On a family trip along the Appalachian Trail to Catawba Mountain, we passed a sign that read, “Catawba Hospital.”
That sign prompted my sons’ grandfather to tell a story about his father.
In the early 1900s, Great-grandpa was a patient at Catawba Hospital.
Located near mineral springs, Catawba was a health resort. At the beginning of the 20th century, Catawba became a refuge for tuberculosis patients.
Back then, the only way to “treat” the dreaded disease was with rest, fresh air, and sunshine.
Despite the healthy environment, Great-grandpa wasn’t improving, and the doctors told him he’d likely die from the disease. So he decided to return home to spend his last days there.
Great-grandpa was raised in a Christian home, but he wasn’t living his life for God. His stay at the hospital provided plenty of time for him to reflect.
So on the journey home, Great-grandpa pleaded with God.
If God would spare his life, he promised to serve Him faithfully.
To the surprise of his doctors, Great-grandpa recovered completely and kept his bargain with God.
For the rest of his life, Great-grandpa lived in faithful service to His Savior.
Decades later, my sons’ grandfather leveraged a drive in the mountains to tell the story of God’s faithfulness to their ancestor.
3 Ways to Pass Down Your Faith
Like my father-in-law, we can look for opportunities to tell the next generation about God’s faithfulness.
We can use stories and everyday conversations to let our children and grandchildren know this truth: God was faithful in the past, and we can trust Him today and in the future.
Here are some practical ways to pass down our faith.
#1 – Faith-filled Field Trips
“For His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen since the creation of the world, being understood through what He has made. As a result, people are without excuse.” – Romans 1:20 HCSB
The Catawba trip wasn’t the only time Grandpa engaged in a spiritual conversation with his grandchildren.
On a family trip to the Grand Canyon, he talked to the boys about creation. He believed in God as the Creator of all things and used the setting to share his faith with his grandsons.
We can share our faith when we take children to places where they experience the wonders of creation. We can expose them to new experiences that cause them to think deeply and critically about spiritual things.
#2 – Family Altars
“Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, ‘I will give this land to your offspring.’ So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to him.” – Genesis 12:7 HCSB
When God answers our prayers—especially if He acts in miraculous ways—we can leave tangible reminders of God’s faithfulness.
In Old Testament times, when people experienced life-changing encounters with the Lord, they built altars.
Abram (Gn 12:7), Isaac (Gn 26:24–25), Jacob (Gn 35:3), David (1 Chr 21:26), and Gideon (Judg. 6:24) all built altars and worshiped after having a unique encounter with God.
When Jacob fled Canaan to escape the wrath of his brother Esau, God appeared to Jacob in a dream. The Lord repeated His promise to Jacob and his ancestors to give them land, descendants, and blessing.
God would be with Jacob and bring him back to the Promised Land.
When Jacob woke up, he built an altar.
We can build altars in our homes to display items representing God’s faithfulness in our lives.
Memorials can prompt questions from those who see it and provide opportunities to tell of God’s faithfulness to others.
These altars can also serve to remind us of God’s intervention in our lives and prompt us to retell these true tales to the next generation.
#3 – Mealtime and Bedtime
“These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” – Deuteronomy 6:6–7 HCSB
Our regular rhythms of eating and sleeping provide ideal moments to discuss what God is doing in our lives with our families.
Family dinners are natural places for conversations. I remember dinners with my in-laws where we lingered at the table long after our fill of second helpings and the last scraps of uneaten food dried on our plates.
My in-laws didn’t leave God in church on Sundays. He was present at the table and the main topic of conversation.
In our discussions with the younger generation, we can be intentional about giving God the credit for the way He protects us and answers prayers.
Bedtime stories work well with younger children. Books and stories can be springboards for spiritual lessons.
Surrounded by piles of blankets and fluffy pillows, we can interject our personal stories of God’s faithfulness.
How to Pass Down Your Faith
As we strive to pass down our faith to the next generation, we should cultivate our own faith each day.
When we have a vibrant personal relationship with God, His faithfulness is at the forefront of our minds and His name on the tips of our tongues.
Passing down our faith becomes second nature when we walk closely with the Lord.
If we want to pass down our fatih to the next generation, it’s beneficial to:
- Spend time in prayer and Bible study.
- Surround ourselves with other believers who aren’t afraid to openly talk about their faith.
- Keep a journal of God’s faithfulness and review it often.
When the opportunity arises, we want to always be ready to share our stories about our faithful God with the next generation.
Margaret Kemp
Margaret Kemp is a writer and teacher who’s spent many years in a classroom full of lively 5- and 6-year-olds. A Louisiana native, she loves traveling, singing, and spending quality time with family. Her heart’s desire is to lead others to know God better and find delight in Him. Connect with her at The Delighting Heart and on Instagram.
