Happy Monday, Siestas! I’ve missed you! I have a long to-do list for today, and one of the most important things on it is “Blog!”
We had an amazing time in Wyoming. I have so much to say about it and a hundred pictures to share, but something else is pressing on my heart right now.
Back to School Day varies from district to district, but today’s the big day around these parts. I can’t get my sweet teacher friends off my mind. And don’t even get me started about our dear co-worker, Jenn, who sent her firstborn to kindergarten this morning. Weren’t we all crowded together in her hospital room holding that sweet baby boy just yesterday? Don’t think I haven’t imagined what this day will be like for me just two years from now.
I would love it if we could pray for all of our school teachers who are returning or preparing to return to the classroom. If you are a teacher, please chime in and let us know how we can pray for you. If you are a homeschooling parent or a college professor, please let us hear from you, too!
And, in honor of our Jenn and Nathan, I’d love it if we could also pray for our kiddos who are starting the year at new schools. Mamas, let’s not mention school names, but do let us know if your son or daughter is entering a new school environment and could use some prayer.
Oh, I just can’t stand the thought of leaving anyone out! If your student needs prayer for any other reason, I want us to pray for them, too.
Lord, thank You for the men and women who dedicate their lives to educating children. I ask You to bless them with strength, joy, favor with students and parents, and a strong sense of purpose. Make them fruitful in every way. Give them wisdom, creativity, patience, insight, and endurance. Give them Your supernatural love for each student, so much so that those kids go home each day with a keen sense of being loved by You. Use these teachers to make an eternal difference in the lives of their students. I pray that their families will have an easy and peaceful transition into the school year.
I also pray for all of our students, particularly those who are entering new schools this year. Father, please give them courage, peace, and joy. Let them make friends easily and connect well with their teachers. Let them find their security in You, Lord. Please sharpen their minds and help them learn. Build godly character in them. Use our Christ-following sons and daughters to draw others to You. Help them let go of what others think and to love the unlovely. Help them obey You even when it’s really hard. Father, for our sons and daughters who have not yet made decisions to follow You, let this be the year. Let them see their need of You and surrender their precious lives to You.
Thank You in advance for the work You’re going to do in our teachers and students’ lives this year, Lord. I pray all of these things in the strong and mighty name of Jesus. Amen!
o.k. I misspelled pastor earlier and I'm embarrassed!
reading teacher 🙂
I too ask for special prayers for my children. My precious son started his second year in college today and is fervently seeking to get into his program of study which is very competitive. I know the LORD has His hand upon my son's life and I only want His will to be done. My sweet daughter starts first grade tomorrow and she is battling abdominal migraines once a month. Please pray for her health. I love you all so much and thank the good LORD for you!!
Tisha
I'm a 3rd grade teacher at a private Christian school and I cherish your prayers and encouragement! If you would pray specifically for me, I have several co-teachers {in my grade and otherwise} who seem set on finding only the negative and bad in their students. I'd covet your prayers for patience, wisdom and joy as I try to set a different example. Thank you!
My 7th grade son has high functioning autism, OCD and learning disabilities. After homeschooling him for 3 years due to crisis, we are seeking an appropriate education for both his needs and abilities in the public school. Long story, short, today was supposed to be the first day of school, but he has no safe, appropriate place to attend. We have been fighting for his needs for months, have a lawyer, and are taking on the risk of not being reimbursed for the $30,000 tuition (which we don't actually have) we must find to give him an appropriate place while we fight for him. We are praying that, just like at Jericho, GOD will bring the towering, seemingly insurmountable wall crashing down in his time. We're marching, marching, marching, looking forward in faith to a miraculous day 7.
My other 3 will again be homeschooled. I need rest after the ordeal of the past year, but they need some attention, peace, and healing, too. They have paid the price of their sibling's needs. Plase pray for this. Thanks.
http://lisashawfitlife.blogspot.com
A blog worth visiting. Especially Ladies On A Mission-7 Days Laying it Down in left sidebar
I am a kindergarten teacher starting my 35th year. Every year is a new year, a new experience, and every year we all (teachers, students, parents, administrators, staff of every description) need these prayers. Thank you so much for this post today, Amanda. God is alive and well in our public schools due to such prayers. I join you today and every day in praying these blessings upon each and every one involved, including those who pray.
With gratitude,
Fran
Please pray for my little girl. She is 5 and just started "big school" She is a true blessing from God for me–my husband is making some horrible choices right now. He is walking away from God and as a result away from his family. Please pray that I can remain obedient to God, and that I can be the parent I need to be to help my little angel. Please pray a hedge around her. Pray that my husband comes face to face with God. Thank you so much.
My firstborn son is starting the first grade in the morning and NONE of his Kindergarten friends are in his class!! He is a little nervous.
Please pray for my daughter. She is entering high school and has many issues. Each year is harder for her and she feels that God does not care for her because everything is so hard. She has many social and emotional issues. Our oldest son took his life 2003 and it effects every event in our lives. I pray that she will put her trust in the Lord and know that He loves her. My heart breaks for her and yet I KNOW that God is bigger than any issue we have. Thanks for caring and sharing.
College teacher here. Taught my first class of the semester today to 90 wide-eyed freshman! Can always use your prayers as I teach biology in an environment that expects me to teach purely evolution (but I don't do it). Each year I pray that I will be allowed to teach another year without being given an ultimatum. So far I have made it 11 years but each year could be my last due to my Christian stand on the issue.
Amanda, Thank you so much! I was so glad to see this title today!
I am an elementary special ed. teacher. All of my students need prayer.
Also, my own children,
my oldest is in his 2nd year of teaching and coaching,
my daughter, in the middle, is in her 2nd year of college,
my youngest son, is a sophomore in high school. This time last year, he was having a very hard time with a move. This year, he is Sophomore president of student council, active in church youth group, considers athletics: football, basketball and baseball and school-his mission field.
He got permission from the principal (public school) to stick notes about the love of God, with lifesavers attached in the lockers. He and friends did that last Friday night. This morning, custodians and teachers were taking them out and putting them in the trash. I know it is breaking his heart, because this "letter to the world" has been a very important, big project to him. He knows that some students did read the note.
Thank you again for your prayer and for all of your ministry.
Hi Amanda
Welcome home! We missed you but so glad you had a great time!
I am a college instructor and would love prayer for our department of Communication. We are having major difficulties internally. I can't say much but there is a lot of tension between the head of our department and others within our area.
There is an important meeting coming up very soon which I may need to be a part of. Please pray I make the right decision on whether or not to participate.
Thank you so much for praying! The Lord is so amazing! I really have been searching for special guidance today and you ask for prayer requests at the exact same time! PTL!
Love ya!
I teach 2nd grade in Georgia and your prayer was beautiful!! You prayed everything that I would have requested!! I feel that my job is such a calling and even though I am in a public school, I share Christ with my kids all the time. May they see NOTHING but HIM!!
Wendy in Georgia
Oh I am a teacher and sweet momma both. Today was my frist day with my second and third graders. One poor little guy was sick today..bless his heart he had to miss the first day.
Also being a momma, my sweet twin boys began seventh grade today. My goodness they are in junior high. WEll that was a hard one for this momma. So pray I have patience as they start this new journey.
love and blessings
Not only am I a Physical Education teacher, but I coach volleyball as well. For me personally, I'd request that my siestas would pray that God would multiply my sleep and rest……my days at school are always around 10-11 hours each day full of teaching and then coaching. I adore it and I adore what I feel is my ministry but I do get TIRED!!!!! And I certainly want to still have something in my proverbial tank to share with my hubby! I want to honor my LORD in what I do and how I love my students and athletes….maybe you could pray for that as well. Sometimes, it isn't always easy.
Thanks so much Siestas. Am praying that I'll be able to meet many of you in Houston in January for our Scripture memorization celebration!
blessings,
Ginger
Wetumpka
strngthnhm said:
My first grandchild, Mya and her little friend , McInlee,(the pastors daughter) are starting Kindergarten this year in the public system. Their moms taught them junior kindergarten at home- the concern-the bus in Northern Ontario has students from all the grades – kingergarten to high school – please pray the Lord to protect their ears and hearts from any negative influence and wordly words. Pray for their moms to be strong-it is hard for them to let them go after such careful, consistent Christian influence and discipline at home. Thank you – from this her Nana living 7 hours away, too far to offer driving them. Thanks for this focused topic of prayer-time, so appreciated.
Hi. Thank you, Amanda, for your beautiful prayer. I will share it with my sweet daughter tomorrow morning! She is almost 6 and starts first grade in 3 weeks. She's very bright, but has ADD and struggles a bit socially. Church and our neighborhood are her comfort zones, but school is a bit tough. Please pray that she will find a special school friend who loves the Lord. Thank you!
Amy.
P.S. praying for you all as you prepare for this weekend's simulcast and for all who will attend! Thank you for your Esther study–such a blessing!
Awesome prayer! My baby is starting Kindergarten! She is ready and I know will do great. My prayer is that for her and her brother we will see where they need assistance or additional focus on their studies. Both are smart but I want them to flourish. Big Brother is starting 3rd grade in a job share class room. I pray that there will be consistency between teachers and learning.
My daughter who is a senior is badly in need of a job for her co-op class. There is one she desires greatly to have and we are praying for God's will in this matter. I also have a freshman, 7th grader and 6th grader who need prayer for an awesome year. I work as a teacher's aide and need prayer too. Thank you so much all you blogger prayer warriors out there.
I oversee an adult education program for people aged 16+. Many students who come to us have unique backgrounds – results of learning challenges, school situations which weren't condusive to their style, poor life choices, and the "life happens" circumstances that threw their lives into a tailspin somewhere along the line.
Please pray that our program and staff extend mercy and the joy that comes from a second chance, that we are able to reach all of our students, and that we have the resources to cover the gap of their needs which are so often many [transportation, child care, housing, secure food supply, income, freedom from abusive situations, ad nauseum].
My sweet girl starts her first day in Kindergarten on the 8th of September. She is going to be taking the bus which totally makes me anxious. She is a sensitive little soul and i worry about her going to school. Please keep my little Isabelle in your prayers, but maybe it's the Mama that needs them 😉
Thank you for remembering college professors. I am an education professor but this semester I am teaching a new non-education class designed for freshman. It is a course to help them learn to read and think critically and learn how to research using electronic reference sources. I pray that I will totally depend on the Lord for creative and engaging activities. I pray that I can be a mentor to those students who are living away from home.
My son has finished school but my daughter begins her senior year in college tomorrow. This will be a year filled with major life decisions for both of them. They are strong Christians but this is a time when the enemy seeks to destroy those who have followed him. It seems like only yesterday was their first day of school.
Homeschooling Mama here. I could never imagine it would be this hard to stay motivated and excited about teaching my own children. Please pray for time for me to plan and prepare to be an engaging educator for my kiddos. Thanks so much!
Please pray for my three teenagers who are starting a new school this year. We just moved 900 miles for my husband to start a new job after being laid off last spring. They are trusting God, but that doesn't take the hurt way when you are starting all over.
Thanks,
Tracy
Fort Mill, SC
Thank you for your prayer. I'm the mother with a 7th grader and a freshman in high school. My teenagers have been on my mind a lot lately. I think the Lord has been working on me through them to make sure I'm the mother I should be. I decided yesterday during a part of our Sunday school lesson that I would have a bible verse for us each week and we would say it every morning before they leave so that the Lord is in their mind first thing. Our verse for this week is the verse that hit me in Sunday school – Deut 31:8.
Sherrie Watson
Oak Ridge NC
Please pray for my son. We decided to retain him in the 3rd grade. He has trouble with anxiety and ADD and did not get treated in time to catch up completely last year. He understands but is nervous he will be made fun of. It is a small, rural district so these things are not easily hidden. Please pray for mercy from the other kids, that his teacher would have compassion on him, and that he would find a friend.
Also, my husband is a wonderful teacher of special needs students. But he lost his job last year due to the economy and is trying to get another position. Substitute teachers do not make much money, so things are tough and very stressful. Pray that he will get a job and be able to be in the classroom full time again soon.
Thank you!
My quiver, originally 5 – is now down to 2 at the end of this week.
One son is off to intern at a wonderful Bible school which helped turn his life around the last couple years – and now he wants to "give back!" Pray for journey mercies this week as he drives himself across the country from the flatlands of the midwest to the mountains of Colorado!
(Seems like just yesterday I was so concerned on that short drive from the hospital to our home when he was a newborn!)
On Friday we take our middle son off to his first year at college in Indiana. Why do they become such great adults and we must send them off? I need grace not to cry. My only daughter will get her license (Lord willing) tomorrow and start her junior year on Wed. My "baby" starts 8th grade tomorrow! A week of BIG changes at our house. I'm praying to focus on the one who is the same yesterday, today and FOREVER!
Would you please pray for my kids as they make the transition to public schools? They are going into 7th and 10th grades, and up until now, they've been attending an awesome private Christian school. My prayer is that God would become very real to them this year, and that their faith that they've been raised up with and surrounded with, would become their own. Surround them with Christian friends to bond with, but also make them bold to share their love for Jesus Christ with those who need to know Him.
P.S. Our church is hosting Beth's simulcast this weekend as well! We're VERY excited to get a good Word from Him thru her!!!
Hi Beth, Amanda and Melissa,
I was just wondering if one of you could go to my blog page and read a post I wrote on there today for you. I was going to email you through the Living Proof web-site, but what I wanted to say was a tad more than 500 words, so it wouldn't let me send it. And I would have sent it via snail mail, but I wanted you to be able to read it sooner than later. So, if you get a moment and can hop on over there, it would mean the world to me 🙂
Thank you so much!
Stacie
My oldest son teaches precious 5th graders at a KIPP school in Houston. My middle son will be a sophomore in college, far on the east coast, wondering how God will use his life, and my youngest is a senior in high school, in our little, rural, midwest town of 2,000…wondering where he should go to college…what he should study and how God will lead him as well.
All I can pray is: You, Father, who have begun a good work in these young men,please: be faithful to complete it! Let them see the path you have laid out for them, make their way plain and let them lean on You!
Vera
Tremont, Illinois
I will be homeschooling my daughters this year. They will be doing 9th & 4th grade. I desperately need prayer.
My 6 year old with Down Syndrome starts grade one this September at a new school. She's been asking me to pray for her new school. She's excited to go but thinks her kindergarten friends from her previous school will be there. Please pray for her.
Her Daddy, my husband, heads to school tomorrow to prepare for this school year. He'll be teaching grade 5. He had this bunch when they were in grade 2 and they were a handful then. Please pray for him and the opportunities he will have to lead them to Christ and how He can change their life. (He's a Christian school teacher.)
Tomorrow I begin babysitting for a friend who's going back to teaching after her maternity leave. You could pray for her too. She's having lots of mixed emotions on leaving her little guy and heading back.
Thanks,
ps. we just picked our study for this fall today… Living Beyond Yourself CAN'T WAIT!! This is a new thing for our church, having a ladies Bible study. Since today is about praying, please pray for the right people to come out to our study and for a great babysitter to offer to watch the children 🙂
THANK YOU SWEET AMANDA!! I teach 1st grade in CA & we began the year last week. SO MANY CHANGES have come our way in just this short time. Please pray for peace, energy and joy to daily fill each teacher's heart. I so want to live beyond myself and let the Holy Spirit teach through me.
Kathy
I am a first grade teacher in central Texas. My husband died a month ago. I was worried I would not be ready (emotionally) to return to the classroom. Well, the first day was today and guess what? I'm surrounded by my 19 new six-year-old best friends and feeling joy for the first time in a long time. The life found around children is amazing and God-sent.
I am a third grade teacher so I appreciate any and all prayers for patience, understanding, and strength to give my largest class ever what they need this year. Also, my niece is beginning kindergarten next week and I've just been given some disturbing information about her teacher. Please pray that she is able to seek a resolution to her problems and has a positive influence on her class of students.
Amanda,
Thank you so much for your sweet prayer today. I am a kindergarten teacher and this prayer post meant so much to me! My school district started a couple of weeks ago and the first several weeks are the most exhausting. I appreciate every word of your prayer (especially having endurance). I love my profession and feel so blessed to be placed in a grade level that is the "bridge" from home to school. I pray that the transition the kids and families experience is a wonderful one. I have a couple of sweet children in my class that could use prayer. I really don't feel at liberty to state details; however, the Lord knows. Thank you again for your thoughtful post and prayers!
Thank you for thinking of this but let's not forget the support staff as well. The school environment takes everyone!
Thank you for your blog post today. I am a Special education teacher. This is my first job back into the public school system after being a stay at home mom for 14 years. I need prayers all around…as a teacher and a mom.
Also, my son is starting junior high and my daughter is starting middle school.
We have many changes and adjustments right now. Asking for God's glory and purpose in our lives be shown to us as a family.
Please lift up my mom who is a teacher and a coach…she has recently learned that one of her student-athletes is in the homosexual lifestyle. My mom is struggling with how to handle this situation. Please pray for wisdom and revelation from the Lord on how to love this precious girl who needs HIM so badly!
We covet your prayers as we begin the grand adventure of homeschooling for the first time.
5th, 3rd, and Kindergarten is a lot of pressure for this momma/teacher! The Lord has blessed my time and energy. Please pray that it continues! Thank you!!!!
Thank you for that prayer Amanda. B
I am a first grade teacher returning to school for the first time since giving birth to my sweet baby boy in April. I am feeling extreme guilt…for leaving him and for not having my full heart in my job! Please pray for me to adjust to this new chapter of life.
I am going to be homeschooling our daughter this year who is a sophmore in high school. She is pursuing a career in the entertainment industry so this is the best thing for this year. I just pray we are following God's will.
At God's leading we moved our family this summer an hour away from all of our friends and family. My biggest concern through the entire process has been how my children (1st and 3rd grades) would adjust. Please pray for them as they start at a new school in a brand new territory. They are such troopers and I have just been marveling over the peace that has been poured over their little heads!! We feel a lot like Abraham picking up and going and could not do it without all of the prayers we've received!
As a homeschool mom of 4, I appreciate you including us in your prayers. I was absolutely overcome with anxiety last night and couldn't sleep. Just an overwhelming fear of failure. I prayed through it this morning and feel much better. I will join you in praying for all the teachers.
Karen
Dripping Springs, TX
My two younger children are starting a new school this week. My older daughter went to this school last year. It's a great school but its been alot of upheaval for them in the last two years.
One way or another we may be moving to another state within a month or two, possibly without my husband.
This will be devastating to my children who are in high school and jr high.
We're home schooling first grade and pre-K here… AND moving! Prayers are always appreciated. 🙂
Praise all of ya'll for this. Pray for my "babygirl" who has entered 7th grade in a new school and new state. She has been in it a week but I pray for her to focus on her studies and not other things. And that she will remember she loves Jesus while she is at school with other students. I pray for her always and thank ya'll for doing so as well. Be Blessed.
Please pray for all of my three girls for much needed funding for school. They are standing in faith and Believing God. They are in 6th grade, 8th grade, and a freshman in college. All have done Beth's Bible studies, and the oldest has been to two LPM Live's. The middle one has a prayer journal and has stepped out in faith and bought her books. I told her to ask the Lord for a Word and He gave her one in Deuteronomy. God has supplied our need for the last 5 years, but we are down to crunch time. School starts on Monday (next) and I am scared of them being disappointed by God. I am embarrassed to even say so to you dear ones, but there it is. We need a miracle. I love you. They will be coming to the simulcast at Overlake Christian in Redmond, WA this Friday. All of them.
Lisa in Kirkland, WA
My girls just barely miss the cut-off to go to kindergarten this year. I know I need to savor this last year having them home…but they are getting bored and I don't really know how to keep their little brains stimulated! We need prayers for all of our sanity 🙂