Each summer I host a 10 days of prayer event as we prep for a new school year. I have 10 prayer prompts for you to intentionally pray through as you head back to school.
I have created a FREE journal to go with the prayer prompts – you can download it here –> 10 Days of Prayer Journal Prompts
Ready to go? Let’s get started!
DAY 1: PRAY FOR YOUR STUDENTS
Today I want to encourage you to pray for your students – whether you have your class list yet or not, feel confident that the Lord has specifically placed each student in your classroom on purpose, for a purpose. You are the exact teacher that they need for this school year – and as the teacher, you need them. Pray that they will grow in their love of learning, that they will feel at home in your classroom, and that they will put forth excellent effort, take risks, and make wise choices. Pray that the Lord would open their hearts to Him and that you would be a shining example of a Christ follower, whether you can proudly proclaim that fact or need to share the gospel more subtly.
The verses we have chosen for today are Proverbs 4:13-15, 18: “Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way…The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”
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DAY 2: PRAY FOR YOUR STUDENTS’ FAMILIES
Pray for peace and stability in your students’ homes. Pray that each child would feel safe and cared for. Ask that the Lord would bring reconciliation between parents, if needed. Pray that your students’ parents would see needs and seek to fill them, with love, forgiveness, grace, and accountability. Pray that you would be able to effectively communicate with your students’ parents and include them in their child’s learning.
Each child was placed in your classroom for a reason – and, by extension, their families. Pray that your words and actions would be a light that points these people to Jesus this year.
The verse I have chosen for today is Proverbs 24:3 “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established.”
Pray that your students’ parents would be rooted in wisdom and understanding. And if they are not, pray for opportunities for you to intentionally invest in these students to fill the gap and point to a loving Savior.
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DAY 3: PRAY FOR YOUR ADMINISTRATION
Pray for your principal and vice principal – that they may have wisdom when making day-to-day decisions in an effort to keep the school a safe place for the teachers to teach in and the students to learn in. Pray for them as they make tough calls and work with students and parents. Pray that they would be strong leaders for their staff and would live lives of integrity.
Pray for your office staff as they deal with parents, teachers, and students. They are the first people visitors see when they enter the school – pray that they would represent the school well and handle their positions with patience and grace.
Pray for your school counselors, support staff, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, janitorial staff, etc. that they would conduct themselves in a worthy manner and would speak life into the students they interact with on a daily basis.
The verse I have chosen is Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
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DAY 4: PRAY FOR YOUR TEACHING TEAM
Pray for your grade-level team members (or school-wide staff if you are the only teacher per grade). Pray for them by name.
Pray for UNITY this year as you strive to work together.
Pray for a spirit of cooperation and collaboration rather than one of competition.
If your team members do not know the Lord, pray for eyes to see opportunities to share the Gospel with them.
Pray for boldness and open hearts when these opportunities arise.
The verse I have chosen for today is Ecclesiastes 4:12 “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
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DAY 5: PRAY FOR WISDOM
Teaching is not just a job – it’s a calling. It’s a privilege. It’s an opportunity to invest in and impact the future. It’s something that requires effort and wisdom.
Pray for wisdom when preparing your lesson plans each day – that you would clearly communicate the topic, the concept, the lesson to the students that God has entrusted you with. Pray for discernment to choose which activities will be most effective for your class. Pray for wisdom as you reflect on the good days and the hard days and move forward to improve your craft.
Pray for wisdom when dealing with your students outside of the formal classroom setting – during arrival and dismissal, during lunch and recess – the downtime when you can build the relationship and speak life into them. Be on the lookout for opportunities to impart wisdom to your students as they are searching for truth, love, and meaning.
Pray for wisdom when dealing with coworkers, your administration, your students’ parents, etc. Pray for a discerning mind, a heart tuned to the Holy Spirit, and a tongue ready to speak God’s truth at all times.
The passage I’ve chosen for today is Proverbs 3:5-7 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”
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DAY 6: PRAY FOR PATIENCE
The verse I’ve chosen is Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
It’s no secret that teaching requires a lot of patience. Pray for patience when dealing with a student who needs extra help, extra time, extra love, or extra affirmation.
Pray for patience when your class doesn’t grasp the new concept you’re trying to teach them. Pray for patience when dealing with the coworker down the hall that you don’t see eye to eye with.
Pray for patience as you deal with your own family – teaching is a tough job that can easily drain you – but you need to reserve
some love, energy, and patience for your personal mission field: your spouse and kids.
If you’re facing a difficult situation, whether it be at home or at school, pray for patience and the courage to persevere. Pray that God would be glorified through your patient attitude and that, despite afflictions, your long-suffering would point others to Christ.
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DAY 7: PRAY FOR HOPE
So many people in the world are walking around, desperate. Desperate for meaning. Desperate for love and acceptance. Desperate for hope. Our students and their families are searching – and we have the answer. Jesus Christ is the reason for the HOPE that we have.
In the ups and downs of teaching your diverse class of students, cling to the One who is higher than you. If you feel like life’s circumstances have caused you to lose hope, look to the One who alone brings lasting hope. He is faithful to provide every time. What a mighty God we serve!
Our verse for today is Psalm 71:5 “For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth.”
I pray that your students can claim this verse – that Jesus is their hope and source of confidence. If this isn’t true for them yet, then we need to share it with them, in both word and action. We know the true source of hope and it is our duty (and privilege!) to point others to Him.
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DAY 8: PRAY FOR SAFETY
We live in a tumultuous world and many scary things happen every day. These events remind us that we live in a fallen world. In the midst of evil, we must keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the One who will one day make all things new.
Pray for safety in our schools. Pray for health for the teachers, administration, support staff, students, and families. Pray for superintendents, principals, and other school leaders who must make worst-case-scenario plans, evaluate potential risks, and discern dangerous scenarios.
Pray that your classroom would be a safe refuge for your students. Pray that it would be a place where they feel loved, accepted, and cherished. Pray that they would feel safe to take risks, make mistakes, and learn new things.
Today’s verse is Psalm 118:8 “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans.”
While the world is a scary place, we should not live in fear. The Bible calls us to be cautious and sober-minded in the midst of danger. We trust in God, our Rock and Refuge, to keep us safe.
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DAY 9: PRAY FOR PEACE
Our students come to us with different personalities, family backgrounds, dreams, struggles, and secrets. Oftentimes they are dealing with things they do not share openly about. These things might weigh on their hearts and make it difficult to focus. Pray that they would find PEACE in your classroom, a calmness that comes from knowing they are safe and loved. Pray that peace would flood their hearts and minds so they can learn, try new things, reach out to their classmates, make friends, and take risks.
Today’s verse is 2 Thessalonians 3:16 “Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.”
Thank goodness we don’t need to conjure up peace or depend on ourselves to supply peace to others – The Lord of Peace will give you peace. At all times. In every way. What a promise!
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DAY 10: PRAY FOR BALANCE
This is a biggie for me. Trying to juggle everything – being a teacher, wife, mom, business owner, volunteer, cook, housekeeper, errand-runner, crafter, etc. is a recipe for a busy life. If I’m not careful I can burn the candle on both ends and burn out very quickly. These are all good things. Most of them are necessary things. I daily pray for BALANCE, or harmony, when trying to juggle it all.
To tell the truth, I can’t do it all. I have learned that there is power in saying “no.” Pray for wisdom on which things you may need to step away from this year, in order to give priority to more important things.
Protect your time with the Lord. Give him the firstfruits of your time every day. Make this a non-negotiable. I’ve often found that when I am most busy, when I feel like I have the least amount of spare time – that’s when I need to prioritize and chunk out time with My Creator the most.
Pray for balance when making your to-do list for each day. Social media is filled with things you CAN implement in your classroom – but it doesn’t mean you have to do it all. Pick and choose what fits your style, your classroom, and your students.
The verse for today is Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Yes, we have human authority placed over us – but our ultimate allegiance and accountability is to the Lord.
Looking for more prayer prompts? Each Sunday I post a new prompt on my Facebook page and send it out to my e-mail newsletter family.
