Breaking Generational Cycles
- Chelsea
- Mar 24, 2024
- 2 min read
Why is money so emotional?!
I didn't grow up talking about money, but it was clear early in my marriage that I couldn't avoid talking about it without there being big issues later. After avoiding "the talk" until we couldn't anymore, we were finally compelled to confront our financial situation head on. I was wrapped up in shame and embarrassment and frustration during one of our weekly budget reconciliations and told my husband that I needed a break. As I stood in the shower, I prayed. When I face a unique challenge I will often request a specific ancestor that had experience in that area, but as my mind sifted through each person my heart started to sink. "Heavenly Father, please send..." I realized that I come from a long line of poor money managers. My next thought was not my own. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ, I have the power to stop the cycle. I felt an intense determination to break that chain for me and for my posterity.
Learning about our ancestors can teach us so much about ourselves- for the good and for the bad. Enter: Jesus Christ. Adding His grace to our line binds up wounds, heals trauma, brings peace and unification and can break ANY generation cycle. His grace also allows us to offer that same grace too. While frugality is very much an attribute I am trying to add to my tree, I also try to balance it with the fun my ancestors used their money for. When the mood hits, we like to blow past the grocery budget pulling a "Grandpa Bergen" buying boxes and boxes of Little Debbie and Hostess treats. And we may or may not have used a hefty tax return that would have added some nice padding to the savings like how my dad would have spent it...by taking a rash drive-through-the-night-to-go-to-Disneyland-the-next-day decision. For them, saving for the future was not a strong point but living in the present sure was! Because of Jesus Christ the good gets better and the bad can change.
What generational cycles are you breaking?
And what grace are you offering those that came before?
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