Being a Champion to Your Grandkids

I never knew my grandparents, but family friends – Mr. and Mrs. Hope – became surrogate grandparents to me. They led my mother to the Lord and treated her and me and my siblings as part of their family.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are visiting with Grandpa Hope. He would sit in a big recliner in his garden atrium, play checkers with us kids and – like any good grandfather – lose on purpose often enough to build our self-confidence. Grandpa Hope used something as simple as a game of checkers to spend time with me, to invest in my life, and to affirm me as a young man.

Looking back on those days now with two growing boys of my own, I appreciate more than ever the powerful influence a grandparent’s presence can be. Their love and influence can reverberate for generations.

That raises a serious question for you if you’re a grandparent: What kind of a legacy will you leave?

I have one boy in high school and one in college. It could be only a few years before one of them calls their mom and me with the good news that we’re about to be grandparents. I’m looking forward to it.

But it’s also got me thinking about the kind of grandfather I hope to be and how God might want to use me as a loving and positive influence in my grandkids’ lives. I have some questions. And I bet you do, too.

That’s why I had a conversation with Carey Casey about how grandfathers can pass on important lessons about life, faith, and family to their grandkids and to generations beyond. We’re airing that conversation on our Focus on the Family Broadcast “Being a Champion to Your Grandkids.” You can hear what he has to say on your local radio station, online, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or on our free phone app.

Carey is a speaker, the CEO of the National Center for Fathering, and the author of a book in collaboration with Focus on the Family titled Championship Grandfathering: How to Build a Winning Legacy. I’d like to offer you a copy for a gift of any amount. Visit our website or give us a call at 1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).