March 8, 2026
LEARNING FROM LIVING

LEARNING FROM LIVING
The Spoken Word, March 8, 2026
By: Derrick Porter


There is something noble about those who have gone before us—having persevered through the difficulties of their day and, in the end, having lived. After all, it’s the learning that comes from living that endures across the years, teaching simple truths that were helpful then and still apply today.

Though our ancestors lived long ago, sometimes in places far away, their stories can still powerfully impact us now.

In 1911, Francis Noble Smith took employment with the Canadian Northern Railway in British Columbia. The work was difficult and, at times, nearly impossible. Through summer heat and frigid winters—with temperatures sometimes 40 degrees below 0—Francis and his team pressed on. With dynamite, they blasted tunnels through mountains. With ropes and pulleys, they crossed rivers and built bridges.

Living in a tented cabin along a river near the railroad tracks being laid, Francis and his wife, Mary, built a legacy of bravery, hard work, and determination.

Decades later, Francis’s great-granddaughter—whose middle name is Francine, after him—found herself living far away in China. As she wrestled with unfamiliar experiences in a foreign land, this young wife and mother often thought of her great-grandparents and their grit as they lived in the wilderness, carving paths through mountains, traveling where few had gone before.

She later said, “I never doubted we could succeed, no matter the challenge. I knew my ancestors had done hard things and been blessed for it, and I wanted to make them proud.” She continued, “We move forward on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I know God will support us in our trials, just as He supported my great-grandparents many years ago.”¹

There is a spirit that enters our hearts as we learn about our ancestors. It ignites gratitude and provides perspective—an understanding of where we’ve come from and how we can approach the future with faith and determination.

The learning that comes from living is priceless. As we look toward the future, let us also look to the past, seeking the wisdom of those who have lived before us. May we follow the admonition of Moses: “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.”²


1. Personal correspondence with Tracey Francine Butters on February 17, 2026.
2. Deuteronomy 32:7.