Words of Hope
From “Why Me?” to “Why Not Me?”: Jon and Donna’s Story Summary: On this episode of the Inheritance of Hope Podcast, young father Jon and his wife Donna discuss his two time diagnosis of testicular cancer. This episode unpacks what that…
The Life-Changing Impact of Inheritance of Hope: Natalie’s Story One day, Natalie’s friend Jill asked her to volunteer for an Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreat® in Orlando after eight more families joined the lineup. “I was like, ‘How in the world could I…
Monumental Legacy vs. Micro-Moment Legacy The flashing cursor. The tapping pencil. The blank page. Like most parents, you want nothing more than to gather your thoughts and create a lasting legacy. Maybe through a letter filled with life-lessons, or a collection of…
By: Nicole Conti If we haven’t met before, a little bit about my connection to Inheritance of Hope is that my family was served back in 2011 when I was 7 years old. My dad had stage IV cancer at the time. He was cancer free for several years after that, but In…
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” – John 15:13 When we hear the words “lay down one’s life,” we often think of a dramatic sacrifice like saving someone from a burning building or taking a bullet for someone. But…
Fight. Flight. Freeze. Those are three common reactions when we are caught off guard. Think about coming face to face with a massive spider, or slithering snake, or looking down from a terrifying height. You know the feeling. Scientifically speaking, the emotional…
I was recently reading through some liturgies in the Every Moment Holy: Death, Grief, and Hope book and came across the phrase “O God who Inhabits Our Sorrows.” Something struck me so deeply when I read that because we all know the type of Christianity that glorifies…
Do you remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” books from years ago? You would read a few pages, reach a fork in the road and have to make a decision. “If you decide to open the mysterious door, turn to page 42. If you decide to run away, turn to page 87.” Life is…
Do you feel like you have finally come to “the end of your rope”? Visible and invisible burdens occur from everywhere, all the time, all at once. You find yourself barely clinging to the final tattered threads, and it is harder and harder to hold on. Resources are…
As we prepare for another day of serving on a Legacy Retreat, I felt comfort was the topic to focus on today. Obviously, that means we are going to 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, which says: “Praise be to the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of…
My name is Andrea Albanese, and I’m grateful to serve alongside you this weekend. This is my eighth retreat volunteering but my first time giving a devotional. When I started thinking about what to share, one word kept coming to mind: trust. As we all know, trust is…
When I was trying to think of what to talk about, I thought about what I usually feel on Friday morning before I meet the family I get to be with for the weekend.I usually feel anxious, but hopeful. Fearful, yet excited. A little overwhelmed. A lot of contradicting…
My husband and I served at 25 Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreats® between November 2011 and March 2019. At each retreat, I had the honor of hearing Inheritance of Hope Co-Founder Kristen Milligan’s powerful testimony. It was always incredibly moving, bringing tears…
“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in…
“Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9 We made it to day 2 of the Legacy Retreat®! We’ve already poured ourselves out in so many ways–physically, emotionally, and…
Recently, there’s been a verse that I have found to be very relevant in my life, and that is Zephaniah 3:17: “The LORD your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in His love. He will delight in you with…
Often, we find ourselves seeking direction in the big and small decisions and moments in our lives. It is important to remember that the path we are on is God’s plan for us. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own…
Originally posted in March 2011. Kristen passed away on October 26, 2012, but her legacy continues to inspire and make an impact. “Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding.”…
Last summer, I had the opportunity to work at a summer camp I went to growing up. I worked mostly as a cook in the kitchen, but during my last week there, I got to be a counselor to 13 amazing 6th graders. After my first week working in the kitchen, I was exhausted…
This weekend we get to share joy and hope with families and show the love of our Lord and Savior through us. We are blessed to shine our light unto these families who are enduring pain and hopelessness. Where there is life there is hope, but where there is life there…
Lord, thank you for another day to worship and serve you. Open our eyes, minds, and hearts to the things you want us to see and know, and what you want us to do with them. Prepare our hearts for your people. In Jesus name, Amen Inheritance of Hope was introduced to me…
The name “Inheritance of Hope” was very carefully chosen by Deric and Kristen Milligan. Hope is an essential part of this weekend and it is an essential part of our mission as you serve families here or if you serve in other areas such as Hope@Home™ Groups, Hope…
Moments turn into hours, hours into days, days into weeks, and then one day we will take our last breath, equaling our lifetime. National Legacy Day™ is May 21 – a day set aside to reflect on those who have given us a legacy with the gift of their life, their…
These are a few pictures of my family growing up. I’m the oldest of four kids and you might not be able to tell from the pictures, but I was the favorite child. One year we drew names for exchanging Christmas gifts. My mom handled the drawing to make sure no one got…
As life’s waves crashed in on our lives through ministry challenges, Covid, and then cancer all within a few months of each other–in many ways, I felt like life was the perfect storm. In every area of our lives, the storm winds were crashing and crashing hard. Life…
“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not Your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in You I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for You I lift up my soul.”– Psalm…
“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” – Proverbs 17:17We’re called to love others because God has loved us first. In the same way that God is faithful to meet us where we’re at, we need to meet others in the same reliable…
Originally written in 2010, Kristen’s words and perspective continue to be an inspiration. “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” –…
October 26th, 2023, marks the eleventh anniversary of Kristen’s death. She revised the letter below in February 2012. Dear loved ones, As I write this I admit feeling a little sad. Sad because my greatest earthly desire was to grow old with Deric … 17 years of…
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.”– Matthew 5:16 God is with us, always! Even during the dark times, God is with us and therefore, we always have His light. Don’t be afraid…
What a joy to be here in person with you all to serve our precious families. We have waited so long to be together this way. And what a privilege to be asked to share an encouraging word in our devotional time. It feels like a “holy huddle” of a team and coach!…
The Bible calls us to serve God and one of the best ways to do so is by serving others. Acts 20:35 says, “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to…
I want to share with you what I am learning about the valley and God’s faithfulness. When I think about the valley and the mountaintop illustration, I think of where I grew up: the Hudson Valley, NY. In this area, you are usually in the valley, and you look around and…
What an honor it’s been serving these families this weekend. I’ve had a really fun time serving, and I can’t wait for all the retreats to come! With that said, I’d love to start our time off with a message of hope, and our verse for today: “‘For surely I know the…
Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan died on October 26, 2012. The following is part of a Bible study series she wrote. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen’s unique perspective as a…
A few days ago, I looked in the mirror and I hardly recognized the person standing before me. The lines on my face are deeper and are not as forgiving. My hair is fighting the aging process and gray wants to win this battle. My eyes seem tired and weary. The…
You will hear and see happiness, excitement, joy, and hope from the families we are serving. That’s why we’re all here. In addition, you will also see sadness, despair, tears, and probably anger and resentment. Regardless of whether this is your first retreat or you…
The story of Jesus calming the storm is a well-known Bible story, probably in every Sunday School curriculum ever written. Jesus is tired after a day of teaching, He and the disciples decide to go over to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. A furious storm begins,…
March 18, 2023 marks the 50th birthday of Inheritance of Hope Co-Founder Kristen Grady Milligan. Now, ten years after she passed away, many in our IoH family never knew Kristen. Instead, most of you only know of her as the loving mom who cemented her legacy in…
Here at Inheritance of Hope, one of the things we do is encourage families to be intentional–intentional with their loved ones, their time, and their legacies. Some of you have been direct beneficiaries of this kind of intentionality because someone tangibly showed…
Almost exactly 2 years ago, some of us were together in Orlando for a Legacy Retreat®! In some ways 2 years sounds like such a short time, but I think we can also agree it feels like a lifetime. Back in March of 2020, when we thought life would look different for a…
Originally published in 2017, Heather’s perspective continues to be an encouragement. “What if this is our last Christmas together?” If someone in your family has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, this stomach-dropping, breath-stealing question has…
I love the Christmas season. For several weeks, everything takes on a special quality. Special foods and drinks appear. Special music fills the air. Parties and family gatherings celebrate special relationships. Special traditions remind us of special memories. …
As we finish up our LiveWeak series, we thought you would be interested to hear how Kristen finished hers. You may remember that she began with the idea of providing a Bible study to go along with training for a marathon. At the time, she was weakened from surgery,…
“LiveWeak” was Kristen Milligan’s way of embracing the unwelcome truth that she was not in control. Most of us know this fact, yet we instinctively fight against it. Putting on a brave face, keeping a stiff upper lip, being self-sufficient, pushing through–all…
Our son died many years ago, long before the isolation of the pandemic. My family and I were embraced with support in every way. Embraced with hugs, handshakes–the kind where they shake with their right hand and their left hand squeezes your arm, and all those…
By December 21, 2020, you would have to have been living under a rock to have not heard about “The Christmas Star.” Well, I sort of had. Been living under a rock, that is. The rock of living in ICU for a few days. The convergence of Jupiter and Saturn was on my…
Living in Colorado this summer and fall was an experience unlike any I had ever had. In fact, it was a summer and fall unlike any that had happened in Colorado history. In five months, from June to October, Colorado experienced its three biggest forest fires in state…
It is part of my job to send an email to all the families and team members who were part of a Legacy Retreat when someone from that retreat passes away. Sometimes I feel like I am sending out one of those death notification emails every day. It is overwhelming at…
October 26 marks eight years since our Co-Founder Kristen Milligan passed away. Kristen and her husband Deric spent too much time in the gray space of uncertainty–waiting at doctor’s offices, waiting for test results, waiting for a cure. In 2010, Deric wrote…
Originally written in September 2010, Deric’s words hold true a decade later. I just heard Jonny Diaz’s “Waiting Room” on the radio for the first time. With another major surgery approaching and the thought of hours waiting for the results,…
Good morning everyone! I’m going to begin our time by reading just 5 words from a Bible verse. In Philippians 1:12, Paul is writing about something bad that happened to him, and he says, “What has happened to me…” Before we see exactly how Paul continues, what…
Dena is Inheritance of Hope’s Venues Manager. A version of this devotional was first shared with the August 2020 eLegacy Retreat team.
We are Inheritance of Hope. So, I was pondering: what is hope? If you ask most people about hope, they will tell you about their dreams. I hope to retire with enough money to live comfortably. I hope my kids grow up to be happy and healthy people. We think of hope as…
No one was there for me when I needed them! How many times have you heard or said this? When the Apostle Paul was in prison and his friends in Philippi weren’t there for him, you have to wonder if he was tempted to feel this way. If you were in prison, especially for…
I’m going to start off by telling you about a family we served. This family went on the California retreat in August of 2018. The mama of this family passed away about 6 weeks ago. And a few weeks after she died, the dad texted this: “Isn’t it hard for you to get to…
As we get ready to meet and serve so many families, what a joy it is to see and spend time with so many wonderful people on this amazing team. Everything we do well happens because of great teamwork, and that is true of these coming days, full of new ways of serving….
Prayer–whether private or public, poetic or plain, we need it. In times of both praise and pain, the truest prayers humble us and connect us with our creator who loves us. Since 1952, presidents from both sides of the aisle have designated a national day of…
I would like to share perhaps a familiar verse, but one that I love that I want to encourage us all with! Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you…
Is it apparent to you what the common theme of most advertisements is? How about the messages we receive on social media? The goal of most advertising is to convince you that “you need this” or “your life could be better if…” and in social media, we often receive the…
I love this Legacy Retreat® so much! There are several reasons why it is so special. 1) All of the families on this retreat have the same diagnosis. They have metastatic breast cancer. Powerful community is always formed among the families at Legacy Retreats®, and…
1 Peter 3:15-16 – “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have, yet do this with gentleness and respect.” Inheritance of Hope volunteers do such…
Originally posted in December 2015 A year ago I reflected on the wonder of “Unto us a child is born,” which took on fresh richness as Allison and I experienced new parenthood along with Advent. Now we can hardly believe that we have been parents for a year already!…
This piece was originally published in November 2011 by Inheritance of Hope Co-Founder Kristen Milligan. Kristen passed away from a rare liver cancer in 2012, but her legacy remains through her vision of serving other families like her own. The LORD is my strength and…
Recently, my family and I went on a trip up to our favorite place, Hume Lake. It’s a beautiful lake, in Sequoia National Park, and it’s where Brian and I met as campers one summer, so it holds a special place in our hearts. My middlest — as she likes to call…
Aisha Thomas is choosing joy, just weeks after her husband Brad passed away. How is she doing it? Here she shares her tips, advice, and daily routines for faith-keeping and faith-building in a time that could feel hopeless. I know God’s love is real because I could…
Isaiah chapter 42, verses 8 through 11: I am the LORD; that is my name;my glory I give to no other,nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass,and new things I now declare;before they spring forthI tell you of them.” Sing to the…
A few months ago, my husband, Blake, and I were at a friend’s house for dinner, and I commented on a few of her original paintings I hadn’t seen before. Our friend is a very talented artist, and she was telling me about a new technique she was experimenting with…
The camp counselor/elementary school teacher in me thought about having everyone do a trust fall as our intro this morning, but then on the off chance that that activity was not successful… Betsy might not be thrilled if I break our volunteers before Kids’ Day…
Being at Legacy Retreats is a blessing. This is the visible and tangible culmination of many months of less visible work: fundraising, event planning, family coordinating, all sorts of communications, technology, office work and supplies, big-picture visioning and…
I am so excited that Kendra Scott has partnered with Inheritance of Hope to sponsor Legacy Retreats. She sponsors Legacy Retreats to honor her friend Holley’s legacy, and the reason that I am involved with Inheritance of Hope is because I am carrying on my…
I have the privilege to work with 1st-3rd graders at the church I attend in California. A few weeks back I was teaching about the anointing of young David to be the next king of Israel, and I really loved the truth that we were driving home for the kids, so I’d like…
Now is the time of year when we consider all that the past year held for us, and ponder what the year ahead will bring. This can stir up a vast array of emotions . . . hope, worry, excitement, fear, gratitude, fatigue, doubt, peace, longing, joy . . . sometimes…
Since the Strebe family attended an Inheritance of Hope Legacy RetreatⓇ in February 2014, Jon and Donna have only missed a handful. Between the two of them, they have volunteered at 12 retreats. That’s worth repeating–a dozen Legacy Retreats! The Strebe family…
There is a popular song by Matthew West about a person who looks around the world and sees people living in poverty and people in trouble and all kinds of struggles. He shakes his fist at heaven and says, “God, why don’t you do something!?!?!” God…
We don’t always experience life the way we think we should, or the way we expect it should be. Each of us at one time may have walked through the valley of the shadow of death. Many of the families we are serving have that on their minds on a daily basis. It can be…
John 10:10-15 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the…
In May 2017, when we had a big Legacy Retreat in Orlando, I got to know one of the families, the House family, pretty closely. We had four days with the House family, and they flew by like they always do. We do these retreats trusting that the impact is not only for…
As a new or experienced volunteer, the days leading up to a Legacy Retreat can be quite nerve-wracking. There is a lot of information to read through prior to the retreat and then abundantly more poured at you during the volunteer meeting (the night before families…
A year ago today, in some muggy Tennessee heat, our family was gathering in Knoxville to get ready for the wedding of my brother and his lovely bride. This was a very celebratory time, both for the occasion and for the chance to see so many friends and family. It…
I want to applaud our volunteers and staff for doing so many things well. One of the hardest things to do is to create a place for grief to be shared without needing to “fix” it. I’ve seen it happening throughout Legacy Retreats. Here is our…
When God dwelled over the tabernacle in Numbers 9:15-23, the Israelites “obeyed the Lord’s order.” When the cloud lifted, they broke camp and set out. When the cloud remained, they stayed put and did not set out. Sometimes the cloud remained over the tabernacle for a…
John and I were married March 12th, 2009. Less than five years later, he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, ALS, something we certainly hadn’t planned for or wanted at the time. However, because of ALS, we were introduced to Inheritance of Hope and…
Toward the end of 2017, our Events Director, Betsy Ogren, mentioned we were in need of someone to make wooden crosses as our previous volunteer is no longer able to keep up with our growing IoH Family. These handmade treasures are gifted to parents at our Legacy…
At the start of this year, the youth ministry director at my church gathered all of the middle school small group leaders. He wanted to check in on how we were, hear how our groups were going, and encourage us. He shared how, when he has worked at Christian camps,…
Oftentimes when we are at a Legacy Retreat, it seems difficult to pinpoint emotions. Have you felt that? Maybe this is your first time serving, and you have all sorts of thoughts swirling around in your head about what to expect. Or, maybe we’ve done this a time or…
Chad Falk attended the October 2016 Orlando Legacy Retreat® with his wife and three children. He shared his story at Calvary Evangelical Free Church in Rochester, MN, on November 12. This is a partial transcript of Chad’s remarks. I was diagnosed with lung cancer in…
The Bible has a lot to say about love. An entire chapter in 1 Corinthians is dedicated to the topic. “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can…
After years of both physical and mental decline for my Grandmother Milligan, the moment we’ve tried to ignore finally hit on Friday morning: Grandmother Milligan’s health is very poor and she will likely pass away today and perhaps in the next hour or so. Please keep…
We typically think of resting and recharging as getting away or going on vacation. I’m the CEO of an organization that focuses its events around retreats, so I hear exhales of relief all the time. One of my favorite examples is an African-American woman from the…
We are all searching for something to hold onto. An anchor, a solid foundation to steady us when the storms of life threaten our ability to hold on. Sure it’s easier to lessen our grip when we experience long stretches of days overflowing with abundance and nights…
To speak of hope implies that there is a problem. If there were no problems, there would be no need for hope. The problem that generates our particular mission of hope was stated with remarkable simplicity and power recently by a young lady named Makenna Wehe, a…
I’ve been coming to Inheritance of Hope Legacy Retreats for many years now. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed as families walk into the hotel, and I see all the desires that come in the door with them. In the short-term, families want to figure out what to do with their…
Heather originally shared this in preparation for the May 6 Hunter Subaru Legacy Run. When life is challenging, even though I know I am doing what God has called me to do, I often forget that He wants me to succeed and delights in blessing me! The staff and…
I am so thankful that I am a work in progress. I am thankful that God has not left me where I was yesterday, or last month, or last year. I am thankful that He continues to work in my heart to mold me into a better person. The other day I parked in a parking garage…
Biblical hospitality is something that Inheritance of Hope does well, particularly as we receive families at Legacy Retreats. Biblical hospitality is not about the hotel industry or inviting friends over for dinner. Biblical hospitality is assumed for followers of…
“Every man dies, not every man really lives.” –Braveheart The death rate in the world has been steady for all time. It has been hovering right at 100%. Everyone will die. Even if you are healthy, active, in shape, body-conscious, one day your body will stop…
The Christmas season is a great time to make family memories. However, discovering lice in your home, as a friend recently did – while hosting an extended family Christmas gathering – is not the kind of Christmas memory anyone wants! It’s hard to think of anything…
This post was originally shared by Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan in November of 2010. As we prepare for our largest New York City Legacy Retreat® yet (21 families), we look back at her reflections from the first Legacy Retreat® there. “They…
Hurricane Matthew is quickly approaching Florida’s east coast, and a bunch of hope-inspirers are leaving their comfortable homes and flying, driving, swimming their way to Orlando to serve 19 families facing storms much bigger than this hurricane. These families have…