Parenting Points
As summer fades into history, school is just around the corner. The beginning of a new school year brings the introduction of routines again and the opportunities for many new things. Though excitement naturally comes with the new, so does apprehension for us and our kids. Like every new season, we do not enter this season alone. We have a God who is with us, for us, and who goes before us. In Isaiah 41, the prophet is met with his place of uncertainty and is given this encouragement from the God who is always there: “…fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10 ESV). Though God is always with us, we often forget to seek Him and bring our concerns and daily moments before Him. As your family begins to go back to school and into routines, you are entering into a great season to incorporate times of more intentional prayer.
Ride-Time Prayers. Whether you pray with your children before they get on the bus or when you drive them to school, prayers on the ride can help you and your children offer the day to God as an act of worship. During these ride-time prayers, you might want to pray through the schedule for the day, for your kid’s teachers, and for any challenges, concerns, or tests your child may have during the day. Pray also that God would use you and your child to make an impact on others for Jesus today.
Dinner Prayers. As your family gathers around the dinner table, or maybe more realistically, eats some food from a drive-thru bag on the way to practice, you can spend some time reflecting on the day through prayer. You and your kids can share good things and bad things that happened during the day and respond in prayer, thanking God for the good things and praying for Him to be present with you in the bad things.
Bedtime Prayers. Bedtime is a great time to close the day with your children and family in prayer. In bedtime prayers, you could focus on thanking God for another day of life, asking Him to give you rest, and filling you overnight with His strength for another day.
No matter what the pattern looks like for your family, when family prayers become a part of your back-to-school rhythm, you will be amazed to see how God can change you and your kid’s perspective of Him and His constant presence.
-Dr. Ben Birdsong
Writer, Speaker, and Minister
