Do you remember your elementary school classroom? Maybe the walls decorated with artwork and colorful posters are still clear in your mind. Or maybe you recall encouraging sayings wherever you look, like “you can do hard things” or “embrace every challenge.” While those sayings can be helpful in the classroom, God has plenty of encouragement for your kids both in and out of school. Better yet, those promises aren’t meant simply for reading on occasion, but also for ingraining in their hearts to transform their minds.
In the weeks leading up to the return to school (or even throughout the school year), take advantage of available time to remind them of some eternal truths. The passages below, collected by Minno, apply to students of all ages. They encourage them to live without fear, love those around them, and do their best. After checking out the list of verses, discover how to help the child in your life engage with those passages in a meaningful, memorable way.
10 VERSES TO SHARE AHEAD OF SCHOOL
“Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9 NLT)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV)
“The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17 ESV)
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12 ESV)
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“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law against these things!” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT)
“And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.” (Luke 6:31 ESV)
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do and he will show you which path to take.” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT)
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23 ESV)
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 ESV)
3 WAYS TO ENGAGE THE VERSES
Now we’ve got a great list of verses to encourage our kids as school begins… but what do we do with them? Certainly, you don’t want to make Bible verses feel like punishment by making them write it 100 times. Who needs that kind of hand cramp before school begins, anyway?! So check out a few suggestions for helping your child hide God’s word in their heart in an engaging way:
Make up hand motions and use silly voices
This is especially great for the littler kids. Work together to come up with hand movements for specific words or phrases of a verse. After practicing the motions, say the verse in silly ways like using squeaky or deep voices.
Display passages in creative ways
For kids who can read, find places to put up these printable Scripture cards, such as the bathroom mirror, next to light switches, or above their desk. Additionally, you could also get extra creative and make art pieces, highlighting key phrases they want to remember for the school year.
Talk about it
At the dinner table, read a verse with the whole family. Then simply ask questions about the text and how it might apply to your kid’s day at school. Ask what they can learn about God and what He wants them to do. Have them consider how these verses can help when they’re struggling with a teacher or encounter difficult classmates.
WHAT OTHER BACK-TO-SCHOOL VERSES DO YOU RECOMMEND?
Are there any passages that you leaned on when you were in school? What verses or activities have been helpful for your children? Let us know in the comments!
