Awhile back, I was rereading a copy of an 11-year-old Focus on the Family article entitled, “Footprints of Faith.” The author, Wendy Lawton told the story of a priceless family treasure that came in the form of a yellowed handwritten note attached to some old photographs. It was a prayer that was written by her great-grandmother.

The note read, “This day, July 10, 1912, I hereby sign and give my son over to the Lord, for the Lord to redeem his soul from sin and to make him an earnest Christian, all through life and take the whole care of him until he is landed safely on the other side. This is the earnest prayer of his mother, Elizabeth Coats.”

Although we could learn a great deal about the effective prayers of caring parents from this note, I was particularly struck by the power of this “resonant testimony” as it reverberated down through the generations of this family. That great-grandmother started a stream of spiritual witness to the grace of God for her children and grandchildren. Her testimony was captured, and the effect of her prayer life became a real milestone for that family’s spiritual journey.

It got me to thinking about the spiritual footprints that you and I should be creating for our families. Recording our own spiritual journeys is a powerful way to influence the generations to come.

Your children can probably reiterate the tenets of your personal faith, but can your grandchildren? And how about your great-grandchildren? Will they know the importance Christ played in your life and the life of your family? How can you capture that message and save it for the generations to come?

For example, I have a “spiritual nugget” book that has brief notes that reflect something I “discovered” out of His Word. Someone could follow along and share in my wonderment of His Word.

Do you journal? Keep them. Our phones are a neat way to record stories too.  Date the victories and the defeats. Let those who come after you see how you leaned into the Lord though it all.

Do you write in your Bible? Notes in the margins reveal our focus for that season. Kids can follow the “footprints” and sense how you trusted the Lord through that time of your life.

Do you have a favorite song book or recordings of praise music? Make some notes declaring why a certain song means so much to you.

Each of us can leave a trail of the stories, songs, people and events that shaped our spiritual formation. Such a trail will be a major blessing to our extended families. Make sure you are leaving footprints!