A Firm Foundation
Obviously, I love being a grandparent. As a little girl, I grew up dreaming about raising a big family and have seen those dreams come true. I always knew my children would be an enormous blessing, but what I didn’t know way back then was how amazing the second blessing would be when I became a grandmother—seventeen times over!
The values we’ve lived by for the past forty-five years—and the values my parents lived by before then—have led us into a full, rich family life that has exceeded my wildest expectations. God has been so good. Brick by brick, He has built a blessed life for us. The Lord—and the values He’s instilled within us—have become our family’s firm foundation.
The foundation is critical for any building.
When the Chick-fil-A Support Center was under construction, our family would often stop by to see the progress. I recall seeing that foundation soon after it was laid; it was massive. But the size of the foundation must meet the demands of the building. Since this was going to be a five-story building, it required a large foundation.
Construction was completed years ago, and today, whenever I walk into that building, I can’t see the foundation. I never even think about it. But it’s there, sitting just below the surface. Every wall, every window, every elevator, cubicle, conference room, footstep, and coffeepot in every break room depends on that foundation every second of every day. Without it, the entire structure—and everything and everyone in it—would collapse.
Everything that is seen is the result of the unseen. When you look at a tree, you don’t see the roots—but you know they’re there, firmly grounding and nourishing the whole tree. When you fly a kite, you don’t see the wind—but you know it’s there, lifting and supporting the weight of the kite, enabling it to soar. When I look at my grandchildren, I can’t see my parents—but I know they’re there, the legacy of their values shaping the emotional and spiritual development of the next generation, many of whom never even knew my parents.
The foundation is critical for any family.
The psalmist declared, “Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted” (Psalm 127:1, NLT, emphasis added). The apostle Paul rejoiced, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10, NLT, emphasis added). The Lord is building our lives, and He is building our families. And I believe the pillars He uses to set those foundations are our values—the essentials, the nonnegotiables, the very cornerstone of who He made each of us to be and what He has called each of us to do.
On that foundation, He can build a magnificent home for you and your family. He wants to. Proverbs says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures” (Proverbs 24:3–4, niv). The rarest and most beautiful treasures in my home by far have been my children and grandchildren.
John and I are in our mid-sixties. We are as active as ever, but only God knows how much longer we have on earth to live out our values in front of our children and grandchildren and to help guide them as they grow more and more into the wonderfully unique individuals God has created them to be. I suppose that’s why I feel a bit of urgency in making the most of every moment with them–I want our time together to be intentional. I even sign my emails with “Intentionally Influencing, Trudy Cathy White.” Because that’s what I’m trying to do with my life: to be intentional and purposeful in how, when, and where I use the influence God has given me. In no other area of my life is that more important than in the time I spend with my family—living out our values and seeking God’s will for our lives.
God has been so faithful to us, just as He’s been faithful to you. And that faithfulness brings with it a serious responsibility:
Just make sure you stay alert. Keep close watch over yourselves. Don’t forget anything of what you’ve seen. Don’t let your heart wander off. Stay vigilant as long as you live. Teach what you’ve seen and heard to your children and grandchildren. (Deut. 4:9 MSG)
We must remember what God has done for us. And we must pass it on to our children and grandchildren. As John and I often remind ourselves, “The legacy you leave then is the life you are living now.” Of all the wonderful, challenging callings God has put on my life, this is the one I most want to “get right.” And this is the one I’ll think about, pray about, and work on every day I have left on earth.
Fortunately, it’s also the one that has brought me the most joy.
That is my prayer for you too. I pray God’s richest blessings on you as you take this lesson and make it a reality in your family.
Identify your values.
Preserve them.
Transfer them.
That is how you truly leave a legacy on this earth and, more importantly, in the hearts and minds of the people you love the most—the ones who will carry your values into future generations.
But from everlasting to everlasting
the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children—
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
(Psalm 103:17–18 NIV)
Excerpted with permission from A Legacy that Lasts by Trudy Cathy White. Copyright 2023, Forefront Publishing.
is a native Georgian and the only daughter of Jeannette and S. Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A, Inc. An ambassador for the family business, Trudy has held various roles within Chick-fil-A including that of restaurant operator at just 19 years old. White and her husband, John, served as missionaries in Brazil and co-founded Lifeshape and Impact 360 Institute. A developer and encourager at heart, White served as the Director of WinShape Camps for Girls from 2003-2017. She is a speaker, author, dedicated wife, mother of four, and grandmother of sixteen. Every day she is fueled by her passion to be intentional with her influence. A Legacy that Lasts is available now wherever books are sold.
Photograph © Jon Moore, used with permission
