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!
Great Post!
Here is a site priceless to any mom wanting prayer over her children.
http://www.momsintouch.org
Today I just took my baby to kindergarten. He was so excited but I was far from it. Lord, I pray that you will guide the heart and mind of our children from the influence of the world. There is so much junk out there and I pray that I will know what I should be teaching, reinforcing, focusing on at home to make sure they know the TRUTH about so many things. Protect their minds Lord and make them strong for you!!
Next week all three of my young kiddos will be headed off to school. I am beside myself and can hardly think of anything else as I have had this sort of pinacle outlook on this event all summer. My youngest starts full day pre-kindergarten, my baby, my last child. For the first time in nearly 9 years, and in my whole adult life thus far, I won't have a young'n at home. All my kids are both excited and bummed about the end of their summer at the same time. I, however, will likely spend the entire first week standing in the middle of the house unsure of what to do next.
Thank you for this post. Please pray for my son who I took to college for the first time this past Friday. What a huge day! He's at a major university not far from us, but he's so independent and I know we will rarely him from him. Daniel is a good, solid Christian kid, but I am all too aware of the temptations that come with college life – I gave in to many of them myself. Please pray for wisdom, courage, strength, conviction, wellness of spirit and body, and for an occasional call home!
I am blessed to know five international students, all believers in Christ, who are at the university where I teach. Each is a transfer student and beginning a new year at a new school in a new country, with litle chance of seeing their families for about two years. They are learning so many things all at once. I saw one of them today, from India, who was obviously struggling. They are all on my heart today. I love the privilege of teaching at this university. Also, we sent our youngest child to kindergarten yesterday and our oldest, with medical needs, to 2nd grade with a new teacher and a new nurse who are learning about his care and needs. Thank you for praying. God continues to be faithful. I prayed for your family today as well.
I would like to remind you that my kids are returning to the same school that is now missing a teacher because she was murdered this summer. Many of the kids will have it only hit them for the first time that she's really gone and others will have it hit them hard again. Also, last year my kids had to start dealing with bullies for the first time and they didn't handle it well last year. Also, my son, Jeremiah, had a lot of asthma attacks last year at school and had to come home a lot. I'm praying that doesn't happen this year. Also this summer he's started having fainting spells. I am praying that that doesn't happen at school. The teacher's worry about him having problems at school and I don't want that to be a problem for them. Their job is difficult enough as it is without having to worry about that. He is seeing a doctor about this and we are still in the diagnostic stage.
My baby is starting kindergarten!
My firstborn started kindergarten 2 weeks ago. He's been doing great, but his mama is still struggling mightily with it and is not sure why. I want to protect my babies from the world, but I also want them to be a light for God in the world. Please pray that he continues to do well, that his heart is protected from so much of the hard stuff in life, at least for now. Thanks!
Thanks so much for this blog post. I've actually been back to work for almost a month, but prayers are still needed. I teach ESL, and scheduling and working with some of the other teachers is quite a challenge. I've told others that I'll really celebrate the year I don't cry while trying to make a schedule that pleases everyone. (Most of the other teachers are wonderful, but there are a select few that can make things miserable for me because they are so inflexible). Pray that I love these teachers just like the others and that I at least have the character not to make situations worse.
Also in previous years, I've had the delight to lead some of my second language learners to Christ!!! Please pray that doors are opened for me to share with others this year. Believe me, pray does happen in school!
I covet your prayers for my neice Anna, adopted from China. My sister does not know the Lord, and as Anna faces K5 on Thursday, she goes without the reassurance and comfort that Christ alone brings. I pray that somehow during this time, He will show my sister who He is and take the blinders from her eyes. Anna is scared, and I pray that Christ would be her comfort even though my sister can't speak it yet.
Thanks so much, and God bless
I am a mommy and a teacher.
I teach first grade at a local public school. As a mommy, it is SO hard to let go of being a full-time summer mommy and head back to work. I am the mommy to 23 6 year olds during the day. And the mommy to a 6 yr old and 18 month old boys 24 hours a day! I can't tell you what your prayers mean to me. I DREAD going back to work and leaving my own boys. Pray that I will be a good mother to my children, that I will have energy for them at the end of the work day, and that they will see Christ's will and desire in me.
Blessings to you!!
I would like prayer for Megan, a young woman I met this week-end. She is thirty years old and starting college. She lost her mom at a tender age and turned to drugs and prostitution as a teenager/young woman. She has been clean for one year (yeah Megan)and is in the process of getting her life back on track. She now loves the Lord and wants a good life for herself. She has basically lost 10+ years of her life and is very scared and insecure about what she can do. Pray that her trust and love for the Lord will grow and that she will become a mighty warrior for Him. That the degree she is wanting is second to wanting Him and that He will send her good, honest friends to help her navigate the halls of college. Also, pray for her to have the strength to stay clean for the rest of her days.
Thanks for the prayers
I have a daughter in college, and 3 sons who are senior, junior and 8th grade
Please pray that God would give them a strong desire to learn and do their best, not just "get by".
Also that they would grow closer to Jesus and be a light for Him.
Thanks
Jackie
Thank you so much for remembering us homeschool moms.
What a blessing it was to go to our public school county wide meeting last Friday where all teachers, assistants, principals, secretaries, janitors, everyone in our county school system gathered in the gymnasium of our local college and the first thing on the agenda is a prayer for our new school year.
Praise the Lord!!! I will never take that for granted.
Praise the Lord!!!
Why do I totally tear up when I read these posts? I really don't know. Typically I am passionate but not necessarily a "crier"….not that there's anything wrong with that. I suppose Mother's prayers for their children and friends children is especially touching. As much as I hoped to be a mother, I underestimated it in every way. When I had my first baby my sister said, "Now you have something in common with every woman that has a child."
My darling son started a new school for the 2nd grade 2 weeks ago. I think we've "found" our boy! School has an huge impact on children; he has been utterly stressed out and frustrated since he was 4 years old in Pre-K. For several years I have literally been on my face before the LORD and as always, He came through for me, and Christian. My heart is in a million pieces as I am overwhelmed by His grace and mercy; how intimately He is involved in our precious lives. This would be a "Praise Report" and a Thank You for the love that can be found on this blog.
Jackie
Lake Charles
Please pray for my daughter Meredith who started 6th grade at a new school this year.
i'd appreciate prayer for my kids. we are missionaries on home assignment – so we've got 7 moving into very different school environments, some changing language and 2 starting school outside the home for the very first time. (grades 9, 7, 5, 4, 2, K4 and K3). thans so much.
Honestly, as the special education director for 8 small districts in Texas…I don't even know what to ask you to pray for…it is so overwhelming. But for my staff, my teachers, and our students and their parents, please pray for continued success…yes, academically and socially and behaviorally…all those 'school' things we do for kiddos with special needs, but more importantly that relationships that sustain and point people to Jesus will be formed/continued/strengthened. I pray so often for them all. People who have never worked in special education can't really appreciate the work and love that it takes. And for our parents…we have those little darlings for a few hours a day, but for them the needs of that child don't stop at 4 p.m. Please pray for strength, discernment and love. Thank you!!!
As a mom, please pray for my 20 year old – she desperately needs to be making more Godly decisions. And for my 12 year old – she is a little bit of a late bloomer…but I think she is blooming! She has always been pretty independent, and I don't want her to fall into that middle school trap of wanting so desperately to fit in that she sells out or compromises.
Whew…that's a lot to ask of you. Thank you – love to all my Siestas!
School started in New Mexico on the 17th. Thanks so much for your prayers. I teach in a middle school. Please pray for safety and health for our students. Also, pray that drugs, gangs and violence, shattered homes and lack of motivation will be out of their lives forever and that they and their families will turn to Christ and be full of His Holy Spirit. These kids and their families need heavenly intervention. We all do! Praise God!
Let's also pray for the administrators who make some pretty electrifying decisions that really impact the students and their teachers. Let's pray that someone who can make necessary changes does so before the NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND leaves a lot of our children behind. Pray that those making decisions that affect our schools get into the schools to see the needs.
Thanks for praying for us teachers because our job gets more difficult each year. Our God needs to be included once again.
My little boys entered 1st grade and 3rd grade in a new school. They are in a public school now but have previously been in a Christian school. We are waiting with baited breath that this school year goes by well for all. So far, so good. 🙂
I homeschool my 9-year-old girl, and we are really struggling this week! God is in our midst: through discovering clumps of caterpillars "by accident" just this morning (they now reside in our Butterfly Pavilion); by way of discovering how much many of our founding fathers loved Him (and making a powdered wig out of Kleenex for the favorite stuffed animal just to celebrate–unprompted by the mommy/teacher); in watching my beautiful daughter with learning differences read the fire out of book after book after book. We're trying to be on purpose about subjcts studied and schedules kept, and we are running into old fears/heartaches/grief (both the mommy and the child!). Please pray for us homeschooling moms and dads, that we will keep the Main Thing the main thing (to model what it looks like to love the LORD our God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves). Thank You, Jesus, for the calling to homeschool. Oh, Holy Spirit, PLEASE give me the strength, wisdom, discernment, creativity, and tenacity to train up my child in the way she should go, while I'm teaching her to read, write, figure, think, reason, trust, create, love, and bear Your light well.
My boy just started his first year of high school. He's going to an early college high school so the pressures are going to be pretty high on him! Thanks!!!!
I love, and appreciate the prayer! I'm not a teacher but my teachers were a very important part of my childhood and pre-teen development. Because of my stuttering I spoke to no one but my family, and my speech therapists and teachers, and they all took an interest in me and taught me to feel good about myself. Teachers hardly get the credit that they deserve! Thank you for the prayer!
THANK YOU!!! Needed that amazing prayer. 🙂
Please pray for my four year old son. We are moving from Virginia to England next week (we are a military family) and they start kindergarten at FOUR years old there! Pray for wisdom for me and my husband in choosing the best school for him and also that he would not feel scared or too different "sounding" different then they do (plus they wear uniforms in all schools there so that will be a new adjustment as well). God is so good!
Thank you, Cindy
My kids are grown and are no longer students, but I have a niece who is a freshman in a college far from home and she doesn't know anyone. I would appreciate the prayers for her as it is such an overwhelming change. Sharing a room, bathroom, moving to a new town, new church, school, friends etc.
I echo Amanda's beautiful prayer.
Love,
Valerie in Oklahoma
P.S. My word verification is "frogg" which made me think of "fully rely on God, girl" 🙂
Please pray for my oldest son who is starting his second year of teaching orchestra for 2 middle schools here in the great state of Texas and my daughter who is starting her freshman year at Texas Tech University. Also, I need prayers for my son who is almost a Senior in college for patience, courage and wisdom to finish his degree.
For anyone interested please check out Moms In Touch. Great way to pray for your child and the school they attend.
Please pray for my son he will be a Junior this year and my daughter is in the 8th grade. I'm praying that they will have a heart for God and to draw close to him daily. I'm praying for Christian friends in their lives especially for my son. I'm also praying that my son has an awesome year and desires to learn and make some good grades this school year.
Three Prayer Requests:
My oldest daughter is a junior in college (moved back home to finish so she could be with her boyfriend). Please pray that she her priority is Jesus and school not him.
My youngest daughter is a freshman in college..(happy and sad). Please pray that she does well in school, makes friends and learns more about Jesus.
My youngest son is a senior in high school. Pray that he focuses on Jesus and his school work and not the girls!
Angela
Mansfield TX
Please pray for my friend's son, David, who is experiencing a lot of anxiety about entering middle school.
Also, for my two little ones going to a new school this year.
Thank you!
Sister in Missouri
Please pray for my baby Katie as she starts Kindergarten and my boys, Tyler and Zachary, as they both start Middle School. This is the first time I have ever ever NOT had a little one at home with me and sending all 3 of my "babies" off to school for the day is absolutely gut-wrenching! I pray a hedge of protection around all 3 of them each and every day and pray that God will never leave their sides. I pray that they will make good decisions and that God will allow them to be surrounded by Christian friends. And for those who don't know Jesus, that they will be the example that He wants them to be.
Also, pray for this Mama who's nest is empty during the day. I am so wrapped up in "What will I DO?!" that I can hear God telling me to just "Be Still." So I am praying and trying! I restarted Living Beyond Yourself today because I was interrupted back in April during 6 weeks of radiation for breast cancer. So I am excited about starting it over…although I'm thinking I need a daily video, not just homework! LOL
Enjoy your "at-home" years, Amanda! It goes by way too fast!
In His Grip,
Erica Griffin
Today (Wednesday!) is our first day of homeschooling. I pulled my daughter out of public school 2 weeks before it started…she's a Junior. (gulp)
She had a hard time, being the new girl last year..other girls can be mean. So mean. Each morning she would be sick to her stomach. Each day she would ask, "can't I be homeschooled?"
As the new year approached this year, her stomach aches started again. I finally felt like God was saying, "I'm giving you an opportunity here. ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE IT???"
I am so intimidated by Algebra, Chemistry, all those subjects I haven't done for 20 years. But I keep remembering that the God who created that precious little girl also created Chemistry. He created Algebra.
If He called me to this, surely He'll carry us through it.
I can tell my daughter is already happier.
PLEASE PRAY FOR US!!! THANK YOU!!!
my twin girls started high school and their older sister is a junior. Not only is it a new school year, but the senior minister at our church succeeded in removing my husband from his position as the Worship Minister at our church. We have been there ten years and our girls are struggling with the loss of our church home. We also lost my husband's mother about 8 weeks ago and she was beloved by her grandchildren. thank you for your prayers.
I would love prayer for my beautiful, tender young ladies. My oldest is entering middle school for the first time and she has been seeking a Godly, Christian young bbf for a few years now. If you could pray on her behalf that this is the year God chooses to encourage by sending along that special lady – I would be indebted.
My youngest faces her first year at school without big sis around. It will be a year of growth for her and I'd ask for prayer that she learns how to assert herself with grace and confidence.
Thanks so much. 🙂
Thank you so much for your prayers! I am a special education teacher in a large public school. It gave me chills to see where you prayed for my colleauges and me! This was my smoothest start in 5 years! Please keep praying for us. Pray that even though we can't bring up the message of Jesus in our classrooms, that our kids can see His love through us.
My husband,myself, and our daughter are taking the dive into homeschool…tomorrow is day 3 of kindergarten.
Picking out curriculum has been exciting for me. I'm teaching Reading/Writing, my husband is our school administrator and is teaching Math, Bible, and we're both in charge of electives. 😉
Please pray for me. I am a teacher working with special needs students with autism. I love these kiddos, and want to be the best possible teacher that I can be for them. Pray for me, that I may show God's love to these students and families and have a positive influence on their lives. I have a particular situation with a student/family that needs desperate prayer for God's intervention.
Also, I have a teenage daughter in high school, and 1st grade son and a preschool aged son who I pray for daily, and would love additional prayers. Pray for them to walk with the Lord each day and be a shining light for God within this world.
Please pray for my 14-year old daughter, Carma. She is in the 9th grade this year and attends a Christian school. She struggles with math so I would appreciate your prayers for her in this area. Thanks for your prayers and your ministry.
Love to all there at LPM,
Bobbie Lancaster
Danville, KY
I'm a few days late — just now getting caught up on my blog reading! Thank you for praying for ME — I'm a homeschooling mama! I have two precious daughters — ages 6 and 4. I am teaching first grade and K4 this year. We are also dealing with some job, financial, and health challenges that are making our start to the school year a little rocky.
Thanks for praying, Siestas!
Jennifer – Texarkana, AR
Please pray for my 16 yr-old son who just started his third high school (long story). Pray that he will make friends quickly and this will be his best year ever.
I would love prayers! I'm trusting God and we are home-schooling this year. God made it clear to us that this is what He wanted us to do, and I'm already feeling defeated.
Thanks!
Please pray for my son Isaac, who drives over an hour 3 days a week as a worship leader at a church and has just started a new school to finish a sound tech degree, an hour in the OTHER direction. Please pray for favor & protection as he seeks to glorify God.
Please pray for my sons. My oldest son Justin is having a difficult time adjusting to college. He graduated from a Christian High school and his closet friends have all left to go away to school. He stayed home to go to a Jr. college because he is not sure what he wants to major in. I pray that he meets other Christian friends and finds out what God plans for him to do. My youngest Jeremy is a Junior in High School….pray for a good homework ethic and that he will love the Lord with all his heart.
Thank you
Loved the prayer! It just brought tears to my eyes thinking of all the ways we are so desaprate for our Father to care for our little ones. My sweet boy will start first grade on Monday and I pray for him to be filled with God's presence and I pray that I don't cry and cling to his little leg as he goes to class.
God Bless the mommies who are letting go.
Because I know God is not bound by time, I thank you for your prayers. I am a high school reading teacher. I have a few students coming back who were a handful. There are, also, some unrealistic expectations placed upon me by some parents. I'm not worried about them, but it could become touchy later.
Also, I have three children who will be entering public school for the first time this year. Last year they homeschooled and before that they went to Christian school. My oldest is going to middle school. My younger two have reading difficulties, and my daughter has anxiety. The first week of school was better for my daughter than I would have hoped. My youngest, however, hasn't made friends as quickly and easily as he usually does and has told us that he can't read the reading. He made tremendous gains last year, but I knew that he wasn't where he should be. My husband is very discouraged.
I learned this weekend at the simulcast to wait on the Lord and to do good. These are things that I will use with my family and at work.
Thanks again.
It has taken me a few days to be able to leave this post. My Mom, a lifelong teacher of 32 years died in July. I used to be a social worker, but w/ a kiddo, I now work as a bookkeeper at his public Elementary school. The first day back was so emotional for me. After my mom retired and then was bed-bound, she always wanted a call on first day of school to know about how her grandson's day went, but also to hear all of the stories about the teachers. I came home that evening and just sobbed for hours.
Please do pray for my son who has started 3rd grade. He is so bright but has ADD and has trouble following lessons, completing lessons, etc. Please pray for him to have strong, positive friendships with the other kids in his class.
Thank you for this post Amanda and your prayer. I think it whispers to the deepest desires of teacher and student alike. Thank you for expressing my heart prayer as a teacher. May the beauty of the Lord be upon us in all that we say and do.
We appreciate you!
Love Beth
Teacher – Ontario
Wow, dear young mothers. I have been there done that, from grade school through college. Now I have two of the most "darling" grandchildren. They just started preschool and my heart was so excited for them. They live in SC so I couldn't be there, but I felt the sadness of them growing up and the excitment that they are going to a Christian preschool and will be learning about our Lord and Savior. We are so blessed.
Beth, thank you for this past weekend simulcast. I attended Christ Fellowship in West Palm Beach, FL simulcast. I can't tell you how much I needed to hear that God listens to the desires of my heart. I'll see you in Orlando in September. Bringing my sister who is now a Christian and is on FIRE. I prayed for a long time, now to get my other two sister. …LOL I will never give up praying, like you said it can take years!
Love ya to pieces….
Kathy from Palm Beach Gardens, FL