Prayer Prompts for "Back to School" (Or ANY Time of Uncertainty!)

(But could be used for any day, really!)

I’m over here smiling, my Facebook feed is loaded with First Day of School pictures, reminding me… it’s that time of year again! Time to laser-focus our prayers for children, teachers, school staff, and parents because a brand new school year is already here upon us.   

Back to School brings back so many fond memories of when my daughters were younger and the fun we had preparing to go back to school, and their excitement. There are also quite a few memories of my own childhood sprinkled in that sweet memory box in my mind.

When I was a young student, the thrill and excitement of a fresh start with new classes, new schools, new teachers, new friends to be made and best of all, new school supplies, could also quickly swing like a pendulum over to the fear and anxiety side of the emotion wheel! Thoughts like, “Will I be able to find where to go in a new school, wondering if I would be able to find friends, what would they think of me, will the teacher call on me in class, and would I know the answer?” All these thoughts had the capability of producing a huge knot in my stomach each and every year. What about you? Do you remember struggling with a flood of emotions centered around the first day of school?

Because my sister and several of my friends are school teachers, I know that the school staff also have their own rollercoaster ride of emotions during this time of year! They experience many of the same questions and uncertainties that the students do, as well as the thrill and excitement.

As parents, whether it’s sending their precious one off to their very first, first day of school or sighing with the very last, first day of school, there is usually excitement mixed with a level of fear or uncertainty. Many are thrilled to have the children back in school to get back to a schedule! And there are more and more parents that have also assumed the role of teacher as they join the ranks of homeschool parents.

So, whether it’s the student, the school staff, the parent, the homeschool parent, grandparents, caregivers or guardian, there is plenty of need for our prayer support! You might even be the innocent bystander just trying to get to work, wondering “Why in the world is there so much extra traffic!? Oh… school has started back.”

No matter where you fit into the mix of “Back to School”, I would love to encourage you to be intentional in praying! There are a LOT of emotions flowing right now, that really affect us all in one way or another. I’m including a few verses and suggestions for praying for those around you. You could even insert specific names of people or names of a school or even communities. Customize it the way The Lord leads you!

Jeremiah 33:3 says,  “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Back to School Prayer Prompts, these could really apply to any day to day situation especially when there is uncertainty and a lot of emotion…

• For safety & protection: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual   
• For healthy friendships and relationships
• Respect and kindness toward others and from others
• Submission to authority
• Open and focused mind to learn
• Walk wisely in the ways of the Lord with a humble heart
• Seek to please God, not self, or others
• Glorify God in their bodies
• Learn to hate sin and love righteousness & holiness
• Have a servants heart
• Admit when wrong and seek forgiveness
• Know and remember they are loved by God, His unique creation
• Be a light, a clean vessel for Christ to shine through
• Know the Truth and renew their mind with God’s Word
• Have the Joy of The Lord
• Not controlled by fear
• Grow up in the maturity of the Lord  
• Not conformed to the world, but Be transformed into the image of Christ 

(Many of these prayer prompts were inspired by Sylvia Gunter’s "Prayer Portions")