treated God with respect. No food in my mouth when we blessed our meal.

But I didn’t understand the part about being a sinner who needed saving. I wasn’t sure what people were saved from. That changed when a youth leader explained John 3:16 at a weekend youth camp and the Holy Spirit cut through my blameless veneer.

I’d wronged God. Jesus had gone to the cross for my sin.

The realization broke—and healed—my heart. The gospel became personal. Jesus didn’t just love this conglomerate called “world.” He loved me!

I returned from camp on top of the world—a citizen of heaven—a child of God. Could anything be better?

But the glow faded. Instead of sprouting wings, I bristled when Mama said, “Clean your room.” I fussed when my little sister got into my stuff.

Knowing Jesus assured me of heaven when I died, but it didn’t seem to make much difference now.

Even reading the Bible raised more questions than it answered.

My Journey

In college, I spent a weekend with some vibrant Christians. Their lives created a thirst to know God better. At a friend’s Bible study, we listened to Bible teaching audio tapes. This group treated the Bible as if it meant what it said.

I’d filtered the Bible through my own understanding. What agreed with my world view I kept, and I dismissed the parts that didn’t. No wonder it didn’t make sense.

A Turning Point

I wanted the peace my college friends who simply trusted the Scriptures shared. But could I let go of relying on my own understanding and fully trust the Scriptures?

God tenderly wooed me to trust Him.

I exchanged my know-it-all approach for childlike faith. The Scriptures came to life. Questions I thought would never be answered in this life became clear. Scales fell off of my eyes.

“I feel I’ve been living blindfolded all my life, and now I see,” I told my friend. “Even how I view the evening news has changed.”

Life brimmed with the presence of God, and I couldn’t get enough of Him.

Perhaps like me and my friend, you want to feel closer to God. You can! Here are some tips to help you get started.

3 Tips to Help You Grow Closer to God

1. Ask Your Heavenly Father for a Closer Relationship.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7: 7-8 NIV).

2. Read the Bible with Childlike Wonder.

“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do’” (Luke 10:21 NIV).

3. Invite Jesus to Be Your Life, Not Just a Part of Life.

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal. 2:20 NIV).

The apostle John called himself the one Jesus loved.

That was true of all of the disciples, but John believed it and pursued closeness with Jesus.

Which of these tips might help you draw closer to Jesus?

Debbie W. Wilson helps people live in God’s grace so they can enjoy fruitful and full lives. She is the author of Little Women, Big God and Give Yourself a Break. Her latest book, Little Faith, Big God, is to be released February 2020. She is a life coach and an AWSA (Advanced Writers and Speakers Association) certified speaking and writing coach. Share her journey to refreshing faith at debbieWwilson.com.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Jantanee at Lightstock.

5 Excuses that Hold You Back

Kathy Carlton Willis is not only an encouraging cheerleader for writers and speakers, her practical wisdom as a life coach helps people move forward in faith. In this Goals UPGRADE, Kathy identifies five excuses that hold us back.

“How would your life be different," Kathy asks, "if you could ditch excuses for good?"

As a long-time excuse maker, I (Dawn) understand the distraction and loss that comes from living with excuses. In fact, my goals mantra has become, "There may be reasons, but not excuses."

Kathy continues . . .

One of my biggest blessings, but also biggest struggles as a life coach, is to recognize what causes someone to feel stuck, and to strategize biblical ways to help them be free of those restraints so they can function in freedom. It is challenging because some prefer to stay stuck rather than step out in faith into unfamiliar territory.

Faith gives us the bravery we need to move forward, one foot in front of the other, until we get to the destination God has for us.

Are you feeling stucik? What’s holding you back from pursuing the goals God has for you?

First, let’s look at the typical excuses we give.

5 Common Excuses

1. I don’t have time.
2. You don’t know my story, my hang-ups, my trials.
3. I can’t afford it.
4. I have a broken relationship.
5. It’s out of my control.

You make your own list. What’s holding you back? Why can’t you or won’t you take the next step needed toward your goal?

6 Ways to Ditch the Excuses for Good

1. Is it an excuse or a reason?

• If it’s an excuse, learn not to listen to it.
• If it’s a true reason, learn a “work around” so the reason is merely a detour rather than a dead end.

2. What fear is attached to your excuse?

If you find yourself in a place where you aren’t comfortable moving forward, usually it’s because there’s a fear holding you back.

What do you fear might happen if you move toward the goal God has for you?

• Fear of failure?
• Fear of success?
• Fear of change?
• Fear of what others think?
• Fear of it costing something you hold dear?

3. Kick the excuses to the curb and use godly self-talk instead.

Evict the excuses out of your head and heart. Then learn a new truth statement to repeat to yourself instead.

You can find what God thinks about you in Scripture and can apply it to your situation.

4. Make moving forward a priority.

Don’t wallow in stuckness.

Don’t give your excuses permission to have control over you.

Determine what God wants for your life and don’t let anything hold you back from it.

Even if you have to wait for something out of your control to happen, you can have “active waiting” by learning how to adopt the right thinking so it’s in place when you get the green light to move forward.

5. Spend as much time seeking the solution as believing the excuse.

Evaluate what it would take to tackle the problem.

Decide if you were aiming for the wrong destination—maybe the solution is a different destination or outcome. Seek God for that direction and then ask Him to help the next step become apparent to you.

6. Embrace the work of change.

Many people don’t move toward their goal because they’re comfortable where they are and don’t want to put in the extra effort necessary to get to where they wish they could go in their lives.

Sweat equity isn’t just for house projects—it’s for life projects.

We might get a little uncomfortable moving to the next step. That’s okay if it’s a temporary discomfort. And hey, that’s one reason Jesus sent the Comforter, right? He knew we’d be uncomfortable living out the deeds of His will in our lives.

“You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom” (Galatians 5:7-9 NLT).

Would you allow a thin rubber band wrapped around your middle to hold you back from rescuing a child from a burning building? Of course not.

Don’t let a thin excuse hold you back from what God wants in your life—from what you know to be a desire you have as well. Risk the momentary pinch or snap of that rubber band as you disable it from holding you back, and then all of a sudden you realize there’s less resistance than there was before.

What’s holding you back today?

Kathy Carlton Willis, God’s Grin Gal, shines the light on what holds you back so you can grow. She’s a speaker and author with over a thousand articles online and in print, as well as her Bible study, Grin with Grace. Her popular blog, Grin & Grow with Kathy is featured on CBN. She just released a training manual for speakers called, The Ultimate Speaker’s Guide. Kathy and husband Russ are trying to raise seven-month old Hettie the Boston Terrier—but in truth, she’s training them.

Graphic adapted, courtesy of Geralt at Pixabay.

Honoring Heroes at Home

Ellie Kay is known as America's Family Financial Expert, but she's also the founder and CEO of Heroes at Home and an alumnus of the Military Family Advisory Network. She is an Air Force spouse, mother of seven—including three in the military—and the author of 15 books. In this July 4th UPGRADE, with a special emphasis on the military, Ellie shares financial tips for the military that are helpful for everyone!

"I looked out at the audience of 1300 young Airmen who had gathered at Sheppard Air Force Base to watch Heroes at Home Financial Education event." Ellie said.

"They were tired, hungry and had been told that: 1) they would skip dinner at the 1800 hour, and 2) they were going to sit in on a mandatory 2-hour financial brief.

"To say they were not a happy audience would be a gross understatement."

I (Dawn) got to know Ellie Kay because of her emphasis on financial freedom, but soon found out her strong passion for the military—which is why I wanted her to write something for July 4th. In this article, she combines two of her passions: financial freedom with helping our military Heroes at Home.

Ellie continues . . .

During our live Twitter contest, they were to tweet the best financial tips from the show and a winner got the prize.

Instead, they tweeted photos of hamburgers, tacos, and fried chicken.

One of our resourceful team members had a conversation with the powers that be and we got the chow halls to stay open past the normal time, so they could eat. When our emcee made the dinner announcement, it got the biggest applause thus far in our show!

But by the time we finished with our high-energy, quickly-paced show, they were smiling, happy and getting into the tips we shared. We are dedicated to helping military families and all Americans, find financial freedom. 

We celebrate Independence Day and the less than 1% of our nation’s population who serve in our military, to protect the rights and freedoms of the other 99% of us. 

But we can all support our military members by saying, “Thank you for your service,” and letting them know we appreciate their work on our behalf.

If you want to go above for those who have gone beyond, then you could also:

• send care packages during deployments,
• offer to do free yard work for the family left at home,
• or give a military family gifts cards for the movies, restaurants or other forms of entertainment.

One more way to thank our military is to help them with financial readiness.

Here are some tips that apply to everyone.  

1. Credit Scores

Military members can lose their security clearance if they get into trouble with credit, so their jobs depend on having a decent credit score and what that represents about their debt.

No matter what your financial picture is, it’s critical for every person to improve their own FICO (Fair Isaac Credit Scores). These scores determine not only the APR you pay on a home or car loan, but they also impact auto insurance premiums, whether you’ll get the promotion or the job (many employers check FICOS), whether you pay a security deposit for utilities, and much more.

You can go to Credit.com  or Experian.com to check your score and they’ll even give you specific ways to improve each area of your credit score.

You can improve your FICO in three easy steps:

• Pay early. Set up automatic payments online so you will never be late.
• Pay More. Add $5 to $10 more than the minimum balance that is due; this indicates you are paying down debt.
• Pay Proportionally. Also known as credit utilization, make sure that you don’t have more than 30% of the available credit charged on any one card at any time. For example, a card with a $5000 limit should never have more than $1500 charged.

2. Cut Existing Costs. 

It only takes 15 minutes to save hundreds of dollars. Once you save money in one area, then use those funds to pay down consumer debt or to build up a savings account.

• Auto Insurance. Once a year, compare policies by getting a variety of quotes. Take the cheaper price back to your existing provider and tell them you will switch companies unless they can match the price. Be sure to check out quotes from USAA.com since you are military and qualify to be a member.
• RetailMeNot. Download the RetailMeNot app or bookmark it on your computer. This is a code site that offers 400,000 coupon codes at any given time. Just enter the store’s name and you’ll see all the codes to get the better prices. Use this on entertainment, travel, electronics, or any kind of online shopping or in the mall.
• CouponMom.com. I was one of the original extreme couponers, and I saved 161k while raising my kids by using coupons. If you go to this site, she’s done all the work for you and will tell you what is on sale in your neighborhood, what codes are available, what coupons are out for the item and which stores double coupon. I calculated that over the course of twenty years, I saved our family over 160K!

3. Free Credit Counseling

With a slow economy comes an influx of those who want to "help" prepare you for the worse by consolidating your debt. However, most “for profit” debt-counseling companies charge a hefty fee for their services, which is usually tacked onto your debt load.

Instead, go to the National Consumer Credit Counseling Service found at www.nfcc.org and use their FREE services.

4. Budget Baby

If you don't have a budget as part of your lifestyle, then yesterday was the day to start.

Set one up with a budgeting app such as mint, Wally or Every Dollar.

The problem for a lot of families is not having a budget, it’s sticking to a budget.

Set up a “budget date” once a month with your spouse to revisit how the plan is working. This kind of regular accountability works as well in finances as it does in Weight Watchers. When you know there will be someone asking you why you bought that purple mohair sweater for $198, you’re less likely to give into the impulse to go off budget.

EVERYONE: During this time of the year, be sure to thank those Heroes at Heroes at Home—and if you know a Vietnam Vet, then say “welcome home” because most of them have never heard those words from a grateful American.

For more information on where Ellie Kay’s Heroes at Home is visiting next, explore their website at HeroesAtHome.org.

Ellie Kay is the best-selling author of fifteen books including Lean Body, Fat Wallet, and Heroes at Home. She is a Toastmaster Accredited Speaker as well as a popular international speaker and media veteran who has given over1,200 media interviews including appearances on ABC, CNBC, CNN and Fox News. As a popular columnist, she writes for six national magazines and has been a Subject Matter Expert for the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post. Currently, Ellie provides financial education to military members through her “Heroes at Home Financial Event” sponsored for USAA. Ellie is married to LTC Bob Kay and they have seven children.

Graphic adapted, Flags of the Military, Wikipedia.