A lot of what I write about has to do with the legacy you are choosing to leave. We are all leaving a legacy; the only question is whether you are being intentional about the kind of legacy, or whether you are simply letting “the chips fall where they may.”

I have made a commitment to life-on-life discipleship. I don’t have random relationships when it comes to spiritual maturity, I have a purpose and a direction and a process that I have developed and am constantly refining.

I must admit that at times I do wonder whether what I do is working or whether I have somehow missed the mark, and yet every so often I get am allowed to see the impact it is having or can have and that gives me the motivation to stay the course. Whenever these events happen, I just chalk them up as a God ordained encouragements and take in the energy to keep moving forward.

Two such encouragements came to me in the past couple of weeks.

My 18 year old daughter has been involved in the Junior Youth ministry in our church for two years. Her key role is as a small group leader where she and two other leaders have responsibility for the lives of about 15 girls in grade 7. Every Tuesday they meet at the church in the evening. As my daughter has interacted with these girls since they started grade 6, two years ago, she has been very interested in making sure that what she is doing will truly impact their lives – she doesn’t simply want to go through the motions of meeting. Two weeks ago she came to me with an idea – she wanted to pull two of the girls aside and begin her own triad, the term that I have been using for the guys I meet with. “I want to do it just like you do it dad” she said.

She has observed me use this format of discipleship for years now. I talk about the guys I’m meeting with and when appropriate I’ll share some of the things we are learning. She has witnessed the impact over the years and wants to be part of it too. I suppose that there is nothing like having a third party observer validate what you are doing. And believe me, my daughter is not one to “go with the flow”, she has always been an independent thinker, never allowing others to influence her thinking, even her dad. If it doesn’t make sense to her she doesn’t buy it. She has been watching something that works and wants to leave a similar legacy.

Another encouragement came from an email I received recently. It stated: “I must confess I am a little envious when I hear you and many others talk about the role mentors have played in both your spiritual and professional lives.  I think I have missed out on that and see the added value to your lives.” This individual is older than I am and is someone that I am asking to come alongside someone else in an intentional relationship. They are going to step up and yet if only someone had come alongside them years ago and journeyed with them how much more confidence they might have today. It is notes like this that keep me encouraged to continue doing what I have always done. People are out there looking to be led. If I/we don’t step up and lead, who will?

And as such, you need to keep doing this as well. Develop your techniques, keep learning and refining, but above all else, don’t stop doing the hard work of discipleship. Week after week, month after month, year after year. You are leaving a legacy of lives – it’s always worth it, so be encouraged.

For the kingdom.