Prayers for the Carpool Line (and beyond).
Short prayers that speak specifically to the things your kids care about. Fingers crossed these are coming to you in book form soon! But for now, feel free to print, borrow, or use as a template for writing your own!
Prayers for Beginnings:
God of new beginnings…We enter this new year equal parts excited and nervous about what lies ahead. Be our sense of calm. Remind us that you made us strong, brave, and kind, and that you are with us every step of the way. Hold on to our grownups until we get home.
Loving God…You have been with us through five sweet years of milestones, big days, and ordinary moments together at home. Be with us now as we head off to kindergarten. Calm our nerves, hold our hands, and remind us that we are ready. Hang on tight to mom until we get home.
God of new beginnings, second, third, and fourth chances….May we enter this day with the peace that comes from knowing you are always rooting for us.
Prayers for Relationships:
God of peace, of relationships, and of sticking-it-out, even when its hard…Thank you for constantly upholding your promise to stand by us, even when we forget. Help us keep showing up for each other, even though we stumble, mess up, and hurt. Resurrect our ability to forgive and try again.
God of our teachers…We know that being a teacher is a really, really hard job! Be with our teachers as we begin our new school year. Keep them safe, sane, and kind, and help us love them well by the way we listen and learn.
God of the new kid, of welcome, and of plenty…Thank you for always drawing near to the stranger, the nervous, the I’m-not-sure-if-I fit-in kid. Remind me today that there is always enough love, grace, and room at the table. Make me a sanctuary for others.
Prayers for Creation:
God of changing seasons, crisp weather, darker evenings, and excitement ahead…Thank you for the gift of fall. Help us notice the pattern of death and new life right outside our window. Love us today in our own rhythms of sleeping and rising, resting and work.
God of the cosmos…You have ordered the universe in incredible ways. Thank you for the gift of science that constantly uncovers them. Let us marvel today at a miracle knowing you set it in motion and called it good. May we feel small in the very best way.
God of creation that blooms, withers, and begins again…Help us remember that there are seasons in my life for growth, rest, and everything in between. Remind me that I don’t have to produce all year.
Prayers for Noticing God:
God of numbers, music notes, lunch ladies, and spelling words…Make my brain a sponge for all the wonders I can learn. Teach me to see your creativity in math, science, recess, and my funniest friend.
God of grammar, fraction, history, and molecules…Be the tiny spark of “wow!” in a sometimes boring day. Thank you for friends, for lunchtime, for recess, and all the checkpoints that make our day fun. Let us not forget the gift that is a free and excellent education.