174: Family Mission Statement: How to Write One (and Live It)

Most of us never sat down and decided what our family is actually about. We just started living, and somewhere along the way the answer got decided for us by our upbringing, our friend group, or whatever we scrolled past last night. This week we open up our own family mission statement, the six core values underneath it, and the weekly rhythm that keeps them from becoming a pretty sign we never look at. We walk through why we landed on pursue faithfulness, play the long game, and live with open hands, the one line we changed after seven years, and how we score our values one to five in our weekly marriage meeting so we know what to focus on next. If you have never written a family mission statement, or you wrote one at a retreat and have not touched it since, this one is for you. In this episode: 00:28 The book that pushed us to run our family with the same intention we give our work 02:20 What a family mission statement actually is, and the test that keeps it from being cheesy 04:15 Our three line mission statement, read out loud and explained 05:39 Why we aim for faithful instead of fruitful, famous, or efficient 09:58 Playing the long game in parenting, money, fitness, and schooling decisions 13:37 The one line we changed, and why reserving the right to change your mind is healthy 15:29 Radical generosity when the budget says wait, and what the two copper coins teach us 19:41 The one to five scoring system we use every week (and what a 1 actually looks like) 22:13 The six values we live by, and why one of us fought hard for the last one 24:39 How Friday Night Gang started because we stopped waiting for a bigger house 28:47 A step by step way to write yours this week, even after the kids go to bed 31:59 If you do not choose your family values, something else will choose them for you Resources mentioned: The 3 Big Questions for a Frantic Family by Patrick Lencioni 1 Corinthians 4:2, Luke 16:10, Galatians 6:9, and the widow's two copper coins in Mark 12:41-44 Free Weekly Marriage Meeting Template: https://onedegreemarriage.com/meeting Weekly Marriage Meeting Journal: https://shop.onedegreemarriage.com/ Your one degree shift this week: sit down together, no date night required, and write a rough first draft of your family mission statement and five to seven core values. Let it sit for a couple of weeks before you lock it in. If you already have one, put it in your weekly marriage meeting and start scoring it. If this one helped, send it to one couple who is in a full, loud season and would love a little more intention in it. Subscribe wherever you listen so you never miss an episode of the podcast, and if you have a minute, leaving a review helps other couples find this Christian marriage podcast. Love you, fam.