Every family needs a blue print, a mission that defines who they are and how they live. For us, that mission has been built around a Bible verse the Lord laid on my heart when I was a just young mom, Philippians 3:13-14.
I had been asking my husband to come up with a mission statement and vision for our family. We began to pray about it and our street address number at the time kept coming to my mind, 313.
One day while my babies were napping the Lord led me to Phlippians 3:13-14 and I shared it with Zach when he got home from work. We agreed that the verse suited us perfectly and was what we wanted our family to stand on and stand for. So, we claimed it, but never really expounded upon it further.
We have returned to the verse over and over in our marriage and parenting and glance with a wink and a smile at each other when it’s quoted at church. Saturday when we attended our friend, Tim’s, funeral and his sons spoke of their family’s Core 4 Values, it gave me an idea to take our family mission verse and break it into a “Core 4.”
Tim had no idea that he was going to heaven the morning of his Iron Man race. He was in such great shape just seconds before his cardiac arrest. Yet, Tim was prepared to meet Jesus and he had prepared his 5 boys and wife to live strong in their faith when he was gone.
That’s what a mission and vision with the power of the Holy Spirit behind it will do. When it’s broken down in something that’s easy to remember, growing kids can have words that stick with them and a lighthouse to return to if they ever question who they are or who’s they are.
In this blog post, I’ll show you how we broke our verse into our family’s core values: Forget, Focus, Forward, and Fortunate. I’ll walk you through each value and the supporting verses, and even provide a template you can use to create your own family mission statement.
- Forget: Matt 6:14-15 NLT “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
We start with the word “Forget.” This value is rooted in Matthew 6:14-15, which teaches us the importance of forgiveness. For our family, this means letting go of grudges and embracing forgiveness. It’s a reminder that holding onto past wrongs only hinders our progress. We’re encouraged to forgive, just as we’ve been forgiven. - Focus: Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
“Focus” is our second core value, inspired by Hebrews 12:1-3. This verse encourages us to fix our eyes on Jesus and run the race of life with endurance. It reminds us that distractions can deter us from our path. In our family, this means staying focused on our goals and values, avoiding unnecessary distractions, saying no and yes to the right things and keeping our faith at the center of our lives. - Forward: Colossians 1:9-14 NLT “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
“Forward” takes its cue from Colossians 1:9-14. This passage reminds us to live a life worthy of the Lord and to bear fruit in every good work. We strive to move forward in faith, growing spiritually and making a positive impact on the world. It’s a value that propels us to continually seek God’s guidance and purpose for our lives. - Fortunate: Colossians 1:4-5 “For we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and your love for all of God’s people, which come from your confident hope of what God has reserved for you in heaven. You have had this expectation ever since you first heard the truth of the Good News.” And Matthew 6:33 “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
“Fortunate” draws from Colossians 1:5 and Matthew 6:33. These verses emphasize seeking God’s kingdom first, and in doing so, finding true riches. For our family, this value highlights the importance of gratitude and contentment. We consider ourselves fortunate, not in material wealth, but in the blessings of faith, serving others, and family. - Now I can take all 4 values and create devotionals (subscribers, I’ll have these available for download at the end of the week) to refocus our family and remind ourselves of the path that we are on in faith. I can make scripture memory cards, flyers for the fridge, and air drop them graphics to their devices for them to meditate on. With a little creativity this could be an amazing discipleship tool.
Creating Your Family Mission Statement
Now, you might be wondering how you can create a similar family mission statement. Here’s a template to get you started:
A family mission statement is a powerful tool to guide your journey through life. It helps you stay on track, measure your actions, and live with purpose. Using a Bible verse as your foundation adds depth and meaning to your mission. We hope this guide inspires you to create your own family mission statement and template to help you in life.
Create Everyday 