Prayers for Our Kids - Back to School

This blog was originally written August 28, 2020, but has been updated and reposted to add to the prayers we're praying for our kids this year.

Remember the battle of Jericho?! Joshua + his army marched around the city of Jericho, blew trumpets + shouted + the walls came tumbling down! (If you’re like me, you might also remember the song from Sunday School ).

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A year ago, I dropped my oldest daughter off at marching band practice and decided to walk around this great path around the entire high school. With all that is going on in our world right now, I decided it was time to cover this place in prayer.

As I was walking, God reminded me of the Battle of Jericho. I was walking around the walls of this high school asking God to tear down walls. There was so much anger, frustration, uncertainty, and continues to be even a year later.

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This is our chance as Christians to SHINE HIS LIGHT + RADIATE HIS HOPE! (Did you see what I did there?! Etch collections )

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Here’s my challenge for you + for me...let’s rise up. Let’s wake up each morning + pray. But please don’t stop there...pray all day long! Pray as you drive around town, as you negotiate screen time with your kids, and as you take a shower. Pray all day!!!

I know it’s hard. The battle we’re facing right now is a big one + it won’t be easy. But stay in the fight. We are right here fighting with you. Fight for time with Jesus. Fight for God’s voice to be louder than those on social media. Fight for God to be glorified.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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In case you're like me + need to list out specific prayers, I wanted to share mine with you.

Here's what I'm praying this year for my kids (and let's be honest, I'm praying these things for myself too!)...

1.Don't Shrink Back- Things look WAY different than what we once knew as normal...social distancing, zoom calls, mask wearing...it's all strange.  So, I'm praying that my kids can be bold and brave in the midst of different, scary, and hard things.

2. Eyes Up - It's so easy to keep our eyes on our circumstances...what's different, what's hard, what we're missing out on.  But when our eyes are on the Lord, our perspective shifts.  It's no longer about us + our circumstances, but about God and what He wants to do in and through us.

3. Shine from the Inside - Until I started wearing a mask, I didn't realize how much I relied on facial expressions to communicate with others.  It's the same with our kids.  You can read their face + know how they are feeling.  I'm praying that even though half of their face is covered, the light of Jesus would shine through their eyes so all can see Him.

You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven. Matthew 5.14-16

4. Depend on God -  Our kids (and all of us!) will be completely exhausted if we try to navigate the current situation on our own strength.  Trust me, I've tried.  I did the research, debated with friends, thought through all the scenarios, trying to make the best decision.  The uncertainty is never ending and something we can't even begin to grasp.  But God!!!  He knows all things + I'm praying for my kids (and myself!) to have a deep trust in the Lord and to depend on His strength instead of our own.

5. Hold on to Hope - If there is something I've learned through all of this it's that there are no guarantees...no guarantee of going to school, playing in the marching band, watching my daughter run cross country, and having our town's annual Fall Festival or even Christmas celebrations with family!  None of that is certain.  Jesus is the only One worthy of putting our hope in.

6. To Live Loose + Sleep Loose - Carrying the weight and worries of our world is a lot to handle as an adult, let alone our kids.  They pick up on our stress, they know that things aren't normal, and they are still facing the common pressures and struggles that kids do without a pandemic swirling around them.  Teaching + modeling for our kids what it looks like to cast our cares on Jesus because He cares about us + He can carry that weight — we don't have to!  We can all live loose + sleep loose knowing God in in control of it all!

What are you praying for your kids (and for yourself)?  Share away!

Joyfully,

Carrie

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