Father, Praise You for the opportunity to be mothers and fathers. You craft each life with importance. Every one equally loved by You, our faithful and loving Father. We know that You have a purpose for each life You draft, and praise You that we get to be a part of that purpose.
Thank You for every day they hop into the car or off the school bus safely returned to us. The joys of parenthood are as abundant as the worries. We worry about our kids, God. School should be a safe place for them to learn, grow, and foster the friendships You designed us to crave. But the world is broken, and school isn't safe. There are lock-down drills that send teachers to dark corners to huddle with their students. Bless the teachers that fight back their own fear to risk their lives for our children.
Schools have been attacked. Gunshots have filled hallways and forever changed the way we feel when we say goodbye to our kids each morning. Be with us as we struggle to maintain composure on the days the depth of reality is too much for us to swallow.
God, there is a reason You tell us to have faith like that of a child. They are bursting with curiosity and full of love. Protect their innocence and preserve the spark in their eyes from the darkness of the world. Let them be little lights to their parents and teachers. Allow them to grow and have a fair opportunity to learn.
Father, we confess our worry and our fear to You today. You tell us not to worry, but it is so hard not to cry when we think of what other parents have had to suffer on account of the tragedy we prepare to face everyday. Comfort their hearts in a special way.
Bless our children and keep them safe from physical harm. Protect them from abuse, abduction, child trafficking, and addiction. Guard their hearts from the devil's schemes, and protect their minds from things that are not appropriate for their eyes to see and their ears to hear. Bless them with hearts of compassion for their fellow students and teachers.
May they be kind on the playground and quiet in the hallways. Protect our children from gossip and bullying. May they know and hear Your voice louder than all the others.
Godly friends are important, and we pray today that You bless our children with those friends. May their friendships be innocent and light, and may the be filled with kindness, understanding, and compassionate consideration for one another.
God, it's hard to let go of our kids, and send them out into a world that is so unstable and so volatile. But You are bigger than all of our worries. You are bigger than our worst fears. Send Your Holy Spirit to quicken in our hearts as we seek You in Your Word and pray to You for comfort. Remind us that our children are Your children, and that You love them infinitely more than we do. You love us, and them, so much that You sent Your Son Jesus to die on a cross. In the most cruel way to die, the Savior of the World hung there for us. For all of us. My we always cling to the cross for our hope, and light the path for our children to, as well.
In Jesus Name, Amen.
Dear God,
Grant our teachers an abundance of Your wisdom. Prepare their hearts to welcome and love our loved ones, and may we make sure to show them love and respect in return. Give them grace as they help students who aren't thriving, courage to say what needs to be said, tools and knowledge on how and when to speak love, and strength when they feel weak. When they feel unseen, remind them that no moment goes unnoticed. They are shaping the future in one million small - yet incredibly important - ways every day. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the gift of learning they share with our children. Bless them, Lord, and may they see even just a glimpse of how their faithfulness will forever impact generations to come.
Amen.
Help me to be a fine teacher, to keep peace in the classroom, peace between my students and myself, to be kind and gentle to each and every one of my students. Help me to be merciful to my students, to balance mercy and discipline in the right measure for each student, to give genuine praise as much as possible, to give constructive criticism in a manner that is palatable to my students. Help me to remain conscientious enough to keep my lessons always interesting, to recognize what motivates each of my students, to accept my students' limitations and not hold it against them. Help me not to judge my students too harshly, to be fair to all, to be a good role model, but most of all Lord help me to show your love to all of my students.
Amen.
Lord, I pray the students in this school would show proper respect for the authorities you have placed over them and recognize all authority comes from you. Help them to speak and act in a way that is respectful of all teachers, administrators, and other school staff.
Almighty God, You have given my kids all the talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts they need to follow Your plan for their lives. Lord, help them use those gifts to serve You first and others second, so that Your will is accomplished in their lives. Lord, fill their lives with trusted teachers and advisers who can lead them toward You and Your promises. Help them turn to you as they learn and grow so they can lead fruitful and prosperous lives. Amen.
Lord, bless my children's academic skills and efforts. I pray You would give each of them the desire to learn and the gift of knowledge. Help them excel in their strengths while persevering in their weaknesses. Do not let them become discouraged when they cannot grasp things with ease. Instead may they appreciate and store up the knowledge they gain.
Father, as much as I want my children to flourish in their educations, so much more do I want them to gain wisdom. Your Word teaches us that wisdom preserves the life of its possessor (Ecclesiastes 7:12), that wisdom is supreme (Proverbs 4:7) and the one who gets it will have great insight, able to understand what is right and just and fair. May wisdom enter into their hearts and knowledge be pleasant to their souls. May discretion protect them and understanding guard them (Proverbs 2:9-11).
Father, I pray that in all of life's schools, may my children come to the conclusion that fearing You and keeping Your commandments is the ultimate duty of their lives (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Keep them grounded, centered on You, broadening their knowledge while maintaining their integrity. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Heavenly Father, you are our creator. Today you commanded the sun to rise and a new day to begin. You are the giver of life. You allowed our eyes too open and our feet to move. You, Lord, are sovereign over everything that will take place in this day. You are holy, righteous, and just. God, you are our comforter when we're afraid. You are our stronghold when we are weak. You never leave us nor forsake us. You are all-wise and give us wisdom when we ask for it.
Today, Lord, we confess our sins to you. We confess times during the school day that we have not honored you by working with a grateful heart, remembering that we're working for you and not other people. We confess the times we've had a bad attitude, said disrespectful words, or taken for granted this gift of education you've given us. We confess when we haven't loved others with the love you show us. Please, Lord, forgive us.
Thank you, God, for the gift of an education. Thank you for giving us our school, teachers, and resources. Thank you for the gift of a country that values education for all people, boys and girls, of all ethnicities and social classes. Thank you for our minds that are made in your image and have the ability to think, reason, and learn. Thank you for all the opportunities we have because of these gifts. Thank you for our family who we have to come home to at the end of the day. And most of all, thank you for your gift life. Thank you for dying on the cross for us and raising from the grave three days later so that we can know you now and have eternal life with you in heaven one day.
Lord Jesus, I ask you to please keep my children safe and healthy today. Please protect their minds. Help them to keep your truth at the forefront and may they evaluate what they learn against it. I pray that you will equip their minds with the ability to learn everything they can about the world you created. At the same time, please remind them that their worth is secure in who they are in you, not how smart they are or what they know. Please bless my children with close friends who also follow you. May they be encouraged in their faith through the faith of those closest to them. And help my kids be a light to other children who do not know you. May my kids be leaders and not followers, and may their example lead others to you. I pray for my children's teachers. Please give them patience, wisdom, knowledge, and love for their students. Please protect their families as well. Help my children to love other people more than themselves. Help them to show your love in everything they do, say, and think. Give them the courage to go to the child who is lonely, an outcast, or picked on. Help them to stand up for truth and what's right.
Please help me, as their mom, pay attention to their needs. Help me to be a good observer. Help me know what to say and how to help them when they need it. Lord, help me to trust you with my children. Help me to let go in age-appropriate ways. Please remind me that you love my children more than I do and that you want their best, too. Please, Lord, give me peace.
Lord Jesus, we love you! We praise you! Give us eyes to see you, ears to hear you, and a heart that loves only you. Help us to love you with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and help us to love others more than ourselves. Thank you, again, for this day. May you be glorified. Amen.
Almighty God, because we love our children, because our hearts yearn for their schools, we cannot remain silent. We will not stop praying until their righteousness shines like the dawn, and their salvation blazes like a burning torch. May they be called the Holy People and the People Redeemed by the Lord. And may their schools be known as the Desirable Place and the City No Longer Forsaken (Isaiah 62:1, 12). In Jesus' name, amen.