Prayer for the First Day of School

"Father as we watch our children step on the bus, we are mindful that you can go where we cannot. We pray that you would be with our children every minute of this and every day.

We pray that this school year would be hard, but not too hard. Let our children struggle enough to develop character, perseverance and hope. But please do not let them fall into despair.

Please allow our children to make mistakes and teach them to learn the consequences of their actions. But please prevent them from going down roads that lead to self-destruction.

Please allow our kids to be lonely enough to develop true courage, but also give them the sweet gift of friendship and community. Allow our children to be brokenhearted, that they may learn that you alone will never leave them nor forsake them.

Most of all, Father protect our children from us, their parents. We want so badly to sweep in, fix every little thing, and never let them grow strong. We want so badly to see them succeed that we would never let them fail. We want so badly to see them happy that we would never let them mature. Give us the grace to trust that you will perfect our children the way you perfected your own Son. Give us the faith to trust you more than we trust ourselves. And give us the love to receive our children back home this evening, and tell them how precious they are in our eyes. Amen."

“For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” -Hebrews 2:10 ESV