I look forward to Thursdays when I can publish thoughts on my spiritual journey and hear the thoughts of others on a weekly theme topic. It has become a space for an encouraging and fortifying community to come together. We welcome anyone who would like to join us!
This week's theme topic is PRAYING FOR STUDENTS.
The start of school is right around the corner for me. I start on Monday with an in-service day, Tuesday is a work day, and students come on Wednesday. With the start of school comes a busier schedule, waking up early, and working into the evening and weekends. I will hit the ground running! It's hard sometimes, with all the demands of the start of the school year, to focus on what's most important: the students and their needs. They come to us with their fears, anxieties, passions, interests, joys, insecurities, and more.
My mother was a teacher for 30 years, and she loved it. She loved her students, and they loved her. She taught me a lot about what it means to put your heart and soul into a profession. One of the things she did for her students was pray for them. Each morning she would sit in a different student seat and pray for that child. I've always admired that about her, and have always wanted to take up that practice, but somehow, it never happened. I would always pray for my students, but it was intermittent and haphazard at best, and I know I didn't pray for EVERY student. This year, I want to make the commitment to do what my mom did and pray intentionally for at least one student every day.
We know that prayer works. It changes the recipient of the prayer, and it changes the one praying. Prayer is powerful. It connects us to God and keeps the Holy Spirit alive and working. I will be planning curriculum, communicating with parents, grading papers, building relationships, preparing my classroom, organizing materials, etc.; but the best thing I can do for my students is to lift each one up to God on a daily basis.
I would love to hear from you - what are your prayer practices for students/colleagues? How do you stick to the habit of praying for your students/colleagues?
Your mother's practice of praying for each child is a great way to start the day. I am going to carry that with me today. We are already in school. Your theme came at a good time for me. This week has been very stressful and emotional for me as I have dealt with crisis with one of my students. For some reason, I was the one the parent called. I feel that it was God's call. I was an instrument for Him. That call can be a burden or it can be an opportunity.
ReplyDeleteWith each prayer the connection grows stronger. Prayer matters. What a wonderful practice your mother had, Holly.
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