One of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the freedom to imagine. This is part of a generational inheritance we give to our family. While imagination is something most children experience as a normal part of growing up, some imaginations have been hindered and even destroyed by neglect, abuse, or a loveless home.

Our daughter, Anna, is an artist and published poet. Her most recent book is titled, Living Large on Little. In the book, Anna shares principles of how to live in the largeness of God’s goodness, even when our resources are limited, and in some cases, not available.

Anna writes, “This book is about spending less time seeing limitations as obstacles, and it is about investing in our imagination to re-see obstacles as invitations. In fact, you might say this book is about revision, re-vision.”

When we did not have much to give our children in the way of finances or expensive vacations, we did give them the gift of imagination. The dividends of that freedom have released and transmitted generational creativity. We can be wealthy in the eyes of the world, but paupers in the area of imagination. Give those you love the freedom to imagine. That gift will walk with them through the span of their lives, and beyond and from it will come remarkable testimonies of a life well-lived.