She looks well to the way of her household: Teach Her to Pray

I’ve said it a million times: nothing – nothing – has inspired my prayer life like having a husband and children.

I don’t know about you, but these days, I’m prayin’ all day long: from the constant whispers of, “Thank you, Father! She is adorable! You are a genius!” to the panicky, “Oh-yikes-oh-yikes-oh-yikes! She’s JUST. LIKE. ME. Help, Father!!”

A household of precious people and animals keeps a woman’s heart busy!

How quickly I have learned that prayer is the most effective way to look “well to the ways of my household”. (Proverbs 31)

Prayer keeps my heart enveloped around my husband as he dives into a new project at work; it keeps my mind ruminating over my daughter’s character development as she dances through the day; it even keeps me attentive to the safety and health of our animals. Prayer keeps me trusting and leaning on our Heavenly Father to hold us in the palm of His hand, and to build our home the way He sees fit.

And so it is that the most powerful way our daughter will “look well to the way of her household,” is to care and pray about each individual in her domain. May we lead our daughters to pray for their households today so that they will do so in the future!

The youngest of little ladies can pray daily for each member of her family as well as for her future husband, children, and home.

My daughter’s heart grows in love, forgiveness, and genuine concern as I kneel by her side and ask, “What virtue do you want our Father to give to your sister? Pray for her; and we’ll both encourage her when we see God answering our prayer!” Or, “How are you grateful for Daddy today?” Let’s thank our Father for him!”

To establish the habit, consider writing the names of each family member on one index card (or, for the visual learner, create a card that includes each person’s photo), followed by the words “future husband,” “future children,” and “home”. Guide your daughter to express her personal desires or feelings about each individual; help her to select an appropriate scripture; and support her as she prays to her Father. When she prays about the future, guide her away from Hollywood versions of “wishing”; guide her towards standing confidently on promises in Scripture. For example, though she cannot know for she that she will marry, she can certainly pray that if she should marry, her man would receive God’s love, believe on the name of the Lord Jesus, walk in integrity, honor his parents, and on and on!

What a beautiful thing for a woman to lift up her household towards her Father: to trust and lean, fuss and plead, laugh and dream.