Telling Your Story: The 4 Stories Every Family Needs to Pass Down
The Intentional Parents Podcast
Generational Stories: Family History and Healing
Phil and Diane explain genograms, compassionate context for family hurts, and what to pass on or stop.
This week, Elizabeth sits down with her parents, Phil and Diane, for a follow-up on our conversation on generations. If the previous episode cast the vision for the role of a grandparent, this episode gets practical: what does it actually look like to set the table and bridge the gap between generations?
We talk through four stories every parent and grandparent needs to be telling, stories that give our kids and grandkids a cohesive picture of what a life with God actually looks like. The first is our salvation story, the story of how we came to truly walk with Jesus. The second is our calling story, which isn't only about ministry work. It includes our vocation, our roles, our passion projects, and the stories behind how we found them, with the reminder that gifting usually grows slowly, rarely on the timeline we'd choose. The third is our God-working story, a look at what He has done and what He is doing, told as a whole journey rather than a highlight reel. And the fourth is our generational story. This is the story of our own family, both the hard parts and the good ones, so our kids gain a compassionate framework for where their people came from, along with a clear sense of what to carry forward and what to leave behind.
Underneath all of it is a quiet act of resistance. In a culture quick to cancel parents instead of seeking healing with them, telling these stories honestly, including the unanswered prayers and the hard chapters, is how we choose repair over rupture. Psalm 145 says one generation shall praise God's works to another, and shall eagerly utter the abundance of His goodness. That's not just a nice verse. It's a description of what we're actually called to do.
This episode is a practical, story-shaped conversation on legacy, honesty, and what it means to hand your family a true picture of God's faithfulness, one generation at a time.
Previous Episode Mentioned: More Than Spectators: The Unique Role of Grandparents in Leaving a Legacy for the Next Generation (Spotify, Apple Podcasts + YouTube)
Scripture Mentioned: Psalm 145:3-7, Psalm 107:2, John 4:1-42, Ephesians 2:10, Proverbs 22:29, Psalms 145:8-19 + Proverbs 4:7
Books Mentioned: He Speaks in the Silence, Garden City + Raising Passionate Jesus Followers
Practicing the Way Genogram Workbook
Intentional Motherhood Retreat: October 15-17, 2026 in Portland, OR
Intentional Fatherhood Retreat: November 12-14, 2026 in Austin, TX
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