One of my GEN3 stories: “It’s great-grandma’s prayer for you to find and marry a man of God.” She told me this since I was a little girl, and her prayer was answered. I’m so thankful for her faithfulness and diligence in prayer, guiding me toward my amazing husband. It may seem strange, but we are already praying for the future spouses of our unborn children. #GEN3
After moving to Fort Collins last September I was very unsure of what God had in store. After a few weeks of praying and waiting, I was offered a contracting position with Focus on the Family. I was beyond excited to work with Focus (again), and even more excited about the project at hand: GEN3. I had only heard the beginning rumblings of this idea while I was working at Focus, but once the vision was explained to me, I knew this project was so much bigger than anything I had ever worked on.
Over the past several months, I had the pleasure of helping launch the GEN3 movement. The idea of GEN3, and what it is intended to inspire people to do, is such a deep part of my own, personal story that the last few months felt less like work and more like passion meeting progress. I was definitely in my “sweet spot”. The role was a unique mixture of writing and marketing.
GEN3 is a Focus on the Family movement—an initiative created to inspire people, no matter what life stage they are in, to make small, daily investments in their current and future family. GEN3 is about understanding that the decisions you make today can impact your family for 3 or more generations. Living a “GEN3 life” is taking steps toward a healthy future, no matter what your past or present look like, and knowing even the smallest of investments in your own family or others’ can change the course of someone’s history.
There are more GEN3 moments in my life than I can count… an amazing great-grandmother who told me almost every week that she was praying for my future husband (before I could even date)… parents who led by example by having a healthy, thriving marriage… mentor couples who showed me marriage is less about me and more about Jesus…and the list could go on. Countless people have displayed healthy marriages and families, individuals have encouraged me, prayers have been sent up on my behalf, and I credit the state of my own current marriage to them and Jesus.
The best part about GEN3 is that there is hope for people who haven’t had a similar experience with marriage and family. I know I am beyond blessed, and probably not the norm, to have a plethora of positive examples in my life. But GEN3 was also created to encourage and support those whose past/present is more difficult—a father who left, and family filled with turmoil, a broken marriage, an abusive uncle… and the list goes on. For a person who has dealt with any of these issues, the future of their own family may not seem as bright. Culture has engrained in us that we will ultimately repeat the mistakes of those who have come before us, but GEN3 exists to tell you that is doesn’t have to be that way. A healthy marriage and family starts with YOU. You can take back all the enemy has stolen from your hopes and dreams for the future, and pursue something different, something beautiful.
GEN3 is about realizing God is love and God is grace. He is full of second chances and new beginnings. He created and designed family because He loves us and knows what is best for us. No matter where you are at in life—single, third marriage, empty nest, at odds with your children, whatever—there is always still hope for a brighter future.
Working with GEN3 has been an amazing experience. I love the heart of its mission and its simple, yet profound vision: to inspire people around the globe to invest in their current and future family– despite their past or present circumstances.
GEN3 invites people to make the “GEN3 Promise” — a decision to pursue a healthy/healthier marriage and family, starting today. No this isn’t a costly curriculum or a rulebook to follow, it is just asking people to make a personal promise. GEN3 also invites people to share their story. This could be something as simple as sharing how you were impacted by a grandparent to have a healthy marriage, or how you plan to be more patient with your children from now on. GEN3 is a movement inviting people to stand up and make small investments, starting today. You never know the impact you might make.
Check out the GEN3 website and consider making the GEN3 promise or sharing your GEN3 story. http://gen3.focusonthefamily.com
