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Friend, before the coffee cools and before the day gathers speed, let's spend a few moments together in the harbor of God's Word. Welcome to this Friday verse of the day bonus episode of Tales of Faith by the Sea. All week we have stood beside deep waters. Monday, Israel stood before the Red Sea with nowhere to go. Tuesday, God said go forward. Wednesday they walked through the sea on dry ground. Yesterday we stood beside another generation as the priest stepped into the overflowing Jordan, and today we have reached the other shore. Joshua four six and seven, let this be a sign among you, so that when you your children ask later, saying, What do these stones mean to you? Then you shall say to them because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. But before Israel marched deeper into the promised land, God told them to do something unusual, pick up twelve stones from the Jordan, carry them onto the shore, and build a memorial. Why? Because God knew something about human beings. We forget. We remember the storm and forget the deliverance. We remember the fear and forget the faithfulness. We remember the night we thought we would never survive, but sometimes forget the morning when God carried us safely ashore. So God told Israel, pile up these stones, and one day your children will ask, What do these stones mean to you? And when they do, tell them the story. Tell them about the river, tell them about the impossible crossing. Tell them about the day God made a road where there had been only water. In other words, don't keep God's faithfulness to yourself. There ought to be some stones along the shoreline of every Christian life. Memories of prayers answered, times when God's word gave us strength, moments when Providence opened a door we never expected, seasons when we wondered how we would make it through, and somehow, by the grace of God, we did. And those moments are not merely for us. Our children need to hear them. Our grandchildren need to hear them. The church needs to hear them. The next generation needs to know that God, that the God we read about in Scripture is the God we have trusted throughout our lives. We need fathers who can point backwards and say, Son, let me tell you what the Lord has done. Mothers who can say, Daughter, there was a time when we did not know what we were going to do. But we prayed. We remained faithful, and God carried us through. Grandparents who can sit with grandchildren and tell them about a lifetime of walking with the Lord, because one day we will no longer be able to tell the story. But perhaps these stones will remain. As we finish another week together, look back over the waters God has already brought us through. Remember the prayers, remember the storms, remember the doors he opened, remember the strength he supplied, and then tell somebody, especially those coming behind you, because faith is not merely something we possess, it is something we pass along. And perhaps years from now, someone you love will face a river that seems impossible to cross, and they will remember our story. They will remember the stones, and they will say If God carried them through, I can trust him to carry me too. Until next time, may you never forget the waters God has brought you through. May your life become a testimony to his faithfulness, and may those who come behind you find courage because you remembered to tell them what the Lord has done. This is Nathan Hampton of the Enan Church of Christ, just outside Dothan, Alabama. If you are ever in the area, it would be an honor to have you visit and attend, and it would be a great chance to get to know you. Until next time, have a safe and blessed weekend, friends. And remember, when God brings you to the other shore, don't forget to leave some stones behind. Save sailing, my friends. Goodbye.