Your Family's Stones of Remembrance

“Remember what God has done” is the command we are supposed to obey, but that is often easier said than done. It takes effort and intentionality to remember and reflect. What would it look like to capture markers of God's faithfulness for generations? Here’s where the tradition of stones of remembrance began. 

Joshua 4:1-7 NIV “When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

What’s the Biblical Purpose of Stones of Remembrance?

The concept of stones of remembrance is that we need tangible reminders to keep us faithful to honoring God’s story and passing that on for generations. For the Israelites, they helped commemorate significant events and divine interventions in their history. God knew that they would be prone to wander and so He gave ways for people to return and remember. It’s a concept that can still hold true for all of us to this day!

Let’s dive into how you can accomplish this in your family:

Why Does It Matter for Our Families to Remember and Tell the Stories?

Living in a society that continually moves fast and celebrates individual success, it's easy to forget the lessons of the past and overlook the blessings we have received. Your family needs these regular rhythms to help pause life and re-center on the things that matter. If we want our families to last, they need to see how God has worked in their lives and to find those threads of continuity across generations. Stories are more than nice memories; they are our key to connect generations to God’s story in our families.

How Do You Create Your Family's Stones of Remembrance?

To begin to apply this concept to your family, consider these opportunities:

• Identify the Stories That Need to Be Told

  Take time as a family to reflect on significant events and milestones where God showed up. What are the stories that help demonstrate your core values? What story would have the most impact if generations from now still remembered that particular story? Read a blog from Bill High, our Chief Family Officer, here for help!

• Highlight How God Showed Up

  In recounting these stories, emphasize God's work and the themes you saw in what He did. The goal here is to continue to encourage your family to rely on Him and attribute His work. You are helping encourage a culture of gratitude.

• Develop an Intentional Plan to Remember

  The simplest way to begin using this idea of stones of remembrance is to establish rhythms and traditions your family can use to revisit these stories regularly and to pass them on. This could include regular family devotions centered around sharing testimonies, creating a family memory book, or choosing a specific visual to display reminders of God's faithfulness.

Think Generational with Your Stones of Remembrance

To build a strong family, this concept of stones of remembrance is an easy place to begin. Creating visual reminders and family rhythms are all keys to strengthening your family and its faith across generations. As you start this practice of  intentionally commemorating God's faithfulness and provision, you will set a path generations can follow. Keep holding to that vision of where God desires your family to be for generations to come.

Do you want more keys on how to identify the stories your family needs to be telling? Find our free guide on this here!