A prayer for your college student

Oh, Lord,

My heart is heavy, and my anxiety is heightened, so my soul looks to you. Only you can help me to rest in your plans and your protection for my college student as he returns to school.

I lift up my college student to you
and place him into your care.

Guard his mind from harmful influences,
from secular reasoning and humanistic values,
from fundamentalist and judgmental attitudes
that create pride and harden hearts.

Holy Spirit, speak daily into his heart and mind,
reminding him of truth and life.
When he is bombarded with secular philosophies and agendas,
give him intuition and question truth to seek answers from your Word.
Strengthen his courage to stand for justice and righteousness in a world gone crazy with hate and violence.

Surround him with a Christian community and friend group (even one person, Lord!).
Help him to make deep friendships quickly with students and teachers who will edify and encourage him,
who will not degrade or deride him, but will strengthen my student in his faith and abilities.

Make him missional; give him compassion for souls
and perspective on this life and the next.
Bring people who are searching for truth across his path
so he can be a testimony of your love and grace.

Keep him from loneliness and isolation.
Make his school life fun and enjoyable!
I ask for new challenges and new opportunities in learning, socialization,
exploration of his own personality and interests,
all filtered through a God worldview
so he doesn’t lose himself in vain pursuits.

Expose him to new opportunities,
to broaden his mind, to develop of love of learning,
to explore new things and find the calling you’ve designed him to fulfill.
Bring him a mentor to encourage him in this endeavor
and open doors for relationships, internships, job opportunities.
His future is in your hands–give him the wisdom to choose correctly.

Thank you for the gift of loving and raising this young adult
whom I entrust to you as you’ve entrusted him to me.

I can’t wait to see what you will do with this precious life!
Amen.