Back to school! Woohoo!

As parents and students begin preparation for a new school year, you can almost hear the excitement as kids choose just the right backpack and matching lunch box. They continue their selective hunt through the box of folders until they find just the right one, and then quickly move to the pencils. You can hear the squeals when they realize this is the year they are given the freedom to use mechanical pencils! Back-to-school heaven, oh what fun! Meanwhile, in the real world, the Mommas are playing buggy derby just trying to get down the back-to-school heaven aisle at Wal-Mart. Can anybody give me an “Amen” on that?!

There is another group, the high school students, the less excited community of the back-to-school crowd. Although the stigma around coordinated back packs and lunch boxes discourages the excitement of their early years, the high school crowd is still required to arrive prepared with the necessary school supplies.

Preparation is required for success, regardless of our age.

Prayer, the most essential tool that we as believers have in our Jesus Tool Belt, is often the last tool utilized. What if our efforts in physical back to school preparation, buying school supplies and clothes, were matched by the effort we exert in spiritual preparation, in time on our knees praying for the Armor of God to clothe and protect our children?  While we must make provisions for these physical needs, making provisions for spiritual needs is more important!

As the school year begins, the children in our homes, churches and communities must urgently and persistently be covered with prayer, equipping them for spiritual battle. I love the way The Message shares Paul’s instructions to the Church of Ephesus regarding spiritual warfare.

“And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong.
So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the
best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the
Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll
walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours.
This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil
and all his angels.”
Ephesians 10-12 (MSG)

This school year, I personally want to equip my children for spiritual battle, not an informal scrimmage that will subside in a few hours, but a “play-for-keeps” eternity event.

As women, we can commit to intentionally praying 31 virtues over our children, grandchildren, and even those we teach, counsel, interact with, and give smiles to in the grocery with this Virtue Prayer Calendar.

This is a flexible tool that can be used based on your child’s needs. If they need prayer for obedience, please pray obedience scripture over them regardless of the month/day. Use these verses throughout the school year to lift your child before the Lord, interceding on their behalf. There is power in praying specific scripture.

Remember, this is a “play-for-keeps” eternity event.

Time to Unfold

• Read God’s Word: Read scripture over the children in your life.  
• Pray: Pray that these children always seek God first.
• Do: Continue to intercede on their behalf. Become intentional spreading God’s love to those children.
• Repeat

Blessings for a safe and God-filled school year,