In 2004 while reviewing my business plan over a Thanksgiving Holiday I asked myself the question: “Why would I not apply the same principals that work for planning and leading my business to my greatest priority, my family?” That day, I wrote down the following family vision, mission and core values that we have put into practice and use every day. Feel free to use these to inspire and apply to your family or accept the challenge to develop, put to writing and apply a personal vision, mission statement and core values for your own family.
Vision:
The Applegate’s will be a family that follows the truth of Jesus Christ where people will see a real difference and recognize that it is the love of God that is attractive and lives in us. Eph. 3:14-19, Rom 12:2, I Pet 2:5
Mission:
To be a family that recognizes God’s love, realizes His love in our lives, and reflects His love back to God and then to others. I Jn, 4:8, I Jn 4:16-17
Core Values:
- Applegate’s will first recognize God as our creator and redeemer. Applegate’s put our trust and confidence in Him and obey His word as the instruction and authority on how we are to live our lives. Ps 19:7-11, Jn 8:31-32, Jn 15:4-11, Prov. 3:5-6
- Applegate’s respect our bodies as temples of the living God and care for the physical, mental and spiritual components of our life. We have each been given talents that we will use in fullness to bless God. I Cor 6:19-20
- Applegate’s consider all others as God’s precious children that He is working to bring closer to Him. Applegate’s think of others interests ahead of our interests and share the fruits of the spirit that live in us and reflect the love that God has for us. Phil 2:3-5, Gal 5:22-25, John 13:34-35
- Applegate’s recognize that God is the provider of all material things and that we are to be grateful for the material things that we have and be good stewards of God’s material blessings as we manage, consume, share and give back to God and others. Matt 6:25-33, Heb 13:5-6
- God chose us to be a family and has given each of us to the other and we are to give special priority to one another. We will respect the interests and will generously love and support each member of our family. Jn 15:12, I Cor 13:4-7
