A Youth Ministers Prayer for the Student Leaving for College
Dear Lord,
Every year at this time, our hearts and minds are touched as we are preparing to send our “kids” off to college.
Be with their Moms and Dads – No matter how brave and proud they might be, they all weep and wonder as they send their child off to a new place. Help them to cope with the empty space and the routine change as they miss the joy in their home. Help them to know that they have prepared their child for this day, this time, this journey.
Give them peace through anxiety, strength in weak moments.
Give them satisfaction.
Be with brothers and sisters as their sibling leaves to embark on an amazing journey of life. The absence of the rivalry and the late night talks, change in one days notice. Their best friend, has moved away but has not left their heart.
Give them remembrance of love and joy and knowing that they are only a text way. Help them to establish their own ways modeled by their older sibling.
Lord,
We as your servants have an amazing opportunity to watch these children grow. We’ve held some in our arms when they were born. We have hugged, high fived, and loved them as if they were our own.
We have watched them give their life to You! We have witnessed and had the pleasure of baptizing them. We have walked this walk with them
We have traveled thousand of miles, held their hands when they cried when their soul was hurting. When they have been hurt, we hurt. We cry.
We have laughed, pranked and fill our lives full of camps and youth rallies and lock-ins, singing nights.
We have been encouraged by their text, their notes, their instagram, tweets and Facebook and yes, even their silly snapchats.
Protect them.
Help them to remember, they belong to YOU… FIRST. (In ALL things).
May they be YOUR light! Wherever they are!
May their faith in YOU grow stronger!
When the temptations come…may they run. And defeat Satan.
Help them to know, we are ALWAYS there for THEM!
Help them to remember where HOME is.
Help them to remember… We love them.
Jerry Elder 