51. Altars of Remembrance

Well, this is it – the last Walking Through Wilderness blog!

If you’ve been with me on this journey, whether for a short or long time, thank you. Thank you so much for sharing in and being a part of my story, my memories, my ramblings and revelations.

My hope is that these blogs have helped inspire you to dig your own well, and to press into God as your source of life, instead of looking to other people. Remember to celebrate the victories you’ve encountered, even the little ones, learn to wait well, and fix your gaze on Jesus as you run this race with endurance. Hopefully you now feel more equipped to deal with change, and have a fresh awareness of the seasons of life and the importance of embracing them, even if they're difficult. I hope you’ve been able to deal with any orphan heartedness, that you’ve learnt how to process the disappointments that have come your way and have accepted the challenge to dream big with God!

So, when you come out the other side of that hot, dusty wilderness, what do you do then? Whisper a prayer of thanks, turn your back on the wilderness you’ve just walked out of, and try to forget everything you’ve been through?

No!

Please, don’t write off that part of your life. No matter how hard it was, it deserves to be remembered and celebrated just as much as the good times, because it’s a huge part of your story.

In Old Testament times, the Israelites would build an Altar of Remembrance at places where God had done something significant. For instance, when Jacob ‘wrestled with God’ - and lived to tell the tale (Genesis 28) - he built an altar to the Lord to remember the life-changing events of that night. Joshua built an altar to commemorate how God stopped the Jordan River from flowing so His people could cross over and enter the land of Canaan (Joshua 4), and there are many other examples of Altars of Remembrance in the Bible. Each time travellers saw one of these altars, they would know that a significant event had taken place, something worth remembering, worth recounting, and they would ask to hear the story.

Recording and telling our story is so important, whether it’s through writing, speaking, or creative art, so that the generations that come after us can hear how we got there and how amazing God is. That’s how we bring honour to His name and pass on the legacy of what He has done to those who come after us. It’s like passing the baton in a relay race.

That’s why I wrote this blog series. I wanted to be able to tell others what God has done in my life, how incredibly kind He is, and how faithful He has been to me and my family through our wilderness time. I wanted to be able to say, “This is what Father did for me”, or “This is what happened to me and this is how I dealt with it”, or even, “This is what I did, but don’t do it that way, because it didn’t turn out well!”  It is our privilege and responsibility as believers, to tell the generations to come about the wonderful things God has done.

This will be written for the generation to come, that a people yet to be

created may praise the Lord. (Psalm 102:18)

We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the

praises of the Lord, … His wonderful works that He has done. (Psalm 78:4)

Every one of us leaves a legacy behind us when we die. Whether you realise it or not, your legacy and your story will live on when you’re no longer around. So what’s your legacy? What will you be remembered for? How will people talk about you after you’ve gone? How do you want to be remembered?

I want my children to speak not only of my accomplishments, but about the tough times I went through, and came through, because of the goodness of a faithful God. I want them to be able to talk about how they learnt how to go through difficult times by watching me go through them.

Most of us love a ‘rags to riches’ story, don’t we? The Cinderella stories of an abused and neglected young woman who finds her Prince Charming, or the testimony of a hardened criminal whose life gets miraculously transformed by an encounter with the living God.

There was a time when I was embarrassed by the fact that I didn’t have a dramatic story. I’m really a very ordinary person. I don’t claim to have lived a life of adventure; I haven’t climbed Mount Everest, created a new invention, or made impressive speeches to thousands of people. I haven’t heard the audible voice of God or raised someone from the dead and I can’t even claim to have a spectacular testimony about how I was delivered from ‘bad’ stuff I’ve done, because I’ve never done drugs, got involved in criminal activities, or been arrested.

I discounted my testimony because it didn’t have the ‘wow factor’ that we so often see in stories or movies, that “je ne sais quoi” that puts a tingle in our spine and makes the hairs on the back of our neck stand on end. But I’ve learnt that my testimony is just as valid and just as important. Like me, most people haven’t had radical experiences and can’t relate to the spectacular testimonies, even though they love to hear them. However, they can relate to the testimony of someone who has been through some tough stuff, but has learnt how to walk with God, and who is still learning day by day.

Your story is important. You and God wrote it together. It’s important to Him, so it should be important to you. Although telling our stories via writing or speaking are the two most common ways of building an Altar of Remembrance, I’d like to share a few other ways of doing this, so you can explore what that might look like for you and your family.

For instance, celebrating the anniversaries of significant events in your life or your family’s life. How about the day you gave your heart to Jesus, bought your first home, wrote your first book, started your new company, or moved to a new country? These events are life-changing and it’s good to remember what happened, to share the story of how God led you through that process, and to thank Him for His faithfulness. Have a special meal, talk about what happened, give glory to God, and build that altar! 

Another good Altar of Remembrance is a treasure box or memory box where you keep personal memorabilia – anything tangible that reminds you of something special or is attached to a certain memory. It could be a leaf or acorn that you picked up when on a walk with someone special, a keepsake from a loved one who has left, or something as simple as a card with meaningful words written in it. I encouraged my children to make their own Memory Box/Treasure Box and it’s a great way of encouraging them to value special times in their lives and develop a heart of thanksgiving.

One way of remembering special events or people is by putting photos or pictures on the wall, or by making your own plaques of things you value. At home, we have a set of wooden plaques painted in a family craft session. Written on them are our family Core Values, and they serve as a great reminder to us of what we believe in and value.

Photo albums and scrapbooks are great Altars of Remembrance. I made for each of my children a scrapbook containing photos and stories of my pregnancy with them, their birth and first year of their life, as well as other scrapbooks containing their certificates, achievements, birthdays and photos of them through the years. These scrapbooks are special, not only to me, but also to them, and one day they in turn will share them with their own children.

You probably haven’t thought of jewellery as being an ‘altar of Remembrance’, but it can be! The most obvious examples are wedding or engagement rings, but necklaces, bracelets or rings can hold special memories. I have a ring that is a symbol of the miraculous restoration that Father brought about in our marriage. I call it my Redemptive ring and it is one of my most treasured possessions.

What about a song? The Israelites wrote songs to commemorate significant events (for instance, the song that Moses wrote commemorating their journey out of Egypt and into Canaan - see Deuteronomy 31). It’s a brilliant way of remembering important events! I have written quite a few songs over the years for specific events – I wrote and sang one to my husband on our wedding day, for my son on his wedding day, for my parents on their 40th wedding anniversary, and for my husband’s 40th birthday celebration. One of my sons is also a song writer, my other son writes beautiful poems, and my daughter paints and draws for special occasions.

These are just some suggestions of different ways to build an Altar of Remembrance in this modern day, but what’s important is that you do this in a way that is meaningful to you. From the words that come out of your mouth to the pictures on your wall and the testimonies that you write, tell your story! Remind yourself and others of the wonderful things that God has done in your life, and of what He has brought you through.

When your children or friends ask you about the plaque on your wall, a photo or ornament on your shelf, that will not only serve to remind you of what Father has done for you, but it also gives you the opportunity to share your story with others.

So, it’s time. Time to say goodbye.

Please feel free to stay in touch or send me a message if you have any questions or comments.

I pray God’s most joyful, peaceful and faithful blessings on you as you walk through your wilderness season with Him.

God bless you and keep you.

Nicky

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Nicky Heymans is an author of historical fiction who is known for drawing fresh life and inspiration out of familiar Bible stories. She would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your thoughts or ask questions by scrolling down to the bottom of this page and clicking on the 'contact' link, and she will get back to you.