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PrayerGift Mondays: A First Day of School Prayer

July 25, 2011 in a prayer for first day of school, back to school, prayergifts with 0 Comments

Most of you are still in the throes of summer vacation. Swimming. Sleeping in. Soaking in the sun.

Not the Merrill house. Since our school district is on a year-round schedule, we are back in business tomorrow. The only thing that makes me refrain from bursting into bitter tears is the beautiful thought of the two-week break we will enjoy in October while everyone else is slaving away behind school doors.

This weekend, we bought school supplies and new shoes. Backpacks are loaded and clothes are laid out. Now, it’s time to dedicate a new school year to the One who never leaves or forsakes us.

When the school supply lists appear in your town, come on back over to PrayerGifts and pray this back-to-school prayer.

Lord,

There’s something special about the first day of school. Kids of all ages with new backpacks full of virgin crayons, notebooks, and pencils. Squeaky new shoes with nary a scuff mark and a well-thought-out outfit for a cool first impression. Teachers with fresh bulletin boards and brand-new class rosters full of young minds.

I come to You as both a momma and a teacher to ask for Your blessing on this new school year.

Bless my sons with focus, friendships, and fun.

Help my boys to consider their school work as an act of worship. “Whatever [they] do in word or deed,  [I pray they do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” (Colossians 3:17 NASB) May they forget past mistakes and press on toward the goal of honoring You. (Philippians 3:13-14) As they go throughout their days, may their words and their thoughts be pleasing in Your sight.(Psalm 19:14)

You’ve blessed my boys with loyal friends who bring out the best in them. I pray You will foster their existing friendships and bring new ones into their lives. Give them friends who will spur them on to love You and serve You with all their hearts. (Hebrews 10:24) Give my sons memories with friends and family that will make them laugh out loud for years to come. Use my boys to point others to a meaningful relationship with You. May they take up their cross and follow You, even down those school hallways. (Matthew 16:24)

Bless my students with confidence and consistent, caring leadership.

As a special education teacher, so many of my students come to me with a spirit of defeat. Their learning challenges make learning so difficult that by the time they reach junior high, they’ve almost given up. I believe You’ve placed me at my school to change their minds. To help them believe in themselves again.
I pray my new cherubs will wake up each morning with a sense of excitement and not dread. Use me and the other teachers at my school to empower and encourage these fragile ones. Use us to infuse strength, determination, and confidence.

The students aren’t the only ones who need encouragement. I pray parents will guide with consistency and care. Give them the strength to have a balance of high expectations and grace. Help the teachers and parents to create a seamless partnership with one goal in mind: the best for the learners.

Bless my colleagues and me with a peaceful, productive, and positive school year.

Teachers surely don’t choose the profession for the money. We want to make an impact on young lives and, in turn, this world. We want to help our students grow in knowledge, responsibility, and character. Help us, Lord, to keep the main thing in focus at all times. It’s so easy to get distracted by paperwork and state tests. Help us to never reduce our students to a test score or a letter grade. Help us to treat our students in the same manner we’d want our own children to be treated. (Matthew 7:12)

I pray our school staff will forget about the struggles of past years and focus on the hopeful future we have before us.(Jeremiah 29:11) Help us to grow in grace, kindness, and love for each other, for parents, and for students. May we make every effort to be at peace with each other, and may no bitter roots grow up in our garden…only colorful blooms of love, kindness, and grace. (Hebrews 12:14-15)

I’m hopeful, Lord. Hopeful for a beautiful school year for us all. Walk with us, moment-by-moment, and my hope will be fully realized.

In the name of Jesus I gratefully pray, AMEN

Back to Work

July 19, 2011 in back to school, Christians in the workplace, teacher with 0 Comments

It’s time.

Time to dust off my teacher desk.

Time for early waking, lesson planning, copy making, and IEP writing.

Time for faculty meetings, teacher trainings, parent conferences, and student interactions.

I love my job.

I love convincing students of their potential and purpose.

I love collaborating with teachers and parents to help students be successful.

I love getting junior high kids ready for high school.

Even though I teach at a public school, I call those halls my mission field.

I can’t come right out and spell out the A, B, C’s of the Gospel, but I can let my light shine. I can let my Jesus joy cause those I encounter to wonder what I have and where they can get some. I can choose to handle difficulties by the strength and direction of the Spirit rather than my human reactions.

As I begin my seventh year at my school, I can see some evidence of God using me for His glory, but I know there have been times when my behavior has been downright ugly.

I’ve harbored unforgiveness.

I’ve gossiped.

I’ve slacked off.

I can’t go back and re-do any of those years. I can only make the best of this one.

How do I do that?

I’ll begin my days with Jesus leaning on His everlasting arms and letting His heart and mind rub off on me.

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Teach me your way, LORD, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give [me] the same attitude of mind toward [others] that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice [we] may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Psalm 5:3; Psalm 86:11-12; Romans 15:5-6  NIV)

I’ll invite Him to journey with me down those halls and in those classrooms, so He can whisper guidance into my ear and show me how to love everyone…even the ones hard to love.

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. And what does the LORD require of [me]? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with [my] God. (Psalm 25:4-5; Micah 6:8 NIV)

I’ll ask Him to order my days and give me a heart of wisdom, so I’ll know how to spend the moments, class periods, and academic quarters.

My times are in your hands; Teach [me] to number [my] days, that [I] may gain a heart of wisdom. And who knows but that [I] have come to [my] position for such a time as this? (Psalm 31:15; Psalm 90:12 Esther 4:14 NIV)

I’ll do everything as an act of worship: teaching lessons, keeping organized, holding my tongue, speaking out, arriving on time, attending meetings, keeping a smile on my face and a kind word on my lips.

And whatever [I] do, whether in word or deed, [I'll]do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. [His] grace is sufficient for [me], for[His] power is made perfect in [my] weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. (Colossians 3:17; 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV)

Lord, I dedicate this school year to You. All for You and all about You.