It’s the first day back to school here in my sweet little hometown of Austin, MN. I spent the morning pouring through posts & pictures on Facebook of friends & family sharing glimpses of their morning.  There were the sweet little smiles of Kindergarteners waiting for the big yellow bus to pick them up and take them off to school for an entire day.  There were excited Seniors ready to conquer their final year and enjoy all the lasts this year will offer them. Some parents posted of their excitement to ship the kids off to school and to a more structured routine. Others were white knuckling it as they dropped off their kids and the door shut behind them.

But no matter what season of life you find yourself in this morning, we all want the same things for our kids. We want them to have a great year. We want them to learn, to be a good friend, to stand up for what’s right, to learn respect for others and to have other trusted adults speak encouragement into them.

We have so many hopes and dreams for our kids.  They are as unique and individual as our children themselves. But we also know that this world holds no promises that they will sail through life without any problems. In fact, we know that to be impossible. So today as we have prepared our kids in every other way: bought them new school clothes, new shoes, paid the fees, did the supply list shopping, bought the special calculator for their pre-Algebra class and packed their lunches….can we do one more thing? 

Let’s pray over our children.

Let’s take a minute and ask God to give them the ability to learn the concepts being taught, to give them His love so that they can be a good friend, to give them the confidence and bravery needed to stand up for what’s right. It’s all in Him. Everything we need is in HIM.

Here are 2 of the verses I’m praying over my kids this school year. I inserted “my children” into them to personalize them.

“Give my children a spirit of power, of love & of self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

“My children will know the love that surpasses knowledge-filled to the measure with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:19

This year I pray our kids would know God’s love and share God’s love. His love is what our world needs. It’s what we need. Have a great “back to school” day!