1 Chronicles 1: It's The Lord Who Defines Us
- Tiffany Sears
- Sep 14, 2025
- 2 min read
My dear friend and Well Encounter contributor, Tiffany, shared such a powerful thought from today’s reading, and I think so many of us can relate to it. Tiffany is a mom of four, a bonus mom, and a Gigi to her grandson. She loves being outdoors with her kids, traveling, and all things southern hospitality. More than anything, she’s a worshipper who has learned the importance of letting God lead her daily. Tiffany has been faithfully reading a chapter a day with me for years, growing as both a mom and a businesswoman, and I love the perspective she brought today.
"Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means ‘division’), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.” 1 Chronicles 1:19 (NLT)
Here’s what Tiffany shared:
“Being born into a family, the names or labels you are given, or the things you did in the past do not define you. Walk in your true identity as a child of God, not of circumstance, past mistakes, or family genealogy.”
So many of us have wrestled with this exact thing—feeling like we’re defined by where we came from, the choices we’ve made, or even the labels other people have put on us. In Christ, our identity is not circumstantial. It’s who He says we are. Tiffany went on to say:
“As we read more, learn more, grow more, it is important to remind our children where we came from. To share with them who our family is and the things we have overcome. It’s like the stones stacked on the other side of the Jordan River in Joshua 4. A simple act of remembering can fill us with gratitude that we are not where we used to be, and for the deep roots we come from.”
I love that connection to Joshua 4—because remembering where we came from isn’t about being defined by it, but seeing God’s faithfulness through it. It’s gratitude for His hand in the story. It’s
passing down a testimony to the next generation that says, “Look how far God has brought us.”
Whether your family tree is something you celebrate or something you’re still working through, thankyou Tiffany for the reminder we all need: your lineage and your past may be part of your story, but they don’t have the final word. God does.
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