By Beth Guckenberger
Let the Redeemed of the Lord tell their story… (Ps. 107:2)
Why Your Stories Matter to the Next Generation
Why should grandparents share their stories with their grandchildren? Grandparents can play an important role in passing faith to the next generation by sharing authentic stories of God’s faithfulness. Family stories help grandchildren understand where they came from, learn from the experiences of those who came before them, and see how faith shapes real-life decisions.
I can’t find this in my Bible, but I believe every one of us has a bank account of testimonies in our souls. It’s where we store the stories that form our understanding of how God moves, loves, forgives, or protects. We can deposit into our account from our own life (this is why God says remember so much). That way, on a day when I need a withdrawal, I remember what He’s done before, and I say, “Lord, you’ve done it before; will you do it again.”
The second way to deposit into my bank account of testimonies is reading the stories in my Bible. This is why we consume our Bibles, so on a day when I need a withdrawal, I say, “Lord, you did it for Peter, you did it for Esther… will you do it for me?”
The third way I can make a deposit is to learn from my faith community. Ps107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story…” We need to sit in circles or across from one another and listen well. There are rich deposits to be mined from the lives of those around us. So on a day when I need a withdrawal, I can say, “Lord, you did it for Libby, you did it for Scott, will you do it for me?”
Our children and grandchildren need deposits into their bank account of testimonies. They need to hear how God sustained us, or provided for us, or protected us. They need those faith-building stories that cause them to risk, trust, engage, or move with spiritual confidence. They also need to hear when God forgave us or removed our shame. Today’s emerging generations are hungry for authentic testimonies rather than a list of your accomplishments.
So how do we tell our stories without it being all about us? How do we know the right timing or to tell it in a relatable way? Look at the list below and begin with one story in one setting and see what unfolds.
1. Share Your Family History
Our history is their history. Do our children and grandchildren know where we came from? Do they know what our childhood was like or what our family values and traditions were? Is there something we used to do, or eat, or listen to that could give them a little insight into who we are and what’s important to us?
Deut 32:7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.
2. Model Maturity
What was a moment that changed you? It could have been a key decision or relationship, or a crisis or failure. Don’t worry about looking good. They will smell the spin. Share a time when you’ve changed your mind. In their lifetime, they will change their mind many times over. Show them how to stay curious and keep growing.
Proverbs 9:9 Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.
3. Be Vulnerable About Your Faith Journey
Our children and grandchildren are hungry for authenticity. Life hasn’t always been easy, and they want to know how our faith carried us or made a difference. Is there a relationship you had that failed? Is there a risk you took that turned out differently than you imagined? What did you learn about yourself? About others? About God? Those are the stories they will recall when one of those moments happens to them; and your voice and perspective will be a gift.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.
4. Teach the Perspective That Comes With Experience
In other words teach hindsight. Time gives us a perspective youth are still developing. Think of a story that, when it happened, you thought one thing, but now looking back, you realize something else. It strengthens the muscle of trusting when we cannot see or don’t understand what’s unfolding.
1 Cor. 13:12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
5. Model Listening
Science tells us the full attention of an attuned listener heals the brain. If you want them to listen to you, we need to learn to ask good questions and listen to their answers without judgment and interruption.
James 1:19 Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.
6. Create a Culture of Storytelling
In our house, we share every night our “happy” and “crappy.” As we share, we are learning we don’t always have to put our best foot forward; some things are just hard. We are learning we can be vulnerable with each other, and as a family. We are reinforcing we will come for and celebrate one another. I thought when we started, we would be cultivating empathy and other-centeredness, but the unintended benefit has been we’ve become good at telling stories. Stories reinforce culture, and that is a win.
Psalm 78:4 We will not hide them from their children, telling the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD, his power, and the wonders he has done.
7. Share Your Convictions With Passion
They will develop their own ideas over time, but I don’t want to fear demonstrating what I’ve come to believe. Their whole lives, people will be telling them what to think. I hope my voice and their memory of my passion are well recorded in their heads.
Deut 6:6-7 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
8. Value Experience Over Products
Activities over toys. Playing, trying, experiencing over collecting, having, and buying. Watching families come together on mission trips over the years, I’ve seen how invaluable their shared experience is. Kids want memories over stuff, so I am working on redirecting appetites and allocating funds accordingly.
Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Your Story Can Become Part of Their Faith Legacy
We’ve exchanged our lives for stories and lessons (both cautionary and amazing). They have shaped who we are and how we make decisions. It’s a biblical idea to pass them to the generations that follow us. The rest of the world is doing it; peers in African and Asia, peers who are Latino and Jewish – they are living with hundred-year perspectives. They remember the stories of their grandparents, and they are telling them to their grandchildren. In our Western culture, we think about what’s good for us today, and how to make our own way. Let’s turn to our Bibles for wisdom and permission to tell our stories to bless and benefit those who come behind us. May God bless you as you build your own bank of testimonies; one deposit at a time. May it yield godly benefits long after you are gone. It’s worth it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why should grandparents share their stories with their grandchildren?
Grandparents’ stories help grandchildren understand their family history, learn from past experiences, and see how faith has shaped the family’s journey. Stories can become meaningful reminders of God’s faithfulness.
What kinds of stories should grandparents tell their grandchildren?
Grandparents can share stories about childhood, family traditions, important decisions, failures, challenges, answered prayers, difficult seasons, God’s provision, and moments when their faith grew.
How can grandparents pass their faith to the next generation?
Grandparents can pass their faith to the next generation by modeling a genuine relationship with Christ, sharing stories of God’s faithfulness, discussing Scripture, praying with their grandchildren, and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations.
How can grandparents share their testimony without making it all about themselves?
Focus the story on what God did rather than simply on what you accomplished. Share honestly about challenges, failures, growth, and God’s faithfulness, then connect the story to what your grandchild may be experiencing.
What if my grandchildren aren’t interested in my stories?
Look for natural opportunities rather than forcing conversations. Ask questions, listen to their experiences, and share stories when they connect naturally to something happening in their lives.
What is the best way to preserve family stories for future generations?
Grandparents can preserve stories through conversations, handwritten memories, photographs, journals, recordings, family traditions, letters, or a collection of stories about God’s faithfulness.
