Why I finally updated my will (and maybe you should, too)

I have a confession to make.

I let my own will become terribly outdated — even though I spend a lot of time helping people like you think through charitable giving and estate plans.

Since writing our last will, my wife and I moved states, our children got older, and we developed new charitable priorities. Our plans didn’t reflect any of that. 

Maybe you can relate. We were busy with work and family. We had other things on our minds. Updating our will was one of those items on our to-do list that never seemed to get done. Until recently.

What changed? We made plans to travel internationally. Just in case something went wrong, we wanted to make sure our plans were clear and up-to-date.

Thankfully, we had a safe, enjoyable trip. But I’m grateful that it prompted us to stop procrastinating and update our will. There are three main reasons why:

1. Peace. Having an updated plan gives us peace of mind. We know that we have made sorting through our estate as simple as possible for our loved ones.

2. Provision. An up-to-date plan means that our spouse, our children, and our loved ones will be provided for according to our resources and values. This is especially important because some of our children are still dependent on us.

3. Priorities. Our plans include giving to ministries like Langham Partnership. We want our resources to be used for God’s purposes, and this will probably be one of our greatest opportunities to give generously to the Lord’s work.

My experience is not unique. According to our friends at the Barnabas Foundation, a completed, up-to-date will can help you:

• Proactively care for the needs of your loved ones
• Leave a lasting testimony to others of what matters most to you
• Minimize family disputes
• Protect your loved ones from unnecessary taxes and fees
• Establish guardianship for minor children
• Provide for loved ones with special needs
• Give in a profound way to Langham Partnership and the other ministries close to your heart

But it can be hard to know how to get started. That’s why we would love to invite you to a free online workshop on Wednesday, August 23, at 12 p.m. Eastern time. Attorney Adam Lopez of the Barnabas Foundation will walk you through common estate plan sticking points and help you learn how to move forward.

To learn more or to register for “What’s Got you Stuck? The Roadmap to Your Completed Will,” email me at kevin.vandenbrink@langham.org or call 314-488-0256.

We’d Like to Thank You If you have included Langham in your legacy planning, would you share your decision with us? We would love the opportunity to thank you and to welcome you to join our growing global community of partners in the Cross of Christ Legacy Fellowship!

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