A legacy is the part of our lives that continues to affect people even after we’ve died. It’s the part of us that will be woven into the world. Flavored by our own perspective and abilities, it will become a part of the larger, global, eternal work that God is doing.

Each person leaves a legacy, intentionally or not. Our interactions with others leaves a story behind that wraps itself around their lives and affects them long after we’ve gone.

Legacies begin when we learn to see beyond ourselves. Our reach can impact our own family or families a world away. When we try to reach out and bless everyone with the purpose that God has given us, we are reaching beyond ourselves and building our legacy.

The power of our legacy comes from  love for others. When we connect heart to heart with other people, we find that their love is grown, their world is brightened, and they find that they are able to build their own legacy of love.

What is our legacy, really? It’s the awareness of the love of God flowing through people. It’s the power of a connection that goes beyond our own human abilities to foster. God is working in His people to create a bond that is unbreakable; a bond forged by the Holy Spirit. Each generation that pours itself into supporting that bond grows a deeper legacy with a wider range of people.

Our strength comes from connections around us. Our ability to weather storms safely is increased when we have others to stand with and around us. Our children grow up more aware of the power of God when we surround ourselves with people living in His ways.

Death is the final line for us to cross, and when we do finally go home, the legacy we leave will shine as a story of God’s love. Our homecoming will be sweeter because of the lives we have impacted through our willingness to love.