When Rheya Lee created Little Lemons business this past summer, I recognized learning could be fun for her but I didn't incorporate it into our school plan for 2016-2017. A couple of months ago, it dawned on me, it might be a good idea to combine our homeschooling with our current and future businesses. Through some research, I found Homeschool Entrepreneur. It was what we were searching for without even knowing we were searching for it. Business, homeschool, ministry... and you got it, creating a family mission statement.

A family mission statement. What exactly is that I wondered. So I dug deeper and found a few blogs that brought some understanding and guidance:

Intentional By Grace: How To Write A Family Mission Statement

Strengthening Family: Creating a Family Mission Statement

Cloud Mom: Why You Need A Family Mission Statement

Armed with this information, our family goals for the next 10 years, bible verses, and bits + pieces from some Pinterest searches, we were able to come up with something that fit our family.

The Edwards Family
do something that matters

We will choose this day to serve the Lord.
We are God’s workmanship, created in Jesus Christ to do
good works. We celebrate our strengths and we call upon the
Lord to deliver us from our weaknesses.
We can do everything through Him who gives us strength.
We are strong in the Lord and his mighty power,
putting on the full armor of God daily.

We are the best when we are kind to one another, spend quality
time together, laugh, and give to others. We give with selfless
hearts. We encourage dreams and creativity. We let go of
perfect and show grace, love, intention, and support. We keep
learning. We respect ourselves and others. We do silly. We
laugh. We are loud. We are patient. We are bold.
We communicate. We are real. We explore. We create
memories. We take time to rest. We value working together
as a family of integrity. We are thankful.
We bridge the gap.

We are The Edwards.

I encourage every family to write a mission statement and here's why:

It requires you to come together as a family to talk about your strengths, your weaknesses, your goals, your dreams, and more.
It's amazing how much you can learn about the people you live with day in and day out. Weird, right?!
It encourages you to work and pray together as a family, even if it's hard sometimes.
You are declaring these words over your family even if they aren't true... YET. You believe what you speak. And speaking God's word always trumps the true enemy.

I encourage every family to take action with their family mission statement:

Commit to one another as a family to live by this statement. After all, everyone was a part of making this statement. (Yay for Moms who let go of control on this one!)
Write or type up your statement. Make sure everyone in the family has a copy.
Say it together every day. Together, alone, or both. Memorize it.
Post this statement around the house. We currently have it posted by our kitchen sink but plan to create a big piece of artwork to hang somewhere in the house. We also plan to post a sign that says just our tagline "do something that matters" somewhere to serve as a reminder.
Read it when you feel mad, sad, or discouraged. Remember the TRUTH and remember your family has got your back.

I am so excited about our Family Mission Statement. I believe sharing it creates accountability. I also hope this brings encouragement and action to you who is reading it. From our family to yours, do something that matters!

What Is A Family Mission Statement?