In this house we...
What is a family mission statement?
It is a clear vision of what your family represents. A statement of who your family is at their very core.
“A family mission statement is a combined, unified expression from all family members of what your family is all about- what it is you really want to do and be- and the principle you choose to govern your family life.” Stephen Covey
Creating a mission statement for your family should be unique which gives you tons freedom. It won’t look like others. Your family is one of a kind. God designed your family to fulfill a calling, a purpose. There are so many ways to design your statement. Resist getting stuck in a box. The sky is the limit!! The only requirement is that you stay true to your family and God’s unique calling. Your mission statement already exist. You just need to put it into words.
Our path to creating a mission statement…
Starting down this road with complete intentionality would be impressive. However, the truth is we were in the early years of homeschooling and I had posted the words- “don’t whine” and “can do” on the wall. I was exhausted with all the complaining that accompanied our school days. As my kids began to grow I unknowing created our family mission statement. Not whining and having a can do attitude is great. But it didn’t emulate my dreams and vision for our family. So about ten years into our marriage, I began to research this whole concept of a Family Mission Statement. Full of conviction and vision, plus lots of prayer, I began to unfold what our family valued and what we stood for. It took about a full year to morph into what it is today.
It's as basic as ABC... (sort of)
A-Ask God
Pray for Him to give you wisdom, include all family members. God speaks to children with their pure faith so get them involved too.
B- Brainstorm
~Ask lots of questions~
-What is the purpose of our family?
-What kind of family do we want to be?
-What are our core values? calling? goal?
-What words best describe our family?
-What are our family’s priorities?
-What are our family’s highest goals?
-What does our family love to do together?
-What are our strengths as a family?
-What families inspire us and why?
-What would you like others to say about your family?
-What kind of home would you like to invite your friends to?
-What do we do that not every family does?
-What have we experienced that other families haven’t?
-What kind of feeling do we want to have in our home?
-What kind of relationships do we want to have with one another?
-What kind of things do we want to do?
-What things are important to us as a family?
-What are the principles and guidelines we want our family to follow?
-How can our family contribute to society and become more mission-minded?
~Identify your top values~
What words describe us?
*adventurous, creative, fun, faithful, humor, service, hospitable, generous…
Circle key words/phrases… I have a whole list of words to help spark creativity, just click the link below and I will send it to you.
C-Create your Legacy
1. Family Mission Statement- This is the challenging part- putting it into words. Follow the steps below to get your juices flowing…
Step one– Use that marked-up brainstorming list from above and look for a common theme or reoccurring concepts. Circle words that resonate.
Step two– Take your top five values and begin to develop phrases.
Step three– Spend 30 minutes researching various ways other families have created their mission statements to see what format looks most appealing.
Step four– Put something on paper, a starting point. From there you will tweak it until it begins to take form.
- Step five– Talk about it as a family. Make modifications. Memorize it. Celebrate it!
Keep pressing on! Perfectionist need to resist the urge to have it just right. Get something down and keep adjusting it until you are happy. Below are few examples or check out Pinterest for more. There isn’t an exact formula. Just concepts to unleash your ingenious minds.
2. Family Slogan- A saying that is true to your family. Something such as “blessed to be a blessing” or “live, love, learn” or “choose joy”, or “live in the moment”. This can be fluid and change as your family grows but a simple way to express your target values as a family.
3. Family Verse- Find a verse that encompasses your values and goals. You could do a verse a year or one that last for ten, twenty years.
*Don’t get overwhelmed. Start with one area: statement, slogan or verse. Which one peaks your interest? Begin there. Remember there is no “right way”.
D-Display it, Demonstrate it
Write it/See it/ Live it
Display it where your family can see it. Here are a few ideas: Print it and post it, stencil it on the wall, frame it by the front door, save it as your home screen, etc.
After researching tons of other families’ statements I broke out of the box and did ours completely different. That is my hope for YOU. Create whatever works best for YOUR family.
“The goal is to create a clear, compelling vision of what you and your family are all about.” -Covey
Some examples to get your creativity flowing….
Peterson Family Mission Statement (Our Life Mission)
Verse: Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and praise your father in heaven.
Slogan: “People should be better off because they’ve been in the presence of a Peterson” OR… “Blessed to be a blessing”
More Examples:
We work together
We play together
We pray together
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“May our first words be adventure and our last words love”–art of manliness.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The (your last name) family will _______________________,
in order to serve____________________________________ ,
in such a way that we_________________________________.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In this house we will…..
Love without limiting
Pray without ceasing
Believe without doubting
More resources:
Books-
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families by Stephen Covey
How to Develop Your Personal Mission Statement by Stephen Covey
The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni
Websites articles-
https://chadbockius.com/2017/08/22/4-steps-to-a-family-mission-statement/#toolkit
I love intentionality!
I won’t pretend this was easy. But it is so worth it! My prayer is that you take time to create a Family Mission Statement. Whether your family is one or twenty, God has a plan. Dream with HIM! Drafting a vision allows you to focus, keeping your eyes on what makes YOUR family unique. Our world needs ALL kinds of families; generous, fun, authentic, justice-driven, courageous, kind, and now you fill in the blank. Be true to all the qualities God placed within your family, utilizing your gifts and talents. The only limits are the ones you place within. God created family on purpose, for a purpose!
Create your family mission statement! Write it out!