Power of Posterity
“We will not hide them from our children but recount them to the coming
generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and His might, and the wonders He has done.”
-Psalm 78:4

Six Generations of Sand and Cookies
We tend to think about things. Things we may leave to our loved ones. But more important than tangible items are the eternal things that we pass on from generation to generation. The time we spend together with our loved ones is precious.
We had no idea when we honeymooned 31 years ago at my great-grandparents’ cottage on the lake that has been in our family for over 100 years, all the blessings God would give us through our marriage. This summer, we spent a week at the cottage with our three children and their families. We took walks along the beach holding the tiny hands of our small grandchildren. We had a wonderful restorative restful time together as family. We had conversations grounded in truth and transparency. We shared our struggles and we shared our faith. And of course, we laughed a lot!
Growing up, I was an ornery child. But even in my rebellion, I looked forward to spending three weeks every summer at the cottage. I loved the sand and riding on the dunes. There were always plenty of Archway raspberry-filled cookies. You know… the soft ones!
It was my desire to pass along my love for nature and all things lake and sand to my children. But the Lord had to grab a hold of my heart first. And several years ago, He did just that. He has changed me and softened me. He has made me into a new man. And of all the things I want to give my children and grandchildren, it is to pass on the love of Christ.
My wife and I were glassy-eyed at each other and our family so many times this year at the cottage, just grateful for all the Lord has done and all He has brought us through. We are abundantly blessed. In these six generations of sand and cookies, I pray there will be six more generations and one hundred more years of each member of our family knowing the saving transforming power of Christ. God is real and eternity is real. We believe with every fiber of our being that He is our only true source of life. This is our Legacy of Love. What is important to pass on to your loved ones?
John and Sandy
Use the links below to multiply the blessing of your Will to you, your family, and the ministries you love.
Legacy of Love
A Legacy of Love is a personal document you create to communicate your values, experiences, stories of personal faith, favorite Scripture verses, memories, family history, an encouraging message, life lessons and family heritage to your family.
Because a legacy of love is not a legal document, and is not made for the purpose of distributing assets, the content and form is up to you. You may write a letter to your family as a whole, or each individual. You may leave a note for a family member for when they have important life events, such as graduation, wedding, or birth of a baby. You may leave an item or a collection (stamp collection, family photographs, tools, books, jewelry, instruments) for someone with a special note explaining why it is special to you and why you are entrusting it to them.
Here are four themes you may wish to cover in your ethical will:
- Beliefs and Values. What do you believe about God? What are your guiding principles when it comes to marriage, raising children, church and ministry, handling money, etc.?
- Life Lessons. What were some of the defining moments of your life, and what did you learn from them? What experiences and people are you most grateful for? Think of significant events, moments and experiences in your life. What would you like to convey to your loved ones about your hopes for their futures?
- Personal feelings. How can you communicate how you feel to those you love? How have they impacted your life in a positive way? A legacy of love can be a powerful place to share these feelings.
- Message of Hope. What are some of the most meaningful passages of Scripture to you? What message of hope and encouragement do you wish to leave your family and friends?
Legacy of Love Worksheet
For help in creating an Legacy of Love (ethical will); download our free worksheet.
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Sample Legacy Love Letter
Dear Children,
A passage from Psalm 16 resonates with us. It says, “The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good inheritance.” That verse prompted some heart-stirring conversations that we’d like to share with you.
We are so thankful for the “good inheritance” we have received from God. As we grow older, we want each of you to know how much we love you, and deeply appreciate the many ways you have enriched our lives. We’re especially pleased at many evidences of the Lord’s blessings in your lives. And we want you to know that the greatest pleasure you could give us is to pass on to your children, as we have tried to do with you, that same commitment to live all of your life as service to God.
We see our will as an ongoing testimony of our love for the Lord and for you, and that is reflected in the way we have divided our estate among you and the ministries we love. We hope that when the time comes, someone would read Psalm 16, as an encouragement for our family to continue serving the Lord with gladness for generations to come.
We love you,
Mom and Dad
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Setting Up Your Legacy File
Make it easy for your loved ones to locate the documents they’ll need when the time comes
Contents List. A list of the contents in your Legacy File
Duplicate Copy. If you create a duplicate copy of your Legacy File for your executor and for a safe deposit box, you should provide contact and location information.
Finances. Provide a list of bank accounts, CDs, mutual funds, and other investments with institution names, account names, and account numbers.
Funeral Instructions. Provide details about your wishes for the funeral service, funeral home, burial arrangements.
Important Documents. Create a “catch all” file for all other important documents your family may need such as birth certificates, Social Security cards, titles, etc.
Insurance. Create a single file with all insurance information – including auto, home, life, health, disability, etc. List the company name, policy numbers, and contact information.
Monthly Budget. Include a copy of your monthly budget to help your family keep track of bills and run your household once you are gone.
Passwords. If you’re like most people, you have probably have a large and growing list of passwords, usernames, and PIN numbers for your bank accounts, web sites, voicemail, and more. Make a list of these important access codes in a single file.
Legacy of Love. Sometimes called an ethical will is a “love letter” from you expressing your spiritual values, your love for family, your life lessons and beliefs.
Tax Returns. It is recommended that you keep up to 7 years of tax returns on file in the event that you are audited by the IRS. This precaution will spare your family from a lot of unnecessary hassle if you are no longer around.
Will. A signed copy of your will, including information about guardianship, beneficiaries, executor, power of attorney, financial accounts, and charitable interests.
Source: Selected concepts based on the Legacy Drawer at www.daveramsey.com
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Notice of Bequest Letter
If you have included us in your Will, we’d like to thank you appropriately and be sure we understand and honor your gift intentions. You can help us do that by sending us a “Notice of Bequest” letter. Here is a sample:
In recognition of my strong belief and confidence in its mission, I have made a gift by Will to Haven of Rest Ministries.
If I make any change to this provision or if the value of the bequest or gift changes substantially, I will notify Haven of Rest Ministries of such change.
I understand that all information listed below will be kept in confidence unless I authorize its release.
Other Ways to Give
Charitable Gift Annuities
CGAs are a simple arrangement that involves a charitable gift and an annuity. You simply make a gift (part of which is tax deductible), and receive fixed annuity payments each year for the remainder of your life. At the end of your life, the charitable gift goes to support our work.
Stock Giving
Did you know appreciated stocks, bonds, and mutual funds in a taxable investment portfolio can be transferred as gifts to support Kingdom work? Giving stocks provides a significant opportunity to avoid capital gain tax, receive a deduction and simplify your giving.
Charitable Trusts
A charitable trust allows you to bless a ministry you care about while still providing an income for you or your heirs. With a charitable lead trust, money is paid first to the ministry of your choice for a specified amount of time. Then at the end of the trust period, the balance goes to a designated beneficiary. A charitable remainder trust reverses that order, paying your heir first.
Retirement Assets and IRA Giving
Designating a ministry as the beneficiary of your retirement account offers a number of tax advantages. Unlike individual beneficiaries, ministries are not required to pay income tax on withdrawals from these accounts, plus the sum you give will not be included in your adjusted gross income.
Gifts In Kind
Gifts in Kind refer to the practice of giving actual goods or services to a ministry versus donating the money to buy them. These types of gifts can be as creative as the person giving them!
Real Estate Gifts
Properties that can be given to us include personal residences, vacation homes, commercial property or land. Many people like to give gifts of real estate because the inherent value of the property far exceeds that of any other single asset. It’s very popular because even individuals with modest estates typically own real estate.
Point of Death Transfers
POD Transfers are a way of designating beneficiaries to receive your assets automatically at the time of your death, without having to go through probate court. They also allow you to specify the percentage of assets each person or entity will receive.
Donor Advised Funds
One of the simplest ways to give real estate, stocks, mutual funds or commodities is through a Donor Advised Fund. This is an account you create directly with us for setting aside money or assets, receiving immediate tax benefits and allowing you the flexibility to distribute gifts over time. It’s like having your own charitable giving account.
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