Another summer has flown by, and school has started again.  As you settle into your routine, it is a great opportunity to reestablish faith in God as the center of your daily lives.  Despite the busy-ness, we can be grounded if we are purposeful.

In this printable we have a Back to School Blessing that you can speak over your kids, some Back to School Scriptures that may speak life into the challenges and opportunities that come from a new school year, and a Daily School Prayer that your family can use every day as they get ready for school or drive to school.  Prayer is powerful, and it is even more powerful when you model a God-centered life for your kids.

Enjoy!

Printable: |   Back to School Blessing |

Here are a couple more posts about back to school.

School Time Is Here

First Day of School Prayer

Learn more about OPL’s take on parenting by clicking on the Family – Parenting menu.  And don’t forget to follow us by email by putting your email address in the Subscribe box on the right.  One step and you’re finished!

Summer is almost gone and school is just around the corner. My kids start tomorrow! The start of school brings so many mixed emotions: excitement, anxiety, happiness, relief, and anticipation. My oldest son starts Kindergarten this year. I think he would count down the minutes until school starts if he could. I haven’t seen this kid so excited for anything, well, I think ever!

For most kids, school can be the best thing ever or the biggest headache ever. A bad friend or a difficult subject can derail any year. However, we have something wonderful that we can offer our children. Something that will protect them and keep them on the right path:

Prayer

Prayer is the most powerful tool you can give your kids.

So why not start this school year off with a prayer that is chock-full of scripture and positive confessions. Start this year off right!

First Day of School Prayer

Dear Father God,

I thank you for creating (child’s name) exactly how you wanted him/her. (Psalm 139:14). I thank you that you have a plan and a purpose just for (child’s name). (Jeremiah 29:11) I know you are going to show him/her exactly what plan you have for him/her this school year.

I thank you that (child’s name) has the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2:16). He/she will not lack wisdom because he/she serves a God who generously gives His wisdom to everyone who asks! (James 1:5) I pray that (child’s name) continues to grow in his/her wisdom of you (Psalm 34:11) and that he/she will love you with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. (Mark 12:30)

I pray for favor for (child’s name) with his/her teachers, classmates and friends. (Psalm 5:12). I pray that you surround (child’s name) with good, godly friends that will help him/her love you and love others. (Proverbs 27:17). Help him/her to choose his/her close friends carefully. (Proverbs 12:26)

Thank you that you have not given (child’s name) a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind, (2 Timothy 1:7) I thank you that he/she has angels surrounding him/her to keep him/her safe. (Psalm 91:11) Help (child’s name) to always remember that you, God are with him/her wherever he/she goes and you will NEVER leave him/her! (Joshua 1:9, Hebrews 13:5)

Help (child’s name) to be bold and courageous to tackle any task that is set before him/her and to be victorious because you are on his/her side. (Joshua 1:7-8). Remind (child’s name) that she can do anything because you will give him/her the strength to do it. (Philippians 4:13)

I pray that (child’s name) will be a leader that others can follow. I pray that he/she will be a good example in his/her words, behavior, love and faith (1 Timothy 4:12). That he/she will be a light that shines brightly for Jesus. (Matthew 5:16) and that he/she will go out and teach others about Christ. (Matthew 28:19)

We expect great things to happen this year. Thank you God for loving us and being with us always.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

Here are printable fill in the blank prayers:

Boy Prayer:  |   |

Girl Prayer:  |   |

Pray this prayer over the kids in your Sunday School and your own kids or grandkids.  Prayer makes a difference!

Today we are giving away the fifth Storytime.  This storytime tackles a very important topic – in some ways, the most important topic of all:  How God sees you.

Storytime is an opportunity for you to have fun teaching about a certain topic by reading Bible stories, fables and books. Most of the stories follow a similar theme, with a few books thrown in just for fun.  Most of the books can be checked out from your public library or can be put on a Christmas gift list to get and enjoy for years. If you are not able to find these specific books, feel free to substitute with ones you like. You can find the Bible story and the verses in your Bible and you can also go online to www.biblegateway.com to look up the passage.  The Fables can be found online (one place is http://www.aesopfables.com/) or in many different books at the library.

Why would you do a Storytime?  Stories are a great way for us to remember concepts and principles.  By discussing these timeless stories with your children you can help them learn, and your family will grow closer as you experience the stories together.  This is also a great way to do an outreach to kids in your neighborhood, church, or circle of friends.  Kids enjoy listening to the stories, and in the process you are planting seeds of truth in their lives.  We hope that you are able to use this Storytime to bless your own kids and the kids in your neighborhood.

Download the whole Storytime here:  |    How God Sees You  |

January Storytime: How God Sees You. Continue Reading…

Today we are giving away the fourth Storytime.

Storytime is an opportunity for you to have fun teaching about a certain topic by reading Bible stories, fables and books. Most of the stories follow a similar theme, with a few books thrown in just for fun.  Most of the books can be checked out from your public library or can be put on a Christmas gift list to get and enjoy for years. If you are not able to find these specific books, feel free to substitute with ones you like. You can find the Bible story and the verses in your Bible and you can also go online to www.biblegateway.com to look up the passage.  The Fables can be found online (one place is http://www.aesopfables.com/) or in many different books at the library.

Why would you do a Storytime?  Stories are a great way for us to remember concepts and principles.  By discussing these timeless stories with your children you can help them learn, and your family will grow closer as you experience the stories together.  This is also a great way to do an outreach to kids in your neighborhood, church, or circle of friends.  Kids enjoy listening to the stories, and in the process you are planting seeds of truth in their lives.  We hope that you are able to use this Storytime to bless your own kids and the kids in your neighborhood.

Download the whole Storytime here:     Continue Reading…

Today we are giving away the third Storytime.

Storytime is an opportunity for you to have fun teaching about a certain topic by reading Bible stories, fables and books. Most of the stories follow a similar theme, with a few books thrown in just for fun.  Most of the books can be checked out from your public library or can be put on a Christmas gift list to get and enjoy for years. If you are not able to find these specific books, feel free to substitute with ones you like. You can find the Bible story and the verses in your Bible and you can also go online to www.biblegateway.com to look up the passage.  The Fables can be found online (one place is http://www.aesopfables.com/) or in many different books at the library.

Why would you do a Storytime?  Stories are a great way for us to remember concepts and principles.  By discussing these timeless stories with your children you can help them learn, and your family will grow closer as you experience the stories together.  This is also a great way to do an outreach to kids in your neighborhood, church, or circle of friends.  Kids enjoy listening to the stories, and in the process you are planting seeds of truth in their lives.  We hope that you are able to use this Storytime to bless your own kids and the kids in your neighborhood.

Download the whole Storytime here:  |     Be Thankful!  | 

November Storytime: Be Thankful!

In this Storytime we will learn about the importance of being thankful.  During Storytime we will read several stories that teach us about the importance of being content, being thankful, and not being greedy or selfish.  We will do a craft that can help you remember this lesson throughout the month.  Continue Reading…

Today we are giving away the second Storytime.

Last month we introduced the idea behind “Storytime.” This is an opportunity for you to have fun teaching a certain topic by reading Bible stories, fables and books. Most of the stories follow a similar theme, with a few books thrown in just for fun.  Most of the books can be checked out from your Public Library or can be put on a Christmas gift list to get and enjoy for years. If you are not able to find these specific books, feel free to substitute with ones you like. You can find the Bible story and the verses in your Bible and you can also go online to www.biblegateway.com to look up the passage.  The Fables can be found online (one place is http://www.aesopfables.com/) or in many different books at the library.

Why would you do a Storytime?  Stories are a great way for us to remember concepts and principles.  By discussing these timeless stories with your children you can help them learn, and your family will grow closer as you experience the stories together.  This is also a great way to do an outreach to kids in your neighborhood, church, or circle of friends.  Kids enjoy listening to the stories, and in the process you are planting seeds of truth in their lives.  We hope that you are able to use this Storytime to bless your own kids and the kids in your neighborhood. Continue Reading…

Today we are going to begin a new series entitled “Storytime.” We will be posting one storytime per month during the school year.

“Storytime” is an opportunity for you to read Bible stories, fables and books that follow a certain theme. Most of the stories follow a similar theme, with a few books thrown in just for fun..  Most of the books can be checked out from your Public Library or can be put on a Christmas gift list to get and enjoy for years. If you are not able to find these specific books, feel free to substitute with ones you like. You can find the Bible story and the verses in your Bible and you can also go online to www.biblegateway.com to look up the passage.  The Fables can be found online (one place is http://www.aesopfables.com/) or in many different books at the library.

Why would you do a Storytime?  Stories are a great way for us to remember concepts and principles.  By discussing these timeless stories with your children you can help them learn, and your family will grow closer as you experience the stories together.  This is also a great way to do an outreach to kids in your neighborhood, church, or circle of friends.  Kids enjoy listening to the stories, and in the process you are planting seeds of truth in their lives.  We hope that you are able to use this Storytime to bless your own kids and the kids in your neighborhood. Continue Reading…

Is it possible that your child can look years older after only the first day of school?  Well, I think that is exactly what happened to my first born yesterday! It’s hard to believe that we now have a third grader and a first grader. Man, time has flown!

I am so excited for this school year! I think this will be a year of growth for all of us. I am looking forward to my children increasing in their knowledge of God, history, math, science and reading.  As a parent we have a lot of influence on the attitudes our children exhibit when it comes to education. Make sure you are setting a positive one towards learning. If a child is instilled with a love for learning at a young age they will be life-long learners. They will have great success and will not be afraid of the unknown. Instead they will be challenged and excited to learn something new.  (My husband points out that is an important career skill too!) Continue Reading…

We are about halfway through summer so I thought I would give you an update on how summer school is going. The one thing I love about summer is how flexible it is and how easily you can adjust. We have stuck with some of our original summer school plans and have ditched others. But I can say with confidence that our summer has not been boring!

Morning Routine:

Our morning routine of wake-up, eat breakfast and get dressed before you do anything else has worked well. Only a couple of days have we declared it pajama day and not followed this routine. It has helped all of us wake up and be fully ready for the day. We haven’t continued to do our quiet time in the morning because we have found this awesome Bible study that we are doing together as a family instead. It is through biblebee.org. We are studying the book of Jonah. The three oldest kids have a devotion to do every day Monday through Friday and then we recap it together as a family on the weekend. I have loved it!!! It is a great tool to teach your kids how to study the Bible in depth and apply its principles to your own life.  Continue Reading…

Each Summer I put together “summer school” for my kids to keep their minds active. We feel it is so important to instill a love for learning at a young age, because a love for learning will help them be successful their entire life.  Summer is the perfect time to focus on their passions and give a little extra attention to those areas where they struggle to make the next school year run a little smoother. This year one of our kids asked to learn more about the human body. Another one needs a little extra help with math.

One summer we learned about the different states that we were going to visit over the summer. Another year we learned more about plants and animals. I always have some component of reading, English and math in our summer curriculum. Most of the time I just use the big workbooks that you can find anywhere that are grade specific. I rip the pages out or write page numbers on a paper telling the kids which page they will complete for the day. A few years ago I found 3 ring dividers that had pockets. I labeled the dividers Monday-Friday. Then I placed each day’s worksheets in the labeled pockets. Continue Reading…