Beginning of the Year Prayer

As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep last night, I decided to take Jesus on a tour of the school. I started at one end of the hall and imagined walking beside him, introducing him to teachers (including to ones who worked in the rooms in years past), and showing him the classrooms. I imagined him breathing light, love, and peace into every room, and I imagined him doing the same in the hallways.

We went everywhere in the school together last night, Jesus and I. It took us a little while as my thoughts took tangents and convinced us to stand somewhere and consider particular subjects or concerns, but we eventually made it through campus and I eventually fell asleep.

I think I’ll take this tour with Jesus again tonight. And tomorrow night. And maybe tomorrow during the day. And maybe the next day. Because even though I cannot speak his name aloud, I truly believe that without Jesus’ love, light, and peace, things just get messy.

Each year, I put a prayer on my desk so that I can see it each day. I’ve updated the prayer over time—added, deleted, modified according to year. And so tonight I do the same—I update last year’s prayer. And instead of praying only for me—for I—I am praying for we—for us—because we are in this together.

Almighty God, you have blessed us with the joy and care of children.
Give us calm strength and patient wisdom as we work with them, that we may teach them to see and love what is just, true, and good in this unsteady and confusing world.
Help us show them that doing right gives more life than doing wrong and that goodness and light have the power to overcome the dark.
Help us to help them take heartache and failure not as measures of their worth but as chances for fresh starts.
Grant each of us, God, students and teachers alike, in all of our doubts and uncertainties, the ability to rest and the courage to do what is best.
Give us insight.
Surround us with grace.
Empower us with the boldness and goodness to be firm, fair, and consistent.
Feed us as we feed our students, and help us to grow in content knowledge, pedagogy, and self-understanding as we seek to be life-long learners not just of curriculum and teaching but of life itself.
And most of all, God, fill us with love that is contagious…today, tomorrow, and in all the days to come.
Amen.

Now…to walk with Jesus around the school and into sleep.

And amen.