You’ve probably heard me talk about the role and value of family history in helping you in today’s world. The Family Bible is a way that I’d like to transform that belief into action. Your growth as a leader is a good application of this technique.
For many of us, the family bible had a purpose in addition to spiritual guidance and nourishment. It was the record book of a family’s history. Dates of all types were written there-births, deaths, and marriages being the most common. Clippings might also be tucked away in its pages. These days, the family bible has given way to other family record-keeping devices but the metaphor is apt for our use.
I like to think of all of you as part of my family. We’ve shared quite a bit of thought and ideas together. We’ve also told each other some personal stories about ourselves or our family. Thanks to each of you for joining my family. Now, you’re about to be invited to participate in this Family Bible.
Below you will find real stories that describe examples of leadership from my family’s history. I encourage you to contact me with stories from your family’s past that you think would be inspirational to others. Some of these stories are about family members, some about mentors, and some about spiritual sources. You can never tell when your stories might have a positive effect on another person. Moreover, you can’t tell when they might prompt someone to think more reflectively about the value of their own family’s history and thereby do a little digging to find out more about it. I’d say that either scenario is all to the good.
Please share with me the stories about leadership from your family’s background, whether recent or remote, that you want to include below in this Family Bible.
It’s consistently interesting to me to listen to the many accounts from my alumni about how, as adults, they place greater value on their family history than they did in their younger years. That’s been one of the clearest differences between my experience in the college classroom and with you and your colleagues. As adults, you bring a deepening awareness and appreciation to the study of history, especially your family’s history. Thanks again for all your support and I hope you enjoy the Family Bible as reader and contributor
