5 Back to School Prayer Points for Moms

Summer is slowly winding to a close and within the next month or so, our girls will be back at school.

But, this year will undoubtedly look different for each of them.

While some may be going in person, others will be experiencing digital learning from home.

For those girls who are used to homeschooling, they may still sense how vastly unique this year is for them and their peers.

Last week on social media, we encouraged you to start the chat now so there is time to process and consider the range of emotions your sweet girl might be feeling before the first day arrives.

We pray that you caught a glimpse of her heart as she shared her answers with you.

In addition, we thought it would be helpful to share 5 prayer points that you can begin lifting up as the new school year approaches.

1. Pray that your daughter’s anxiety remains low.
   Regardless of our daughter’s school environment (homeschool, in-person, virtual, or hybrid) many will remain extremely worried and anxious. (If we’re honest, many of us moms are feeling that way too!) So let’s begin praying that anxiety would remain low and that our daughters would continue to take their worries to God and leave them at His feet.

   Tip: Write out Philippians 4:6-7 on the first page of a composition notebook (My daughter likes this one and this one). During this unique school year, encourage your daughter to write out her worries to God in this journal and to pray over them too. (Some girls find it helpful to write out their prayers instead of saying them.) At the end of the school year, you can go back together and see how the Lord cared deeply for the worries of her heart. “Don’t worry about anything. No matter what happens, tell God about everything. Ask and pray, and give thanks to him. Then God’s peace will watch over your hearts and your minds. He will do this because you belong to Christ Jesus. God’s peace can never be completely understood.” Philippians 4:6-7 

2. Pray that your daughter will be a student of God’s Word.
   While we want our girls to study hard and apply themselves in their academic settings, we also want to see them grow, mature, and learn more about God’s Word.  Romans 15:4 says, Everything written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us strength to go on. They encourage us and give us hope. Aren’t these the things that we want for our girls? Something to strengthen them, encourage them, and give them hope? It’s what they will find as they dig into God’s Word for themselves and as moms, we get to inspire them to do just that.

   Tip: Make it a point this year to ask them more than just what they’ve learned in math or science. Dig deeper. Ask them what God is teaching them and be prepared to share what He is teaching you as well.

3. Pray that your daughter will reflect Jesus in her actions and interactions with others. 
   For those going back to school in person, choosing the first-day outfit can be a big deal. Digital learning might be a little easier for the rest of our girls (can anyone say PJ’S?!). All kidding aside, what we want to pray for our girls is that they clothe themselves in kindness, mercy, humility, compassion, gentleness, and patience. When these are the things they “put on” each day, they will shine brightly for Jesus in their behaviors and their words. Their teachers and friends will notice and they may have the incredible opportunity to talk about the difference Jesus makes in their life!

   Tip: Write out Colossians 3:12 on an index card and hang it where your daughter gets ready each morning. If she’s going to school digitally, tape it to the side of her computer screen or tablet. “You are God’s chosen people. You are holy and dearly loved. So put on tender mercy and kindness as if they were your clothes. Don’t be proud. Be gentle and patient.”

4. Pray that your daughter will develop strong friendships with other believers.
   Walking through a school year that is so drastically different from previous years is going to be a challenge for our girls. Let’s begin praying now that the Lord will provide wise friends who have similar interests, are strong in their faith, confident in who they are in Christ, and will encourage and support our daughters. Let’s also pray that our girls become friends who do the same. 

   Tip: Talk to your daughter about how to choose wise friends and how to be a wise friend. Read this passage of Scripture together: Walk with wise people and become wise. A companion of foolish people suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 Next, discuss what it might look like to be influenced by a friend who isn’t wise. Pray together, asking God to provide wise friends. 

5. Pray that your daughter will have a desire to please the Lord above all others.
   Growing up with social media and YouTube stars is drastically different than our own experiences of tween/teendom. Our daughters are faced with pressures to “be more,” look a certain way, and to gather a following of people who applaud their selfies on a daily basis. It can be hard to navigate this complicated world; and that’s why we want to pray boldly that our daughters will seek to live in a way that pleases the Lord rather than to bow to the voices and opinions of everyone else.

   Tip: Let’s do heart checks with our girls on a weekly basis. Ask open-ended questions that allow them to process and talk through their feelings. If they have social media, ask them how they are handling the comments and the need to post perfect images. If they are YouTube watchers, ask them how the videos they’re watching affect their hearts and minds. Are their friends and peers pressuring them? How are they responding? Remind them of the powerful words found in Galatians 1:10, “Am I now trying to get people to think well of me? Or do I want God to think well of me? Am I trying to please people? If I were, I would not be serving Christ.” You may even want to memorize this passage with your daughter so that you can hold one another accountable!

 

What are some other ways you are praying for your daughter as the school year approaches? We’d love to hear your ideas. Share them with us in the comments or on Instagram.

 

*Please note, all Scripture references are from the New International Reader’s Version (NIRV).