At the beginning of each year, I walk the perimeter of my classroom with one hand brushing each wall as I pray over my kids and the school year ahead. After, I lay a hand on each of my students’ desks and pray over each of them. I pray that Jesus would take hold of our words, actions, teaching, learning, attitudes, perspective, and hearts. I pray that each one of my kids feel loved, valued, seen, safe, and special. I pray that my kids would one day look back at their year with me and think, “There was something about that Mrs. Akers that was different. I want that, too.” I pray they one day find that something is my Jesus.

The kids in my classroom are MY kids. Children who are resilient and amazing. Children who call my classroom their home away from home. A place of solace, safety, and even a refuge. A room in which they learn to read for the very first time. They eventually come to see our classroom as a place they don’t want to leave, even if I made them do “a lot of work.”

Sometimes I think I’m not good enough to be their teacher, like they deserve more. But, year after year, my God continues to call me to serve His children. “Lord, where you call, I shall go; even when I feel inadequate or even when I feel like I just can’t give anymore.”

Won’t you please join me in praying for our year? Will you take time to pray over hearts and minds?

Although the school year has already begun for most and not all of us are teachers in classrooms, Elaine’s prayer is an example and inspiration for all. It’s never too late to pray over our kids, our co-workers, our clients, our customers. May others look at us and think that there was something different about us, and may that something be our Jesus.

Elaine Akers (Yanez, MA ’20, TC ’17, BA ’13) is a first grade teacher at Malaga Elementary School. This post was originally shared on her Instagram account.