Trail Reviews & Life Lessons

My wife Jocelyn and I love being outdoors. A few months ago, we took the family hiking in Broken Bow. Let’s just say — the trail was a lot tougher than expected. We saw families with toddlers, elderly hikers, even people in flip-flops… and we started to think, “What did we get ourselves into?”

Turns out, we probably should’ve read the reviews.

Because two people can walk the same trail and have completely different experiences. One calls it breathtaking; another calls it miserable.

Kind of like these real National Park reviews:

“Yellowstone? Smelled like rotten eggs.”
“The Grand Canyon? Just a big hole. My wife divorced me there.”
“Yosemite? Too many trees. Not enough stores.”

It’s funny — but it also says something about perspective.

There are two kinds of people on the trail:

• Those who try to leave no trace, and
• Those who try to leave it better than they found it.

And honestly? There’s no such thing as leaving no trace. We’re all leaving something. Our choices — how we spend our time, use our gifts, raise our families — they shape the experience of whoever comes after us.

That’s what this new series, Love What You Leave, is all about: How to leave a legacy worth loving.

When Potential Meets Regret

If you’ve ever felt like you wasted time or blew opportunities, you’re in good company.
The Bible has a guy for that — his name’s Samson.

Samson had all the potential in the world. Born with divine purpose. Gifted with supernatural strength. A literal hero-in-the-making.
But instead of using his strength to deliver others, he used it to chase revenge, women, and personal comfort.

He was built for deliverance but lived like a diva.

Samson’s story is a warning — and a mirror.
Because we all have areas where we’ve been strong, but not strategic.
We’ve carried city gates… but dropped spiritual commitments.

Samson’s life looked powerful on the outside but aimless on the inside.
He kept winning fights but losing his legacy.

1. Don’t Waste What You’ve Been Given

Samson’s biggest mistake wasn’t losing his strength — it was misusing it.
He used his God-given gifts to win temporary victories, but never built anything that lasted.

We can do the same thing.
We spend blessings meant to change generations on things that only last a moment.

Our time, talent, and treasure were never meant to just serve us.
They’re meant to serve purpose.

Intentional people live by purpose.
Reactionary people live by impulse.

Legacy doesn’t happen by accident — it’s the result of intentionality.
There’s something stronger than Samson’s strength: faithfulness.

2. Don’t Trade Next for Now

Samson’s downfall wasn’t sudden — it was slow. One compromise at a time.

He broke every vow that made him strong:

• He touched what was dead,
• He drank what dulled his senses,
• He let someone else cut what represented his commitment.

And then came one of the saddest lines in Scripture:

“He did not know that the Lord had left him.” — Judges 16:20

That’s what happens when we trade next for now.
We wake up one day blind, bound, and walking in circles — wondering where the strength went.

3. Give God What’s Left

Here’s the good news: God still writes redemption stories.

Even when Samson’s eyes were gone and his freedom was gone — his faith came back.
In the middle of his regret, Samson prayed one last prayer:

“Sovereign Lord, remember me again… please strengthen me one more time.” — Judges 16:28

And with that, he brought down the enemy’s stronghold — accomplishing more in his death than in his life.

God didn’t remember Samson for his failures.
He remembered his faith.

“Samson lived for himself for 29 years, and for God for the last ten minutes — and that’s the version God chose to remember.”

It’s never too late for grace.
Never too late to shift from regret to legacy.
Never too late to start leaving the trail better than you found it.

Legacy Over Regret

There’s a story in Mark 5 about two people Jesus healed — one young and one older.
A 12-year-old girl who represented the future...
And a woman who’d been sick for 12 years — representing the past.

Before Jesus could resurrect the girl, He had to heal the woman.
Before God revives your legacy, He wants to heal your regrets.

Maybe you haven’t lived for legacy — but grace says you can still start today.
It’s not about what’s gone; it’s about what’s left.

So here’s the challenge:
Put your hands on the pillars.
Press into what’s left.
And use every bit of strength you have to leave the world — and your family — better than you found it.



Because it’s never too late to leave a legacy you’ll love.

Want to hear the full message?
🎧 Catch “Better Late Than Never” from our Love What You Leave series on the Genesis Church podcast or YouTube channel.

By Pastor Rory Chance – Genesis Church