1 Thessalonians
5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you.
I’ve never considered myself as much of a prayer warrior but
my role this fall on the Flandreau Indian School campus has been moving more
towards that of being a PRAY-er. It is not a role that I’m taking lightly and
one that God is pushing to be proactive about.
I get asked each year to open the school year with a
blessing over the students at a school assembly. I prayed at a school pep rally for the cross
country, volleyball and football teams last week. The basketball coach for the upcoming season recently
asked if I would be willing to pray before each home game to set the tone for
the event. Kids will jump off of the bus
on their way to a game to be prayed over. A few others that follow along don’t
really knowing what’s going on but they pray too. They end up being the ones
who are jumping off of the bus before the next game.
Students come to our school from all sorts of spiritual
backgrounds so it’s an honor when kids approach me for prayer. Kids stop me in the hall or in the cafeteria and
ask me to pray for them or somebody they care for. I have gotten intentional
about stopping what I’m doing right there and then to pray with students. We
pray in hallways, the cafeteria or just stopped on the sidewalk. The idea is to get kids in the mindset that
prayer is accessible at any time or any place, not just in church or at a
specific time or through me. I want them to know that God is all-access.
Some of the sweetest times of prayer I’ve had recently were
being able to pray with a student prior to a court appearance (that worked out
well for them), with a student preparing for a big athletic event who was an emotional
wreck (so much pressure to perform) and with a student who has so much going on
that he didn’t know how to pray. There is literally so much pain in his life that he
found it difficult to form the words to know what to pray for. It is those
times that I thank God for the honor and privilege to be able to go the Father
for intercession.
I hope you’ll look for more opportunities to be the PRAY-er
in your community wherever that may be and go to the Father with requests.
FIS Chaplaincy serves the students and staff of Flandreau Indian School by providing opportunities to encounter the hope and love of Christ. This faith-based, inter-denominational nonprofit is financially independent from the school operation and is fully funded through donations from corporations, denominational entities, churches, civic groups and individuals. Please consider becoming a monthly donor to assist us in continuing our ministry.