Praying for our students
This is a high-anxiety time of year for many children
Whether I was a teenager, in grade school, or even in college, the beginning of the school year was a nerve-wracking for me.
My own is incredibly excited to start the school year, but she is also very nervous and I can see it manifesting in many ways:
Fighting sleep
Not wanting to be left alone
Desiring more time spent doing avoidance activities (like watching TV)
Clinging to me and her mom
Whether these kids are 5 years old or 20 years old (which, in my opinion, still makes you a child in a lot of ways…I have two kids of my own and I’m only now starting to see myself as an adult), they are still nervous at the beginning of a new transition.
Make sure to take the time and pray for students you know by name this year. They need the peace, assurance, and encouragement more than you realize.
My prayer for today
Our Father, give me the wisdom to help navigate the anxiety of my child through this transition. Spirit, give every student a sense of peace and encouragement as they begin this school year. Jesus, make this the year that our students can change the lives of their friends, their teachers, and their school in general. Amen.
Remember
Even the coolest of cucumbers are still wrestling with some anxiety internally, whether they recognize it or not. Every change and transition stirs up something inside of us as humans. So don’t worry about your stressed-out kid, pray for them. Don’t get annoyed by the signs of your neighborhood kids acting out, pray for them. We all need a bit of extra grace this time of the year.