Three years ago, my local church decided to meet over Zoom every weekday morning to pray together, and we have not missed a single meeting since. Whether at home or on a trip, during the school year or on a vacation, healthy or sick, I have always been there to join the others. I felt impressed that we had to be persistent in praying together.
After only a few prayer sessions, I noticed that changes beginning in my classroom. First, I noticed changes in my own attitude towards students. I felt more compassion and genuine interest in every one of them. When I go to school after praying, I feel God pouring such love for my students and colleagues into my heart that it shapes my demeanor and my every word and action.
Also, every year our principal grades our success as teachers. Over my 28 years of teaching, not all my grades have been A’s. But now, they are all A’s. My principal wants us to always be at our best when presenting our school, and since I began praying with my church every morning, I have noticed that my students’ work started getting attention in our town and we began winning at the competitions we entered.
I can see that God is blessing whatever I am doing, just He blessed Joseph and David when they stayed connected with Him. God enters the classroom together with me, and I see the influence of that on my students. Even when we are going over topics that used to be unwelcome by students, the same topics are well received now.
For example, when I used to talk about Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine chapel, or Dürer’s Adam and Eve, students would usually laugh and ask me mockingly whether I believed in “that stuff.” Now, however, they are very attentive, and I can see God working in their hearts. Unfortunately, my students are rarely brought up to live a morally upright life and to believe in God, and I can see their longing to learn about these things. They have begun to come to me to confide in me and discuss life issues important to them. We are having more really deep conversations.
I would like to encourage you to begin your day with a prayer. Praying together with brothers and sisters in Christ has great power. You will see that God has prepared for you all the victories beforehand. He will give you whatever you need so you can be a light for Him for your school and with your students.
