God promised Abraham he would have descendants as numerous as the stars, and that “through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 18:18, GW). We know this promise was fulfilled through God’s Son, Jesus Christ, who was born to Mary, a descendant of Abraham.
But the promise wasn’t without responsibility on Abraham’s part. God also said, “I have chosen him [Abraham] so that he will direct his children and his family after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just” (Genesis 18:19, GW).
Abraham’s responsibility as part of this covenant was to teach his children about God and His commandments. This proved to be both a blessing and a curse. The people of Israel often failed to obey God, and they suffered as a result. Yet God continued to restore them and draw them back into obedience.
This responsibility continues today for those of us who follow Christ. We seek to raise our children to love Jesus and to serve Him all their lives. Although faith cannot be inherited, the impact of the example set by a parent or grandparent is evident in the lives of many Christians.
At an event I attended recently, we shared about someone who had left a legacy in our lives. Many of the women present mentioned their mother or grandmother who loved Jesus.
As writers, our impact can also extend beyond our first readers. The words we put on paper (or on a screen) live on, more so today with the Internet than in any past time period. Just as you may have been affected by something written before you were born, so too your writing may be read by generations to come. But even if your words are not seen decades from now, your story might change one life by pointing him or her to Jesus, and that person’s changed life impacts their descendants.
The more I think about this, the more overwhelmed I become at the responsibility I have to be sure the words I write are pleasing to the Lord. But I’m also awed by the opportunity God has given me to glorify Him through my writing.
How does the generational impact of your writing affect you—do you see it as a blessing or a curse?
Just as you may have been affected by something written before you were born, so too your writing may be read by generations to come.@mwcoutu @MaryAFelkins #seriouslywrite #generationalimpact #writinglife
Even if your words are not seen decades from now, your story might change one life by pointing him or her to Jesus, and that person’s changed life impacts their descendants.@mwcoutu @MaryAFelkins #seriouslywrite #generationalimpact #writinglife
Marie Wells Coutu finds beauty in surprising places, like old houses, gnarly trees, and forgotten treasures. When she’s not writing about finding restoration and healing through God-designed journeys, she enjoys taking broken things and making them useful. She is currently working on historical romance novels set in the 1930s. One manuscript won the 2019 Touched by Love Contest and the 2019 Sheila Contest, and a second novel also won in the Sheila Contest.
Her published novels are women’s contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, For Such a Moment, won the Books of Hope Contest. The Secret Heart, her newest release, and Thirsting for More, the second book in the series, were finalists in several contests.
You can find more about Marie and her novels on her Facebook author page and her website, MarieWellsCoutu.com,
Follow her on Twitter @mwcoutu or on Amazon.
