teach the testimonies

I have been reading through the book of Deuteronomy. Throughout the pages of this book, Israel is reminded to teach the testimonies of what they have seen and experienced of God's mighty power to the next generation.  Over and over Moses commands them not to forget what they have witnessed. The Exodus was the foundation of faith for the nation of Israel, their miraculous starting point. The Exodus is written about in Exodus 12 and the next chapter, 13, Moses tells the people to remember and to commemorate the day of the Exodus.  Exodus 13:14, "In the days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean? say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, our of the land of slavery".   In Deuteronomy 4:9 Moses says to the nation of Israel, "Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."  

These commands given to the nation of Israel are for each of us today!  Each one of us have a miraculous starting point of faith where we surrendered the running of our own lives and responded to God's invitation of love.  And we each have countless testimonies of God's working in our lives and those in our sphere of influence.  What testimonies do you have?  Are you careful to not forget what God has done in your life?  How do you celebrate the testimonies?  Do you share them with your children? 

I have been asking the question, How do we teach the testimonies to our children?  How can we commemorate and remember all that God has done with us?  This was the command to the Israelites so that every generation would know God and trust Him with their very lives.  I am pondering ways to steward the testimonies of God's goodness toward our family.  Could I make a yearly Shutterfly book?  Or write out a timeline and continue to add to it as the years go by?  What about a yearly celebration remembering the highlights of God's goodness, like the feasts the Israelites were commanded to keep?  What about taking an egg carton and creating some kind of pictures or tokens to place in each egg shape to signify what God has done for us (like resurrection eggs, if you have ever used those)? 

I want to heed the words of Moses and the commands given.  I never want these testimonies to fade from my heart as long as I live.  I desire that my children and their children and the children after them would know all that God has done for our family; to share His faithfulness to our entire generational line, that every generation would know God and love & worship Him!

​What are ways you have taught the testimonies with your family?  ​