Kaybree's Prayer
Every morning before my kiddos go to school, we say a prayer on the car ride:
“Everything I am, everything I have, everything I touch, belongs to You, Jesus. I am Your property, I am Your child. No weapon formed against me shall prosper! Love through me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
This prayer was created 8 years ago when my first child, our 7-year-old daughter (now in high school) was experiencing a high level of anxiety when it came to her educational experience. She was not academically strong, and this made her feel inferior to other students and unworthy of her parents’ (and God’s) approval and love. We did not know that she was struggling with this unrealistic expectation (that she put on herself), but saw that her grades were slipping and that our efforts to support her academic success were not improving the situation.
So I prayed. God, what are we doing wrong? How can we help her? And HE gave me this prayer.
My heart was led to teach our daughter that as a child of God… everything she IS and DOES is a reflection of Him (Galatians 2:26). I began to teach her to change her perspective. I encouraged her to learn, to test, and to behave (in school) as an act of worship unto the glory of her heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 10:31); not for herself, her classmates, or her parents. I started to teach her using any and every verse God put on my heart. I encouraged her to do her best, and let God “renew your mind” (Romans 12:2); No academic challenge or “weapon formed against you will prosper”! (Isaiah 54:17).
I even needed the Father to work on me, and the perspective of my mind and heart. I needed to be reminded of the importance of teaching my daughter about love; God’s perfect agape love. I wanted to strongly ingrain into her heart and mind the deep love the Father has for her. The more she could understand (and embrace) the Father’s love, the more she could effectively love herself and others (John 15:12). I emphasized how this was the greatest commandment (1 Corinthians 13:13) and the most important characteristic for her to develop as a child of God (1 Peter 4:8). It didn’t matter how smart or capable she was if she wasn’t a beacon of love. Even if she “had the gift of prophecy and could fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if she had faith that could move mountains, but had no love, she’d be nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2 – my paraphrased version). What a shame if we were “nothing” that brings the kingdom glory.
So we prayed. Every morning before school, and every night before bed:
“Everything I am, everything I have, everything I touch, belongs to You, Jesus. I am Your property, I am Your child. No weapon formed against me shall prosper! Love through me today. In Jesus’ name, Amen!”
Before long we started to see a gradual change. A change in her heart, a change in her joy, and eventually, a change in her academic performance! She won’t be valedictorian of her class, but she will be a beacon of love for the Kingdom and for God. And God will receive the glory for all the academic success He has provided.
This prayer has now become a tradition for our children to pray, and my high-schooler will often be the one to lead our other two (younger) children in the prayer. So now I give this prayer – which has meant so much to our family – to you. May it bring your children and family as much blessing as it has ours!
