The Most Important Way to Start the School Day

We wouldn’t start our day without breakfast. After all, our kids need fuel to participate in school and stay on task. For many of us as adults, we wouldn’t think to start our day without coffee. At least I wouldn’t! But how often do we fail to start our school day in prayer?

One morning at our house, the kids got up late and we rushed through our morning routine so we could start school at a decent time. After all, we have activities and appointments to get to in the afternoon. Midway through the morning, everyone was grumpy, off-task, and we hadn’t accomplished a thing. Then I realized, we didn’t begin our day in prayer.

Just as our bodies need nourishment to start the day, our souls need nourishment as well. Praying reminds us that we can’t do life on our own, that we need to depend on God. Prayer is how we abide and draw strength to produce fruit for God each day.

I wrote this prayer to help focus myself and my children on the One who sustains, strengthens, and gives us life. Because as much as we’d like to think otherwise, we just can’t grow and learn on our own.

Dear Father in Heaven,

We come before you today grateful for another day. Life is a gift and we thank you for this life you’ve given us. Thank you for another school day where we can learn in freedeom and grow to know and love you more.

Help us to stay on task, not get distracted, and recall all we’ve learned. Give us a desire to learn and help us to want to understand more about this world you’ve made. When our minds wander, bring our focus back to our work. When we’re tempted to distract each other, help us to resist that temptation. When we are tired and sluggish, give us the strength we need to complete our tasks. Help us to have grace for one another and a heart of forgiveness when we are offended.

Stretch our minds today, Lord. Challenge our faulty thinking and help us to discern truth from falsehood. Show us your wonders and grace in all we read, learn, and discuss.

May we accomplish all that you want us to do today. And may we not worry or stress about all that might be left undone.

 In all that we think, do, and say today, help us to glorify you. Draw us closer to you and to each other this day.

 In Jesus’ name,

 Amen.

Christina Fox is a homeschooling mom to two active boys. She is a writer, blogger, licensed counselor, and coffee lover, not necessarily in that order. She lives with her family in sunny S. Florida. You can find her sharing her life’s journey at www.toshowthemjesus.com and on facebook at www.facebook.com/ToShowThemJesus.