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UNDAUNTED
For a few very hard years this word was my mantra.
The word means
-undismayed; not discouraged; not forced to abandon purpose or effort
-undiminished in courage or valor; not giving way to fear
But the truth is, I was often dismayed by everything that had taken place, and I did battle discouragement. I battled fear and doubts. I hurt and was angry, and sometimes "undaunted" sounded more like a mockery than a mantra, and I was determined to be real about all of it in these posts, thus the name, Undaunted Reality. More than that, though, I was determined to live undaunted, not because I'm so great or strong, but because my God is, and no matter what this world looks like, He is the only reality that matters.
I pray I live the reality of Him beautifully undaunted.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

A Prayer for Teachers

Father God,

This morning I want to lift up teachers to you. It is the time of year when school is starting, some have started, some are preparing, and parents, grandparents, and guardians are placing their children into the care of teachers and educational staff.

Dad, I ask you to bless these teachers this year. They have a lot to accomplish, and it can feel overwhelming. I pray that you would give them help from the counselors and administrators within the school system. I ask you to give them help and support from their team leads and subject leads. I ask you to build a support system around them that they would have a place to go for wisdom, encouragement, and a place to share their frustrations and discouragements.

I ask you to bless their families, to keep their families healthy. I ask you to meet their financial needs in Christ. I ask you to honor their commitment to a higher calling, and teaching and molding children is a higher calling, and remove the stresses from other parts of life. Give them space to use their mental and emotional energies to take care of their families first and the children entrusted to their care second and everything else beyond that. Give them the life room to be good shepherds of the flocks you have put into their hands.

I ask you to give new eyes to each teacher, that they would not see a class, but they would see each individual child. I ask you to give them understanding for each child and that child's situation, life, temperament, and learning bent. I ask that you would give them wisdom for reaching the students who are struggling with that way things are being taught. Give them courage to step out of the box and to educate for thinking and understanding, not just imparting the memorization of a concept.

More than anything, Father God, I pray that you would give these teachers the words to speak into these students, words that will bring health to their spirits, minds, and bones. I ask you to plant good, healing, and strengthening seeds into these kids. I ask that words be spoken into them that would bless the young people you've created them to be. I ask that you would give them wisdom to be good shepherds who tend each student well. Give them divine and holy insight into each child. Give them the grace and wisdom to hold these students to a high standard but to also know that standard applies differently to each child. Give them words of encouragement for these kids, and show them how to offer hope without allowing these kids to live by excuses. Help them to bring out the strengths in these kids and to understand weaknesses are not something to be fixed but a part of each person. Help these teachers create an environment that gives room for both. May these rooms be safe rooms, sanctuaries from whatever happens outside, whatever happens at home. Give these teachers hearts of deep love for the kids and devotion to their calling to bring out the best in these students.

Lord, I pray for parents to step forward and encourage these teachers, to appreciate them, to lift them up verbally to the teachers' faces and prayerfully in the quiet of their homes. I ask that the parents would respect the teachers and teach their children to do the same so that it would go well with everyone, and I ask that you would offer hope to the teachers who are burned out and see no reason but are just biding their time. Renew in them the desire to make a difference because you aren't done yet, and they still have a calling to fulfill.

Finally, I recognize that satan in his wily killing ways places predators into positions to steal, kill, and destroy. Some of those predators are in schools. They steal, kill, and destroy hope, self-image, and spirits. Some steak, kill, and destroy with words, some with sexual acts, some with negligence. None of those demonic forces have a place in your shepherds court, and I ask that you would root such predators out and remove them. I pray that they would be revealed for what they are  and be removed expeditiously. I ask you to complete remove them from the presence of young people just as you removed the demons from the man among the tombs. Cast them out that they would never return to harm these lives and minds of these young people. And until they are uprooted and removed, I ask for your protection over these kids. I ask that you would give wisdom to the kids to know when to never be alone with a teacher, how to let hurtful words slide off. I pray that you would raise up the parent and staff advocates who will not settle for predators of any kind in the classroom, gym, or on the grounds. I pray for a supernatural shift in our schools that refuses to buy into the mindset of fatalism but instead takes proactive steps to protect our young people in every way.

Father, thank you for the men and women you have placed to guide our young people and educate them. I ask that you would bless them with your presence above all things. May your Spirit soak the halls and classrooms and give hope and encouragements to the teachers you have placed there. Thank you for your faithfulness.

In the All-Powerful, lacking nothing, name of Jesus I pray.

Amen

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