Here’s the prayer I wrote for my daughter’s first day of school today:
Our Heavenly Father,
we praise you as the God of the universe,
the God of all created things,
the God of us.
As our God, you have provided for us,
you have blessed us,
you have guided us,
and you have empowered us.
So, Lord, in this moment, I pray that you be with Hope as she starts a new school year.
Provide her with good and caring teachers,
with opportunities to grow and to push herself beyond what she thinks possible,
with a platform to be a faithful witness of Jesus Christ.
Bless her with friends who enrich her life,
with moments throughout the year that build her confidence.
Guide her, Lord, in your ways so that she can share the love of Christ with others,
that she can know the truth of your Word that roots her in a firm foundation for her life,
that she will experience your goodness, kindness, and faithfulness.
Empower her through your Spirit that you put within her,
to be all that you have created her to be,
to experience all that you have designed her to experience,
to be a leader who stands for what’s right and shuns what is wrong,
a leader who speaks up for the weak and vulnerable,
a leader who brings good into the world and makes the lives of those around her better.
Through her, you restored the hopes of her mother and me,
and I pray that she will live a life of purpose that brings hope to others.
Be with Hope, Lord, in this new school year.
Let her “shine like a star.”
And let this school year be great.
In the awesome name of your son, Jesus, I pray…
Amen.
rusty tugman 