In our area, most every school has officially started now that Labor Day has passed, and many are ready to fully usher in the search for fall. During this past Sunday’s sermon I tried to leave all those who began this new school year with some encouragement. I told them that the first five days and the first week were behind them. Furthermore, I informed them that they merely had another 172 days and 35 weeks to go. It was odd, but those tidbits of information did not seem to bring the encouragement I intended. Go figure.
However, the realization of just how much school year remained in front of them helped me consider something valuable. I had seen and read many Back-2-School commercials, sales flyers, news stories, blogs, etc. Honestly, there were some really good and thought provoking things for us to contemplate as we embarked upon another school year. But that’s just it. It is a school “year”, and most of the Back-2-School emphasis lasts for just a few weeks. Then, we’re off to the races at break-neck speed, and it’s one day after another with a few small breaks here and there.
My aim with this short blog is to encourage you to do whatever it takes to remind yourself that the school year is much more of a journey than it is a quick trip. Take the same list of people and positions related to school and have at least a weekly prayer time for them specifically. If you haven’t seen a list, or can’t find the one you had, use the one below.
- Students
- Teachers
- Parents
- Administrators (superintendents, principals, counselors, etc.)
- Volunteers (in the classroom & outside, chaperones, PTA, room moms, etc.)
- Support Staff (maintenance, cafeteria, custodial, transportation, office staff, etc.)
- Extracurricular Activities
The school year is long, and while most begin with a certain level of excitement of the new, pressures, the weight of performance, and the desire to enjoy the relaxations of summer increase over time. Let’s be diligent to keep these folks in our prayers and on our minds during this school year.
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