Today’s devotional reflection on treasuring family is about the Legacy of Hope.

“⁴ Each age will praise your deeds to the next, proclaiming your mighty works.“
– Psalm 145:4, NJB

When David was young, his mother committed suicide. She’d had untreated anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder following her time as a soldier overseas. Unable to get the help she needed, she ended her life.

In the years that followed, David struggled with depression. He often felt worthless and wondered if the world would be better without him. He was terrified of these thoughts and afraid he’d make the same decision as his mother. So, David reached out to an older professor when he was in college.

The sixty-year-old woman became like a mother to him. She explained that legacies can be filled with pain, like David’s. “But with God’s help, you can change the legacy, creating a new one filled with hope.”

Maybe you’re like David. Perhaps your family members have struggled with darkness. It could be the pain of teenage pregnancies, depression, pornography, Bipolar disorder, poverty or physical abuse.

Whatever your family’s struggle, God can redeem you and your loved ones. He can bring freedom and healing, no matter how dark your situation might seem.