To begin this process, you need to be ‘old-fashioned.’ Forget modern and superficial. Focus on your own, authentic narrative. While typing is more efficient, there is a profound, visceral intimacy in a handwritten letter; when people read a hand-written letter they definitely feel more of your presence. Start by identifying five core values - such as integrity, resilience, or sacrificial love - and illustrate each one with a concrete story from your past. Do not just tell your children to "be honest"; tell them about the time you were tempted to take a shortcut in business but chose the harder path of integrity, and how God provided for you in the aftermath. Share the specific Bible verses that served as your life rafts during seasons of grief or financial lack. This document should also include a "humility section" where you offer sincere apologies for your shortcomings as a parent; acknowledging your mistakes doesn't diminish your authority, but rather models the beauty of repentance and the reality that faith is a journey of grace rather than a quest for perfection. By documenting your "God-stories," you are giving your family an inheritance that cannot be taxed, spent, or lost - a roadmap of identity that tells them not just what they have, but who they are.
The ultimate goal of a Spiritual Will is to create a lasting connection with family members you may never even meet in this lifetime. Imagine a great-grandchild, fifty years from now, facing a crisis of faith or a crushing disappointment, and reaching for the letter you wrote in the winter of 2026. Your words will serve as a bridge across time, reminding them that they belong to a lineage of believers who faced similar storms and emerged with their hope intact. Close your letter by speaking a specific blessing over each of your children and grandchildren by name, highlighting the unique spiritual gifts you see in them and the specific prayers you have for their futures. This act of intentional blessing mimics the patriarchal blessings found in Scripture, providing your family
with a sense of destiny and spiritual belonging. In the end, your bank accounts will be emptied and your house will be sold, but the spiritual architecture you build through these letters will endure. It is the single most important piece of "estate planning" you will ever do, costing nothing but your time and your honesty, yet yielding a return that is truly eternal in scope and impact.
