Prayer For College Bound Students
Heavenly Father I pray that you will give me the guidance that I need to have fun while still maintaining a schedule of proper study and needed rest. Help me to know that sometimes I need to bow out of a particular social event in order to meet the needs of academic success. Protect me as I seek your help in scheduling time for everything. I love you Father and pray this in Jesus name, Amen.
Dear Lord, I pray for all of my Instructors, Professors and Administrators. As we are told in the Bible, as a student (disciple) our teachers are above us and as we grow and learn we strive to be like our teacher. Please give them the wisdom, strength and courage to be the best instructor and administrator that they can be. Help them to stay healthy as they do well to teach us. Lord, if they do not know you as personal Savior, I pray that they come to know you and in doing so that their instruction and work is glorifying to You. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen.
Dear Lord, as I continue in this new college life help me never to forget to devote time of praise and worship to You. I know that you are the One who sustains me and the least I can do for everything that You have done for me is to dedicate time to You. Help me to know that renewing my mind in You is a necessary part of my life. Nudge me out of bed on Sunday and if there is a good mid-week service please make it so I can go to that too. Send new friends my way that are like-minded Christians who will attend services with me and hold me accountable when I am absent. I love you Lord and I want to praise and worship You. In Jesus name, Amen
Lord, you've given my student the ability to communicate, and it is good. May their words be acceptable in your sight. When they attempt to muffle or stuff words out of fear or uncertainty, may they be brave and allow godly communication its opportunity. When they face a tough conversation, I pray they persevere, continuing to trust you. Most importantly, Lord, may my young woman/man communicate with you on a regular basis. I pray they seek you and nourish a desire to hear your voice daily. In Jesus' name, amen.
Father, thank you for my student. This life you've woven in them is wonderful. During this school year, whether it's in the dorm adjusting to their roommates, standing on the marching band or athletic field, sitting in a classroom, or staring at their homework, may my student park their thoughts on you. Protect my child against self-harm, failure, depression, and laziness. Surround them with your truth concerning drugs, alcohol, sex, and faith. Close the door on blame, bad-mouthing, judgment, and condemnation. May they consider and cherish, instead, what is true, allowing your perfect love to cast out all fear. May they dwell on all that's honorable, just, pure, and lovely. May he/she toss aside the bad, clinging to the good especially when it comes to relationships and their future with you. May virtue and praise echo in their mind and be reflected in their words and actions. In Jesus' name, amen.
They move in to the dorm this weekend and will bring their bags filled with clothes and their boxes filled with books. But you see what they bring in their hearts anticipation, adventure, love, regret, anxiety, motivation, and hope.
They are a mix of excited, ready, terrified, and wide-eyed freedom.
As he looks for a fresh start, remind him of your faithfulness every morning no matter where he calls home.
As she looks for community, remind her you are always with her no matter where she may go.
As he looks for adventure, remind him how you walk on water, turn water to wine, feed thousands from just a few pieces of bread. Remind him how you bring life straight up out of death, beauty straight out of ashes.
May she have the patience to believe even when she doesn't see results.
May he know the greatest adventures are found in your presence, the greatest love comes from your heart, the greatest hope is that you've made his heart your home.
When insecurity, comparison, disappointment and failure knock on her dorm room door, may she turn to you with her questions rather than run the other way.
Weave your wisdom into the fibers of his soul, bearing the fruit of confidence, clarity, contentment and a light heart.
May he not despise his humanity, rather may he embrace it.
May she not despise her body, rather may she learn to receive and respect her shape as a gift.
May he not despise his weakness, rather may he see how weakness brings a daily reminder to trust.
May they not fear failure, rather may they thrive in the midst of it.
May they not be quick to judge, rather may they be patient and curious.
Help them to find true friends and be a true friend in turn.
Help them find their voice and to use it to be an advocate for themselves and for others.
Replace her shame with courage.
Replace his confusion with peace.
Replace her fear with a love that moves within her beyond her ability to understand.
May your grace surprise them kindly.
Amen.
I have held you close. Now as you fly into
adulthood, bound to open books and discover
worlds, I release you. But not without one final
prayer: Prosper not only in your studies, but
prosper in knowing God more richly.
I will not be there to catch you when you fall. But
God will catch you when I can't.
Depend on Him and learn to trust Him.
You are not alone. Knowing this,
my empty nest will not seem so lonely.
My heart will soar as I watch you take wing.
Father, who is like you? No one. We have found none like you! When we look at you, we see honesty and truth,
wisdom and knowledge,
sight and insight,
love and compassion,
grace and mercy.
We see
tenderness filled with strength,
patience filled with action,
silence filled with meaning,
and
the present filled with the future.
And so it is to you we turn when we don't know what to do.
It is to you we turn when we know what we want to do, but don't know if we should.
It is to you we turn when all the voices say, Do this! or, Do that! and all we want is to hear one voice your voice as you reveal your beautiful plan.
Father, calm Mikayla's heart, and mind, and soul. Give her the peace that passes understanding, the peace that precedes the revelation of your wisdom.
Give her the ability to hold many thoughts in her mind at once, the ability to wisely compare competing and sometimes conflicting priorities: college, major, location, price, scholarship, academic reputation, distance, friends, housing, job, internship, meals, transportation Father, bring it all into perspective.
The decisions that seem so large most of them, in hindsight, won't matter at all but for now, Father, bring her clarity.
Sweep the unreasonable away! Give Mikayla the wisdom and strength and courage and decisiveness she needs to let go of anything unrealistic that clouds her mind. Give her the ability to open her hand and let go.
Help her hold onto the best! Protect her from discouragement when her goals seem impossible or out of reach. Give her uncommon perseverance to explore all options, turn over every stone, find a way where there is no way, and to create a new path where none exists today.
Help her choose a career path that will bring joy and satisfaction.
Help her choose a college where she can learn what she needs to know to succeed.
Help her find a way to go, and study, and learn, and take delight in it all.
Father, guard her integrity. Guard her character. Guard her values.
As she goes to college, we ask that she'll take you with her. Give her daily reminders of your presence, of your love and care for her. Be the desire of her heart, and the reason she lives.
Let Mikayla always have the end in mind. Make her strong, so that she never sacrifices her long-term goals with a short-term decision.
Father, give Mikayla the comfort and confidence that comes from knowing that decisions can be changed, new paths can be taken, and old ways forsaken. Don't let her suffer the fear experienced by those who think each decision is an irrevocable step onto an unchangeable path. Instead, give her the relaxation of knowing she can change her mind.
Thank you, Father, for giving her good counselors her parents, brothers, and others to encourage her and cheer her on.
We rejoice, Father, because we know that Mikayla is in your strong and loving hands, and we know that she seeks your counsel above all others.
Thank you for the decisions, the path, the future, and the joy that you are bringing to Mikayla!
In Jesus' name,
Amen.