Bible Text: Joshua 4:1-9 | Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | When Joshua was ready to lead the Israelites across the Jordan River to enter the land the Lord had promised them so many years before, God said to him, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan…and to carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So Joshua called together the twelve and said, “Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder…to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that these stones are to be a memorial.”

So Joshua set up the twelve stones, where they stood for many years as a memorial to God’s fulfilled promise. (Joshua 4:1-9, excerpted)

Perhaps you have an item that is a reminder of something special God did for you in the past. I once heard about a family who had survived a severe auto accident and were so thankful that they were all still alive that they took pieces of the car wreckage and formed them into a collage on their wall so that in the future when people asked about it, they could tell of God’s miraculous protection. I think that’s a great idea!

Maybe you could frame a picture of some meaningful event that would trigger thanksgiving to the Lord. My daughter has a picture of my dad in her living to remind her of an experience he used to tell about when God provided for him when he had an urgent need. When someone asks, “Who is this?” she tells the story.

Whether it’s a gift someone gave you or a picture or a plaque on the wall, all these things can be reminders of God’s provision—a reminder to you and a conversation starter for you to tell someone else your story. Maybe one day your own grandchildren will ask, “What does this mean?” And you’ll be able to tell them how God answered prayer.