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Discipleship, Girls Ministry Basics, High School, Middle School, Moms, Parents, Small Group Leaders, Uncategorized

How to Pray for Your Daughter this School Year

Whether your daughter is walking into the first day of Kindergarten, a new grade of Middle School, her last year of High School, or decorating her dorm room, prayer is one of the very best ways you can love and support her consistently. Praying for your daughter is valuable, both for her and for yourself, because it requires you to trust her into God’s hands daily and lean into His sovereignty over her life. 

However, one of the challenges of praying for her consistently is knowing what to pray. While I’m not a mom yet, as a former girls minister and current student pastor’s wife, I spend a lot of time listening to teenage girls share their stories and struggles. Based on that, here are five intentional things to pray for your daughter this school year: 

1. Pray for your daughter to be hungry for the Word of God.

There is nothing more powerful than the Word of God. The Word of God is life-changing, life-giving, and life-sustaining. That’s why there is absolutely nothing better for your daughter than the Word of God. Ask the Lord for her to desire it, read it, and rely on it in good times and in times of heartache and struggle. Pray for her to be quick to turn to His Word for truth when she’s uncertain, strength when she’s weary, and peace when she’s anxious. Ask God to teach her that true joy is found in the pages of His Word. 

Action step: Allow your daughter into your time with the Lord. Let her see you making God’s Word a priority.  

Verse to pray: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”—2 Timothy 3:16-17

2. Pray for your daughter to be a good friend.

Friendships can be hard for girls no matter their age. In fact, you may even have some difficult friendships in your life as an adult! Pray for your daughter to include others rather than simply looking to be included. Ask the Lord to bless her with friends who love the Lord while simultaneously allowing her to build relationships with peers who she can share the love of Christ with. Her friendships are a huge part of her life so make sure you’re spending time praying over them! 

Action step: Talk to your daughter about what it means to be a good friend. Encourage her to care about those who are overlooked. 

Verse to pray: “Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”—1 Corinthians 13:4-7

3. Pray for your daughter to be bold in her faith.

Being a Christ follower isn’t always easy when you’re a teenage girl (or any age for that matter). Following Jesus takes boldness and standing up for what you believe in requires strength that can only come from the Lord. Pray for the Lord to strengthen her and make her bold so that she can live out her faith this school year.  

Action step: Tell your daughter about a time when you had to be bold in your faith. 

Verse to pray: “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”—Joshua 1:9

4. Pray for your daughter to have wisdom from the Lord.

While you may have heard that wisdom comes from age, the truth is that wisdom comes from God. Just because your daughter is young, does not mean that she cannot be wise. Over the course of this school year, your daughter will be faced with thousands of decisions (big and small) and one of the best things you can do is pray for her to have wisdom. 

Action step: Ask the Lord for wisdom as she comes to you for guidance. Share with her what it looks like for you to seek wisdom from God for big and small decisions. 

Verse to pray: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”—James 1:5

5. Pray for your daughter to find her identity in Christ.

While the world will try to tell her how she should (or shouldn’t) define herself, plead with the Lord for her to wrap her identity around Christ alone. Pray for her to be secure in Christ and confident in who He made her to be. Pray that she will long to live for Him rather than striving for the affirmation of the world. While this year (or the next) might bring change, if she’s rooted in Christ, she’ll be able to stand firm! 

Action step: Be an example for her by finding your identity in Christ and seeking Him rather than the affirmation of the world. 

Verse to pray: “For am I now trying to persuade people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”—Galatians 1:10

Above all, pray with your daughter. There’s something so special and valuable about taking time to pray with and over your daughter. Be intentional about telling her how you are praying for her specifically and ask her what else you can be praying for in her life. While she may roll her eyes when you stop her to say a prayer as she’s running out the door, it means more to her than you’ll ever know! 

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

Taylor-Cage

Taylor Cage is a Nashville native, currently living in Oklahoma City with her husband, Baron, who serves as a student pastor at Trinity Baptist Church. After college, she spent three years as a Girls Minister and she’s passionate about building gospel-centered community among women of all ages. Taylor is the Social Media Coordinator for Well-Watered Women and a regular contributor for the Lifeway Girls blog. Most days you can find her writing about God’s Word with a cup of coffee in hand or chasing around her new Goldendoodle, Posie. Connect with Taylor: Instagram.