These past few months have been quite significant and memorable in my life and the lives of my family. We’ve had a season of celebration filled with laughter, joy dancing and thanksgiving and also a season of mourning still however filled with singing, thanksgiving and all glory to the Lord.
In the month of April 2025, we celebrated the 80th birthday of my mother and shortly after we celebrated the life and funeral nof my father in-law who had just passed on. Both occasions marked by a note of resounding joy and victory in all the Lord has done in their lives.
Something particularly special for me was this – On these 2 occasions I was able to do something important the Lord asked me to do 5 years ago –
“DOCUMENT AND PRESERVE MY HERITAGE OF FAITH TO ENSURE IT IS PASSED ON”
This is what I received in summary as an instruction from the Lord –
“Go to your mother and to your father-in-law and document the stories they will tell you. Write these in a book so that generations to come within the family will aways know they lived and walked with me and will learn and be impacted by their walk with me. This is a heritage of faith and must and should be passed on. You will be like an Ezra the scribe and keep record that these people walked the earth and knew me. Their knowledge, experiences and wisdom would be a blessing for their offspring and their generations to come.”
I didn’t realise just how important it was going to be to take action, Mum was soon going to be 80 and I know that by Gods grace she has 120 years!, but my father inlaw was just in his early 60s and Oh! I couldn’t have known that just 5 years after, come 2025 my father-in-law would be gone from this side of life in his 60s and what precious conversations I had been given the opportunity to begin to have as soon I received my instruction from the Lord preparing my heart to be ready and be able to write his biography this year.
Also I didn’t know that mum had already been given a book she was carrying in her heart and she hadn’t known what to do about how to get it out ! I am so grateful to the lord I took action and was able to work with him to get the needed job done!.
Preserving mum’s legacy, a heritage of faith
This year 2025 mum launched her book on her 80th birthday celebration titled “A Wise Woman”!. A book she had seen in her dream. When I came to her and my father-in-law separately to talk about the fact that I had to help them write their books, she told me she had seen this book in her dream. It was red with green petals, she knew what it was to be about and she knew she was to get it done. She was extremely happy and glad to get started. We proceeded to get it written. Mum would write freehand and then I would type. We would later finally get to the end of the manuscript, and it would get published with the help and support of other family members and other key people along the journey.
Now mum’s book is written, a powerful book capturing the lives of women in the bible, a woman in her own life and her own personal wisdom documented and preserved for a generation and generations to come! Wow am I ever so glad and full of joy for this.
You can learn more about mum’s book and get a copy yourself via the following links.
More about Lady Mercy Nnama and the book “A Wise Woman”
Get a copy on amazon
Get a copy on selar.com
Preserving my father-in-law’s legacy, a heritage of faith
Just like with my mum I came to my father-in-law in that same year and shared my thoughts with him. I knew there was a story to come out of his journey. He had grown up a muslim but subsequently became a Christian in his faith and not just a nominal one but one who had very strong convictions about Jesus. I always knew there was something there to be heard and shared. When we chatted about it, he told me we could write later but one thing he did was he told me stories and I listened to the heart of the stories. I created an outline that could serve as an outline for what could be a biography, and he responded that in time we would do It at a later date. Time went by and as things would play out, he passed on but had left me with enough of a framework with which to run with and with the help of family we were able to put his biography together. I am ever so grateful for this.
Here’s an e-link to the memorial booklet created for my father-in-law containing his biography and tributes. We have actual hard copies as well.
Memorial Booklet for Dr Pastor Adesina Tosin Oluwatosin
The Impact of Preserving my Family Heritage
I believe the impact of taking the steps we took to preserve our family heritage is going to be more than I can quantify at the moment. I see glimpses of the impact but I know this s something we have done that will far outlive us.
Already I see snapshots of some of the impact of these steps taken. My 8 year old son confidently spoke recently in a conversation and said “We know grandpa is in heaven because he believed in Jesus and he had faith that’s why they called him Dr Faith.” He knew this because this was put on the cover of the memorial booklet created for him which contained his biography and tributes. My son Fijinoluwa and his siblings, cousins etc the ones who are too little now to know much of what happened will grow up to read this same booklet and know they had a forbear who had faith and believed in Jesus. This is precious family history that will influence their decision-making concerning matters of faith. They would recognise many who have come before me have walked this path with stories told experiences held, surely this is the path I must follow.
Reading a book written by your own grandma, or great grandma, or great great grandma speaking on the importance of topics like prayer, raising kids, Christ anchored teachings on varying issues, etc would certainly fill you with much value for the content. This is not just any author but your own ancestor! And in the book your ancestor dedicates an entire chapter to a preceeding ancestor! Wow!, what material, what precious content. Even for me this blessed me so much to read the chapter mum dedicated to my father’s mum. I could see a lot of myself in her and it blessed me so much to see all she and her husband did for Christ in our community. What a treasure, what an inheritance. Memories never to be lost, history never to be forgotten but handed over from generation to generation.
Seeing mum’s book so well received and going far and wide with readers all over the world giving feedback, speaks so much about how we can impact lives with our thoughts documented, recorded and distributed. My mother’s words in her book A Wise Woman will keep speaking to me, my kids, their kids and more.
It has felt good to have a book beside me filled with words from my own mum. This would always be with me. A precious heritage.
Preserving your Family Heritage
Dear reader, if you and your family are in Christ you all are greatly blessed and you all have an inheritance of faith to preserve and hand over.
What does it mean to preserve? According to the dictionary to preserve means to
- to keep something as it is, especially in order to prevent it from decaying or being damaged or destroyed:
In this case we are talking about preserving memories, stories, encounters, habits, of families that foster their shared faith, so they can be retrieved, stored, accessed, passed on.
Usually when we think of transfer of an inheritance, we usually focus on material wealth, and this is okay but I want to highlight something. We do our best to make sure our estate is well recorded, a will is created and the will is stored in an accurate place. We usually appoint people who would help execute this will when necessary. The wills usually contain information about money, real estate and other items of value etc. We want to make sure there is a generational transfer of the wealth acquired for the upkeep and wellbeing of the people we have left behind and generations to come.
All of this is great, but do you know even more important is the eternal treasure of our shared faith that outlasts any earthly treasures.
FAITH IS AN INHERITANCE!.
The scripture says righteousness exalts a nation, and so we can say righteousness exalts a family so where this is handed over, oh what a great, great, testimony, what a great victory!.
It is important for us as families to consider what steps we are taking to preserve and pass on our family heritage and legacies of faith.
What are your family legacies or heritage of faith?
Examples would include :
- The belief systems of the family
- The culture, habits, language, activities families have sustained through the years that sustain their passed-on heritage
- The identities, stories and testimonies of the lives of the men and women from each generation shared, recorded, documented, passed on
- The wisdom of the matriarchs and patriarchs of elderly family members
- Memorable days and moments held within the family that tell stories of victories in faith
Why is it pertinent for us to ensure we preserve our family legacies and heritage of faith?
1. So we, our children, their children and generations to come get to know and do not forget!
This is the only way our heritage of faith can be passed on from generation to generation!
Only information preserved can be remembered and passed on and the knowledge of God is such.
What we do not document, what stories we do not tell, what we do not capture in recorded form of whatever sort can be forgotten, can be lost.
The imprint of God is written all over the lives of men and women who served God with their lives. Their children and their offspring ought to know these stories and have access to their wisdom.
Generations to come only know the God of their fathers based on the stories and information that was passed on. This is why it was so important to the Lord that this information was carefully documented and shared with children and children to come that he gave a commandment for this to be done.
Deuteronomy 11:18-21
18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
When God was looking for a man through whom he would establish his covenant he found one he could count who would ensure he passed on his legacy of faith!
The Patriach Abraham taught his kids
Genesis 18:18-19
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
19 For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
We are responsible for the transfer of our family’s spiritual legacy.
The positive effect, a generation of righteousness
Deuteronomy 6 :1-9
1.These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.
- Generations to come need to know our stories.
Children are encouraged to ask their patriarchs and matriarchs questions so they can know, so they can understand.
Deutronomy 32:7-9
Remember the days of old;
consider the generations long past.
Ask your father and he will tell you,
your elders, and they will explain to you.
8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel.[b]
9 For the Lord’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.
- If we do not preserve our family legacies and heritage of faith, generations may come who know nothing about the God we served and would have lost their identity of who they are and whose they were.
Judges 2:10-13
10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their ancestors, another generation grew up who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. 11 Then the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord and served the Baals. 12 They forsook the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshiped various gods of the peoples around them. They aroused the Lord’s anger 13 because they forsook him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths.
The Impact of Legacy on generations to come
The story is told of 2 men. Max jukes and Jonathan Edwards. (Culled from https://thinkgospel.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/the-juke-edwards-story-a-contrast-in-family-legacy/ )
In 1874 Richard L. Dugdale was employed by the New York Prison Commission to visit the state prisons. As he visited he was surprised to find criminals in six different prisons whose relatives were mostly criminals or paupers, and the more surprised to discover that these six criminals were all descended from the same family.
This led Mr. Dugdale to study their relatives, living and dead. He studied the court and prison records, reports of town poorhouses, and the testimony of old neighbors and employers. He learned the details of 540 descendants of “Max” (the name given to the patriarch born about 1720) in five generations. He learned the exact facts about 169 who married into the family. He traced others linked to the family bringing the number up to 1,200 persons of the family of the Jukes (Juke was not the real name of the family). A. E. Winship described the family like this;
The almost universal traits of the family were idleness, ignorance, and vulgarity. They would not work, they could not be made to study, and they loved vulgarity…. It is very difficult to find anyone who is honest and industrious, pure and prosperous.
In 1897 A. E. Winship was asked by a scholarly organization to prepare a paper on Jonathan Edwards. In the course of his studies Winship discovered the descendants of Edwards presided over the New York Prison Commission when it employed Mr. Dugdale to make a study of the Jukes. This led Winship to a study in contrast between Jukes and Edwards. Jonathan Edwards’ great-great-grandfather, Richard Edwards, who went from Wales to London about 1580, was a clergyman. Among the first men of the Edwards family to come to the colonies in New England was William, a son of this clergyman, born about 1620, who came to Hartford, where his son Richard, was born in 1647.
Jukes
- 310 of the 1,200 were professional paupers—more than one in four.
- 300 of the 1,200—one in four—died in infancy from lack of good care and good conditions.
- 50 women who lived lives of notorious debauchery.
- 400 men and women were physically wrecked early by their own wickedness.
- 7 were murderers.
- 60 were habitual thieves who spent on the average twelve years each in lawlessness.
- 130 criminals who were convicted more or less often of crime.
Edwards
- 1 U.S. Vice-President (Aaron Burr)
- 3 U.S. Senators
- 3 governors
- 3 mayors
- 13 college presidents
- 30 judges
- 65 professors
- 80 public office holders
- 100 lawyers
- 100 missionaries, pastors and theologians.
How can you and I Preserve our family legacies and Heritage of Faith?
There are many things we can do, and I’ll share some ideas with you. My goal is to plant these thoughts in your hearts and do what I can to help you take next steps.
- Tell family stories intentionally and regularly to your kids
- Continue family habits that foster your shared beliefs e.g. Family prayer times, family church attendance
- Document the stories and wisdom of the elders of the families in books and other forms of recorded resources
- Capture the images/pictures of the elders in families clearly for easy future reference. Take your patriachs and matriarchs for well done photoshoots to capture their images for longevity just the way kings and Queens from history had their portraits
- Take time to document biographies as needed, keep memorial booklets as necessary
Next Steps
I truly believe there is so much treasure in your family that may me hidden away in the hearts of gallant men and women who have journeyed with God through their lives and these stories are waiting to be told to their offspring and a generation will need to hear them. I do believe that your family legacy is precious, and we can begin to make sure it is not lost but preserved for posterity.
I am ever so glad I took some of the steps I took to preserve some of family heritage and I felt a call to help as many families as possible out there take next steps to preserving their family legacies and heritages of faith.
This has led me to initiate the first diaryofgodsdaughter podcast titled
“The Legacy Series, Preserving Family Legacies, Passing on our Heritage of Faith”
I would like to invite you to join me as I have conversations with key people who helped me take the needed steps I took in preserving my family legacy. Join us to learn how you can take these steps for your own family. I will be hosting a series of 3 instagram live sessions:
(Part 1)
Dr Theodora Ekwevugbe a dear friend who shared very helpful thoughts about preserving our family legacies in a mutual group without realising what I was working on. This encouraged me a lot and strengthened my resolve and helped me forge ahead.
Theodora and I will be discussing
“Preserving the Spiritual Legacy of our Families, What’s at stake?”
Dr Theodora Ekwevugbe (Podcast Guest Bio)
Dr. Theodora Ekwevugbe is a wife, mother of two kids, GP, and passionate child advocate dedicated to raising whole, spiritually grounded children.
With a heart for discipleship, she weaves faith, psychology, and storytelling into creative tools that equip families for godly living.
She also writes, teaches, and serves at her local church, where she is responsible for leading the teens’ church.
Date 19th July 2025
Time 6pm BST, 1pm CST
Instagram handle @dr_nkiru
Part 2
Lady Mercy Nnama my very own dear mother who enabled us have the gift of preserving her wisdom for generations to come by responding positively to the call to write her own book “A Wise Woman” and launching this book at her 80th birthday this year!.
My mother will be joining me alongside Dr Ijeoma Okolie Author and writing Coach who helped me support my mum to get her book from thought to published book!
My mother, Ijeoma and I will be discussing
“Launching my first book at 80, leaving a legacy for the next generation – The journey, inspiration, challenges, victories”
“Supporting my elderly parents to go from thought to published book” – Getting it done, working with an author coach
Lady Mercy Nnama (Podcast Guest Bio)
Lady Mercy Chiwunma Nnama is a Chemistry graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN). She began her career as a Standards Officer with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) before venturing into entrepreneurship as the Managing Director of Decibels Nigeria Limited, where she expressed her creativity through Decibels Designs, a fashion venture.
Passionate about God’s word, she is a graduate of Lagos Anglican Bible College (LABICO),and is deeply committed to her faith, actively serving in her local church and contributing to discipleship efforts.
Mercy is the wife of the late Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma Nnama. She enjoys hosting people, fashion design, and cherishing time with her six children, their spouses, and her thirteen beloved grandchildren.
Dr Ijeoma Okolie (Podcast Guest Bio)
Ijeoma Okolie is a lover of God and a devoted disciple of Christ, she is committed to raising and equipping other disciples—including young believers—to be firmly rooted in their identity in Christ. She serves faithfully, using her gifts in diverse expressions both within her local church and beyond its walls.
An Enlightener with over 15 years of experience as a Specialist Doctor of Optometry, she is also an author with a passion for helping others publish their books. She is dedicated to building people and systems that thrive in all seasons.
She treasures the gift of family and embraces every opportunity to inspire, teach, and uplift those around her.
Date 20th July 2025
Time 6pm BST, 1PM CST
Instagram handle @dr_nkiru
Part 3
A discussion with Mr Kelechi Akwiwu (Keley Akwiwu) my cousin who helped me even with short notice put together a lovely memorial booklet of my fatherinlaw enabling me work with family to get his biography well documented, withbhis tributes and pictures over the years beautifully presented. Keley is a legacy storyteller and the founder of Yougazine – a personalised magazine brand that helps individuals, families and brands preserve their most meaningful moents through custom-designed publications. With over a decade of experience as a professional photographer and creative entrepreneur, Keley combines the power of images and words to craft timeless keepsakes that celebrate milestones, honour loved ones, and pass down personal and family legacies from one generation to the next.
Keley and I will be discussing
“Passing on Family Legacies – Ideas and practical steps 101”
Mr Keley Akwiwu (Podcast Guest Bio)
Keley Akwiwu is a legacy storyteller and the founder of Yougazine—a personalized magazine brand that helps individuals, families and brands preserve their most meaningful moments through custom-designed publications. With over a decade of experience as a professional photographer and creative entrepreneur, Keley combines the power of images and words to craft timeless keepsakes that celebrate milestones, honour loved ones, and pass down personal and family legacies from one generation to the next.
Whether it’s capturing the richness of a wedding day, the story behind a corporate founder, or the life and impact of a beloved grandparent, Keley’s work sits at the intersection of memory, meaning, and media. Through Yougazine, he has helped hundreds of people across Nigeria, Canada, USA, UK and beyond transform their photos and stories into magazine-style heirlooms that spark joy, connection, and pride.
Keley is on a mission to ensure that no important story goes untold—and that we all have something beautiful to hand over to the next generation.
Date 27th July 2025
Time 6pm BST, 1pm CST
Instagram handle @dr_nkiru
Join me!
Please join me and not only will you be stirred to preserve your family legacies , I trust that you will empowered with the know how and have access to people who can help you make that necessary step!
God bless you and all yours.
Love ,
Dr Nkiru
Diaryofgodsdaughter
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