Have you participated in any high school class reunions? Some classes are great at getting together. Other classmates have been thrown to the wind across the country, even the world, and rarely connect. Maybe you have someone from your class that shares old pictures on social media. It’s fun to reminisce. But maybe in the midst of that remembering also comes a certain amount of regret, as you think about the wide-eyed enthusiasm you used to have about what you would accomplish in the future, and now it feels like you are just wrapping up.
For some, working on their estate plan may actually feel like giving up, as if most of the living is complete in life. But there is another way to think of it. A Christian estate plan is one of anticipation, as the Lord Jesus will lead us to the glory that He has prepared for us. St. Paul once said, “Nothing can compare to the glory that is about to be revealed in us.” (Romans 8) An estate plan looks at physical things, and recognizes they have belonged to the Lord all along. And now we get to put a plan in place, in how our family will be blessed in inheritance and how we can support the work of God’s Kingdom in the ministry of the Church. There is no end here, but bright prospects.
Sometimes we need a little help and encouragement to maintain that kind of positive perspective. Your LCMS Foundation Gift Planning Counselor can help. Contact Mark Muehl at 260-241-4845 or mark.muehl@lfnd.org