Real Life Mama: A prayer before school starts

Dear God,

Truly, I cannot believe that it is already time to send my babies back to school. It feels like every single summer of their lives has gone by faster and faster. Part of me wants to pray to slow it down, while the other part wants to thank You for all the time we have spent together and all the new adventures that these ages have brought.

As we step into a new school year, God, I beg you to keep my babies safe. Please watch over their every step, every encounter, every opportunity and every mountain that they come up against. Sometimes this world scares me, Lord, and sending my kids into the unknown is absolutely frightening as a mom in this day and age. But I also know that You are bigger than this world and I trust You. Please just watch over my babies.

Dear Lord, as my babies age, I realize that not only are the opinions of others so hard to work through, but so are their opinions of themselves. Please help my kids to recognize their true value and worth as Your daughters and not put too much pressure on themselves to fit into this world.

Please, Lord, help me to be the best Mama that I can be as we start to navigate into the changes of growing up and dealing with big emotions. As a mom, I pray to always be a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on, and that voice in their head (along with yours) that reminds them that they are more than enough. Lord, mental health is a real thing and has started messing with our babies earlier and earlier. I pray that You can give me the tools that I need to be the support for my girls through each and every high and low that they come across.

And God, please help my babies to be a firm rock for their friends – help them to notice the kids around that need someone to talk to or play with or just plain sit with and be. More than anything, I pray that You guide my kids into little disciples of You – pouring Your love and Your grace into all whom they come in contact with. Help them to be more and more like You.

As my children learn and grow throughout the year, please remind them that a test score does not define them, their grades do not determine their worth, and their future is bright regardless. As a mom, please help me to remind my babies that their best is all I can ask for – and that I love them no matter what. And when I am not there, please intercede into their heads and remind them that as well as I know (because they are just like their mama) how much they long to succeed. Help them to remember that success comes in many forms – and mistakes are keys that unlock growth and opportunities for the future.

God, I ask that you put Your hands on all of the teachers, faculty and staff taking care of all the babies. Please Lord, keep them all safe and guide them in ways to best teach and love on our kids. While we know I would never be able to do it, there are many special people equipped with patience, knowledge and desire to pour into our babies – please direct them along the way. Remind them when days get long and hard that what they are doing matters – they are literally shaping the minds of our future.

Lastly, Lord, I pray that my kiddos know just how completely and utterly loved they are – not just unconditionally by You – but unconditionally by me as well. It is my prayer that they always know how proud I am of all that they have already accomplished and all that I know that they will accomplish in the future.

Please continue to mold our relationships – and the trust built between us as a mother and daughters – so that we can always share in our daily highs and lows and work through things together. I just pray, Lord, that they always know that they can bring anything to me and that nothing that they ever do would ever cause me to love them any less.

Thank you, Father God, for all the adventures of the summer, for the moments and memories made and for another school year to walk in to. Please guard and guide my babies and myself as we learn and grow together this school year. In advance, I thank You, Lord. I love You.

In Your name I pray, Amen.

Sarah (Pitson) Shrader was born and raised in Lima. She is a Lima Central Catholic and Tiffin University graduate. Sarah is a full-time working mama who enjoys writing about her somewhat crazy, always adventurous life as a mother. She lives in Bath Township with her daughters and writing inspirations, Maylie and Reagan.