To say the least, prayer is a mystery, but that does not keep me from praying every day. And although prayer was banned from public schools in 1962, that does not keep me from praying privately, in my classroom for my students. Without my morning commune with God which sets my mind on things above, I’d not have much to give to my students. 

    Routine

Prayer, contemplation, and reading books that shore up my faith is part of my regular early morning routine. A shelf in my home office attests to the many journals I’ve filled with my written prayers. 

But my prayer routine does not end when I leave the quiet confines of that designated space in my house set aside to talk with God. This private and solitary prayer routine only primes my pump so to speak. Since God goes with me wherever I go, I pray as I go. 

While swimming, or jogging, I keep praying as matters of concern come to mind. On my drive to work, alone in the car, it is not unusual for me to express gratitude and praise to God for anything and everything; the beautiful morning, my husband, health and a job. 

Walking into my classroom, I flip the page of a day to day scripture calendar a parent gave me long ago and stand still for a moment to breathe and read the message. Then, as I walk about the room to write the daily schedule on the board, leave a note of encouragement on someone’s desk or set out student supplies for the day’s activities, I pray for the kidos that come to my mind. 

Then, as my students file into the classroom, I greet each one. I can see by their face what they might be carrying; a concern, a fear about their friendships or doubts about their academic adequacy. As their teacher, I must be equipped to help. My heart has to be tender, my mind aware and having a sense of my personal source of strength that comes from God. 

Without having primed my pump with prayer, I would not have the wisdom to guide my group of girls through those fluctuations of friendships that come and go every day. Without having prayed for my students, I’d have no patience for their incessant need of assurance about what is next even though it is written on the board for them to read. Without reading the verse from my calendar for that day, I may not have the patience to respond gracefully to an angry mother. 

Yes, prayer has been banned for our public schools, but prayer can never be banned from a public school teacher’s life. 

Why bother praying? Without prayer, I’d have nothing much to give my students. But with prayer, I can give them my all.