Brit and Rylie walked down the driveway, out to the car, the vintage red and white checked cookbook in hand, a big smile on their faces.

“What are you girls up to?” I asked.

“We’re going to the store to buy some ingredients for a recipe,” Brit chirped.

“Oh what a fun project on a summer day.”

“Look at this cookbook,” Brittni flipped open the familiar well-used vintage cookbook cover to show me three names written, one above the other. Carefully inscribed in large wobbly print were the names Molly, Brittni, and Rylie.

“This cookbook belonged to my mom,” Brittni pointed out, “Here’s where she wrote her name. Then I wrote mine, and now here is Rylie too!”

“Brittni, that’s so cool! Someday Ry, you will put your daughter’s name under yours!”

Three generations of young girls, one after the other, had turned the pages with their moms at their side helping to choose just the right recipe for their appetites and abilities.

Molly followed her mom, Lee, and led Brittni, who followed her mom, Molly, and is now leading Rylie. It is a beautiful thing to realize that each day in actions and words we can lead generations by the good examples we set.

In the Scriptures, the apostle Paul wrote, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”

In Brittni’s case, her mom modeled a woman who loved her husband, her children, and most importantly, loved the Lord.

Let’s be sure to choose our paths wisely, because each step we take is pointing the way for our children to follow.

One simple way to start our little ones on the path of righteousness is for each new mother to set aside time with her little ones to pray. Do you make time each day to model this important spiritual discipline?

If we would set aside the time (how long should be determined by their age and attention span!), what a difference it would make. We could pray for friends and family by name, pray about the various crises and events we may have heard on the news, pray for those who are suffering or sick. We could teach them to bring not only our private personal concerns, but the needs of loved ones, even strangers before the Lord—enlarging their hearts.

Teaching our children to pray begins with making time for it. When is the best time for you and your family to pray together? After the morning news? After dinner? Before bed?

If each day we prayed with our families, leading them on the path, what a difference it will make in their day…in their eternal perspective!