I’m not sure if your children are going to public school. I’m not sure if they are going to private school, perhaps, maybe they are being homeschooled. Regardless. I’m going to give you some practical tips. On how to pray for your kids upcoming school year.
The new school year is upon us. School starts in t-minus one week for my children. There’s a lot of uncertainty while our kids go back. Will they be required to wear masks? Will there be in person school? Will we be forced to eventual go to virtual school?
How Do We Walk This Out As Parents?
The one thing that we know we can do in uncertainty is to pray. Pray that God lead, guide, and direct our children’s school year. That He’s in the midst of it all. It’s a choice to see it or a choice not to.
Praying for Our Kids
What does that look like? Let’s pray for hearts for learning. My children had a difficult time with virtual school. One of my children might have fallen off the face of the earth when it came to his assignments and his love of learning. He didn’t care anymore. There was no accountability. He didn’t have to see his teachers face to face so he didn’t have to witness how disappointed they were in him. He wasn’t challenged by his peers to do better. He just stopped doing the things.
Let’s pray that our kids love of learning is reignited. That there’s a newfound passion to learn new things, to take new classes, and to participate when the time allows. We can pray that their love of learning is so contagious that they spur on their peers.
We can pray for protection, for health and safety. That God protect them, that He provides a hedge of protection around them throughout the school year.
We can pray for godly friendships. I want my children to be surrounded by godly people. I want my kids to be spurred on by Jesus followers who encourage them to be better humans. I want my children to see Jesus in their friends, and I want them to feel empowered to be the hands and feet of Jesus through those friendships.
We can pray that our children be God light. We want our children to be a light in this very dark world. We want them to choose love over hate. We want them to choose joy over misery. We want them to look different, we want them to act differently and because of their walk and the way they present themselves, they become hope for somebody else in their school.
We can also pray that they find a new found purpose. I know in quarantine and being home for the last 18 months it’s hard to find purpose. We can pray that they find value in who they are.
We can pray that our children go to school and the holy spirit lead, guide, and direct them to love others well.
We can pray for a good work ethic that whatever assignment that is given to them, that they do it with all of their heart, 1005 best effort. If your children were not motivated within the last 18 months, we can just pray that God bring that motivation back. Lord, please give them a heart and a desire to be the best, to be 100% who You created them to be, and let them use the gifts that You have given them.
Our children have the ability to be the hands and feet of Jesus. They get to walk in school and shine God’s light. I pray that our children are so on fire for the Lord, that they’re so on fire for learning, and loving those around them that they build a kingdom or a community, a safe place for the students at their school.
Prayers for Teachers
Next, I encourage you to pray for the teachers. I know a lot of them and I love a lot of them. They are wonderful. I was a teacher myself, and I’m pretty sure no teacher on this planet said, “Hey, let’s have a pandemic. And you know, I want to teach kids from home and at school and navigate all the things.”
With the uncertainty of COVID with the uncertainty of the 2021/2022 school year, we can pray for the teachers, lift them up, and encourage them. We can pray for strength and endurance. We can pray for grace and mercy. Grace and mercy on our behalf because they are navigating new territory once again.
It might even be a good idea to bring back those sweet little gifts for the teachers before school even starts. I know a couple of years ago, I ordered those decorative really, really cute cookies that look like artwork and probably shouldn’t be eaten.
Let’s bring back the gifts. Let’s shower these teachers with love, encourage them, and spur them on. Let’s thank them in advance for teaching our children. Maybe that is a Starbucks gift, maybe it is a decorative cookie, maybe it’s just a sweet little note that says, “This year brings a lot of uncertainty, but I am super excited that my child is in your class. Thank you in advance for all that you’re going to do in and through these students this year, we thank you.”
Prayers for Administration
Let’s pray for our administration, the schools, and decision-making. There’s a lot of stuff coming at them. They are navigating another year of crazy. Let’s pray that God give them discernment on what policies to enforce, how to best take care of our community and our children.
Prayers for Homeschool Moms
Homeschooling is amazing. It’s wonderful. Our youngest two have absolutely loved it. It’s so rewarding. I’m not saying that every day is sunshine and rainbows somedays do end in tears. However, for the most part it’s been a wonderful experience for our family.
I pray for the new moms taking on their very first year of homeschooling. You can do hard things. It’s really not as difficult as you would think. God’s mercies are new every morning. Take each day with a fresh perspective and just keep swimming.
Those homeschool mamas who are embarking on another year of homeschool, I pray that it is rewarding. I pray that it brings you closer together as a family. I pray that it brings on a new adventure, new journeys, and learning together as a family.
New Vision
Regardless of what your children’s school experience looks like. I just pray momma that this year brings on a new excitement, a sense of joy, and passion when it comes to learning new things and using the gifts that God has provided for our children.
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Lord, I just lift up these children, these kingdom kids. Lord, and I just pray that you come alongside them, equip them, empower them, inspire them to be the best version of themselves. That when they walk into these schools others can’t help but see the light that You shine in and through them. Help them to be good stewards of the talents that you’ve given them, surround them with godly friends, surround them with godly mentors. God, we love you. We know that You love our children more than we ever could, which we do not understand but we surrender our children to you.
Lord, we pray for the teachers. Lord, we pray that you give them strength and endurance to embark on this new year. We pray that you refresh them, Lord. That they come in with a new desire to reach these children where they are and bring them to their biggest potential.
I pray for the administration. That you are able to work in and through them, Lord that you give them Holy spirit guidance with regards to how to best take care of our community.
Lord, I pray for the homeschool moms, those who have been veteran homeschool moms, and those who are to embark on a new journey this year. I pray for immersive educational experiences for the family. I pray for mercy and grace on the mom’s side and maybe the kids’ side too.
We thank you for these children. And we thank you for the gifts that you’ve instilled in them. Lord, and we thank you that you’ve trusted us to raise them in the way that they should go. Lord, we are so excited for the school year 2021 at 2022. Bring it. We are equipped because you are coming alongside us on this journey. We cannot go anywhere without you, Lord.
In Jesus’s name I pray, amen.
