Back to school........

Back to School with the Lord's Prayer
by Charme Robarts
(taken from Heartlight.com)

Our Father in heaven...
Remember God is your child’s father too, so worry less.

Great is your name in all the earth...
This is a statement that recognizes God’s powerful presence in everyplace. God is at school, too. Teach your children this so they will feel safer, and so they will remember Him throughout their day.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
Pray that God’s kingdom rule comes more fully into your child’s world, and to yours. Pray for the people your child knows who are outside the kingdom. God is at school, too.

Give us today our daily bread...
Asking God for daily food reminds us of our dependence on him for everything — we obtain nothing by ourselves. God is providing daily for you and for your child. Teach your little one this so that they learn to trust him.

Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us...
Just like the chalkboard at school can be wiped clean, so God is willing to wipe our sins away. No doubt someone will hurt your child’s feelings, someone will sin against him or her. What will you teach your child about dealing with this offense?

Lead us not to temptation, but deliver us from evil...
This is poetic way of submitting our will to God; we want to go his way, but we know we have an enemy who wants keep us from that way. God is our hero and can deliver us. Children are well acquainted with the language of heroes and enemies (think Star Wars), so speak to them in these terms about God.

For yours is the kingdom, the power, and glory, forever...
What news could be better for moms sending their children out away from the nest of home? God is reigning over every place — even school!
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We had a wonderful "back to school" prayer service last night at church. The names of every child in the church who is attending school this year-and some who have recently graduated from college-were mentioned in prayer. Deep prayers full of petition to God for their protection along with other requests. I really feel that having prayer nights like this are important and something we don't do enough (speaking of myself & my church family.) Yes, I pray. We pray at church. Honestly though, sometimes it gets "routine." God asks us to come to Him and I believe He loves it when we do.
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Dear God,

Please bless all of the teachers. The public school teachers. The private school teachers. The homeschool teachers. I ask a special blessing on Mrs. Zimmerman. Please give these teachers the knowledge they need and the wisdom they need. Please bless all of the administrators & office workers. Times are stressful in a school office all the time and the first of the year is even more so. Please give them knowledge & wisdom as well. Please help them to treat each parent & student as special and in return help all of the parents & students to be appreciative and thankful for all they do.

Please sharpen the minds of those students who struggle to learn. Right now I'm thinking of "B" from Gracie's class who Mrs. Zimmerman asked me to work with starting next week- a 2nd grader who doesn't have a good grasp of the alphabet. Please help me to be a help to him and to be a light in his day. Please enrich the minds of those students who learn more easily. Give them lots of opportunities to think critically, problem solve & develop their interests. Help them to truly love learning and to use that for good things.

God, I pray for a special blessing for Grant, Garrett, J-Belle, Mary Alice, Aggie-Ed, Tanner, Ty, Mason, Kaylee, Aidan, Lilly, Erika, Kayla, Julia, Rachel, Zoe, Kendyll, Matthew, Thomas, Kolby, Rhett, Hunter, Summer, Maddie, Colt, Makenna, Paige, Laura, Leigh Ann, Gracie & Avery. These are the children of some of my "blogging" buddies as well as "real life" friends, along with my own baby girl. I pray that these children learn the academic things they need to know all the while realizing that You are the most important to learn about. I pray that you will protect each of these children as they are at school whether it be public, private or home. Please protect them physically-I ask that no physical harm come to them. Please protect them spiritually-I ask that the devil not tempt them beyond what their faith can handle. I pray that they have a foundation built on Christ that will help them with this. Please protect them emotionally-the world can be a cruel place; kids & adults can be mean. I pray that they find their true worth in Christ and nowhere else. Please protect them mentally-I ask that nothing happen to them that will cause them deep distress. If something does happen, I pray that You reveal a solution to them to how they can feel better.

God, please help our children to be a light to all those we meet. I know that You are everywhere-even places that some say you can't be. I pray that Chris & I will show our faith to others and will teach Gracie & Katie to do the same thing so that You can be seen in our lives.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen