Each year as the new school year begins, my heart feels overwhelmed. Whether your students are going to kindergarten for the first time, or they are starting their senior year of college, it’s a time filled with exciting possibilities and scary unknowns.
We all want to see our children thrive. Our goals consist of helping encourage them to do their best, seeing them learn, grow, and get along with others. While we each hold our own specific goals for individual children, there is one thing we can do that will launch them into the new school year with a fresh wave of hope and God-centered thinking. We can pray. We can pray these prayers with them or pray over them. Let them hear the cry of your heart as they walk into a new school year. Here are a few prayers to encourage your student to have the best school year ever!
Feel free to print this out and fill in your student’s name in the blank so you can see it each day as they step into a new year.
Lord, give ____________ a wise heart to see the children who are lonely or afraid.
In a world where image is everything, there is a better way to view each other. Let’s ask God to give our children eyes to see the hurting ones, the lonely ones, and the ones who need a little extra encouragement.
Lord, help ____________to shine the light of Jesus at school today by simply being kind.
Kindness is usually welcome and remembered. Kindness doesn’t discriminate or cut down. If we really want our students to shine, we must teach and model kindness. Send a note. See the good. Be the cheerleader when no one else notices. Stay calm when others get angry. Remind each other everything is going to be okay.
Lord, give ____________ a keen awareness of your presence with them today so when they feel nervous or afraid, they know you are with them.
One of the biggest lessons my mom taught me as a child was from Psalm 56:3: “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” It’s a comfort to know I am never alone. God’s Word helps remind our students they aren’t alone even when they feel alone. Grab a verse and put it in their lunch, locker, or backpack.
Lord, remind _____________ to do what is right even when it is not popular.
It’s not always easy to do right, but you’ll never regret it. These are words our children need to hear. Oh how many times I wish I could go back for a re-do. Pray your child will have confidence to stand up for what is right in the face of wrong.
Lord, help ____________ to work diligently and stay focused even when there are distractions.
There are so many things pulling at our attention. Our students have to work harder than ever to stay focused and learn the material offered them at school. Pray for super focus in a world that is oversaturated with information.
Lord, help ____________ to think before they speak or act and to remember they represent You.
When our children remember who and whose they are, they will be equipped to represent your family and the family of God well. When they don’t know or are unaware of their identity in Christ, they will sway with every wind of popularity, attention, or criticism. Pray they are grounded in who they are in Christ.
Lord, help ____________ to be bold in his/her convictions and certain in his/her faith.
Boldness is not easy ever. It’s hard to stand up, be heard, and let others know where you stand. But we can pray an armor of boldness about our students and know God is able to give them words and actions that will stand the test of peer pressure.
Lord, help ____________ to remember the things they learn and recall the things they study to be the best student they can be.
While some parents focus on straight A’s, others just hope for a diploma some day. There are big differences in our expectations, but we can all pray the same prayer of remembrance. Each child learns differently, and we can pray that our child gains what they need, how they need, to do their very best.
Lord, give ____________ ears to hear and a mind to understand what she is being taught.
There is nothing more frustrating than not understanding or misunderstanding. It brings confusion, frustration and a fear for the next new thing. But as we pray, we can pray for a deeper understanding for each student. God is able.
Lord, give ____________ a heart to discern and discover more of you this year.
While grades, report cards, and college transcripts will all matter at one time or another, there is nothing more valuable than our children knowing God more. Their relationship with God will outlast school, education, and anything they could ever learn. He is the foundation and the formation of who they are and will become. Lord, give them wisdom to know you.
While we could do so many things to prepare our children for the new year, prayer is a gift that will keep on giving. It’s a way to honor the Lord and lift up a child by name to bring fresh peace, fresh awareness, and bright encouragement not only for the student but also for the one praying. When we pray, we are saying, “Lord, we need you.” What better lesson could we teach our children than letting them know we too have great need of our great God?
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Micah Maddox is a wife, mama, friend, Bible teacher, and author of a James: Tired, Tested, Torn, and Full of Faith. You can find encouraging resources FREE HERE! Micah is passionate about helping women learn what it truly means to daily walk with Jesus. She is on the Proverbs 31 Ministries First 5 Writing Team and writes for Encouragement From Women. Her main ministry is at home with her husband, Rob, who leads worship at Clear Springs Baptist Church in East Tennessee, and with her five children, some by birth, and some by adoption. Micah's heart for her local church is what fuels her desire to keep writing, teaching, and serving. Micah loves to give a voice to hurting hearts and writes and speaks to the one who needs encouragement. You can connect with her on Instagram or micahmaddox.com.
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