For more than 15 years, I have been researching family history, uncovering stories, preserving memories, and sharing discoveries through Journey Through the Generations. When I started this journey, I never imagined where it would lead me. What began as a desire to learn more about my ancestors has grown into a family history blog, podcast,... Continue Reading →
Stewardship and Family History
For years, I thought I was simply doing family history research. I interviewed relatives. I scanned photographs. I organized documents. I collected funeral programs. I preserved school memorabilia. I wrote about my discoveries on my blog and shared them through my podcast. It wasn't until recently that I learned the word stewardship. Stewardship means caring... Continue Reading →
My Birthday Celebration – Looking Back Before Looking Ahead
As my birthday approaches each year, I find myself doing what I suspect many family historians do best, looking back. Usually, I'm looking back at the lives of my ancestors, searching for another clue or preserving another story. This year, however, I found myself looking back at a different story...my own. When I started researching... Continue Reading →
When Family History Becomes a Gift During Times of Grief
Most people think of family history as a way to preserve the past. We spend years researching our ancestors, scanning old photographs, organizing documents, and recording family stories so future generations will know where they came from. But over the years, I've discovered that family history can also become an unexpected gift during one of... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday – Family Vacation Memories Made
Mays Cummings 2026 Family Vacation
Back to Research: Where Were My Ancestors in 1776?
Over the past several months, much of my genealogy time has been spent writing instead of researching. Now that my writing projects are wrapping up, I'm excited to get back to what started this journey fifteen years ago - researching my family history. Earlier this year, I introduced my 2026 research challenge, "Do You Know... Continue Reading →
Wordless Wednesday – It’s Our Anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip D. Cummings - Newport, AR 2000
Including Genealogy Research in Your Summer Fun
When I think of summer, I think of vacations, long weekends, road trips, and day trips. It's during the summer months that many people are planning trips to beaches, national parks, and family reunions. Family historians have a unique opportunity to add a little genealogy to their travel plans. Whether you're taking a cross-country vacation,... Continue Reading →
Celebrating America 250
As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, many families will gather to celebrate Independence Day with reflection, gratitude, and tradition. It is a milestone that invites us to look back at the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and consider how far the nation has come since that moment. For family historians,... Continue Reading →
June is NPE Awareness Month
June is NPE (Non-Paternal Event) Awareness Month, a time dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding of unexpected parentage discoveries. In genealogy, an NPE generally refers to a situation where a person's expected biological parent is not their biological parent. Today, the term is often used more broadly to include unexpected discoveries involving parentage, adoption, donor... Continue Reading →